Alex Winstead’s love of mushrooms began when he would discover intriguing specimens on family hikes through the Olympic Peninsula as a child. There were plenty of different types of fungi coloring the forest and he was always curious about them. A later introduction to mushroom hunting as a student at the Evergreen State College transformed this curiosity into the full-blown passion that eventually led to starting Cascadia Mushrooms in 2005.
What began as a tiny operation in Alex’s basement has since grown into a full-time farming business. Cascadia Mushrooms produces a variety of Certified Organic mushrooms, mushroom kits and dried Reishi mushrooms used to support a healthy immune system.
Cascadia Mushrooms’ goal is to provide the community with delicious mushrooms while nurturing fungi’s innate ability to cleanse the soil and heal the environment, to teach others about that ability and to spark a little of the same inspiration that drives their work every day. To that end, Cascadia Mushrooms offers a variety of workshops and resources for local gardeners including mushroom foraging workshops, mushroom growing kits and fresh mushrooms to enjoy at home.
Wild Mushroom Foraging Workshops
In Whatcom and Skagit counties, wild mushroom season begins at the end of summer as the weather begins to cool. Mushroom foraging season begins with chanterelles, followed by wild porcini, lion’s mane and lobster mushrooms. Because his love of mushrooms began with wild foraging, Winstead and the staff of Cascadia Mushrooms host yearly wild mushroom foraging workshops.
Cascadia Mushrooms’ Wild Mushroom Foraging Workshop is a fun, informative way to learn how to safely – and legally – hunt for mushrooms. This half-day workshop will teach students about the fascinating and often delicious art of wild mushroom foraging. Participants will learn the basics of hunting for common edible species of wild mushrooms in the foothills surrounding Mount Baker.
This class isn’t an exhaustive course on wild mushroom foraging, but it is a thorough introduction for beginners. They’ll show participants where to look for common species, how to distinguish their identifying characteristics and what their non-edible or poisonous look-alike species might be. Students will learn ethical harvesting techniques, the basic gear essential to mushroom hunting and learn about a selection of fungi that are abundant this time of year.
“We’ll take a group into the woods and teach them the basics of mushroom foraging,” Alex shared. “And we’ll potentially cook what we forage.”
This workshop is $75 and includes instruction, foraging and light refreshments and tea (students should bring a sack lunch). Winstead only hosts one to two foraging workshops a year and he keeps these workshops small (typically up to 12 students) so everyone has an opportunity to learn from him and his fellow mycological masters at Cascadia Mushrooms. Register early to make sure you don’t miss out on this special opportunity!
Mushroom Growing Kits and More at the Wild Mushroom Show
Every fall, Pacific Northwest forests and fields are filled with thousands of different kinds of mushrooms. You can experience hundreds of them at Bellingham’s 28th annual Wild Mushroom Show, on Sunday, October 22, from 12:00 to 5:00 p.m., at the Community Building at Bloedel-Donovan Park (2214 Electric Avenue).
Enjoy the beautiful displays of locally collected mushrooms, bring mushrooms from your own backyard for identification and hear mushroom talks by local experts and surprise guests. You’ll also learn to identify common mushrooms (both edible and poisonous), cultivate your own fungi with kits from Cascadia Mushrooms, taste safe and savory wild mushrooms and visit the “touch and smell” table for hands-on fun with fungi. Plus there will be coloring and crafts at a children’s activity table and much more. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for students/seniors and free for children under 12.
The Wild Mushroom Show is sponsored by The Northwest Mushroomers Association, which promotes the understanding and appreciation of mushrooms and the study of mycology in Whatcom, Skagit and Island counties.
Where to Buy Seasonal Mushrooms
Can’t make it out into the woods to forage for mushrooms? Prefer to dirty your hands in the kitchen instead? Cascadia Mushrooms offers delicious, locally-foraged seasonal mushrooms at their farmers’ market booths in Bellingham and Everett, as well as both Community Food Co-op locations, Terra Organic Foods and the Skagit Valley Food Co-op. Or you can let someone else cook these beauties up for you by visiting one of several restaurants that serve Cascadia Mushrooms in Whatcom and Skagit counties.
Cascadia Mushrooms is located in North Bellingham. Visit their website or give them a call at 360-714-8859 to make an appointment to stop by, apply for a wholesale account or sign-up for one of their seasonal workshops.
