Why Join FFSC?
Perhaps you’ve gone out on your first foray with a friend, came back with a basket of exquisite mushrooms, and now you’ve caught the myco-bug! Where do you go from there?
Andrea and Jeanne at an FFSC Members table. Photo by Vellany Pierce
Maybe you learned bit about mushrooming by coming to the Fungus Fair and then studying on your own? And you’ve attended a few of our Monthly Speaker meetings and you're ready to get more involved?
Why not Join FFSC? It's only $25/year, per household!
Join Our Forays and Explore the Outdoors
Nothing compares with learning in the field from experienced collectors. Our foray leaders plan many outings from September to May, depending on what's growing each season.
We offer free and discounted Local Forays (one-day outings) for members. Some forays are also opened to non-members if space permits. Plus, we offer reasonably priced Long Distance Forays (weekend or week-long trips) to the Sierras and North Coast for members only.
Learn in the field, explore different habitats, and get out in the woods and hills with like-minded people!
For the Food and Fun!
We love cooking with mushrooms as much as we love finding them, and our Food and Fun (culinary) events and recipes are proof positive.
We like to meet new people and have fun, so come get to know us! Formal dinners and free or low-cost potlucks are scattered throughout the year. Some are for FFSC members and their guests only; others are open to the public.
Expand Your Knowledge
Take it up a notch and gain a lot more knowledge by learning from and alongside a group of experienced foragers, mycologists, and mycophages!
Classes and Workshops: Take your knowledge to the next level. Beginning and Intermediate mushroom ID classes are offered to FFSC members at a low cost. (Or if you're pretty knowledgeable already, help teach some classes!)
Field Reports: We find more than morels when we hunt! We've collected lists of what types of mushrooms we've identified in specific areas during past forays. Field reports can only be viewed by FFSC members.
Stay Connected: Connect with other members in FFSC's private discussion groups. Read about what others are finding, share photos, and get early information about upcoming forays and more.
NAMA membership discount: As an FFSC member, you're eligible to join the North American Mycological Association at the Member of Affiliated Club price.
FFSC Membership FAQ
What is the Membership Price?
A single Household Membership only costs $25/year per household.
Who qualifies as a member in my household?
We usually consider a "household" to include up to 2 adults (18+ years) plus minor children (under 18 years) living at the same address.
Each of those individuals qualifies as an FFSC member.
The single $25 annual subscription covers all of them. (They do not need to purchase separate memberships.)
Each individual can participate in members-only events.
Each individual is eligible for member prices/discounts (when offered).
Limitation: Currently, only the primary account holder (the login associated with the membership subscription) can access members-only content and checkout as a member on this website. You are welcome to list the other members of your household in your account, so that we can look them up to confirm their membership status at events.
How does the membership renewal work?
You can pay for one year at a time, or choose the subscription option so that your membership automatically renews each year. The price is the same in both cases.
If you choose the subscription (automatic renewal) option:
Your membership starts (or renews) as of the date of payment.
Your membership is processed as a subscription, and it will renew automatically every year. You'll receive an email reminder each year, a few days before the renewal.
You can cancel your upcoming (next) renewal at any time from your Account. If you cancel, your current membership will still remain active until the expiration date, as long as you still have an account.
If you delete your account, your membership records will be deleted as well, and will not be recoverable.
What if I join during the off-season?
Most FFSC activities are held during California's wild mushroom season from September to May. Membership dues are not pro-rated for members joining late in the mushroom season, because your membership will remain active through the same date the following season. You'll get the same amount of benefit per dollar regardless of when you join.
Should I renew before my membership expires?
If you renew early, the fee won't be pro-rated. Each year of membership begins on the date of payment, and expires a year later
If you choose the subscription (auto-renewing) option, your membership will renew automatically on the stated expiration date. Just allow it to renew. (If the payment fails, you'll receive an email at your registered email address, so you can fix it.)
If you choose the 1-year option, the system will send an email reminder when your membership expiration date approaches. You can login on or after the expiration date to pay for another year. Your new membership will expire 1 year from the latest date of payment.
What are my membership fees and other fees used for?
FFSC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Learn more about what our fees are used for on our FFSC Financials page.
Why does FFSC use PayPal as the payment processor?
All of the different online systems and vendors that we use (such as this website, our domain host, Ticket Tailor, and others) support PayPal, and some include PayPal integrations.
More Funds for Giving: The fact that the PayPal support is already built-in means FFSC can allocate more funds to cover scholarships, monthly speakers, etc. If we used an unsupported payment processor or multiple processors, then we would need to reallocate those funds to manage more systems.
Less Complexity for FFSC Volunteers: Some of our online systems provide support for other payment processing options as well. However, PayPal is the only processor they all have in common. By using fewer payment processors, we reduce complexity (and save time) for the generous volunteer who reconciles financial reports across all our systems. Plus, our many event volunteers only need to learn one type of card reader and system, which helps us complete transactions more smoothly for participants.
We re-evaluate the latest payment processing options and cross-platform integrations options periodically. If the situation changes, we'll adapt accordingly.
Not Ready to Become an FFSC Member?
You can still learn and get to know us!
The Santa Cruz Fungus Fair: The general public can explore a re-created wild mushroom habitat, learn from experts, and sample culinary delights at our biggest event, the Santa Cruz Fungus Fair, held over three days each January in Santa Cruz.
Local Forays: Non-members are welcome to participate in some of our local forays without a member discount, when space permits.
Monthly Speakers and Social Hour: Connect with others, learn from presentations by informative and renowned mycologists, and get your fungi finds properly identified at our Monthly Speakers events. Non-members are welcome to stop by to see what we're all about, but may not vote on business topics.
Join our Google Group and Public Social Media: We're on social media and iNaturalist, plus we have a moderated mailing list. Visit our Contact FFSC page to learn more.
Books and More: Carefully selected field guides, books, posters and other mushroom-related products are available for purchase at some club events and at the Santa Cruz Fungus Fair. We also provide free resources on this website, such as information about local mushrooms.
Have fun, learn and be safe!