Right now we have an enthusiastic student Mushroom Club called the Fantastic Fungi Fanatics. Members have varied interests, including foraging for wild mushrooms, cultivating mushrooms, mushroom art, mushroom dyeing, and … whatever you like. Cornell community members can join up! and all can follow them on Instagram.
Other Regional Mushroom Clubs
Want more? Nearby mushroom clubs :
- Rochester Area Mycological Association
- Susquehanna Valley Mycological Society (Binghamton/Endicott)
- Central New York Mycological Society (Syracuse)
- Western Pennsylvania Mushroom Club (Pittsburgh)
Also, watch for NY’s Peck Foray and the Northeast Mycological Foray at different sites each year.
More Cornell Resources
- Mushroom cultivation information from the Cornell Small Farms Program
- The Cornell Mushroom Blog, is a student/faculty-written collection of stories about fungi (accessioned in the Library of Congress!)
- Note: our mailing list Mushrooms-L was discontinued in 2023.
Mushroom Hunting near Ithaca NY, and Regulations
Here in the Finger Lakes region of New York, we look for morels in May, king boletes under spruce in June, chanterelles under oaks in July, giant puffballs in Aug/Sept, and all kinds of mushrooms from September through snowfall. Nobody will tell you their morel spot — don’t even ask. The best mushroom hunting places around town are State and Federal Forests, where we are permitted to collect for personal consumption. One nice way to explore these places is by hiking the Finger Lakes Trail (buy a Trail Guide with maps at a local bookstore).
State Forests, Forest Preserves, Wildlife Mgt Areas, Finger Lakes National Forest, and Multiple Use areas:
Okay to harvest for personal consumption, but not for commercial sale.
Not all DEC officers are aware of the revised regulation, so carry a copy (link: see section 190.8, item g)
Try Connecticut Hill, Shindagin Hollow, Danby, Hammond Hill, and Yellow Barn.
No harvesting whatsoever:
- State Parks, including Treman, Taughannock, Buttermilk Falls, etc.
- Finger Lakes Land Trust
- Cornell Natural Areas
- Ithaca City Natural Areas, including Six Mile Creek NA, Fall Creek NA, Fuertes Bird Sanctuary, Southwest NA
Private Land: Obtain permission of landowner.
Please respect these rules for mushroom hunting. Picking where you’re not allowed is uncool, and gives us all a bad reputation.
Happy hunting!
Prof. Kathie Hodge kh11@cornell.edu