The Mushroom Hour Podcast

Today on Mushroom Hour we are excited to interview Saga Mariah Sandberg. Saga Mariah is an accomplished artist whose work focuses on mushrooms and other natural subjects. Her work has been described as authentic, beguiling, captivating and, perhaps above all, a beautifully curated celebration of Sweden’s natural systems.   In this first part of our two-part interview, we travel to the beautiful Varmland region of Sweden, the land that our artist Saga Mariah calls home. We'll experience life on her family's farm through the curious & rebellious eyes of young Saga. This wild environment and her bold nature as a child led young Saga to develop a lifelong fascination with insects, plants, animals and of course fungi! We'll venture deep into the woods and explore ancestral mushroom forage grounds that have been passed down from generation to generation - sometimes for hundreds of years. Like the forage patches themselves, Saga's mother passed down her knowledge of foraging to Saga when she was old enough to walk! This type of fungi hunting lineage is found throughout Sweden and it helps us understand how deeply ingrained foraging is in the culture. But how did an ancient cultural fear of all mushrooms eventually transition into such an intimate relationship with them? Throughout the enchanting, winding paths of our conversation, we witness Saga's development as an artist. As a child discovering her natural talents, to her first art exhibit at 11 years old, through an academic career in design to her current work as a freelance illustrator and designer, she has blazed her own trail. She now produces amazing works rendering wild mushrooms and ecological biotopes with a captivating, "saturated" style that is all her own. We'll see her mission to educate with her ecological art come full circle as her works are showcased in Sweden's most well-known natural history museum. How does an artist find their own voice in both the composition, production and distribution of their art?Thanks for listening and Mush Love!    Directed, Recorded, Produced by: Mushroom Hour(@welcome_to_mushroom_hour)   Music by: Ancient Baby (https://peckthetowncrier.bandcamp.com/)   Art by: Wyn Di Stefano (http://www.wyndistefano.com/)   Episode Resources   Saga-Mariah's Art & Illustration Website: https://www.sagamariah.se/   Saga-Mariah IG: https://www.instagram.com/sagamariah_floral/      Violet Cortinarius: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cortinarius_violaceus   Varmland, Sweden: https://www.visitvarmland.se/en    

Today on Mushroom Hour we have the blessing to interview Benjamin Lillibridge. Benjamin is the founder of Big Island based Mālama Mushrooms, a business focused on bringing superfood mushroom extracts to the masses for immunity, brain health, and energy support.   This week's journey takes us to the Big Island of Hawaii - one of the most unique biomes on the planet. With Ben as our guide, we'll take a tropical tour through the fungal landscape of the Big Island, including a look at some of Hawaii's endemic fungi. We'll learn how a mission to catalog Hawaii's fungi was sparked during a Radical Mycology community gathering that inspired him to found the Hawaii Mycoflora project with Jeff Stahlman and secure grant funding. What kinds of unique fungi are endemic to Hawaii? How does the relatively young geography of the islands play a role in fungal populations?    Ben has a rich background in agriculture and food systems, with years spent working on permaculture farms and with value-added food products. He has been able to leverage his knowledge and talents to found a medicinal mushroom company that employs ethical sourcing to deliver high-quality mushroom supplements. Staying true to his own integrity and love of fungi, Ben has been able to use his company's success as a platform. He plans to use the growth of Mālama Mushrooms to fund the creation of vertically integrated medicinal mushroom supply chains in Hawaii and fund his mycoflora research.    We wrap up our conversation talking about Ben's work with the Clarity Project - an Oahu-based organization that hopes to create a conversation around the classification of psilocybin-containing mushrooms as medicinal substances. How important is it for people to share their psychedelic experiences as a community and how can that lead to safer practices when it comes to engaging with entheogens?    Thanks for listening and Mush Love!    Directed, Recorded, Produced by: Mushroom Hour(@welcome_to_mushroom_hour)   Music by: Ancient Baby   Art by: Wyn Di Stefano   Episode Resources   Hawaii Mycoflora Project on iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/mycoflora-of-hawaii-2019-new-list   Mālama Mushrooms IG: https://www.instagram.com/malamamushrooms/   Mālama Mushrooms Website: https://www.malamamushrooms.com/   The Clarity Project: https://clarityproject.org/

Today on Mushroom Hour we are excited to interview Oliver Merivee. Oliver is the co-founder of the Fungi Academy, a paradigm-shifting community and a sacred mycology school in Guatemala, located on the magical Lake Atitlán.Pack your bags and open your mind as we go on a world-spanning journey from Oliver's native Estonia over to Australia, hitchhiking across Mexico and winding up in Guatemala. His travels have given him a unique perspective on the human experience and the value of service to others. It can be liberating to take on the role of penniless traveler and rely on your faith in the Universe and synchronicity to provide what you need and take you where you need to go.Everyone has felt the allure of idyllic communes or intentional communities at one time or another. We get the chance to be part of the tribe at Fungi Academy and hear about how their community operates. Oliver has visited many communities throughout his journey and has been able to absorb invaluable insights from each. He has held space with elders and seen what makes an intentional community thrive. What are the most important pillars of intentional communities that help them stand the test of time? How do intentional communities achieve symbiosis with their surrounding environment and help build more resilient societies?We wrap things up with an expansive conversation about plant medicines and psychoactive mushrooms. The anecdotal evidence and growing scientific body of knowledge is offering hope that powerful therapies for the body, mind and spirit lie within our grasp. Responsible use of these natural substances encouraged Oliver to seek knowledge all over the world and Fungi Academy may not exist without their influence. How can we learn to use sacred mushrooms to help us embody principles of self-love and service to others?Thanks for listening and Mush Love!   Directed, Recorded, Produced by: Mushroom Hour (@welcome_to_mushroom_hour) Music by: Ancient Baby   Art by: Wyn Di Stefano   Episode Resources Fungi Academy Sacred Mycology Courses: https://fungiacademy.com/sacred-mycology-school/Fungi Academy IG: https://www.instagram.com/fungiacademy/Fungi Academy Website: https://fungiacademy.com/Intentional Communities: https://www.ic.org/

Today on Mushroom Hour we have the extraordinary honor of interviewing William Padilla-Brown. Founder of MycoSymbiotics, William is a social entrepreneur, citizen scientist, mycologist, amateur 'phychologist', urban shaman, writer, you-tube vlogger, contributing editor for Fungi magazine, researcher, poet, and father.  Venturing into the woods of Pennsylvania, we'll train our eyes to go foraging for wild cordyceps with a man who has played a major role in popularizing the cultivation of this zombie mushroom. William walks us through some of the fundamental biochemistry of this fiery fruit body including the compounds in cordyceps that make them world-renowned medicinal fungi. While reviewing some well-known compounds like the adenosine-derivative cordycepin, Will also shines light on some lesser-known compounds like cordynin. How much of cordyceps' medicinal potential has yet to be researched and uncovered? How many different species are there and do cordycep species besides C. Sinesis and C. Militaris show promise in terms of their use as medicinals?   As a non-traditional educator and YouTube-university graduate, Will's journey has always involved novel methodologies when it comes to spreading scientific information across communities. We'll hear about his work in the lab and how he has given others the tools to practice the scientific method in their own home. Exploring the growing citizen science ecosystem, we'll glimpse a vision of a not-too-distant future where a decentralized network of home labs and community-based labs work together to push science forward. Can the application of models like community-based science and permaculture be enough to help manifest a better world? Is there an opportunity for a new, conscious generation to participate in what may be perceived as "broken" or "outdated" institutions to effectively subvert the dominant paradigm and create lasting, positive change?   We wrap up our chat talking about POC involvement in the mycological and citizen science communities. Inclusion is critical and everyone needs to be exposed to this life-changing information. What are some ways event organizers and mycology clubs can engage with POC communities?   Thanks for listening and Mush Love!   Directed, Recorded, Produced by: Mushroom Hour  (@welcome_to_mushroom_hour)  Music by: Ancient Baby   Art by: Wyn Di Stefano   Episode Resources  Mycosymbiote IG: https://www.instagram.com/mycosymbiote/   William Padilla-Brown Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/William-Padilla-Brown/100006127386177   Mycosymbiotics: https://www.mycosymbiotics.net/   Mycosymbiotics Shop: https://www.mycoshop.net/   MycoFest: https://www.mycofest.net/   Globifomes Graveolens: http://www.mycoguide.com/guide/fungi/basi/agar/poly/poly/glob/graveolens   

Today on Mushroom Hour we have the pleasure of speaking with Rachel Zoller. Under her moniker, Yellow Elanor, she has become a pillar in the online mushroom education community. She teaches classes and speaks at mycological events across the Pacific Northwest.   We trek up to the wilds of BZ Corner, Washington to start exploring the forest floor with our master myco-educator! Rachel will guide us through the basics of mushroom identification, including the importance of engaging all of our senses in the process. We'll smell all the mushrooms we find, play with them and really experience the essence of these fungal treasures that we are seeking to understand.    As an educator and someone who spreads the love of fungi into her community she'll illustrate how, when it comes to mushrooms and the 50-year old science of mycology, passion is enough to put an amateur in a place to make a real impact. We'll also get comfortable coming out of our shell to engage mycology clubs and the local mushroom community and watch our learning accelerate exponentially.     As one of the most important roles she takes on, Rachel is the mother of two little mycophiles. For all you parents out there, she shares some invaluable advice when it comes to taking the little ones out mushroom hunting. How can your children, and your family dynamic, benefit from foraging for mushrooms together? How do you make sure mushrooms don't end up in a pocket or a basket that shouldn't be there?    Thanks for listening and Mush Love!   Directed, Recorded, Produced by: Mushroom Hour  (@welcome_to_mushroom_hour)  Music by: Ancient Baby   Art by: Wyn Di Stefano   Episode Resources  Yellow Elanor IG: https://www.instagram.com/yellowelanor/   Yellow Elanor YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/yellowelanor   Yellow Elanor Website: http://www.yellowelanor.com/    Mycena haematopus: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycena_haematopus   Hericium abietis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hericium_abietis  

Today on Mushroom Hour we have the honor of speaking with the distinguished Dr. Gordon Walker. Gordon boasts a Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology from UC Davis and has had a passion for wild mushroom hunting that began at the tender age of 5. Traveling to Napa County California, the heart of US wine country, we'll learn about the amazing powers of yeast, a fungi you may not even know is a fungi! We'll get a window from an expert into the complex, hidden ecosystem that is active on the microscopic level and the sequences of ecological succession at work that are responsible for some of humanity's most cherished culinary inventions - bread, wine and beer. How do yeasts actually power the different fermentation processes of wine, beer, kombucha and others? And how are yeasts, and fungi more broadly, being used to create the future of alternative proteins?With his talent of communicating scientific information in a very digestible form, Gordon helps us understand some technical points when it comes to kingdom fungi. What are the differences between the two major fungi groupings of basidiomycota and ascomycota? How are species more fluid of a grouping system than we may think when it comes to fungi? What can fungi populations in general tell us about biodiversity and divergent evolution? After we go out foraging for some of his favorite mushrooms, we get into the kitchen and learn some secrets from this Instagram and Tik Tok superstar about cooking with mushrooms. Gordon breaks down some basic principles of heat, moisture and fat content that we can all utilize that will turn our wild foraged finds into homemade delicacies. Thanks for listening and Mush Love!   Directed, Recorded, Produced by: Mushroom Hour  (@welcome_to_mushroom_hour)  Music by: Ancient Baby   Art by: Wyn Di Stefano  Episode Resources  Fascinated by Fungi IG: https://www.instagram.com/fascinatedbyfungi/Fascinated by Fungi website: https://fascinatedbyfungi.com/Fascinated by Fungi Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fascinatedbyfungi

Today on Mushroom Hour we have the wonderful occasion of speaking with Anna Henning. She has been hunting fungi in the woods of central Massachusetts and eastern Connecticut for over 5 years, gathering edible and medicinal mushrooms along with knowledge, and friends along the way. In the sleepy town of Cape Cod we'll meet a passionate self-taught mycology, taxonomist and etymologist named Anna, but you can call her "Breakfast". We wander the forests, with plenty of canine company, searching for mushrooms and also benefiting from some innate, therapeutic effects. Our culture is becoming increasingly aware of the importance of mental health and how each of us accumulates degrees of trauma and anxiety. Anna will use her knowledge of psychology to relate the feeling of connection we feel out in nature to tangibly improving mental health. Can our experiences in nature help us to heal the parts of ourselves that need it most? How does a relationship with nature intertwine with our modern psychological understanding of concepts like "attachment theory"?Entering the domain of "binomial nomenclature", we'll cover the basics of scientific taxonomy and how the interlocking structure from "kingdom" down to "species" works. This leads us to in-depth exploration of etymology, the study of the origin of words and language. We'll hear some particularly intriguing, amusing and insightful examples of different fungi and how their names were derived. How did Greek helmets made from weasel-skin become the basis for  naming a mushroom? How does an understanding of etymology provide us a sense of connection?Thanks for listening and Mush Love!   Directed, Recorded, Produced by: Mushroom Hour  (@welcome_to_mushroom_hour)  Music by: Ancient Baby   Art by: Wyn Di Stefano  Episode Resources  Breakfast of Champignonz IG: https://www.instagram.com/breakfast_of_champignonz/Gyroporus Cyanescens: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyroporus_cyanescensExsudoporus Frostii: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exsudoporus_frostiiCalostoma Cinnabarinum: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calostoma_cinnabarinum

Today on Mushroom Hour we are excited to chat with Chris Adams - illustrator & print-maker from Corvallis, Oregon. Chris is the driving force behind Corvidopolis, an art & apparel company, and he is the creator of The Mushroom Tarot. We'll gather our gear and hike through vast tracts of old-growth forests in the Pacific Northwest to see how Chris transformed from an aspiring architect into a mushroom-obsessed artist. His own personal journey into mycology became an inspiration for the stunning art and graphic apparel that he creates today. We'll learn about how he started his business as an artist and screen-printer. And we'll even discover the artistic influences that helped create the unique Corvidopolis style that blends a love of nature with a healthy heaping of weird.Chris' newest project is creating a full-color, 81-card mushroom-themed Tarot deck. The system of tarot is an ancient one that has seen many interpretations over the centuries. From the earliest cards passed along the Silk Road to the renowned Rider-Waite deck and more modern interpretations, the symbolism of the tarot has always found deep resonance with the many archetypes of human experience. Kingdom fungi also shows up symbolically throughout human history in art. We'll learn about this modern mycophile's journey of crafting his own understanding of the tarot system and the process of selecting fungal iconography that can invoke the same energies of the classic major and minor arcana. How does one find their own authentic path when crafting a new interpretation of a system that has such a revered and ancient history?Be sure to support the Mushroom Tarot Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/corvidopolis/the-mushroom-tarot-full-color-full-deckThanks for listening and Mush Love!   Directed, Recorded, Produced by: Mushroom Hour  (@welcome_to_mushroom_hour)  Music by: Ancient Baby   Art by: Wyn Di Stefano  Episode Resources  Corvidopolis Website: https://corvidopolis.com/Mushroom Tarot Website: https://mushroomtarot.com/Corvidopolis IG: https://www.instagram.com/corvidopolis/Mushroom Tarot IG: https://www.instagram.com/mushroomtarot/

Today on Mushroom Hour we have the wondrous opportunity to interview Leanne Townsend. Leanne is the founder of Wild Food Stories which sees her leading a variety of courses, workshops and events throughout the year in Aberdeenshire, and throughout Scotland.Let's travel to rural Scotland and hop from birch tree to birch tree finding beautiful golden chanterelles. We'll experience living and foraging in rural Scotland and then look more broadly at the wild food landscape across the UK. We'll also join the Association of Foragers and see the culture coalescing around wild foods. How is foraging culture viewed in the UK? What are the conversations surrounding forage culture and the opposing viewpoints?Leanne is also an academic professional leading research with the James Hutton Institute. This role sees her analyze many dynamics effecting rural communities, including wild food! One of her new paths of research has given her the opportunity to examine different viewpoints in and about the wild food community. She aims to produce academic research on different foraging subcultures and foraging practices present in the UK, beyond just their economic impact. What are some of the questions her research is looking at? How can this research on foraging bring people together around an appreciation for nature?Thanks for listening and Mush Love!   Directed, Recorded, Produced by: Mushroom Hour  (@welcome_to_mushroom_hour)  Music by: Ancient Baby   Art by: Wyn Di Stefano  Episode Resources  Wild Food Stories IG: https://www.instagram.com/wildfoodstory/  Wild Food Stories Website: https://www.wildfoodstories.co.uk/James Hutton Institute: https://www.hutton.ac.uk

Today on Mushroom Hour we chat with my good friend, talented artist and fellow mycophile Michael Campbell. Michael is a sculptural artist based in the San Francisco bay area whose work explores our connection to the mysterious fungi kingdom. Be sure to visit the links below for information on his upcoming shows!Join us as we enter the mind and studio of Michael Campell. Michael's fungi sculptures are colorful and mysterious, centering around mushrooms like amanita muscaria and psilocybe cubensis. We explore the inspiration for his evocative work and how he makes these incredibly realistic sculptures. Like branches of an oak tree, his body of work winds in different directions and the symbolism and inspiration for each is unique. From dome-worlds and teacup universes to mushroom-adorned Judeo-Christian statues, his genuine reverence for mushrooms shines through.  The deep dive is inevitable as we discuss the artist's relationship with psychedelic mushrooms. How has the psilocybin experience inspired his current body of artwork, and more broadly his relationship with nature? The connections mushrooms have with spirituality, religious myths and death are evident through history, usually with evidence passed down through artwork. Michael's own work is certainly a channel that makes manifest the very same symbolism and themes that mushrooms seem to evoke.Thanks for listening and Mush Love!   Directed, Recorded, Produced by: Mushroom Hour  (@welcome_to_mushroom_hour)  Music by: Ancient Baby   Art by: Wyn Di Stefano   Episode Resources  Michael Campbell IG: https://www.instagram.com/michaelcampbellart/  Corey Helford Gallery - Fantastical Beasts Show: https://www.coreyhelfordgallery.com/shows/fantastical-beasts/info-press/  Michael Campbell at Modern Eden: https://www.moderneden.com/collections/all/michael-campbell  (BOOK) John Allegro - The Sacred Mushroom and The Cross: https://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Mushroom-Cross-Christianity-fertility/dp/0982556276  (REF) Plaincourault Chapel - Amanita Fresco: http://www.herbmuseum.ca/content/fresco-plaincourault-possibly-depicting-fly-agaric