Vegetarians have been known to develop an interest in activities that parallel their values and eating habits.  I happen to have a girlfriend in Finland who grew motivated to become a wild mushroom specialist in her area. She didn't grow up with this ambition. Yet, oneday, while hiking in national forest as she often does, she took more notice in the variety of mushrooms she came across. She was inspired by the idea of roasting them with apples over an open fire.  This friend was already an avid naturalist and knew about edible berries. And so, she was prompted to develop a new goal. Soon, she started to read about and learn to classify mushroom species.

Now, if you have ever heard anything about picking mushrooms, you've likely been warned that this can be a dangerous pastime. Many species are poisonous. Eating the wrong type of mushroom can even be fatal. From a young age, I recall being told never to eat the red toadstools with white polka dots. I'd seen these grow near a friend's home. I'd actually become fascinted by them because of vibrant illustrations in storybooks. I admit my childhood curiosity was sparked by the magical fairytale creatures that supposedly lived inside them.

One thing my Finnish girlfriend has told me is that mushroom hunting can be a challenging goal. She learned that real mushrooms don't always ressemble the ones in books. In addition, unusual examples of one species may seem like some species better avoided. To make life more complicated,the same species may differ in appearance and toxicity from place to place.

While visiting Finland during warm summer months, I had the pleasure of mushroom and berry hunting with my knowledgable friend. She knew just under what kinds of vegetation the best ones tend to hide. I was amazed at how flavorful wild mushrooms tasted after being skewered and roasted over a campfire. Never before had I had so much fun.

My Finnnish mushroom expert tells me what motivates her most about her goals is that mushroom experts are finding new ones on a regular basis. As knowledge changes, she is motivated to keep up with it and learn more.  She also tells me that being a mushroom expert in one geographic place doesn't mean she'll be very knowledgable about mushrooms that grow in other places. Learning more about foreign mushrooms is among her future goals.  Sharing what she learns gives her enormous pleasure.