The summer rains have begun to fall and mushrooms are popping up everywhere! We’ve been doing a bit of popping ourselves! From prepared food pop-ups to music and art celebrations, June was an exciting month indeed!
Chef Ria Ibrahim-Taylor curated a beautiful evening of mushroom delights for our June dinner on the Farm.
The Capital Region Veg OUT day was a huge success. Chef Dave and master baker Corinne crafted some delectable dishes and we sold out of nearly everything!
We hosted our first Music and Creativity Celebration showcasing the incredible photography of Myco.Fox with music by Beasteliphiliac and Mallicious Offense.
The Kru Coffee Cold Brew collaboration cans featuring our lion’s mane has been a huge success! They can now be found at Nighthawks, the Helderberg Mountain Brewing Company, Indian Ladder Farms, and the New Lebanon Farmers Market as well as in our shop and at all Kru Coffee Locations.
We presented to the Lansingburgh Neighborhood Association. Introducing more of our neighbors to the benefits of mushrooms is one of our key missions!
The Rosendale Mushroom Festival brought mycophiles from the region together for a series of mushroom activities! The day began with guided fungal forays through Willow Kiln Park then proceeded into the theater for short films, a cooking demo, a panel on Psilocybin, a poetry reading, a talk about the advocacy for a State Mushroom (Lactarius Peckii), and a Feature Film (Know Your Mushrooms). It was a completely full and fun fungi festival!
Huge thanks to Darren, Nikki, and Rylie for interning with us!
Our Book Club welcomed a new member during our discussion of Braiding Sweetgrass
Many people who pick up our discarded compost report continued flushes of gorgeous mushrooms!
The Troy Bike Rescue hosted a cake fundraiser and master baker Corinne Carey crafted this gorgeous chocolate chaga espresso forest cake.
Every Wednesday we bring fresh mushrooms and more to the Helderberg Mountain Brewing Company from 5pm (ish) to 6:30pm (ish). Fungi fans from Westerlo, Berne, Knox, and the surrounding hilltowns swing by for a beer and a selection of our products. NOTE: We will NOT be at The Brewery July 12, find us at the Berne Town Park for the first Music in The Park series presented by the Berne Town Library.
Read a review of the Poetry and Prose open mic by host Dan Wilcox on his blog:
July 22nd is our next Dinner on the farm. Curated by Chef Dave Chaiken, this unique experience will include a wild crafted mocktail (with suggestions for boosting it with a BYOB additive) and a performance by singer songwriter and forager Sean Rowe. $100 for the dinner and the show. $40 for just the show and a mocktail.
Our restaurant partners continue to fabricate phenomenal fungi feats!
Here’s a look at our Monthly Dinner Schedule for the second half of the year:
Psilocybin Corner:
Assemblymember Pat Burke stopped in to tour the farm and talk about next steps with getting his bill passed in 2024.
Avery has been asked to be a part of the North American Mycological Association Committee on Medicinal Mushrooms as their Psilocybin Correspondent. Check out their website here:
As part of the Rosendale Mushroom Festival, Avery moderated a 90 minute discussion on Psilocybin use which included the spiritual / religious perspectives of Aaron Genuth, legal perspectives by Allison Hoots, the difficulties of integrating experiences without being able to sit with a client during an experience by therapist Dee Dee Goldpaugh, and current research perspectives by Bill Brennan. The recorded talk will be posted as soon as it is edited.
Our NYMHA June Meeting is available to watch:
Artist Reckless Barb gifted us one of his incredible pieces of art as a thank you for our advocacy work.
MAPS psychedelic Science 2023, many NYMHA participants attended
Australia has legalized psilocybin and MDMA for regulated mental health use.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-66072427
July Events:
July 8th: Dyken Pond Mushroom Foray as part of their 50th anniversary. $5. To pre-register visit their website:
July 15: Indian Ladder Farms Farming Man festival. We’ll be vending at Farming man again! It’s a great way to get some music and have some fun on the beautiful grounds of Indian Ladder Farms.
July 16th: Groop Lab Dance Party. Dance it up amongst the mushrooms! $10 suggested donation. Includes access to multiple vendors and complimentary mushroom iced tea!
July 20th: Growing Mushrooms at Pitney Meadows Community Farms.
July 22nd:Dinner and a Show with forager, musician Sean Rowe, curated by Chef Dave Chaiken. (see above for menu / details)
August 1st: National Night Out at Knickerbacker Park . 6-8pm
Where: Knickerbacker Park, 103rd St & 8th Ave, 320 7th Ave, Troy, NY 12182
National Night Out https://natw.org
August 5th: Metal Amongst the mushrooms. Urine CD release party with Wizard Burger Popup!
September 14 – 17:
Avery will be giving a keynote talk about the changing perspectives surrounding psilocybin use during the 23rd annual Northeast Mycological Federation Mushroom Foray
September 24th: 6th Annual Broome County Vegan Festival
https://www.broomeanimalsanctuary.com/
September 29th – October 1st: For the Love of Fungi at the Ashokan Center
A Mushroom Experience with Collar City Mushrooms and Friends will be Saturday, November 4th at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center Hall of the Pines . Put it on your calendars now! A fully immersive dinner extravaganza.
Collar City Mushrooms 