Ontario Foraging, Foraging, Wild edibles, Wild Mushrooms, Stratford restaurants, oyster mushrooms, morels
Comb Tooth
Big Laughing Jim
Fall Oysters
Fawn Mushrooms
Lepista Irina
Shaggy Manes
Wild Ginger

These events are "go" rain or shine.

Tickets can be purchased through e-transfer to this email address. For more information phone 519-271-3726 or email us at pucksplenty@gmail.com



Upcoming Events for October

June ~ July ~ August ~

September ~ November ~


October 1st

2 tickets available.

Hen of the Woods

Hen of the Woods, also known as Maitake, is one of the largest wild edible mushrooms outside of the Giant Puffball. They can weigh up to several pounds and are quite easy to identify, looking like a large mass of fused caribou antlers. Highly prized in both the Culinary and Medicinal communities. They can be grilled like a steak or chopped into smaller pieces and added to pasta, soups, stews . . . OR . . . simply sautee them in garlic and butter. Hen of the Woods also contain chemicals that help fight tumors, stimulate the immune system, and lower blood sugar levels.

We will be searching for these as well as Honey Mushrooms, Gem Studded Puffballs, Pear Shaped Puffballs and more.

As an added incentive, all participants will receive a large Hen of the Woods from Shogun Maitake.

Start time: 10:00 am
Where: Bright, ON area.
Cost: $35.00/person


October 7th Forage and Feast
Pheasant Stew

SOLD OUT.

On this Thanksgiving Weekend we take to the trails in search of the wild edibles of Mother Nature. Edibles such as Wild Watercress, Wild Carrot along with the mushrooms of Autumn: Blewits, Lactarius, Velvet Foot, Gem Studded Puffballs, Lepista Irinas. The list goes on and on. Then around noon we travel back to Stratford for a delicious lunch featuring Wild Nettle Gouda, baguettes from the Downie Street Bakehouse, Leek Soup followed by Wild Pheasant Stew. We're using a classic French recipe this time that is less a stew than it is a coq au vin. The birds will be marinated in de-alcoholized wine for 3 days. Fully alcoholic wine can impart a weird, tinny flavor to the meat. Lots of herbs and a bit of brandy will be added to the broth. The result will be a tantalizing hybrid sauce. A salad of mixed greens will be served on the side. Dessert: A light pear flan.

Of course you will have a choice of red or white wines from the Niagara Region along with locally brewed craft beers.

Start time: 9:45 am
Where: Packham Sports Complex
Cost: $90 per person.

Tickets can be purchased through e-transfer to this email address. For more information phone 519-271-3726 or email us at pucksplenty@gmail.com


October 8th

18 tickets available.

Velvet Foot Mushrooms

These mushrooms begin to appear in late September and last right through the Winter until March. Velvet Foot (also known as Velvet Shank) evolve from a network of veins beneath the bark of dead hardwoods. They grow in clusters, have sticky caps and very active white spores. That stickiness dissipates in the cooking along with the spores. Velvet Foot make a wonderful addition to risotto and pasta dishes. One great advantage to the Velvet Foot is that they are so easy to dry and store. Simply leave them on the counter for a day or two until they turn black and store them in a Mason Jar. When you are ready to use them again just reconstitute them in water and Voila!.

Start time: 10:00 am
Where: Stratford area.
Cost: $35.00/person


October 9th

18 tickets available.


Honey Mushrooms

Honey Mushrooms are one of the most favourite fungi of Eastern Europe. Also found throughout North America they appear in great clusters over and inside decaying hardwood. Their name says it all about their taste. A sweetness rivaled by few other mushrooms. Luckily for the avid forager these "choice" beauties can be found from mid-August until the end of September.

We will be searching the Avon Trail outside of Stratford for these as well as Summer Oysters, an assortement of Boletes, Angel Wings, Wild Watercress, Wood Sorrel and more.

Start time: 10:00 am. Duration: approx. 3hrs
Where: Cambridge area.
Cost: $35.00/person


October 14th

13 tickets available.

The Lactarius

Lactarius Delicios is an Autumn mushroom that stands out on the forest floor only because of its colour. Orange! Highly prized in Polland these fungi will compliment any meal.

On another subject we've only just begun to scratch the surface (so to speak) on wild herbs but there are plenty that Mother Nature has to offer. Three herbs from the Mustard Family are on the agenda. Wild Watercress found in shallow creeks and streams, Marsh Yellowcress growing in damp foothill areas and Peppergrass along waste sites and roadsides. The deeper we go into Autumn Watercress becomes more peppery while Yellowcress and Peppergrass are milder but quite pleasant. All three can work wonders in various recipes including stuffing for your turkey.

Along with the Lactarius Mushroom and wild herbs we will be foraging for mushrooms such as Blewits, large tasty Lepistas as well as Pear Shaped and Gem Studded Puffballs.

Start time: 10:00 am
Where: Cambridge area.
Cost: $35.00/person


October 15th, Double Events, Stratford and Barrie

The Blewits, Stratford

7 tickets available.

Imagine you are a novice mushroom hunter and come across a mushroom that is strikingly blue. The first thought that comes to mind: "Keep walking." Ah, but that would be a mistake. For these radiant fungi are rated "choice" by National Audubon's Field Guide to Mushrooms. They are meaty, large and a plus to any meal. Thankfully we can find them right here in Stratford, many a time growing alongside such wonderful edibles as the Lactarius Deliciosus and, later in the Autumn, the Lepista Irina and the Fawn mushroom.

After our local search we will move on to trails only fiftenn minutes from town to collect Honey and Oyster Mushrooms along with wild edible plants and herbs.

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

Join us and out why!

Start time: 10:00 am
Where: Stratford area.
Cost: $35.00/person


The Blewits, Barrie, ON

12 tickets available.

Our dual event also includes the beautiful Blewit and others such as Lepista Irina, Pear Shaped Puffballs, Lobster Mushrooms, Velvet Foot and more.

Start time: 10:00 am
Where: Barrie, ON.
Cost: $35.00/person


October 21st

20 tickets available.

Pear Shaped Puffballs

These are one of our favourite species of Puffballs. The size of button mushrooms their texture is quite meaty and their taste harbours a hint of sweetness. Sauteed in butter and garlic of course! We will be hunting for these "choice" mushrooms along with other fungi such as Fall Oysters, Grey Trichs, Blewits and Lepista Irina.

Start time: 10:00 am
Where: Cambridge area.
Cost: $35.00/person


October 22nd

16 tickets available.

Lepista Irina

One of our favourite mushrooms of Autumn. These beautiful mushrooms have a slight sweetness to them. They are quite meaty meaning you can either sautee them or roast them. Found under conifer trees, these fungi grow alongside their sister mushrooms, The Blewits. We will also be searching for other mushrooms such as Velvet Foots, Grey Trichs, and Pear Shaped Puffballs.

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

Join us and out why!

Start time: 10:00 am
Where: Stratford area.
Cost: $35.00/person


October 28th

16 tickets available.

Fall Oysters

Unlike its Summer counterpart the Fall Oyster is quite meaty and manages to cling to dead hardwood for weeks. These Oysters come in three colours, metalic grey, yellow/tan and, believe it or not, olive green. Because they arrive so late in the season they have no real invaders. No worms, no bugs. Another great mushroom for soups, stews and risotto. We find these growing in well shaded hardwood forests right here in Stratford and also on the Avon Trail. We will also be foraging for Wild Watercress and Wood Sorrel along with other mushrooms such as Velevet Foots, Fawns, Lepista Irinas and Gem Studded Puffballs.

Start time: 10:00 am
Where: Stratford area.
Cost: $35.00/person


October 29th

18 tickets available.

The Gray Trich

These lovelies are one of the most delicious and numerous mushrooms of late October and early November. You can find them mostly under Pines. They own a beautiful contrast of grey and white. About the size of button mushrooms The Gray Trichs will literally cover a ground of pine needles and are sitting there begging to be picked. We will be harvesting these choice edibles along with Velvet Foot, Lepista Irina, Blewits and Coral mushrooms through trails in and around our wonderful town of Stratford.

So? . . . Why not join us? It will be an adventure you will not forget. Start time: 10:00 am
Where: Stratford area.
Cost: $35.00/person