The mushroom hunting adventure starts with your arrival at the city of Satu Mare, Romania where you’ll spend about 7 days learning about mushrooms, herbs and their use in healing and cooking. If weather permits we’ll be foraging a bit in the woods around the city. Then we’ll go for a 7 day tour in the wonderland of Maramures, neighboring county where we’ll visit various touristic attractions and where we’ll forage some more herbs and mushrooms (details below).
HERE'S WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
WILD EDIBLE & MEDICINAL MUSHROOM AND HERBS - THEIR USES IN HOLISTIC HEALING AND BEYOND
We’ll start with a general introduction to wild edible and medicinal mushrooms. You’ll have the chance to see some medicinal mushrooms in their dried form. You’ll learn about their therapeutic properties and how to use them in holistic treatments. We’ll also discuss about various popular and less popular gourmet fungi, their identification, collection, preservation and cooking. This is also going to be a hands on workshop on identifying and learning about mushroom identification using a microscope.
We’re going to explore different identification characteristics necessary to diagnose edible and medicinal fungi. You’ll be explained how to prepare different healing potions to be used for your own benefit or to help others heal.
In addition, you’ll get access to the online course Foraging For Wild Gourmet & Medicinal Mushrooms where over 30 specimens are discussed in detail.
Gaining knowledge about various edible and medicinal wild plants is a huge plus for every bush enthusiast. You’ll be learning how to identify over 25 edible weeds and several important medicinal herbs used in healing. We’ll be talking about their nutritional value (compared to regular food), how to use some of them as powders, capsules or tinctures as part of holistic treatments. We’ll also discuss ways to preserve them, cooking, and much more.
At the end of your stay in Romania you’ll get a symbolic certificate stating that you’ve been trained in the identification process of edible and medicinal mushrooms including herbs and their use in holistic therapy
BucketList
7 Days in the wonderland of Maramures, Region of Romania
Whether you’re a history enthusiast, nature lover, or cultural explorer, Maramures promises a journey that not only delights the senses but also enriches the soul. It is a place where time has slowed down with a way of life that has endured through the ages. It is famous due to its cultural traditions, culinary delights, carved wooden gates, wooden churches, and natural beauty.
In Maramures we’ll have the chance to see the following attractions:
It is famous for its brightly colored tombstones with naive paintings describing, in an original and poetic manner, the people who are buried there in addition to scenes from their lives. The cemetery is noted for featuring a large number of humorous epitaphs that generally poke fun at the interred person in a light-hearted way or reference a general trope about family relations. The cemetery’s origins are linked with the name of Stan Ioan Pătraș, a local artist who sculpted the first tombstone crosses. In 1935, Pătraș carved the first epitaph and, as of the 1960s, more than 800 of such oak wood crosses came into sight.
The pre-industrial whirlpools of Sapanta
The hydro-powered washing machines/ whirlpools have been used by the local since early 1800s to clean carpets, rugs, blankets and heavy coats. Rapid water streams are directed towards a large cone-shaped wooden basin to create a powerful whirlpool which tumbles the carpets to remove the dirt
A hidden treasure that promises an authentic experience of traditional Romanian life, Breb Village is a destination that captivates travelers with its rustic charm, rich history, and breathtaking landscapes. We’ll spend here a couple of days to have plenty of time to explore the village and its beautiful wooden houses including the wooden church. The local wood carver Ioan Petric has opened his workshop for visitors and we’ll try to visit his workshop. Here’s some pictures of The wooden church Archangels Michael & Gabriel of Breb.
Baiut and its surrounding area is where we’re going to look for mushrooms and herbs. We’ll spend a couple of days there exploring, identifying and cooking what we have collected during the day.
There’s a place in Maramures where water bottles, cans, or other similar objects (even cars) go upwards (to the hill) when you would expect them to go down the hill. It’s a weird phenomenon. We’ll try it and see if it is so.
The old wooden church Archangel Michael & Gabriel of Surdesti
Built in 1721, it is one of eight buildings that make up the wooden churches of Maramureș UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a historical monument known to be the tallest wooden church of the region.
On the way back towards Satu Mare we’ll visit the potters workshop of Daniel Les, a local potter, beauty and art lower.
Note: the itinerary might have some variations depending on different factors such as: weather/participant wishes, etc. Participants should be prepared for long hikes with a back pack on, should bring sturdy boots, and a rain coat. We’ll stay at cabins, local houses and possibly hotels. Bears are not common for the area but not excluded. The hiking trails might cross over creeks and steep areas and therefore you must be prepared for such an adventure.
Additional Info
The cost of a ticket includes:
- teachings and workshops
- access to online course
- certificate
- field trips
- all accommodation
- overland transport
- entrance fees.
Additional costs: flight from your location to Satu Mare, Romania and back (tickets need to be purchased individually by participants).
Other expenses: meals & beverages, souvenirs, etc
Those that don’t have the possibility to attend these workshops are invited to enroll into online training programs or start with the learning center