Autumn brings crisp air, vibrant foliage and, for those in Doncaster, a chance to dive into a magical world at Fungi Fest at Potteric Carr nature reserve. I was welcomed at the entrance to the site by Sarah Goldsmith (YWT staff member and a “Fun-Guide”).
The Magic of Mushrooms: the Fun of Fungi at Potteric Carr
(c) Sara, Telling our Story volunteer
Telling our Story volunteer Sara headed to Potteric Carr this autumn for our first Fungi Fest. Read all about what she discovered on her mycological voyage of discovery...
YWT's Sarah welcoming visitors to Potteric's Fungi Fest - (c) Telling our Story volunteer Sara
Elaine and John Marsh (both YWT volunteers) greeted me at the visitor centre front desk...
Always a warm welcome at Potteric from John and Elaine! - (c) Telling our Story volunteer Sara
They explained the programme for the weekend and shared links to the downloadable “Marvellous Mushrooms Fun-Guide” (to get a copy, see the links at the end). I was fascinated to read that fungi are organisms that play an important role in the breakdown of natural materials. The guide explains that they come in an array of different sizes, colours, and shapes, and can be found in a vast variety of habitats from dung to dunes. Fungi were once thought to be plants, but are actually more closely related to the animal kingdom.
After a quick look round the exhibition stalls, I talked to Marvellous Mycology about their Lion’s Mane mushroom supplements.
Wild and wonderful innovations made from Lion's Mane on the Marvellous Mycology stand - (c) Telling our Story volunteer Sara
Then I joined a group of adults and children for my first event of the day, a guided walk, expertly lead by Andy Woodall and Ian Forward from the Mid-Yorkshire Fungus Group. At our first stop, we were reminded of how poisonous fungi could be when we were introduced to ergot on a grass seed head, and heard about its gruesome effects if eaten. We swiftly moved on to more family friendly fun, where we admired and examined other fungi. We heard it was OK to pick one or two mushrooms, as what we see on the surface is the just fruiting body of the fungi. The group were soon finding fungi everywhere.
(c) Telling our Story volunteer Sara
(c) Telling our Story volunteer Sara
Just a few of the finds from the guided walk... - (c) Telling our Story volunteer Sara
I left the group in mid fungi-hunt, to hurry to the education centre where Dr Jake Robinson (a microbial ecologist) was giving a talk on his recent book “Treewilding: Our Past, Present and Future Relationship with Forests”. He gave a lively presentation sketching out the problem caused by millions of hectares of forests being cleared globally. Jake described the importance of bacteria and fungi to trees and how haphazard tree-planting can wreak havoc on ecosystems, as well as jeopardising the livelihoods of local communities. He then described quite mind-boggling solutions ranging from cutting-edge science that involves inoculating trees with microbes to protect against climate change impacts, to sonic restoration (we heard that white noise actually makes fungi grow faster!).
(c) Telling our Story volunteer Sara
(c) Telling our Story volunteer Sara
At the end of the talk, I joined a queue of folk all eager to buy a signed copy of Treewilding.
In the next room, the fungi needle felt workshop was getting underway as the talk ended. I stopped to admire the crafters working under the guidance of Kat Woolley (YWT Inspiring People Manager). Using a felting needle, finger guard and wool tops (longer fibres from washed wool) mushrooms were taking shape around the table. The process of creating mushrooms looked deceptively simple, yet the concentration on the group’s faces showed what a mindful activity felting is, and the attention needed to create a mushroom to take home.
(c) Telling our Story volunteer Sara
(c) Telling our Story volunteer Sara
Just a short way down the path I met up with visitors who were admiring the wayside fungi...
(c) Telling our Story volunteer Sara
(c) Telling our Story volunteer Sara
(c) Telling our Story volunteer Sara
They directed me onwards to my penultimate stop, which was with Mud Pie Arts, who were hosting craftivism, and stories round the campfire. There I watched as mushrooms were found and sketched, fungi face-masks were made and children gathered to hear stories of the world of mushrooms.
My final activity after an action-packed day was to sit the visitor centre café and enjoy a delicious coffee and cake.
Do mark your calendars for next year. You won’t want to miss this quirky celebration of one of nature's most mysterious and magical inhabitants – we hope to see you there!
Find out more...
- Potteric Carr reserve guide https://www.ywt.org.uk/potteric-carr
- Marvellous Mushrooms Fun-Guide https://www.ywt.org.uk/fungi-festival/fungi-fact-file#funguide
- Lion’s Mane mushroom supplements https://marvellousmycology.com
- Mid-Yorkshire Fungus Group https://www.myfg.org.uk
- Treewilding by Jake Robinson https://pelagicpublishing.com/products/treewilding?srsltid=AfmBOopGR0dwETba_WMyDcDQaRsPp43Nz81OG-P39ZSdbkKbxw5i9MQt
- Mud Pie Arts https://www.mudpiearts.co.uk/