Description
Sat. 1/31/26, 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Peak into the fantastic world of Fungi with Jeff Mertz, Founder and Forager of Wildspawn Mushrooms. He will teach basic mushroom characteristics that will allow you to distinguish common mushrooms right in your backyard. The focus will be on edible and medicinal mushrooms although some other notable fungi will also be included in the conversation. Not only will you learn about native fungi, but Jeff will also teach you to identify common plants and ecosystem types that certain mushroom species rely on. Jeff will set up a table of fresh and dried mushrooms so participants can get hands-on experience before and after the presentation.
Jeff Mertz is an engineer/physicist turned mushroom farmer, forager, educator, and home chef. Jeff grew up as an active and outdoorsy kid, spending countless hours playing in the woods and eventually rising through the ranks of Boy Scouts to Eagle Scout. He started Wildspawn Mushrooms in 2021 with his best friend Cody Iannozzi who shared his love for foraging mushrooms, nature, and local agriculture. Together they built a following at local farmers markets and eventually branched out into restaurants, CSA’s, and small local groceries. Today Jeff is the sole-owner of WSM and his farming-operation is based in Montgomery, New Jersey.
