Demystifying Functional Mushrooms

Saturday, April 13, 2024
2:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Tuition: $30  Materials: $50
*Sliding Scale Available

Functional mushrooms are types of fungi that are regarded for health benefits beyond just their nutritional compositions. Functional mushrooms are often categorized into two main groups: medicinal mushrooms and adaptogenic mushrooms. Learn the difference between these two groups, and the WHO, WHAT, WHY, WHEN and WHERE of the most common functional mushrooms: Chaga, Reishi, Shiitake, Miatake, Lion's Mane, and Cordyceps. This class will offer a variety of food and beverage samples, along with a demonstration of the Dual Extraction Method for making Mushroom Tinctures. You will go home with a 1 oz bottle of Chaga Tincture and another 1 oz Mushroom Tincture of your choice (subject to availability).

Herbalism classes taught through the Ely Folk School are led by instructors who have sought out training or education about herbal medicine and are not intended to replace care from medical professionals. These classes are strictly educational, and do not provide treatment, diagnosis, or medical guidance. Attendees acknowledge their responsibility for personal choices.

About the Instructor: Sue Wille is new to Ely, but not so new to the area. She grew up spending most of her summertime at her family's primitive island cabin on Lake Vermilion and since 2020 has lived summers there full time. Although rural Northwest Wisconsin has been 'home' for the past 12 years, Sue is now is excited to call both Tower (summer) and Ely (Winter) her home. Sue has been a practicing massage therapist for close to 29 years. Her continuous curiosity and studies in the healing arts and modalities led Sue to complete her 1600-hour Masters of Herbalism from the Green Wisdom School of Botanical Medicine in 2019. In full complement to the herbs, her life-long appreciation and fascination with mushrooms (finding, photographing, identifying, foraging, eating) came full circle. So much so that her final master thesis project was a book titled " Fruits of the Forest: The What, Why and How of Medicinal Mushrooms Made Easy". Sue is the sole proprietor of "MuttShrooms" - a small scale business of homemade mushroom dog treats containing medicinal mushrooms. Sue has a passion for sharing her knowledge and empowering other people to achieve wellness. For seven years she taught both hands-on and administrative courses at Minneapolis School of Massage and she currently presents as an instructor for Green Wisdom's Intermediate Level Certificate. Sue especially enjoys offering her hands-on, make-and-take courses which include the always popular Elderberry Syrup Class!