Autumn Mushroom Foraging Course with The Wild Path

Porcini, chanterelle, parasol, oyster… Plenty people know a few names of common wild edible mushrooms, which are famously prized for their delicious, complex flavors. But few people, especially us city-dwellers, have the knowledge, experience and confidence to find, identify and harvest these extraordinary beings. And even fewer are familiar with the less well-known but equally (or more!) delicious species, like saffron milkcaps, blewits, amethyst deceivers, giant polypore and many more. And as we all know, it takes crucial know-how to distinguish the delectable from the deadly!

Want to gain that know-how? Join PilzCoach Simka (they/them) for a mushroom foraging deep-dive this autumn! Taking place over three Saturday forest day trips spread over the autumn months, plus one online crash course session, this course will take you from mushroom novice right through to confident forager taking home your own fungal harvests.

The course will cover:​

🍄 The best-tasting and most rewarding edible mushrooms of the early, mid and late autumn high season
🍄 How to observe and identify a mushroom
🍄 Mushroom biology and fungal growth habits
🍄 How to categorize mushrooms into some of the large & important families
🍄 Common toxic mushrooms and how to avoid them
🍄 Tools and techniques to get started foraging
🍄 How to absolutely not poison yourself
🍄 Where and how to look for edible mushrooms
🍄 How to harvest and clean your finds
🍄 Sustainable foraging practices
🍄 Cooking and preservation tips and recipes
🍄 How to keep expanding your knowledge
🍄 …and much more!

The core details

• Dates & times:
  • Introductory online session Wednesday September 24th, 19:00-20:30 (will be recorded)
  • Full-day sessions on Saturdays September 27th, October 11th, and November 15th, 10:30-17:00
• Location: Different each time, shared 1–2 weeks in advance. Always easily accessible by public transit within 45 minutes of central Berlin
• Group size: 6–12 participants
• Price: 250€ (payment plans available - see below!)

What to expect

We’ll move through the abundant autumn season together as a small group, tracking the mushrooms as they fruit and change, and tasting, touching, smelling and cooking our way into deep understanding rooted in hands-on experience. Along the way we'll explore all-important questions of sustainability, ethical harvesting, multispecies relationships and the peculiarities of the semi-urban forest around Berlin.

Across the three day trips, we'll put particular emphasis on easy-to-identify species with excellent culinary applications as well as the all-important question of how to not accidentally poison yourself. You'll meet an estimated 15-25 different species of edible and medicinal wild mushroom, and get confident harvesting many different types for yourself.

 Plus we'll meet countless non-edible species, and together fall deep down the rabbit hole that is the bizarre and wonderful world of fungi – undoubtedly with plenty of side quests, wacky learnings and surprises along the way.

Each session will take place in a different location and will include foraged snacks, practical identification tips, and plenty of time for questions, discussion, searching and harvesting.​​

In each location, we'll also take plenty of time to go slow, be present, and soak in the beautiful nature of these special wild spots.

What's included​​​

• One interactive crash-course online session covering the basics of foraging, mushroom biology, important families, and answering initial questions (will be recorded)
• Three full-day trips into the forest around Berlin, building knowledge each session through guided forays through new habitats and encountering new species each time
• Detailed handouts each session
• A dedicated Telegram group for sharing discoveries and resources and answering questions between sessions
• Your own copy of Simka's laminated mushroom ID cards
• Foraged snacks made by Simka to taste each session
• A warm, passionate, interactive teaching approach with lots of hands-on learning as well as time to just "be" in nature, including a sensory meditation to start each session
• Multispecies perspectives, centering ethical foraging and practical sustainability

Expect to walk away with practical foraging skills to last a lifetime, a deepened connection to the fungi & forests around you, a community of like-minded foragers, and a whole new way of experiencing the land around Berlin!​

Payment and registration

I've done my very best to keep the cost for this course as low as possible. Still, though, I recognize there are many folks who aren't able to pay 250€ in one chunk (I'm in that boat too, btw). That's why I've given the option to register with different payment plans (interest-free, of course). You can choose to pay in full, or in monthly installments over two, three, four, or five months (two months @ 125€/month, three months @ 83.33€/month, four months @ 62.50€/month, five months @ 50€/month). If you need a more extended plan, please send me an email.

When you register, I ask that you pay a deposit of 50€ to secure your place. You will receive an invoice to pay the remainder of the fee, to be paid before the course begins. 

If you'd like to pay with a payment plan, indicate that at checkout, including over how many months you would like to pay. Your deposit will count as your first installment.

Regardless of whether you choose to pay up front or with a payment plan, registration is binding and the cancellation policy will apply (see below for all details). 

Due to the nature of this course, it's unfortunately not possible to pay with a gift voucher.

Terms & Conditions - the fine print:

1. Dates and times. The course takes place over three Saturdays (September 27th, October 11th, and November 15th 2025), plus an introductory online session on September 24th. Saturday sessions start at 10:30 AM and ends between 4:30 and 5:00 PM each day. The online session will run from 19:00-20:30.
2. Course fee. The course fee is €250. Participants are responsible for their own food, travel expenses, and any accommodation costs.
3. Deposit. To register for the course, participants pay a 50€ deposit via Dandelion. This registration is binding and the remainder of the course fee will be due, subject to the cancellation policy described below. The 50€ deposit will be subtracted from the remaining course fee. Participants will receive an invoice with all payment details after registration.
4. Payment plans. I offer monthly payment plans which may be chosen at registration, and which are binding and subject to the cancellation policy described below.
5. Cancellation policy. If you are registered for this course and cancel up to 2 weeks before the start, you will be refunded less the non-refundable booking fees incurred by Stripe. For cancellations after that, half of the fee will be charged. From 7 days before the course begins, the full fee applies. If you arrange a replacement participant or someone from the waiting list takes your place, no costs will apply. I kindly ask for your understanding regarding this policy.
6. No guarantee of findings. Fungi are fickle creatures and don't always turn up when and where they're expected! It's very likely we'll find the stated range of diversity over the 3 sessions, but no one can guarantee finding edible mushrooms. If we have bad luck, we'll supplement our time in the forest with learning about edible plant species around us as well.
7. Weather. Except in the case of extreme or dangerous conditions, the course will go ahead regardless of the weather. In case of rain or inclement weather, participants are responsible for wearing appropriate clothing to stay dry and warm.
8. Course changes. If I am ill or the minimum number of 6 participants is not reached, I reserve the right to postpone or cancel the course.
9. Liability. Participation in the course is at the participant’s own risk. I am not liable for accidents, injuries, or property damage unless caused by my intentional or grossly negligent actions. Any damage caused by participants must be covered by the responsible party.