How many times have you promised yourself to learn the wild mushrooms that pop up each summer and fall? Here is the perfect chance to get started under the guidance of a seasoned mushroom expert. On Saturday Sept. 28, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Hidden Valley Nature Center is pleased to offer a program about Maine’s medicinal and edible mushrooms.

You are invited to spend the day with the noted mycologist Greg Marley as he helps build skills and confidence in identifying Maine mushrooms. Learn how to identify mushrooms and what you need to know to collect them safely; learn to ID the best edible and medicinal mushrooms and which ones to avoid; take a foraging hike and collect fruiting mushrooms; learn tips to prepare and preserve wild, gourmet edibles; learn about the ecology of mushrooms as well as the folklore surrounding them.

There’s still a few spots left! Participants are invited to bring mushrooms for identification. Class will be held rain or shine. Prepayment required as space is limited! $60 ($50 for HVNC members); $10 more for same day registration. Registration available at www.hvnc.org/registration.

Greg Marley has been pursuing his passion for mushrooms for more than 35 years. He has led countless walks and classes on mushroom identification and frequently lectures on mushrooms across New England. He has been a mushroom consultant to Poison Centers and is proprietor of Mushrooms for Health, a company offering healing mushroom supplements. He is the author of “Mushrooms for Health; Medicinal Secrets of Northeast Fungi” and the award-winning “Chanterelle Dreams and Amanita Nightmares; The Love Lore and Mystique of Mushrooms.”

HVNC is a nonprofit education and recreation center in Jefferson. HVNC hosts more than forty annual events related to nature-based education, sustainable forestry, and non-motorized recreation. Open to the public 365 days a year, dawn to dusk, HVNC features thirty miles of multi-use trails. For more information visit www.hvnc.org, call 207-200-8840, or write to info@hvnc.org.