Upcoming 2017 Events for August

September ~ October ~ November

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August 5th

10 spots left.

Chicken of the woods

There aren't many "look alikes" for this gem. The orange and yellow markings just about jump out at you in the forest. Usually found on dead, decaying hardwood, Chicken of the Woods has been rated as "choice" on the culinary scale. Sauteed, the taste is similiar to boneless chicken breast, a tender and juicy addition to any meal. With the month of August there will be plenty of other wild fungi about. Fleshy oysters, delicious King Boletes, sweet tasting Pheasant Back, highly desirable gem studded and more.

See for yourself and find out why Marriot International listed Puck's Plenty as one of the "Top 10 Adventures to Have this Summer".

Start time: 10:00 am
Where: 96 Birmingham Street, Stratford, Ontario N5A 2S9
Cost: $35 per person.

Tickets can be purchased through internet tranfer. For more information phone 519-271-3726 or email us at pucksplenty@gmail.com

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August 6th

5 spots left.

Nature's Medicinals

Back in the 1800s a Native American, Joe Pye, became famous as a natural healer who used the plant shown on the right to cure typhus. He became a legend of the time and folks began referring to this amazing plant as "Joe Pye Weed". Primarily used as a tea, it serves as a diuretic, stimulant, tonic, astringent, and relaxant. To the left we have the turkey tail. Also prepared as a tea, the health benefits are far too numerous to list here. But if you follow this link Turkey Tail it will give you an idea of what Nature has to offer.

We'll be searching for these wild medicinals as well as the edible varieties such as oyster mushrooms, chicken of the woods, wild watercress, wild ginger and more.

Start time: 10:00 am
Where: 96 Birmingham Street, Stratford, Ontario N5A 2S9
Cost: $35.00/person

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August 7th

12 spots left.

Summer's Tasty Offering

We continue to feature this highly sought after fungi but the Oyster Mushroom deserves the recognition. Listed among the favourites of chefs worldwide, the fleshy texture and sweet taste makes it all the more desirable to the palate. Oysters begin to appear in mid-June and, depending upon the weather, come and go all the way through the end of September.

We'll be taking to trails only 15 minutes from Stratford to search for these as well as Turkey Tail Mushrooms, Boletes, wild watercress, wild ginger and more.

Start time: 10:00 am
Where: 96 Birmingham Street, Stratford, Ontario N5A 2S9
Cost: $35.00/person

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August 12th

9 spots left.

Chicken Fat Boletes?

That's what they're known as. Some call them Slippery Jacks. Others, White Pine Boletes. Whatever their names they start appearing, usually under white pines, in mid-August and last until the first real frost of Autumn. The odd thing about their taste is . . . there is no taste. That is, unless you dry them which brings out an earthy flavour that works quite well if you mix them in with other mushrooms. These will be on our list of things to find which will also include other tantalizing fungi such as fleshy Summer oysters, pink bottoms (field mushrooms), King Boletes, Ash Boletes, and more.

The forest is home to many healthy and delicious wild edibles. Learn the art of foraging on trails only 20 minutes from Stratford.

Start time: 10:00 am
Where: 96 Birmingham Street, Stratford, Ontario N5A 2S9
Cost: $35.00/person

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August 13th

11 spots left.

The Russula Family

There are many varieties of Russulas right here in Ontario. Among them is the Russula Mariae (pictured here). They're great pickled or added to soups and even better sauteed with garlic and a bit of parsley. A word of caution though. Not all Russulas are edible and some are deadly poisonous. Which is why we will show you how to tell the good from the bad. Examining the gills, the structure of the caps and more importantly the spore prints. These lessons, of course, apply to all mushroom hunting. In the coming weeks we'll feature several fungi from this family and more importantly how to identify these delicious wild edibles.

Marriot International listed Puck's Plenty as one of the "Top 10 Adventures to Have this Summer". Join us on the trails and find out why.

Start time: 10:00 am
Where: 96 Birmingham Street, Stratford, Ontario N5A 2S9
Cost: $35.00/person

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August 19th Forage & Feast

SOLD OUT

The deeper we move into Summer the more numerous the mushrooms, among them the Summer Oyster (pictured here), White Pine Boletes, King Boletes, Pheasant Backs and more. Join us on trails twenty minutes from town as we collect these delicious wild edibles. Then return to Stratford where a lunch of Nature's Bounty awaits you. Salad garnished with watercress, baguettes from The Little Green Grocery, Havarti Truffle cheese from The Butcher Baker, ginger/carrot wild mushroom bisque as well as individual tarts lightly topped with pineapple weed syrup courtesy of The Honey Tree. Locally brewed craft beer and Niagara wines accompany your meal.

Find out why Travel and Leisure Magazine rated Pucks Plenty as one of the top foraging spots . . . in the world!

Start time: 9:45 am
Where: Packam Sports Complex
Cost: $70 per person.

Tickets can be purchased through internet tranfer or PayPal. For more information phone 519-271-3726 or email us at pucksplenty@gmail.com

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August 20th

8 spots left.

Lactarius Deliciosus

Highly prized in Poland, these wild mushrooms of striking colour are quite abundant here in southwestern Ontario. Under the right conditions hundreds can be found in a single day deep inside the dark forests of conifers. Luckily for us, they come and go right through until the end of October. It will be an adventure you won't soon forget as we collect these along with Summer Oysters, Gem Studded Puffballs, King Boletes . . . wild fungi, each classified as "choice" on the culinary scale.

Puck's Plenty tours has been rated as one of the top foraging adventures in the world by Marriot International and Travel and Leisure Magazine.

Join us on the trails and find out why.

Start time: 10:00 am
Where: 96 Birmingham Street, Stratford, Ontario N5A 2S9
Cost: $35.00/person

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August 26th

10 spots left.

Here they come!

It's the puffball season as the monsters of the fungi world make their appearance once again. The Giant Puffball is another mushroom rated as "choice" and we've found several recipes to prove it. Our favourite is the Puffball Pizza. It's amazing!

We'll take to beautiful trails that skirt lakes and streams and meander through darkened wood, home to an assortment of other mushrooms of late Summer. Wild edible plants will also be in abundance such as wild watercress, day lily tubers, wild ginger and more.

Start time: 10:00 am
Where: 96 Birmingham Street, Stratford, Ontario N5A 2S9
Cost: $35.00/person

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August 27th

9 spots left.

Pear Shaped Puffballs

The Pear Shaped Puffball is another delicacy of late Summer that thrives well into Autumn. You can find them in great clusters on old hardwood stumps, some even spilling onto the forest floor. About the size of a button mushroom they are perfect for soups and stews or simply sauteed with butter and garlic. We'll be searching for these as well as the Giant Puffball, the Lactarius Deliciosus, the fleshy Summer Oyster and more on trails only 20 minutes from Stratford.

Read The National Post article on Puck's Plenty to get a taste of who we are.
Then join us on the trails!

Start time: 10:00 am
Where: 96 Birmingham Street, Stratford, Ontario N5A 2S9
Cost: $35.00/person

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