Go Forth and Forage: A Guide to Foraging Over 50 of the Most Common Edible & Medicinal North American Mushrooms

by Whitney Johnson

Overview

Let expert forager and Appalachian native Whitney Johnson (@appalachian_forager) be your friendly guide to foraging over 50 North American species of edible and medicinal fungi. 

Go Forth and Forage is a detailed field guide to identifying, harvesting, and preparing wild-foraged mushrooms through all four seasons. From spring treasures such as morels and woodears, to summer finds like black trumpets, chicken of the woods, and boletes, straight through to fall and winter harvests of lion’s mane, oyster, and enoki, each species profile includes color photos, identification advice to confirm edibility, and tips on how to harvest responsibly. You’ll also find culinary preparation advice and recipes to feast on your finds successfully and deliciously. 

In her signature warm and folksy tone, Johnson also offers insight on: 

• How to find wild mushrooms (hint: identifying trees is involved)
• Understanding mushroom anatomy and how it informs your harvest
• The best gear for mushroom foraging, from knives and bags to clothes and boots
• Using spore prints to help confirm proper identification
• Words of wisdom on what to do before you take a bite
• Being a responsible and ethical forager
• Common mushroom myths 
• Finding and using mushrooms in medicinal forms, such as tinctures and teas

Humans have foraged for wild mushrooms for untold generations. Now, with help from Go Forth and Forage, you’ll be on your way to mastering this age-old skill and enjoying all the delicacies the craft of mushroom foraging has to offer.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780760392751
Publisher:	Cool Springs Press
Publication date:	03/25/2025
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Appalachian Forager, Whitney Johnson, is a full-time forager, content creator, and Appalachian ambassador. With over 1 million followers across her social media, she has used her platform to shine a lovin’ light on Appalachia and to teach the world how to be more self-sufficient while responsibly utilizing the goodies that Momma Nature provides. 

Born and raised in eastern Kentucky, Whitney developed a passion for all things outdoors as a young holler baby. Foraging is her forte, especially mushroom hunting, but she does not discriminate against any wild edibles. She also picks plants and herbs to wildcraft a plethora of skincare and wellness products. She fishes. She hikes. She gardens. She cooks like your mamaw. She is a proud Appalachian spreading the love and wondrous things the region has to offer via her down-to-earth, educational, and quirky videos on TikTok (@appalachian_forager), Instagram (@appalachian_forager), and Facebook (Appalachian Forager). Whitney continues to be a hillbilly force to be reckoned with; spreadin’ pride for her region, preachin’ girl power, all while keepin’ the old ways alive…with a dash of humor.

Table of Contents

CONTENTS

Introduction: Let’s Go Forth and Forage! 

PART 1—MUSHROOMING ESSENTIALS

Chapter 1: Gettin’ Started 

Regional Field Guides

Latin Binomials

Mushroom Groups and Identification Tips

Know Your Trees

Keep Your Head on a Swivel

Mushroom Journaling

Take ‘Em Home

Spore Prints

Where to Forage

What to Wear and Pack

Critters and Bitin’ Plants

Responsible and Ethical Foraging

Ain’t Never Not Foragin’

Chapter 2: Know Your Parts (Mushroom Anatomy)

Cap Features

Warts

Scales

Striations

Zonations

Spores and Spore-Producing Surfaces

Gills

True vs. False Gills

Bruising

Is It Milky?

Gill Spacing

Pores

Teeth

Morels and Other Misfits

Stipe/Stalk/Stem

Universal/Partial Veil

Skirt/Ring/Annulus

Reticulation

Volva

Basal Bulb

Mycelium

Chapter 3: Common Mushroom Myths

Don’t Touch ‘Em!

Gills Kill!

You’re Hurting the Mushroom Population!

Cut! Don’t Pluck!

How Can You Tell What’s Poisonous and What’s Edible?

Chapter 4: Words of Wisdom

Start Small and Not Raw

Do NOT Get Discouraged

Be Good to Your Momma (Nature)

Ya Ain’t Gotta Be Fancy

Don’t Put That In Your Mouth!

Have a Big Ol’ Time!

PART 2—EDIBLE APPALACHIAN MUSHROOMS BY THE SEASON

Chapter 5: Edible Mushrooms of the Spring

Morels (Genus Morchella)

Common Morel, Yellow Morel (Morchella americana, Formerly M. esculenta)

Fried Morels

Eastern Half-Free Morel (Morchella punctipes)

Pheasant Back (Cerioporus squamosus)

Wine Cap (Stropharia rugosoannulata)

Wood Ear (Auricularia angiospermarum)

Deer Mushroom (Pluteus cervinus)

Chapter 6: Edible Mushrooms of the Summer

Chanterelles (Genus Cantharellus)

Golden Chanterelle (Cantharellus sp.)

Smooth Chanterelle (Cantharellus lateritius)

Peach Chanterelle (Cantharellus persicinus)

Appalachian Chanterelle (Cantharellus appalachiensis)

Cinnabar Chanterelle (Cantherellus cinnabarinus)

Black Trumpets (Craterellus fallax)

White and Black Trumpet Pizza

Chicken of the Woods (Genus Laetiporus)

Chicken of the Woods, Yellow (Laetiporus sulphureus)

Chicken of the Woods All-Purpose Seasoning Salt

Chicken of the Woods, White (Laetiporus cincinnatus)

Tawny Milk Cap (Lactifluus volemus)

Puffballs

Giant Puffball (Calvatia gigantea)

Grilled Puffball Steaks

Common Puffball (Lycoperdon perlatum)

Brain Puffball (Calvatia craniiformis)

Pear-Shaped Puffball (Apioperdon pyriforme)

Beefsteak Polypore (Fistulina americana)

Old Man of the Woods (Streobilomyces floccopus)

Shaggy Mane (Coprinus comatus)

Reishi Mushrooms (Genus Ganoderma)

Hemlock Reishi (Ganoderma tsugae)

Reishi Tea

Berkeley’s Polypore (Bondarzewia berkeleyi)

Berkeley Jerky

Indigo Milk Cap (Lactarius indigo)

Oyster Mushrooms (Genus Pleurotus)

Summer Oyster (Pleurotus pulmonarius)

Wild Summer Mushroom Toast

Rooted Agaric (Hymenopellis furfuracea)

Boletes

Frost’s Bolete (Exsudoporus frostii)

Crown-Tipped Coral (Artomyces pyxidatus )

Chapter 7: Edible Mushrooms of the Fall

Oysters (Pluerotus ostreatus)

Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup

Hen of the Woods (Grifola frondosa)

Hen of the Woods Flatbread

Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus)

Lion’s Mane “Crab” Cakes

Bear’s Head Tooth (Hericium americanum)

Coral Tooth Fungus (Hericium coralloides)

Wood Blewit (Collybia nuda)

Honey Mushrooms

Bulbous Honey Fungus (Armillaria gallica)

Shrimp of the Woods (Entoloma abortivum)

Popcorn Shrimp of the Woods

Amber Jelly Roll (Exidia recisa)

Amber Jelly Roll Gummy Candies

Snow Fungus (Tremella fuciformis)

Cauliflower Mushroom (Sparassis americana)

Lobster Mushroom (Hypomyces lactifluorum)

Lobster Mushroom Duxelles

Resinous Polypore (Ischnoderma resinosum)

Purple-Gilled Laccaria (Laccaria ochropurpurea)

Wrinkled Cortinarius Mushroom (Cortinarius caperatus)

Shaggy Stalked Bolete (Austroboletus betula)

Chapter 8: Edible Mushrooms of the Winter

Late Fall Oysters (Sarcomyxa serotinus)

Chaga, Medicinal (Inonotus obliquus)

Enoki (Flammulina filiformis)

Yellowfoot (Craterellus tubaeformis)

Wild Yellowfoot Quiche

Hedgehog Mushroom (Hydnum sp.)

Hedgehog Mushroom Bacon Penne Pasta

Turkey Tail, Medicinal (Trametes versicolor)

Double Extraction Turkey Tail Tincture

Witches’ Butter (Tremella mesenterica)

Conclusion

Resources

About the Author

Index

Editorial Reviews

Go Forth and Forage is the essential guide for foraging mushrooms in Appalachia. It covers all the basics of identification, safety, and responsibility while steeped in the down-home country charm that has made Whitney such a resounding success on social media. The book is filled with beautiful photos, great descriptions, delicious recipes, and humorous anecdotes. This book is a must have for prospective foragers and nature enthusiasts.

—Dr. Gordon Walker, @FascinatedByFungi and author of Passport to Kingdom Fungi

Whitney has taken the infinitely complex subject of identifying mushrooms, and made it approachable and straightforward with her easy Appalachian sensibility, wit and charm that comes through in everything she shares. This is beyond a great mushroom foraging guide and recipe collection, it is an invitation into her holler and stomping grounds, a seat at her table, and an offering of delicious proportions.

—Tara Lanich-LaBrie, founder of The Medicine Circle and author of Foraged & Grown

Written in a fun and lively style, Go Forth and Forage empowers you to confidently identify and harvest dozens of wild mushrooms.  With beautiful photographs, engaging commentary, and helpful tips, this book is an excellent resource for aspiring mushroom hunters and nature enthusiasts

—Adam Haritan, Learn Your Land

This book is a hilarious companion for the myco-curious, full of the sort of folksy friendliness and Appalachian horse-sense that put Whitney on the map in the first place. An encouraging guide that leads you through the challenging parts of foraging, instead of around them.

—Gabrielle Cerberville, @chaoticforager

This book is fun look into foraging and mushroom identification written in the words of an engaging and authentic creator. A must for any enthusiast or beginner.

—Elizabeth Burdock, AKA Whichbetty

"This resource book has everything you need to get started finding and picking your own mushrooms safely in nature. One of the major focuses of the book is taking the fear out of foraging mushrooms by learning how not just to identify various mushrooms but also prepare each of the different types without putting yourself in danger."

—Susan Bewley, Budget Earth

From the Publisher