Summer Forest Ecology Outing — New Event Scheduled!

I’m excited to announce that I’ll be leading a Summer Forest Ecology Outing in a few weeks, and I’d love for you to join me!

This outing offers a unique in-person opportunity to learn the fascinating ecology and geology of a remarkable area: McConnells Mill State Park in Pennsylvania.

Designated a National Natural Landmark for its outstanding features, McConnells Mill State Park is a treasure trove for learning. Central to the park’s landscape is the Slippery Rock Gorge — a deep ravine carved by powerful forces, exposing millions of years of ancient bedrock and currently supporting mature forest ecosystems.

During this outing, we will walk through deciduous and coniferous woodlands while discussing forest ecology. We’ll investigate big trees and big rocks. We’ll see historic landmarks, and we’ll discuss important geological influences that have drastically shaped the landscape.

In addition to learning key characteristics of mature forests, participants will learn tree identification techniques, mushroom ecology and identification, the influence of glacial activity on landscape development, ways to interpret forest history, and much more.

This outing is the perfect opportunity to learn, explore, and connect with nature in a truly spectacular setting.

Interested? Here are the details:

When: Saturday, July 12 or Sunday, July 13, 2025 (Choose one date; both programs will cover the same material.)
Where: McConnells Mill State Park, Pennsylvania
Time: 10:00 am — 4:00 pm

To maximize your learning experience, space is limited and registration with payment in advance is required to secure your spot.

To learn more and to register, click here and choose the appropriate session.

I’d love to see you there!

—Adam Haritan

I Don’t Think This Poet Is Wrong

“Our relation to the natural world takes place in a place.”

The American poet Gary Snyder wrote those words. I don’t think he’s wrong.

Every time we harvest a wild mushroom, we do so in a place. Every time we add a new bird to our life list, we do so in a place. Every time we gather spring water and admire a wooded valley, we do so in a place.

Alvars, bogs, fens, forests, marshes, prairies, savannas, and swamps are all places where life abounds. When we refer to these places specifically as “ecosystems,” a few interesting things happen: We see important connections, we see intricate relationships, and we see where humans fit into the story.

If you want to strengthen your connection to nature by learning these fascinating ecosystems, consider enrolling in Exploring Wild Ecosystems. This is my newest online course designed to improve your ecological literacy.

Today is the last day of the sale.

You can learn more and register here.

Thanks for your continued support!
—Adam Haritan

Good Morel Habitat vs. Bad Morel Habitat

Years ago, I didn’t know anything about morel mushrooms. I didn’t know what they looked like. I didn’t know how they tasted. I didn’t even know they existed.

Then one day I attended a mushroom program with a local club. Experts in the club introduced me to morels. “Here’s what morels look like,” they said. “You’ll find them all over this park.”

“Great,” I thought to myself. “I now know everything I need to know.”

Except I still hardly knew anything.

Sure, I quickly learned how to identify morels, and I heard a few things about looking in certain areas: “Look for elms, apples, and poplars. Morels really like sweet soil.”

But where would I find elms, apples, and poplars? What the heck is sweet soil?

It soon dawned on me that knowledge of mushrooms wasn’t enough. If I really wanted to improve my skills, I needed to learn tree identification. I needed to learn ecology. I needed to learn geology.

And so I learned as much as I could. Slowly but consistently, I developed a wider set of skills. Eventually, I became a better mushroom hunter.

Today, I interact with wild landscapes a bit differently than I did back then. I now look for connections. I look for relationships. I look at the bigger picture.

All this to say, if you want to find morels this year, I strongly encourage you to learn the connections that bind morels to their ecosystems. In a brand new video, I discuss how to approach morel mushroom hunting through a more holistic lens.

You can watch the video here.

Speaking of learning, consider enrolling in Foraging Wild Mushrooms to improve your foraging skills.

I created this 4-season online course to help you become a successful mushroom hunter. Included in this course are instructional videos on mushroom ecology, mushroom biology, common edible mushrooms, medicinal mushrooms, poisonous mushrooms, cooking techniques, and medicine-making.

Foraging Wild Mushrooms is currently open for enrollment. You can sign up here.

Thanks for reading and watching, and thanks for your continued support!

— Adam Haritan

Preseason Morel Mushroom Hunting Tips

If you want to find morel mushrooms this year, here’s a tip: don’t wait until spring to begin your hunt.

This might sound like unconventional advice. After all, current temperatures are too cold for morels. Wood frogs haven’t even bred yet. Spring is still another 50 days away.

All these things are true. But this next statement is also true: you can drastically improve your future chances of finding morels by doing a few things right now.

In a brand-new video, I discuss several tactics we can implement immediately. I also share my predictions for the upcoming season. Will the mushrooms be plentiful this year? Will they be scarce?

You can watch the new video here.

Thanks for reading and watching!

— Adam Haritan

Two Useful Nature Skills to Learn this Winter

Greetings,

In anticipation of the winter season, I am excited to announce that two Learn Your Land online courses are on sale this week.

To improve your foraging skills, consider enrolling in Foraging Wild Mushrooms. This 4-season online course is designed to help you safely and successfully harvest wild mushrooms from the forest, from the field, and even from your backyard.

To improve your tree identification skills, consider enrolling in Trees In All Seasons. This online course teaches you how to identify 100 trees in every season. If you want to develop the confidence to look at a tree and say, “That’s black spruce, no doubt about it,” or “That’s most certainly sourwood,” or “That can’t be anything but mockernut hickory,” consider enrolling today.

These courses are self-paced and presented entirely online. Once enrolled, you can start, stop, and resume at any time.

Please note that both courses — Foraging Wild Mushrooms and Trees In All Seasons — are on sale for one week only, from today until Monday, December 23.

Thanks for supporting nature education!

—Adam Haritan

Foraging The Delicious Edible Cauliflower Mushroom

Before I share a brand-new video with you, I’d like to mention that my newest online course, Exploring Wild Ecosystems, will reopen for registration on Monday, September 23.

This online course is designed to strengthen your relationship to wild places by introducing you to fascinating terrestrial and wetland ecosystems. With a focus on the connections and communities that bind nature together, Exploring Wild Ecosystems will help you gain important ecological skills.

You can register here on Monday.

Speaking of connections, forests are teeming with connections of all kinds. Nothing in a forest exists in isolation.

Take the cauliflower mushroom, for instance.

This edible mushroom grows in association with certain trees. To find the cauliflower mushroom, it only makes sense to explore ecosystems where these trees grow.

During a recent hike, I discovered a cauliflower mushroom growing near a mature red oak. Sensing the connection, I started checking every oak in the forest. Within 30 minutes, I found two more cauliflower mushrooms — one of which I harvested and turned into a delicious meal.

Fortunately, I brought my camera along to document the experience. To learn more about this lovely edible mushroom, check out the brand-new video.

Thanks for reading and watching! If you want to develop ecological literacy and see how all the components within nature are connected, consider enrolling in Exploring Wild Ecosystems on Monday.

— Adam Haritan

Why I’ll Probably Never Eat This Mushroom

“Is it edible?”

This question constantly runs through the forager’s mind.

As it turns out, the answer isn’t always a simple yes or no, particularly regarding wild mushrooms.

Some mushrooms are choice edibles. Some mushrooms are toxic raw. Some mushrooms are toxic no matter how thoroughly you cook them.

But there’s another category of mushrooms: those that are no longer recommended for consumption even though field guides once listed them as edible.

Included in that latter category is a mushroom that grows in hemlock forests. This lilac-colored mushroom causes unpleasant symptoms in many people who consume it.

But not everyone experiences unpleasant symptoms, and in some cultures, this mushroom is considered undeniably edible.

Why is this the case? How can a mushroom poison some people and nourish others?

In this brand-new video, I share my thoughts.

Thanks for reading and watching! Have you seen any neat mushrooms lately?

— Adam Haritan

Medicinal Mushrooms: Reishi or Hemlock Varnish Shelf (Ganoderma Tsugae)

Medicinal Mushrooms: Reishi or Hemlock Varnish Shelf (Ganoderma Tsugae)

Advice On Finding Morel Mushrooms

“Let it be still, and it will gradually become clear.”

To the best of my knowledge, Lao Tzu wasn’t a mycologist, but his famous text — the Tao Te Ching — could be considered a treatise on how to find morel mushrooms.

Reading the quote above, we are reminded that our desperation to find morels can complicate our search. A desperate mind, after all, is a muddied mind. A calm mind, on the other hand, is a clarified mind that can see what’s directly in front of it (in this case, a morel mushroom).

Here’s another quote from chapter 55: “The master never expects results; thus the master is never disappointed.”

Disappointment afflicts many foragers who struggle to find morels. Such disappointment can lead to sadness, anger, and frustration. It’s better to appreciate the sunshine, fresh air, and singing birds than to feel like the morel gods have cursed us.

Lao Tzu was a wise man. His words were very powerful. My words will never be as eloquent as his, but I still feel obligated to share some of my own advice on finding morel mushrooms.

What skills must we develop? Where do we look? How do we deal with FOMO (the fear of missing out)?

In a brand new video, I summarize my thoughts. You can watch the video here.

And in case you missed the announcement, I’m releasing a new online course in May. Exploring Wild Ecosystems is designed to improve your knowledge of ecology by introducing you to fascinating ecosystems — including alvars, barrens, bogs, dunes, fens, glades, savannas, vernal pools, and others!

To receive updates, please consider joining the notification list.

Thanks for reading and watching, and thanks for your continued support!

— Adam Haritan

Having Trouble Identifying Elms? Look for this feature.

Within the foraging community, people often promote rules of thumb.

• “When in doubt, throw it out.”
• “Collect no more than 10% of a particular species in an area to avoid overharvesting.”
• “It’s better to cut mushrooms with a knife than to pull them out of the ground with your hands.”

Generally speaking, I’m not the biggest fan of pithy guidelines such as those listed above. Some of them are helpful, but most require elaboration.

Here’s another example of a commonly promoted rule of thumb: “To find morel mushrooms, look under elm trees.”

I actually like this rule of thumb, but I don’t think it’s helpful for those of us who can’t identify elms. Some of us have trouble recognizing the ridges and furrows of elm bark. Some of us don’t notice the double serration of elm leaves.

Fortunately, a seasonal feature can help us identify elms right now. This feature will disappear in a few weeks, but if you look for it today, you will drastically increase your chances of finding elms.

What is this feature? Check out the brand new video to learn what it is!

And in case you missed the announcement, I will be releasing a new online course in May. Exploring Wild Ecosystems is designed to improve your ecological knowledge by introducing you to fascinating ecosystems — including alvars, barrens, bogs, dunes, fens, glades, savannas, vernal pools, and others!

To receive updates, please consider joining the notification list.

Thanks for reading and watching, and thanks for your continued support!

— Adam Haritan