Ep. 10: Mixing Chemistry & Mycology in the Appalachian Rainforest (feat. Mandie Quark)
Today on Mushroom Hour we have the joy of interviewing Mandie Quark AKA Mushroom Madman. Mandie is an intriguing blend of artist and scientist who has been completely taken over by mushrooms.
Our journey takes us to the temperate rainforests of North Carolina - one of the only rainforests in North America. We start our chat with a brief history of Mandie Quark. Her impressive academic career saw her explore pharmacognosy, ethnobotany and eventually receive a Masters Degree in Biochemistry. Mandie made the decision to hang up her academic lab coat in 2018 to pursue an alternative career path centered around mycology with her partner-in-mushrooms, Michael Weese of MushroomLife.
Our conversation takes us into mushroom foraging, mushroom identification, genetic sequencing of mushrooms how Mandie is sharing her vast knowledge of chemistry to further other citizen scientists' endeavors in the world of mycology. We wrap up talking about her upcoming "Chemistry for Mycologists" classes and an amazing "Rainforest Mycology Convergence" educational bonanza planned for Summer 2020.
Thanks for listening and Mush Love!
Directed, Recorded, Produced by: Mushroom Hour (@welcome_to_mushroom_hour)
Music by: Ancient Baby
Art by: Wyn Di Stefano
Episode Resources
Mandie Quark IG: https://www.instagram.com/mushroom_madman/
Mandie Quark Website: https://www.mushroommadman.com/
Michael Weese IG: https://www.instagram.com/mushroomlyfe/
Michael Weese Website: https://mushroomlife.com/
NAMA: https://namyco.org/
Book - Mushrooms of Northeastern North America: https://www.amazon.com/Mushrooms-Northeastern-North-America-Bessette/dp/0815603886
Book - Plant Intelligence and the Imaginal Realm: https://www.amazon.com/Plant-Intelligence-Imaginal-Realm-Perception/dp/1591431352
Mushroom - Terana Caerulea: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terana_caerulea