Mike Kempenich, The Gentleman Forager, brings a wealth of  experience to our Wild Mushroom Identification classes. As a pioneer in this field, he has been sharing his knowledge for over four decades, making him one of the longest-standing educators in Minnesota on this subject. Having taught at esteemed institutions such as the University of Minnesota and the University of Wisconsin, Mike's engaging teaching style fosters an enlightening learning environment with a healthy dose of humor. Join us for a captivating session that promises to inspire confidence and ignite your passion for exploring the bounties of the woods with confidence.

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Mike's classes are typically 3 hours in duration and cover a wide range of topics including;

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• Fungi Fundamentals: Dive into the basics of mushroom biology and understand what makes them tick.

• Harvest to Home: Learn the ins and outs of gathering, cleaning, and storing mushrooms safely.

• Simple Gourmet: Discover how to transform wild mushrooms into delicious, simple dishes.

• Friend or Foe: Get skilled at spotting the difference between edible mushrooms and their toxic look-alikes.

• Mushroom Mastery: Gain the confidence to identify edible wild mushrooms accurately, elevating your foraging game.