Starting over is never easy, but having an incredible support network sure helps! Incredible outpouring of unending gratitude for everyone that has helped keep the mushrooms moving: Amy Hood, Dave Chaiken, Corinne Carey, Brian Stempel, Kathy Stempel, Sandra Stempel, Mary Donahue, Bob Baldwin, Chris Hadsell, Eric Sommer, Marrow Brooks, Randall Collura, Brandon Clark, Joann Timme, Pat Timme, John Michelotti, Allen Stempel, Rudy-Greg Stempel, David Stein, Amber Jackson, Danette Carll, Nell Brady, Bruce Bryne, and the dozens of friends who have reached out digitally in some way to check in on our mental and emotional well being. This lift would not have been possible without everyone’s hands and hearts helping to carry the weight!
That all being said, while the farm transition was underway, we continued to create some amazing experiences along the way.
Amy and Avery kicked December off by attending the New York Farm Bureau State Convention at Turning Stone Casino as voting delegates for Rensselaer County. The full New York Farm Bureau unanimously approved language in the 2025 Policy book on including psilocybin-containing mushrooms as an upcoming New York agricultural crop.
Chef Matt Olley cooked up an incredible feast for our guests to the Indian Ladder Farms’ Clear Mountain Room. Brewer Scott Veltman and Cider Maker Alex Gill were on hand to discuss the beverage pairings for each course.
Amy and Avery visited the Victorian age during the Troy Victorian Stroll for a pop up at Weathered Wood.
John Michelotti and Gabriela D’Elia hosted a fun fungi filled evening of food and games.
The Final Community Gathering engagement Amongst the Mushrooms was a standing room only 2nd Sunday Poetry and Prose open mic. Their new home is at Alias Coffee.
The Move Begins.
Our container arrived on the Indian Ladder Farms’ campus on December 13th.
We salvaged as much as we could from our first home. Lumber, fixtures, wiring, and doors all moved with us from Lansingburgh to Indian Ladder Farms.
Read Dan Wilcox’s Blog to see how the event went:
Click these links to see all the coverage about our farm transition:
‘Game-changer’: City mushroom farm moves to the country | The Altamont Enterprise
https://www.news10.com/news/albany-county/collar-city-mushrooms-relocates-to-indian-ladder-farms/
Our New Logo:
We are still bringing mushrooms to the mountain. Nearly every Wednesday we visit the Helderberg Mountain Brewing Company from 5pm – 6:30 to drink a few delicious beers and relax in their tasting room.
PSILOCYBIN CORNER
Along with the News covering the farm move, Tamara Starr from News Channel 13 also talked about our psilocybin advocacy efforts.
Here is the piece including the farm move:
Collar City Mushrooms transitioning to Indian Ladder Farms – WNYT.com NewsChannel 13
Here is the piece including an interview with Allison Hoots:
https://wnyt.com/top-stories/bill-to-legalize-magic-mushrooms-in-new-york-is-set-to-be-re-introduced
Our December monthly meeting included guest speaker Dr Michael Beug. He is an absolute fount of fungal knowledge. He has been studying psilocybin-containing mushrooms since the 1970’s. This is a talk you do not want to miss!
Here’s an interesting article about 2 new species of psilocybin-containing mushrooms that were recently identified:
https://phys.org/news/2024-07-species-psilocybe-mushrooms-southern-africa.html
Tuesday, February 4th we will be occupying the capital for a third year of educating law makers about the necessity of creating a legal pathway for psilocybin-containing mushrooms. We’ll be there all day! Stop in and say hello!
COMING SOON
UNDER THE CAP, Friday, January 31, 5pm – 8pm. An Art Exhibit at Paint Cohoes (144 Remsen Street ). We’ll have 2 of our mandala pieces on display during the exhibition and on Friday our team will be serving up delicious mushroom based treats!
New Yorkers for Mental Health Alternatives State Lobby Day, Tuesday, February 4th 7am – 4pm. We will be occupying the “Well” of the Legislative Office Building and meeting with lawmakers to educate them on psilocybin-containing mushrooms. If you want to get involved let us know!
New Yorkers for Mental Health Alternatives Monthly Meeting, Tuesday, February 11th 7pm – 8pm. This monthly meeting will recap the activities of our lobby day action and discuss further actions.
Join remotely via zoom here:
Mushrooms, Mycelium, and More, Monday Evenings 3/24 – 4/14 7 – 8:30pm. Unravel the mystery and majesty of mushrooms! Discover the possibilities of a mycelium-based future! Learn how to find and identify fungi in the wild! If any of these exclamations interest you, then this course is for you.
Only 9 seats are left for this course. Register here:
Amongst the Mushrooms
There was lightning
There was fire
Billowing smoke
Reduced visibility
Confusion
Isolation
Fear
Loss
Pain
Burning pain
Then silence
With quiet shuddering breaths
Resolve
Purpose
Then rain
Without rain there would be no mushrooms
And without mushrooms there would be no farm
No community
No moments like these where we laugh
Where we cry
Where we share what it means to be together
The words of the prophets have been carved into every cap’s curl
We’ve danced
We’ve dreamed
We’ve created
And now
Now there is smoke
Smoke on the horizon
An orange and red shimmer rippling under the clouds
Fire
Confusion
Fear
Change
An ending
But after every fire
There are mushrooms
Great remediators
Those who came before
Those who will come long after we’re gone
And here
For these brief moments
We were
Amongst them
Collar City Mushrooms 