"I love your sense of humor. It kind of sneaks up on you and grabs you and then you can't stop laughing."
Maureen McCarthy, Author, The State of Grace Document
"Whenever I’m around Alan, I feel like I want to play like a kid."
Bari Gilbert, Graphic Designer
"Inspirational, entertaining, and passionate! The breadth of Alan's knowledge of the history, science, and mythology of mushrooms will captivate even the most experienced mycologist. And his presentation makes the information accessible and fun for all. Truly enchanting!"
Billy Jonas, Singer Songwriter
"I was absolutely captivated; really blown away. You really made it fun and got our mouths watering. It made me want to go out and find mushrooms I've never tried before. GREAT JOB!!!"
PBS's Slangman, David Burke
"Alan constantly expands my culinary horizons. He is an intrepid explorer, a thorough and tireless researcher, and a committed teacher."
Sandor Katz, Author, Wild Fermentation
"Alan is a great resource person for me– good on identifications, great cross-cultural perspectives, lively sense of humor, and he doesn't mind saying 'I don't know.' "
Doug Elliot, Author, Wild Roots
"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You have a sensitivity to what's going on at a very small level of detail that most people don't have."
Susun Weed, Author, Healing Wise
I appreciate your playfulness and great spontaneity. You model for me a way of being that brings smiles to my heart. You hold so much wisdom, beautiful and free. May your work be filled with blessings as you continue to touch the hearts of those that you teach.
Anne Massey
"There is not a time that I see a mushroom that I don't think of you."
Commander Flo
"He's a carnival barker for fungus."
Lisa Lust
"Alan's like Borat; he's just not tall enough."
Caleb Gross
"Thank you for upholding one of the many corners of the universe and doing the things I would do if I wasn't doing the things I am doing."
Robert Frito Seven, Artist and Preacher in the Church of Intertwangleism
"For THIS he went to Princeton?"
Alan's grandmother
From student evaluations
"This is about the coolest thing I've ever done. I could do this forever."
"Alan is a fantastic instructor. I especially enjoyed his poems and stories. If he wasn't a mycologist he'd be a great actor."
"I never even noticed mushrooms before; now they're everywhere."
"I don't think I've ever seen people at the mountain [semi-annual gathering] stay focused on one person for so long."
"Excellent class with a very personable and expert instructor. Very caring and kind person."
"This class was everything I had hoped. Alan brought a dimension to mushrooms through poetry and improvised theatre that uplifted my spirit."
"extremely knowledgeable, and cute as a button (mushroom)"
"Alan invested a great deal of himself in the course and made the learning experience delightful. On a scale of one to five, 5+++!"
"Alan is intelligent, humorous, and informative. He really gets ideas across clearly. He makes it fun for children and adults alike."
"He's the cosmic crusader of eye-bugging enchantment!"
"I didn't know I liked mushrooms as much as I do now."
"Mushrooms are bad ass – officially."