Connecticut-Westchester Mycological Association – A NAMA-affiliated amateur mycology club serving Westchester County, NY and Southwestern Connecticut

Registration for the 2025 Clark Rogerson Foray (8/29/25 to 9/1/25) will open on May 1st..

For 2025, we will be at the Wisdom House Retreat & Conference Center in Litchfield, Connecticut. (Check it out: https://www.wisdomhouse.org/accommodations-amenities) Foraging in nearby parks is reliably outstanding. We usually identify and record close to 400 species and will have a team of mycologists and expert identifiers on hand throughout the event.

Here's a short video clip from our 2024 Foray.

COMA offers two different scholarships, one specifically for attending the Clark Rogerson Foray (Ursula Hoffmann). The other (Sylvia Stein) may also be used for either the NAMA or NEMF annual forays.
For more information please check our Scholarships page.

Some of the attendees at the 2022 Clark Rogerson Foray

Our roster of invited mycologists includes:

Dr. Alan Bessette, Professional mycologist, educator, and author of 20(+) mycological reference books.
Arleen Bessette , Mycologist, photographer, author/co-author of multiple books & papers.
Rick Van de Poll, nationally recognized mycologist and instructor.
John Plischke III, author of Good Mushroom, Bad Mushroom.
Dr. Roz Lowen, ascomycete expert, and professor of mycology.
Dianna Smith, past president of NEMF and founder of PVMA.

Featuring Julie O'Grady, Chief Mycophagy Chef.

Overnight Accommodations

The 4-day fee includes 3 nights' lodging and 8 meals, from dinner on Friday to breakfast on Monday. (Please bring your lunch on Friday.) All rooms will be double-occupancy unless you elect to pay for the entire room yourself*. If you do not have a roommate chosen, we will select one for you.

Mushroom Walks

Hunt mushrooms to your heart's content, both right on the property at nearby state parks. Learn in the field from expert mycologists. At the end of the Foray, the mycologists will give “table talks,” pointing out the weekend's most interesting and exciting finds.

Educational Programs

Afternoon and evening programs will expand your fungal knowledge. Previous programs have covered a wide variety of topics.

Live Auction

Donate anything mushroom or outdoor-related, including books, magazines, posters, artwork, houseware, clothing, and games. Keep your eyes peeled on your next stop at a yard sale. Self-made artwork, t-shirts, jewelry, crafts, jams, jellies, or dried mushrooms also make for sought-after prizes.

Scholarships

We strongly encourage members to apply for funding through COMA's Scholarship Programs. For more details click here.

Remembering Clark Rogerson

Clark T. Rogerson (1918-2001)

In 1981 COMA named the annual foray in honor of American mycologist Clark Thomas Rogerson best known for his work on the ascomycetes, particularly the Hypomyces. After acquiring a bachelor of science from Utah State University, a doctorate from Cornell University, and joining the faculty of Kansas State University, Rogerson was invited to the New York Botanical Garden. He became Senior Curator in 1967. By 1969 Rogerson was appointed president of the Mycological Society of America. As much as he was a professional, Rogerson was tirelessly committed to education and the development of amateur mycologists. He helped found the New Jersey Mycological Association, the New York Mycological Society, and our own club COMA. His intentions are best reflected in the New York Mycological Society's mission statement: “to bridge the gap between the amateur and the professional.” In 1985 Rogerson was awarded for his outstanding service to COMA. Now more than a decade after his passing, amateur mycologists come together annually at the Clark T. Rogerson Foray to celebrate with reverence and appreciation our collective fascination with fungi and the legacy of our mycological forbearers.

Questions

For questions about the foray contact Joe Brandt at jlbco@hotmail.com.