Author and Appalachia-based forager Whitney Johnson (Go Forth and Forage) joins Garden Culture Magazine to make mushroom hunting FUN, safe, and totally non-intimidating. We cover beginner FAQs, easy IDs like turkey tail, why knowing your TREES matters, how to journal finds, ethical harvesting, and Whitney’s favorite wild eats—from chanterelle cream sauce to hedgehog “winter chanterelles”… and even jelly fungus gummies!WHAT YOU’LL LEARN• Where to start: regional field guides, online ID groups, and building confidence with repetition • Safety first: the golden rule—if you’re not 100,000,000% sure it’s edible, don’t eat it • Easy starter ID: true turkey tail vs. false turkey tail (pores, fuzz, and telltale undersides) • Know your woods: pairing species with host trees (elms/sycamore for morels; hemlock zones, etc.) • Fieldcraft & gear: mesh bag, simple knife/brush, clean-as-you-go, low-cost essentials • Ethical foraging: local rules, leave no trace, “take a third” mindset, feed the ecosystem • Mind & body benefits: why the woods are “church” and how lollygagging the forest lifts mood • Kitchen inspo: fried morels, chanterelle cream sauce, sautéed hen of the woods, flatbreads, brothy turkey-tail tinctures, and gummy candies from jelly fungi • Myth-busting: touching is safe, cut vs. pluck doesn’t matter, and why mycophobia needs a reset • Favorites: hen of the woods (taste king) and hedgehog (teeth! winter serotonin boost)ABOUT THE GUEST Whitney Johnson is the author of *Go Forth and Forage*, a laugh-out-loud, beginner-friendly mushroom field guide packed with practical ID, stories, and scannable QR videos that bring fungi to life.If this helped you feel braver about fungi, hit 👍 and subscribe for more garden, wild food, and cultivation chats.#Foraging #Mushrooms #GoForthAndForage #WhitneyJohnson #TurkeyTail #Chanterelles #HenOfTheWoods #HedgehogMushroom #WildFood #Appalachia #GardenCultureMagazine