MUSHROOM lovers and nature enthusiasts will this year once again have the opportunity to experience a weekend dedicated to foraging for wild mushrooms as well as attending a number of informative workshops centred around these delectable fungi on Delheim Wine Estate. Delheim’s mountain pine forests are home to over 20 species of wild mushrooms, and from 16 to 18 June, this well-known wine farm on Stellenbosch’s Simonsberg will be welcoming new and experienced mushroom foragers to get out there and collect their own mushrooms, as well as offering visitors the opportunity to attend workshops hosted by specialists in the fields of all things mushroom.
Each of the three days’ programme consists of a foraging session, a practical guide to growing your own mushrooms, as well as a talk on the medicinal properties of mushrooms – an especially relevant topic in today’s health and medical circles.
Delheim’s restaurant will be open, serving breakfast and lunch including a choice of tasty mushroom-related options, and plenty of opportunities for tasting and enjoying the estate’s range of award-winning wines will be available. Bookings are essential on Quicket for the restaurant experience for this event.
The daily sessions begin with a guide on how to grow your own mushrooms presented by Alec Scott. Scott is CEO of The Mushroom Box, a company dedicated to informing the public on the practicalities of cultivating your own mushrooms at home and providing a wealth of knowledge on the variety of local mushrooms. The Grow with Alec talks are held daily from 8.45am to 10am and attendees will also have the opportunity to purchase Scott’s Mushroom Box to get their crop going at home. Sessions cost R250 per person, which includes coffee/gluhwein and rusks, but excludes the cost of The Mushroom Box, which is R150.
The daily information session on foraging, followed by the actual hunt for mushrooms in the forest, will be held from 10.15am to 1pm under guidance of Gary Goldman, who will show patrons the way with expert knowledge and practical insight. After a short introduction, guests will head for the Delheim pine forest hills with Goldman to gather their mushrooms under the practical guidance of a true expert. Expect to find delectable species such as porcini, pine bolete and pine rings – the latter also known as the chicken of the woods. Note that discovery of any specific mushrooms cannot be guaranteed. For the forage, dress for possible chilly weather – rain jacket and good walking/hiking boots or shoes. Bring a basket and a small pocket-knife.
The foraging sessions cost R450 per person and include a glass of gluhwein or cup of coffee to warm you up for the trek to the woods.
The talk on Magic and Medicinal Mushrooms by Andrew Killian takes place from 3pm to 4.30pm. Killian has a lifelong interest in mushrooms and has a special interest in their health-giving and medicinal properties. Subjects to be covered in his presentation include:
- Medicinal mushrooms and their uses
- Toxic mushrooms and their effects
- Proper way to photograph mushrooms for identification on social media
- Magic Mushrooms – What they are, historical uses, medicinal use and how to identify them
Killian’s fascinating talks on this subject costs R250 per person and includes coffee or a glass of wine. Note that space for each workshop is limited. Tickets are available via Quicket.
