Wild Earth is excited to be collaborating with the folks of Fungi Ally!

2-Day Mushroom Cultivation Workshop

October 15 and 16, 2016

This intensive will give you the skills to cultivate edible and medicinal mushrooms for home use or as a small commercial mushroom farmer.  You will learn the detailed step-by-step process of how to cultivate mushrooms, from finding one in the wild through growing mycelium to fruiting mushrooms. We will explore different ways to make this process happen with varying levels of skills and tools needed. Participants will go home with the knowledge and materials to dive right into growing mushrooms. You will also bring home an inoculated log, straw tubes, and two mushroom cultures: shiitake, oyster or lions mane. We will also be installing outdoor cultivation examples in garden, straw, and wood chip beds. From small scale to larger production, this class will give you hands on experience to start your own cultivation right away!

Focus of the two days:

• Fungal biology and ecology. We will start with the different roles fungi play in the environment and what their life cycles look like.
• Mushroom identification: Learn how to identify mushrooms using guidebooks and 5 safe easy edibles.
• Sterile technique and lab prep. Learn how to create a sterile environment and properly work in it. We will work with culturing from mushrooms via tissue cloning and from spores in the lab setting.
• Preparing and using different substrates for fruiting including wood, straw, and compost.
• Creating fruiting environments and initiating mushroom formation both inside and outside.
• Uses of fungi beyond culinary, including remediation and medicinal opportunities.
• Hands on practice of the methods discussed and demonstrated for cultivating mushrooms.
• Medicinal mushrooms, the uses for different mushrooms and how to prepare them.
• Mycoremediation at home and on a large scale.
• Future of mushroom cultivation ideas and cutting edge techniques.
• How to create a sterile lab at home.
• Budgeting to create a mushrooms farm.
• Low tech methods of mycelial expansion.

Cost: $250($225 Early Bird before May 2, 2016. Enter code "early")

Cancellation policy: 90% refund if cancelled at least 30 days before course begins. 80% refund if cancelled with less than 30 days before course begins. 75% refund if cancelled less than 7 days before course begins. If there is a waiting list and we can fill your spot, you will receive a 90% refund. Refund will be based on amount paid at the time of cancellation.

May be combined with the Vegan PDC and Restoration Agriculture for extra savings. Check here for more details.

3 vegan meals are provided each day. Wild Earth is a vegan farm and sanctuary, any extra food brought in, we respectfully ask to be vegan.

Free onsite camping on our 200 acre farm. For detailed information and options please visit accommodations. 

Instructor

Willie Crosby  Willie is owner of Fungi Ally a mushroom cultivation and education business based in Hadley, MA. He has been growing a variety of mushrooms on different scales for the last four years and has taught over 50 workshops throughout New England on mushroom cultivation and foraging. Willie is most excited about sharing all the ways people can work with mushrooms to improve their lives.