The Mushroom Hour Podcast

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Ep. 42: Red Glasses - England's Godfather of Mushrooms and Worldwide Forager (feat. Roger Phillips) Sep 25, 2020

Show notes

Today on Mushroom Hour we are honored to speak with our distinguished, bespectacled guest Roger Phillips. Roger is a natural nonconformist and a legendary godfather of foraging in the UK. Drawing upon decades of experience, his knowledge of wild food is unrivaled. Known as “Mr Mushrooms” he is an expert mycologist, renowned for his work tracking and recording more than 1,600 species of fungi in North America and Europe. Considered a pioneer in the use of photography for documenting and identifying mushrooms, he has written numerous guide books and resource materials.
Let's take a trip across the Atlantic, and back in time, over to the UK isles to find Roger Phillips at just 8 years old hunting wild nettles and bucket loads of mushrooms. His younger years saw him join the air force, work with a major advertising firm and eventually find his way to photography. As his obsession with documenting nature took hold, Roger began writing his own botanical guidebooks to European plants and mushrooms, and in so doing, was an early pioneer of the use of photography, in lieu of drawings, in his guides.
Roger reflects on the mycophobia that is deeply entrenched in British culture, but also how that is starting to change. There is a rich wild food tradition and has always been an incomparable love of gardening amongst the British people. Roger sees all of these traditions as connected, with gardening and foraging being disciplines that most people innately recognize as "moral" and "good".
Exploring his newest book, "The Worldwide Forager" we end up traveling all over the planet to learn about wild foods across cultures. Roger has a deep interest in First Nation Peoples in the Americas. Through his research on the wild food history of the Nez Pearce we learn about the consumption of wild camas bulbs. How much can we learn from First Nation peoples about wild foods and sustainable gardening? When it comes to mushrooms, we visit Italy to marvel at the oft underappreciated Caesar's amanita and Roger regales us with the story of how it may have been involved in a plot that brought down a Roman Emperor!
As our conversation winds down, we glimpse a future where cross-cultural sharing of wild food traditions leads to a more sustainable, more nutritious and scrummier future!
Directed, Recorded, Produced by: Mushroom Hour
(@welcome_to_mushroom_hour)
Music by: Lyla Foy (https://www.lylafoy.co.uk/)
Art by: Wyn Di Stefano (http://www.wyndistefano.com/)
Episode Resources
Roger Phillips Website: http://www.rogersmushrooms.com/
Roger Phillips IG: https://www.instagram.com/rogerphillips_redglasses/
Worldwide Forager (Book): https://unbound.com/books/the-worldwide-forager/
Nez Perce (Indigenous Tribe): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nez_Perce_people
Amanita Caesarea (Mushroom): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanita_caesarea
Craterellus Cornucopioides(Mushroom): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craterellus_cornucopioides

Ep. 41: Edulis Wild Foods - Foraging Mushrooms and Restoring Vital Connection in the UK Isles (feat. Lisa Cutcliffe) Sep 23, 2020

Show notes

Today on Mushroom Hour we are excited to sit down and chat with Lisa Cutcliffe from Leeds, Yorkshire in the UK. Lisa is the founder, foraging-guide-in-chief and all-round mushroom-nut at Edulis Wild Foods. With a degree in biology, being a keen gardener, veg grower, and having a lifelong fascination with nature and wildlife, she is interested in all aspects of wild food and medicinals.
As we explore the wilds of Leeds in England, we find a younger Lisa poking around the woods between classes at university. Her curiosity about using edible mushrooms in cooking led her down a pre-Internet road of discovery, seeking out information about mysterious kingdom fungi. It was the quest for her first porcini that brought her from Leeds to the "New Forest" in the South of England and set her down the path of edible mushrooms and wild food.
Her love of mushrooms branched out into a love of plant foraging as she was determined to find edible foods across every season. Her journey came to a traumatic inflection point as a diving accident damaged her back and crippled her ability to go abroad and engage in the physical activity that was her passion. However, the regeneration from this experience pushed her to explore the UK Isles and rediscover herself, open up her love of wild foods and connect with an incredible community of wild mushroom and plant enthusiasts across the UK. How can foraging be used as a form of physical and emotional therapy to help us recover from trauma?
Pursuing her passion for wild foods more intensively, Lisa felt the call to "find the others"! After connecting with and learning alongside other UK wild food experts, she became a founding member of the Association of Foragers - a network that provides collective support for professional foragers guided by an ethos of "Restoring Vital Connection". This influence and the community she was now a part of inspired Lisa to create her own wild foods business - Edulis Wild Foods.
We'll take a walk in the shoes of a professional foraging educator and learn keen insights about the responsibility and realities of such a path. How do you know when you're ready to start teaching others? How does one balance a day job with the commitment to being a professional educator? For Lisa the most satisfying part of sharing her love of wild foods is seeing her students reconnect with nature and remember the ancestral connection they have to their land.
Directed, Recorded, Produced by: Mushroom Hour
(@welcome_to_mushroom_hour)
Music by: Ancient Baby (https://peckthetowncrier.bandcamp.com/)
Art by: Wyn Di Stefano (http://www.wyndistefano.com/)
Episode Resources
Edulis Wild Foods (website): http://www.eduliswildfood.co.uk/
Lisa Cutcliffe (IG): https://www.instagram.com/eduliswildfood/
Association of Foragers (UK): https://foragers-association.org/
Craterellus cornucopioides (mushroom): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craterellus_cornucopioides
Chlorociboria aeruginascens (mushroom): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorociboria_aeruginascens

Ep. 40: Entheogenic Evolution - Psychedelic Consciousness and Non-Duality (feat. Martin W. Ball PhD) Sep 18, 2020

Show notes

Today on Mushroom Hour, we have the honor of speaking with Martin Ball. Martin is a PhD, writer, independent publisher, energy worker, visionary artist, and musician. Martin earned his M.A. and Ph.D. from UC Santa Barbara in Religious Studies with an emphasis on Native American traditions, Philosophy of Science and Religion, and the Phenomenology of Mystical and Shamanic Experience, as well as the role of entheogens in religious and spiritual experience.
Our saga into psychedelic spheres of awareness takes us beyond the bounds of ordinary five-senses consciousness, into a world that our guest Martin Ball has explored extensively. His journey into entheogenic realms of psychedelic experience began with psilocybin containing mushrooms. His own explorations continued into other tryptamine-based psychedelics (like DMT) and led him to unique understandings of the energetic and non-dual nature of our reality. For Martin, the method for coming to understand the true nature of reality is through direct experience and self-exploration and entheogens provide unparalleled tools for self-exploration.
As we peer through the lens of Martin's psychedelic-informed worldview, we see the wisdom of the phrase "All is one". Everything in reality is made from the same energy that is pulled from a firmament of raw consciousness, that Martin is comfortable calling "God". This unitary consciousness forms all elements of physical reality through an on-going process of energetic transformations and interactions that function according to basic mathematical and geometric laws. Some of the highest order expressions of this energetic creation are us - human beings. Where do concepts like ego and soul fit into this unique perspective? How are tryptamine-based compounds useful tools for human suits and how do we best use them?
It was with the release of Mushroom Wisdom in 2006 that Martin started his career as a public advocate for entheogenic reform and education. We talk about the current changes our society is undergoing as so many people become disaffected by the meta egos that have historically organized human societies like religions and governments. We are in the midst of big changes when it comes to our relationship with psychedelic substances as more safe and productive methods for use are shared with the masses. How do psychedelics inform new worldviews and new models of human organization?
Directed, Recorded, Produced by: Mushroom Hour
(@welcome_to_mushroom_hour)
Music by: Ancient Baby (https://peckthetowncrier.bandcamp.com/)
Art by: Wyn Di Stefano (http://www.wyndistefano.com/)
Episode Resources:
Martin Ball (website): http://www.martinball.net/
Martin Ball (Patreon): https://www.patreon.com/martinwball
Being Human (Book): https://www.amazon.com/Being-Human-Entheological-Evolution-Energetic/dp/1478275375
Entheogenic Evolution (Podcast): https://entheogenic.podomatic.com/

Ep. 39: Mt. Tam Psilocybin Summit - Psychedelic Gnosis and Enlightenment-Based Society (feat. Daniel Shankin) Sep 13, 2020

Show notes

Today on Mushroom Hour we are graced by the presence of Daniel “Sitaram Das” Shankin. Daniel is the founder of Mt. Tam Psychedelic Integration, which supports individuals who are exploring their consciousness for spiritual growth and transformational healing. He is the proud host of the Mt. Tam Psilocybin Summit which brings together leaders in the field of psychedelic science in a virtual summit for "Four Days Celebrating the Myth, Magic, Science, and Culture of the Sacred Mushroom".
The Mt. Tam Psilocybin Summit takes place 9/17/20 - 9/20/20. Mushroom Hour listeners can get discounted tickets here:
https://summit.psilocybinsummit.com/tickets/?coupon=hithere
I will be moderating a speaker session and will be absorbing all the amazing material being shared!
Daniel's path began working at a yoga bookstore, pursuing gnosis from Eastern spiritual traditions like Buddhism and Hinduism. Books like "Be Here Now" were incredibly influential in his own psychedelic explorations and spiritual pursuits. Why do psychedelic experiences and Eastern mysticism seem to blend well together? Do both pursuits aim to take us to the same transcendental plane?

Through his work at Mt. Tam Integration, Daniel has extensive experience when it comes to preparing individuals for a psychedelic experience and helping them integrate back into sober consciousness after such an experience. He'll explain the preparatory importance of set and setting (including preparing one's own emotional state) and some of the tools he uses with clients like somatic anchoring. When it comes to integration, we learn how revelatory urges can be acted upon safely and effectively without hurting the people around us.
In the noble pursuit of shifting our current culture towards an enlightenment society, Daniel was called to create the Mt. Tam Psilocybin Summit. This conference brings together incredible speakers from around the world and of all different backgrounds. He thought this was one of the best ways he could contribute to the creation of a society based around positive values like love, grace and humility. As psychedelics suffuse into the mainstream, we look at the impacts of forces like capitalism and politics on the integrity of utopian psychedelic ideals. What is the future of psychedelic culture and will the current psychedelic renaissance help bring about an enlightenment society?
Directed, Recorded, Produced by: Mushroom Hour
(@welcome_to_mushroom_hour)
Music by: Ancient Baby (https://peckthetowncrier.bandcamp.com/)
Art by: Wyn Di Stefano (http://www.wyndistefano.com/)
Episode Resources:
Mt. Tam Psilocybin Summit (website): https://psilocybinsummit.com/
Mt. Tam Integration (IG): https://www.instagram.com/tamintegration/
Mt. Tam Integration (website): https://tamintegration.com/
Be Here Now (book): https://www.amazon.com/Be-Here-Now-Ram-Dass/dp/0517543052
Neem Karoli Baba (Inspiration): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neem_Karoli_Baba

Ep. 38: Hiking the Long Trail - Forest Pathology, Fungal Relationships & Protecting Rare Plants (feat. Matt Berger) Sep 11, 2020

Show notes

Today on Mushroom Hour we have the fantastic opportunity to chat with Matt Berger. Matt is a trained horticulturalist with a masters in forest pathology from West Virginia University. He currently works as a seasonal botanist for Sierra Pacific Industries and an Ecological Surveyor for the Great Basin Institute.
Our adventure begins as we find Matt mid-expedition hunting for rare plants in one of his favorite plant habitats - the high desert and mountainous regions of Nevada. His background in forest pathology means he always has an eye on interactions between plants, fungi and insects. Even in the desert, fungi are omnipresent and Matt shares some of his experience with fungal pathogens that can be found on rare, desert plants he studies. How central is an understanding of fungi in understanding the big picture of forest pathology?
Getting lost in the wild and cataloging biodiversity is something Matt is uniquely equipped for. He shares with us secrets of locating and identifying wild plant species and also encourages us to get out into big nature. In the context of a fast-paced modern society, spending days and even months hiking a trail can take on a spiritual significance and profoundly change a person. Life-changing experiences hiking on the PCT trail spurred Matt's own passion for studying plant diversity and pursuing work in rare plant conservation.
As we continue our trek across the great hiking trails of the American West, exploring deserts and mountain ranges, it becomes apparent just how many under-explored areas still remain. In the ranges of Nevada and California that are Matt's focus, each mountain can be a completely unique environment with entirely different species of plants and fungi! This means there is an incredible amount of biodiversity to research and catalog. We learn how researching biodiversity is integral to any conservation effort because you can't protect what you dont know is there! It would be putting it lightly to say Matt is obsessed with the conservation of rare plants. He explains how humans lose so much when we lose a species - both in it's potential value to humans and in it's intrinsic value as an organism that can never be replicated. We are called to get out into under-explored areas then catalog and protect the organisms we find!
Directed, Recorded, Produced by: Mushroom Hour
(@welcome_to_mushroom_hour)
Music by: Ancient Baby (https://peckthetowncrier.bandcamp.com/)
Art by: Wyn Di Stefano (http://www.wyndistefano.com/)
Episode Resources
Matt Berger IG: https://www.instagram.com/sheriff_woody_pct/
Matt Berger YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxru3ZxQQyQBw1188apzSQQ
Great Basin Institute: https://www.thegreatbasininstitute.org/
Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer (Ambrosia beetle): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euwallacea_fornicatus
Lewisia maguirei (Plant): https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/Rare_Plants/profiles/Critically_Imperiled/lewisia_maguirei/index.shtml
Massospora platypediae (Fungus):https://www.gbif.org/species/2559691
Claytonia (Plant):https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claytonia

Ep. 37: Mycomaker - Building Mycotectura and Spreading Mycophilia in Ecuador (feat. Nelson Dueñas) Sep 08, 2020

Show notes

Today on Mushroom Hour we are grateful for the opportunity to interview biologist Nelson Dueñas who is a founding member of the MycoMaker project in Ecuador. Mycomaker is an organization that was born in the minds of biology students in late 2016 and was founded by Nelson in early 2017. The group has undertaken keystone fungal projects including promoting mushroom cultivation, researching mycelium as a building material, and even researching potentials of mushroom grafting!
Touching down on the sacred grounds of the Yasuni National Park in the Amazon, we meet some unique jungle fungi - bio-luminescent mycena, alien cordyceps and many others which first captured Nelson's imagination. Ecuador is the home to some of the world's most precious environmental regions including the Yasuni National Park, the Chocó bio-region, Los Cedros bio-reserve and the Mashpi rainforest reserve. Unbelievably, Ecuador is home to 6.4% of all species on earth in just 280,000 sq. km. This includes an incredible array of endemic fungi. How is this insanely biodiverse environment under threat? How much untouched environment is left in Ecuador?
Called to share his love of mushrooms and fungi, Nelson and a team including other biologists (and now designers and manufacturers) created the MycoMaker project. Inspired by the fungi visionary Phil Ross, one of their main goals was to pursue mycelium as a material. They dubbed their research in biomaterials "mycotectura" and began by creating art canvas from mycelium. In their materials research, the MycoMaker team experiments with many different species of fungi mycelium to explore the properties each can offer as a material aside from just durability. As we learn about their experiments in materials science, we glimpse a vision of a sustainable future that may find us living in domes made of mycelium.
Mycomaker's mission includes sharing a love of mushrooms and making mushroom cultivation more accessible to every community in Ecuador. In 2019, they hosted a special mycotectura fair that brought in hundreds of people from all walks of life to inspire them with mycelium materials and mushroom cultivation. Nelson sums up his team's ambition as sharing a love of mushrooms, changing people's perceptions when it comes to fungi, and encouraging them to recognize the importance of funga to the environment. As our conversation winds down, we venerate the mystery and awe that mushrooms represent. When it comes to fungi, the more we learn, the more we realize we don't know.
Episode Resources
MycoMaker website: https://hongos.guru/
MycoMaker IG: https://www.instagram.com/mycomaker/
Yasuni Rainforest: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasuni_National_Park
Phil Ross (inspiration): https://www.mycoworks.com/
Nidulariaceae ("bird's nest fungi"): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nidulariaceae

Ep. 36: Uncharted Mushrooms - Tropical Fungi in South America and Central Africa (feat. Prof. Terry Henkel) Sep 02, 2020

Show notes

Today on Mushroom Hour we are honored to be joined by Terry Henkel, Professor of Botany at Humboldt State University. Terry boasts a Masters in Botany from the University of Wyoming and a PhD in Botany from Duke University. Terry’s main body of research investigates macrofungal biodiversity and ecological relationships in the remote tropical rainforests of South America's Guiana Shield and the Guineo-Congolian region of Central Africa.
We venture to the heartland of Ohio and find young Terry Henkel exploring the outdoors and immersed in the transformative works of Alan Watts, Joseph Campbell and Andrew Weil. Terry discovered his passion for ecology and mycology at Ohio University before sinking his teeth into a PhD project studying arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in Wyoming.
It was a fateful roadtrip from Wyoming to Florida which set Terry on a path to studying tropical fungi in some of the most unexplored areas on Earth. Falling in love with the jungles in Guyana, a remote country in northern South America, Terry discovered ectomycorrhizal mushrooms like amanitas, chanterelles and boletes that should not have been there! It is commonly assumed that in incredibly biodiverse tropical regions, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (which do not produce mushrooms) are the dominant symbiont with native flora. He quickly went in pursuit of backing to study this tropical mushroom mystery and it would become one of his main research projects for years to come.
Initially, his mushroom findings were explained by areas of typically hyperdiverse tropical jungle that have been overtaken by woody-legume species. These species play host to a huge diversity of ectomycorrhizal mushrooms - many that are unknown to science! In trying to figure out if his tropical mushroom discovery was reported elsewhere, a connection was made with similar woody-legume dominated forests in Central Africa. Having researched these areas for decades, Terry is seeking answers to the burning questions brought on by his fungal discoveries. Why are mono-dominant forests appearing in such stark contrast with tropical mixed forests despite no evident changes in environmental conditions between the forest areas? How much fungal diversity has been found and how much is left to be discovered in Guyana and the Guineo-Congolian region? Do the similar jungle forests in Guyana and Central Africa hint at a bio-geographical history of being connected at one time as part of the "Gondwana" supercontinent?!
As we hear the detailed history of his research and the amazing findings his team has made in terms of fungal diversity, we also learn about indigenous populations that have become critical allies in allowing this research to continue successfully. Part of the mission of this research is to provide training for local populations in cataloging biodiversity. In Central Africa, Terry's research team also plays host to PhD students to give them field experience and encourage more scientists in these biodiversity hotspots to research and protect the flora, fauna and funga that thrive there.
Episode Resources
Prof. Terry Henkel's Academic Profile: http://www2.humboldt.edu/biosci/faculty/henkel.html
Prof. Henkel's Tropical Fungi Research Website: http://tropicalfungi.org/
Gilbertiodendron dewevrei (Tree): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbertiodendron_dewevrei
Dicymbe (Tree): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dicymbe
Laricifomes Officinalis AKA Agarikon (Mushroom): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laricifomes_officinalis

Ep. 34: Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast & the Future of Biodiversity Research (feat. Christian Schwarz) Aug 20, 2020

Show notes

Today on Mushroom Hour we are excited to have the chance to hear from our guest Christian Schwarz. Christian is a Research Associate at the Norris Center for Natural History and he is coauthor of "Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast" – the bible for California mushroom foraging.
Christian Schwarz has been intrigued by fungi ever since he inherited his first mushroom guidebook from his brother. That guide turned out to be irrelevant to his area and so his first year of foraging was spent using just his own powers of observation. What can foraging for mushrooms without a guide bring to a forager's ability to develop their own libraries of sensory perception?
As the author of Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast, we couldn't ask for a better guide to help us explore the mushrooms of California. Christian explains the foraging season, different bio-regions and the variety of fungi, including a plethora of endemic fungi that call California home. The book itself is one of the best resources available for mushroom hunters along California's coastline. What was the inspiration for the book and what was that journey like of cataloging 900+ types of mushrooms? And as someone who traveled throughout the state hunting mushrooms, what are some of Christian's favorite areas in California to mushroom hunt? The answer might not be what you expect.
Christian may best be described as a "biodiversiphile" - someone who loves biodiversity in all of its forms. As he eloquently elucidates the future of fungal diversity research, it becomes clear that amateur naturalists and citizen scientists have a huge role to play in the raw data collection and cataloging of biodiversity. We'll learn about the "Taxanomic Triangle" and pick up invaluable tips on how amateurs can structure their observations to contribute the best data possible to be used in future biodiversity studies. What are the six pieces of information in the basic biodiversity suite on a given organism? What insights about evolutionary history are we gleaning based on the massive influx of biodiversity data gathering?
Episode Resources
Christian Schwarz IG: https://www.instagram.com/biodiversiphile/
Mushrooms of Redwood Coast (Book): https://bookshop.org/books/mushrooms-of-the-redwood-coast-a-comprehensive-guide-to-the-fungi-of-coastal-northern-california/9781607748175
Norris Center of Natural History: https://norriscenter.ucsc.edu/
Amscope Microscope: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=amscope&ref=nb_sb_noss_2
Southwestern Research Station: https://www.amnh.org/research/southwestern-research-station
California Channel Islands: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_Islands_(California)
Santa Cruz Mycoflora: http://scmycoflora.org/
Damon Tighe: https://www.instagram.com/damontighe/
Leptonia Carnia: http://inaturalist.org/taxa/67387-Leptonia-carnea

Ep. 33: Marrow of the Mountain - Defending Biodiversity in Ecuador (feat. Dr. Roo Vandergrift) Aug 18, 2020

Show notes

Today we are graced by the presence of Dr. Roo Vandegrift - queer scientist, illustrator and producer of the forthcoming documentary film Marrow of the Mountain. Roo received his doctorate in mycology from the University of Oregon’s Institute of Ecology and Evolution, doing much of his dissertation work on the ecology of fungi at Los Cedros, in Ecuador.
Please support Roo's documentary "Marrow of the Mountain":
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/werdnus/marrow-of-the-mountain-the-covid-emergency-fundraiser?ref=discovery&term=marrow%20of%20the%20mountain
Help their team bring international attention to the threat posed by international mining companies to biodiversity and environmental health in Ecuador!
Getting lost in the jungles of Ecuador, we find Roo Vandergrift crawling through the undergrowth of the Los Cedros bio-reserve performing fungal diversity surveys. Originally studying the genus xylaria, Roo quickly fell in love with Los Cedros and his relationship with this vibrant and powerful land would change his life forever.
Multinational mining companies have bought the rights to huge swaths of the country, leaving Ecuador’s most sensitive and biodiverse habitats at the mercy of international mining interests. This happened suddenly, and without public knowledge or consent. We witness the deep impact of extractive industry on Ecuadorian lives, as three women struggle to protect their families and communities whilst the land is being sold out from under their feet. Told in the powerful voices of Afro-Ecuadorian farmer Isabel Anangonó, indigenous leader Filomena Rosero, and scientist and activist Elisa Levy, and following a scientific expedition into the heart of the rainforest, this film explores the impact of mining on people's lives with both beauty and stark candor. How did the International Monetary Fund set in motion circumstances that would clear a path for giant Australian and Canadian mining corporations to gain access to mining territories, even in areas protected by environmental legislation? How is a pending Constitutional Court Case ruling pivotal in the future of protecting Ecuador's biodiversity from destructive mining?
Due to the COVID-19 lockdowns all people, including activists, have been forced inside. This has allowed international mining companies to continue their illegal mining and environmental destruction without any resistance. These same lockdowns have also meant that the documentary has been set back. So the Marrow of the Mountain team needs all of our support on their new Kickstarter! Empower this documentary activism and help defend biodiversity.
Episode Resources
Marrow of the Mountain Documentary Website: https://marrowofthemountain.com/
Roo Vandergrift IG: https://www.instagram.com/werdnus_roo/
Reserva Los Cedros: https://reservaloscedros.org/
OMASNE: https://www.facebook.com/OMASNE/
Spatial Ecology of the Fungal Genus Xylaria in Cloud Forests (article): https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/btp.12273

Ep. 32: Empowering BIPOC Communities by Going Back to the Land (feat. Indy Srinath) Aug 11, 2020

Show notes

Today on Mushroom Hour we are honored to be joined by Indy Srinath. Indy is a forager, educator, gardener, mushroom cultivator, and steward of both her environment and her community. Her work brings many of the principles that we discuss on Mushroom Hour - wild food, mycology, permaculture, environmentalism - into urban settings and into a relational context with BIPOC communities.
Please support Indy's campaign to create a BIPOC community farm!
https://www.gofundme.com/f/community-urban-farm-fund
Our journey begins in North Carolina where a high-school aged Indy, disillusioned by traditional education, starts to develop a relationship with the land. Before you know it, we're WWOOFing along the California coast, helping at organic farms and picking up land-based skills along the way. Returning to Asheville, NC to steward a 7-acre permaculture farm and cultivate mushrooms may seem like the dream to many of us, but it is just another stepping stone for Indy's ultimate vision. Changing scenes to the concrete jungle of LA, Indy employs the skills she's developed in herbalism, foraging and permaculture to purposefully empower chronically under-served houseless populations and BIPOC communities. What are some permaculture principles we can employ to grow food even in urban environments? Are urban agriculture and foraging useful tools in addressing major social issues like food apartheid in inner cities?
Her mission brings some particularly poignant questions to the surface. America's undergoing a cultural reckoning as European-Americans (colloquially "White") are forced to reconcile their status quo with generational and systemic disadvantages BIPOC communities face. Amidst protest, desires to help and gestures of allyship, we are reminded that access to land, or a lack-there-of, lies at the heart of America's glaring economic, political and social imbalance. This difference in land access even spills over into land-based disciplines like farming and wild food foraging. Why are practices like farming and foraging largely the domain of European-Americans now, despite having indigenous and BIPOC roots? What are some strategies to correct this imbalance and help BIPOC Americans return to the land?
As more minds turn to the idea of reparations as the most obvious solution to help heal a centuries-old trauma between European-Americans and BIPOC-Americans, Indy encourages us to remember that while interpersonal-reparations are a good start, what we really need are institutional reparations (ie. big banks, governments) to redress generational economic inequality. Ownership of land once more centers our conversation and provides a myriad of tangible solutions. How does a focus on increasing BIPOC ownership of land truly empower communities and address generational economic, political and social imbalances that America must reconcile if it is ever to become whole?
Episode Resources
Indy IG: https://www.instagram.com/indyofficinalis/
Fallen Fruit: http://fallenfruit.org/
WWOOF: https://wwoof.net/
Leah Thomas (Inspiration): https://www.instagram.com/greengirlleah/
Hypomyces Lactifluorum (mushroom): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypomyces_lactifluorum
Cordyceps Militaris (mushroom): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordyceps_militaris

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