This week we speak with Peter McCoy, Founder of Mycologos [https://mycologos.world/pages/founder], the world's first mycology school, and Founder and Creative Director of Radical Mycology, a mushroom and fungi advocacy foundation. He and host Carry Kim discuss the grassroots movement and social philosophy behind using regenerative natural mushroom farming to promote ecological restoration and create food and medicines.
Fungi are everywhere—in soil and air, flowing waters, on and within plants and animals, in food and clothing, and in the human body. Humans have partnered with fungi since the first loaf of leavened bread was baked and the first tub of grape must was turned into wine. Ancient peoples put the ravages of fungi to work in agriculture.
Radical Mycology seeks to forge transformative relationships between humans and fungi, seeing lichens as indicators of environmental health, and understanding the profound influences that fungi have held on the evolution of all life and human cultures. By symbiotically relating with fungi, we can engage in ecological restoration, myco-permaculture, mycoremediation after fire and oil spills, fermenting fungi for food, and promoting fungi medicines for the benefit of generations to come.
Peter McCoy is a mycology educator and farmer, author, and artist from Portland, Oregon. He is the visioneer behind the first annual Fungi Film Festival. In 2016, Peter published the book ‘Radical Mycology: A Treatise on Seeing and Working With Fungi’ [https://www.amazon.com/Radical-Mycology-Treatise-Seeing-Working/dp/0986399604] detailing his nearly two decades of experience in promoting fungi for the health of people and the planet.
Radical Mycology Website: https://www.radicalmycology.com/
Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/
Support the Podcast: https://socal350.org/contribute-to-socal-350-climate-action/
Interview by Carry Kim
Intro by Jessica Aldridge
Engineer: Blake Lampkin
Executive Producer: Jack Eidt
Show Created by Mark and JP Morris
Music: Javier Kadry
Episode 79
Image detail from 'Radical Mycology' 'zine.