Hello VMS members, Our next meeting will be held exclusively online, with no in-person option at VanDusen this time, and will feature a special talk by Jared “Qwustenuxun” Williams. Join Qwustenuxun, from the Quw'utsun Nation on southern Vancouver Island, for an evening of learning about the deep relationships Indigenous peoples have with mushrooms and the cultural protocols that guide how we harvest them. Together we’ll explore how mushrooms have been part of our food, medicine, and teachings, and how these practices remind us to approach the land with respect, reciprocity, and care. This talk invites us to reflect on our own foraging, and how we can walk in better relationship with the fungi and the living world around us. Jared “Qwustenuxun” Williams is a Hul’q’umi’num language speaker, Indigenous chef, Salish culture educator, and consultant from Quw’utsun. Raised in Salish culture by his father and late grandmother, he carries forward teachings of traditional harvesting, Indigenous foods, and community history. After a decade in western kitchens, Qwustenuxun returned home to cook for Cowichan Elders and deepen his knowledge of Indigenous foodways. Today, he shares those teachings widely from Cooking in Two Worlds with FeedBC to a TEDx talk, national food sovereignty projects, […]

Hello myco people! I’m excited to announce our first Floral Hall meeting of the year, featuring the return of member’s night, and to share details about a special mushroom presentation from the folks at Nature Vancouver.  Member’s Night: As per tradition, member's night is a chance for members of the VMS to put on short presentations on different fungal topics. We have so many amazing experiences and perspectives within the Vancouver fungal community and we love to showcase what people have been up to. Some speakers may choose to talk about academic work, regional species, cooking, or photography to name just a few examples!  We would love to hear from you on what has caught your interest in mycology from the past 2 months.. or 2 years! Please email president@vanmyco.com to sign up or for more information. While it may not be peak mushroom season, we’d still love to see any specimens you bring to our monthly mushroom table for identification and admiration. Love the talk? Your VMS membership allows you to access an archive of several past talks on our website for your marathoning pleasure. As always, masks are encouraged in indoor spaces and for all in-person events! VMS is still hybrid […]