BY KAREN BOSSICK

Learn how to cultivate a wide variety of culinary mushrooms in your own home when the Hailey Public Library offers a mushroom presentation on Thursday, Oct. 3.

Zack Wood, owner of Ironwood Mycology in Richfield, will discuss the different tastes and textures of culinary mushrooms and he’ll talk about indoor and outdoor cultivation methods.

The free talk will be held form 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Hailey Town Center West, 116 S. River St.

“Mushrooms are essential components of ecosystems, breaking down plant and animal debris and recycling nutrients in the soil,” said Kristin Fletcher, the library’s programs and community engagement manager. “But they are also used extensively in cooking worldwide and many are incredibly tasty.  Some even possess medicinal qualities.  Zack is a passionate mycologist, or mushroom expert, who’s excited to share how anyone can grow delicious mushrooms at home.”

Wood grew up hunting and fishing in the Wood River Valley before pursuing a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering at Arizona State University. He developed a passion for mushrooms while working as an aerospace engineer in Massachusetts where the lush forests around his home overflowed with fungi.

Upon returning to hiss hometown of Richfield, he built an indoor mushroom farm from which he supplied Wood river Valley restaurants with more than 5,000 pounds of culinary mushrooms during the past two years.