Growing mushrooms doesn’t have to be so complicated

When you think of growing mushrooms at home, you may be imagining something technical, requiring sterile labs, specialized equipment, and precise conditions.

Of course, that is ONE way to do it... but it doesn't have to be so complicated.

Once you understand what mushrooms actually need to thrive, you can start growing your own gourmet mushrooms using waste materials you may already have kicking around.

What We'll Focus On

In this half-day workshop, we'll hop between mushroom growing theory and hands-on practice.

More specifically, we'll be working with simple, low-tech ways to grow mushrooms using:

• buckets (food grade)

• mulch beds

• readily available waste materials

While we may briefly touch on other methods (like growing on logs and indoor grow rooms), the day's focus will be on the easiest, most reliable ways to get started.

What You'll Learn

By the end of the workshop, you'll go home able to:

• understand mushrooms as living beings so you can give them welcoming spaces to thrive

• design your mushrooms into forgotten spaces around your home and garden

• choose the best methods that fit your space and materials

• know where to look when things go wrong

• safely identify, grow, harvest, and use gourmet mushrooms

• see the amazing world of fungi in a whole new way

What Will the Day Be Like?

In this half-day workshop, we'll start by learning about the needs of mushrooms and important safety tips in our outdoor classroom* before working directly with real mushroom projects on our land.

There will be plenty of room to ask questions, connect with other aspiring mushroom growers, and enjoy an afternoon on the forest edge.

(*Indoor learning space is available if the weather decides not to cooperate)

What We'll Do

This workshop will be a nice blend of hands-on practice and classroom learning. We will:

• learn about how mushrooms grow and what they need (notes and worksheets provided)

• tour our mushroom projects (buckets, beds, logs, and indoor setups)

• learn how to inoculate your own food-grade buckets

• take part in inoculating a garden pathway mushroom bed

• learn how to apply these methods safely at home

You'll Leave With: Detailed notes, hands-on experience, and your own mushroom bucket (to spread into your garden or fruit as-is.)

About Your Teacher

At the ripe old age of 2 years old, Brittany declared mushrooms to be one of her favourite foods in the world. As a child, she spent her time in the forest foraging for honey mushrooms and puffballs with her grandfather.

She has since graduated to geeking out over mushroom lifecycles and experimenting with different species and growing techniques on her forest edge homestead near the (not so secret) back entrance of Frontenac Provincial Park.

Brittany will happily talk your ear off about growing gourmet mushrooms if you let her. Participants, beware!

Workshop Details

Location & Registration

Location: Near the North entrance of Frontenac Provincial Park (exact address provided after registration)

• 15 minutes from Westport, Ontario;

• 45 minutes from Perth;

• 1 hour from Kingston

Stay Connected

If you'd like to hear about upcoming workshops (like this one!), along with whatever nerdy projects we're working on or things we've noticed out on the land, we invite you to join our Forest Edge Newsletter.