The 2015 A. H. Smith Foray
Collecting in the Martell Forest, Purdue University (October 2013)
IMPORTANT DETAILS:
Where: Ross Camp, West Lafayette IN
When: September 17–20, 2015
Contact: Cathie Aime, maime@purdue.edu
The A. H. Smith Great Lake States Foray has been held since 1974 in honor of Dr. Alexander H. Smith, a renowned mycologist at the University of Michigan, as an annual event for mycologists around the Midwest States to gather and hunt for mushrooms and macrofungi. The event rotates to a different state each year. In 2015 the Aime lab at the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, will host the 41st Annual Smith Foray in West Lafayette, Indiana from September 17–20.
Location:
We will be staying in the A-frame Lodge at Ross Camp in West Lafayette.
Ross Camp is located adjacent to the 200 acre wooded Ross Biological Reserve.
Directions:
Contact:
For questions or additional information please contact: Dr. Cathie Aime, tel: 765-496-7853; email: maime@purdue.edu.
Registration:
This foray is limited to a small number of faculty experts, their students, and people associated with active mycological societies. Please fill out the registration form and mail with your payment (check preferred) to:
Cathie Aime
Department of Botany & Plant Pathology
Purdue University
915 W. State Street
West Lafayette, IN 47907
Please send payment by September 10th to attend.
Lodging:
Dorm-style lodging is available in the A-frame Lodge at Ross Camp. Rooms are shared by up to 8 people. You will need to bring your own bedding, towels and toiletries. Ross Camp does not permit the consumption of alcohol on site.
Foray Details
Meals:
Meals will be catered by Allison's Catering of Otterbein, IN. A tentative meal plan (including vegetarian options) is as follows:
Friday 9/18:
Breakfast: Waffles, scrambled eggs, bacon or sausage, mixed fruit salad
Lunch: Taco bar (meat, rice, refried beans, cheese, tortillas, lettuce, tomato, salsa, sour cream) and dessert
Dinner: Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans or corn, tossed salad, dessert
Saturday 9/19:
Breakfast: Pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon or sausage, mixed fruit salad
Lunch: Sack lunch (sandwich, fruit, chips, dessert, bottled water)
Dinner: Mini hog roast, scallop potatoes, baked beans, cole slaw, dessert
Sunday 9/20:
Breakfast (optional): continental breakfast from Panera (bagels, fruit, juice, coffee)
Facilities:
We will have a dedicated mushroom display area and tables for microscopy and ID in the A-frame Lodge. A limited number of dissecting scopes will be available through the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology. However, it is highly recommended that you bring your own microscope as well as any accessories (slides, cover slips, reagents, etc.). Similarly, a limited number of mushroom ID books will be available, but attendees should bring any specific ID materials they may need.
Tentative Schedule:
Thursday 9/17:
6 PM to 10 PM: Arrival
Friday 9/18:
Breakfast: 8-9 AM
Foray #1: 9:00-11:30 AM
Lunch: 12-1 PM
Foray #2: 1:00-4:00 PM
Mushroom display & ID: 4:00-6:00 PM
Dinner: 6:00-7:00 PM
Mushroom display & ID: 7:00-10:00 PM
Saturday 9/19:
Breakfast: 8-9 AM; pick up sack lunch
Foray #3: 9:00-12:00 AM
Lunch 12:00-1:00 PM (in the field)
Foray #4: 1:00-4:00 PM
Mushroom display & ID: 4:00-6:00 PM
Dinner: 6:00-7:00 PM
Mushroom display & ID: 7:00-10:00 PM
Sunday 9/20:
Breakfast: 8-9 AM
Clean up and head home
Foray Locations:
Ross Camp is located adjacent to Ross Biological Reserve, which offers close to 200 acres of wooded property to explore. On Friday, participants will have the option to explore several local NICHES properties representing a range of habitats from sand barrens to wetlands. Tentative plans for Saturday include a 1-hour drive south to the famed Turkey Run and Shades State Parks. Attendees will be provided with maps and detailed information at the foray.
Click here for a brief history of mycology in Indiana