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Mushrooms & Adaptogens


  • The Arctos School of Herbal and Botanical Studies Portland, OR (map)

Join Gradey and Missy as we explore connection, resilience, and mystery in the fungal and floral worlds this October.

In our field time, we’ll home in on fungus identification while demystifying mushroom structures, habits, and life cycles. We will explore off-trail through the forest in search of edible and medicinal fungi, paying special attention to where they occur, how to harvest ethically, and important safety considerations when handling and preparing mushrooms so that participants are empowered to forage in the future.

Our online classroom days will go further with mushrooms as medicine, making a heat-extract tincture and covering effective preparations for long-term health support. We will also dive into adaptogens, a powerful category of medicinal plants and fungi, discussing the controversies and mystique of these remedies that are lauded for stress reduction and resilience. In the kitchen, our hands-on approach will include food as medicine and deep immune support for the winter ahead.

This 4-week course is part of the Saturday Herbalism Mini-Series. Each intensive includes two full-day field trips led by Gradey Proctor and two online or in-person classroom days taught by Missy Rohs, for a combination of nature immersion, hands-on medicine-making, lecture, discussion, and sensory learning.

Students can choose to sign up for as many mini-series as they like, delving into different focus topics throughout the year. Each block of classes is deeply seasonal, centering us with a sense of place and a knowledge of our bodies through the cycles of the year. Go to the Saturday Herbalism Mini-Series page for full details, including pricing, pandemic practices, and more.

The 2021 cohort of Mushrooms & Adaptogens is currently accepting folks for the wait list. Click below to join the wait list, or check out one of our other upcoming offerings!

Earlier Event: September 23
Intro to Edible & Medicinal Mushrooms
Later Event: October 28
Working with Roots