Shaggy mane inkcap. All images courtesy of Lydia Hansen, shared with permission # Lydia Hansen Introduces Hikers to Native Midwest Mushrooms on Crocheted ‘Fungi Hunts’ August 4, 2026 CraftNature Kate Mothes * Share * Pin * Email * Copy * __Bookmark In 2023, Minnesota-based artist Lydia Hansen set a goal of taking at least one hike every week throughout the entire year to care for her mental health. She began musing about how fun it would be to create crocheted mushrooms that one would encounter with the same surprise they’d feel coming across the real thing. Serendipitously, she ran into one of the trail managers of the park she was exploring and shared her idea. “That turned into my very first _Fungi Hunt_ , which ran for an entire year at the Lost Creek Hiking Trail near Chatfield, Minnesota,” the artist tells Colossal. This summer marks the third iteration of the project, which visitors can explore at Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center in Lanesboro, Minnesota, and Hansen already has more planned for the next couple of seasons. The artist describes her practice as “experiential fiber art,” combining her love of nature and creativity in the public sphere. “When I was developing the _Fungi Hunt_ , one of the motivating factors behind the design was to create something that would encourage people to be looking up from their feet and taking note of what was around them as they walked,” she says. Turkey tail Each crocheted oyster mushroom or turkey tail is a nod to native flora of the region. “The point of this ‘restriction’ is to highlight what’s already around us, not just the most colorful, most unusual, or most oddball fungi species the world has to offer—and there are many weirdo fungi out there,” Hansen says. She uses secondhand yarn for the mushrooms themselves, then she staples, screws, or stakes the pieces temporarily onto dead wood. A grant from the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council supports the Eagle Bluff project and allowed Hansen to contract Minnesota naturalist and “fellow fungi nerd” Tanner Barnharst to develop interpretive signage. “As the internet gets rapidly more unreliable to accurate scientific information, I wanted to make sure folks could get good information on the hikes—especially since cell service is spotty on a lot of these trails,” the artist says. The Eagle Bluff _Fungi Hunt_ continues through October 31. If you’re in the area, Hansen and Barnharst will be leading a free guided mycology hike in the afternoon of August 16. The artist is currently preparing for her largest hunt yet, which will take place across three parks in Olmsted County next summer. She’s also curating a fungi-themed exhibition at Kouba Gallery in Bloomington, Minnesota, and is excited to be fielding invitations from further afield for future installations. See more on Hansen’s Instagram. Pheasantback Oyster mushroom Giant puffball Golden oyster Chicken of the woods **Do stories and artists like this matter to you?** Become a Colossal Member now, and support independent arts publishing. * Hide advertising * Save your favorite articles * Get 15% off in the Colossal Shop * Receive members-only newsletter * Give 1% for art supplies in K-12 classrooms ### Join us today! $7/month $75/year Explore membership options Previous article Next article

I Don’t Have a Smartphone… par Ploum - Lionel Dricot.