Our NEMF 2010 Foray at Soyuzivka Cultural Heritage Center was a resounding success. The faculty was inspiring, the walks were well-organized, the socials were super friendly, the mycophagy was outstanding and the meals were delicious. And we were able to host a NEMF scholarship student, Joanna Weaver, as well as two graduate student mycologists. We also welcomed five students from the Ellenville High School and their advanced biology course teacher.

COMA was among four other clubs in the NYC area to sponsor this four day foray. The other clubs were the Mid-Hudson Mycological Association, the New York Mycological Society and the Long Island Mycological Club. Members from each of the organizations helped to make this an incredibly satisfying event. Elmer LeSeur of the MHMA was our walks chairman and did an remarkable job working with landowners and state and local authorities to ensure we had access to prime lands. Club members served as walk leaders for the twelve or so walks we had lined up. Elinoar Shavit of COMA and the NYMS outdid herself in devising a mycophagy menu with numerous delectible tastes and textures, topped off by a white fungi jelly fruit dessert and Candy-cap cookies with the flavor and aroma of maple syrup which stayed on your tongue for at least a half-hour! Sue Rose created three successful and friendly evening socials for us with music and snacks, while Morrs Palmer led participants in dancing to a groovy good variety of tunes. And on the final evening I got to enjoy Steve Rock's special concoction while we saluted each other's health. Paul Sadowski of the NYMS was our ever-organized registrar making check in and check-out a breeze. I will forever be indebted to Maria Reidlebach, who took the microscopes we borrowed for our microscopy workshops back to the Ellenville High School. In fact, as far as I could tell, everyone of the 256 or so participants at the foray helped in one way or another. Bravo!

The faculty was stellar with Roy Halling, Tim Baroni, Rod Tulloss, Doug Bassett, Dorothy Smullen, Marie Heerkins, Russ Cohen, Roz Lowen, Larry Millman, Raymond Archambault, John Plishke III, Walt Sturgeon, Bill Yule, Noah Siegel and Gary Lincoff serving as Program Chairperson and Chief Mycologist. All the bases were covered from boletes to polypores, from the mushrooms of Costa Rico to the mushrooms of New Zealand, from ascomycetes to mushroom crafting. There was something wonderful for everyone. And to top a great event off, our very own Dave Rose was awarded certificate for his contributions to amateur mycology - as was a surprised Gary Lincoff.

Despite the dry weather conditions, we managed to collect around three hundred species of fungi, though the best-looking ones were the polypores and crusts! I didn't have a chance to get out on my own during the event, but I managed to take a few shots of mushrooms on the display tables. Below you will see photos of some of these.
Dianna
P.S. For more pictures of NEMF 2010 log onto Roz Lowen's Picassa site: http://picasaweb.google.com/roz.lowen/NEMF2010#
and JJ Murphy's Blog: http://www.writerbynature.com/2010/09/27/mushrooms-abound-at-nemfs-samuel-ristich-foray/