ABOUT THE COURSE
This two day practical course in the Hampshire South Downs will provide you with a background in the fascinating world of fungal biology and the core principles and practices that underlie the art and science of mushroom cultivation. By the end of course you will have everything you need to start growing your own mushrooms at home, on your farm, or in your community, including the mushroom spawn to get you started!
This course is for anyone with a growing interest in fungi and mushroom cultivation. If you would like to learn how to grow a variety of mushrooms on a small scale then this course is for you. You do not need to have any prior knowledge of fungi or mushroom cultivation as the course is designed to take you through the process of understanding fungi at a deeper level and utilising that knowledge to cultivate a range of gourmet and medicinal mushrooms.
You will learn:
- The fascinating biology, ecology, and history of the Fungal Kingdom
- Wild mushroom identification fungal foray
- Aseptic (“sterile”) practices with agar, grains, and wood-based materials
- The core principles and paradigms that underlie the art and science of cultivation
- Bulk spawn production, processing growing mediums and substrates
- Appropriate, low-cost, and low-tech cultivation methods and tools
- Lab and fruiting environment designs for home, farm, or community scale projects
- Log cultivation
- Outdoor mushroom garden design and installation
- Application of fungi with integrated agro-ecosystems
- Place-based resource management and systems design principles
- Fungal integration into various permaculture-inspired sustainable living systems
- Biochar & fungi
Mushroom species you’ll learn to grow include: Garden Giant (Stropharia rugosoannulata), Pearl/Tree Oyster (Pluerotus ostreatus), Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus), Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), Maitake (Grifola frondosa), King Oyster (Pleurotus eryngii), Shiitake (Lentinula edodes), Elm Oyster (Hypsizgus ulmarius), Nameko (Pholiota Nameko), Wood Blewitt (Clitocybe Nuda) and Shaggy Ink Cap (Coprinus Comitus).
THE COURSE WILL GIVE YOU
- An understanding of fungal biology
- Knowledge on methods to grow a variety of different edible and medicinal mushroom species
- Practical experience in cultivating mushrooms outdoors
- Theoretical knowledge on cultivating mushroom indoors
- Some mushroom spawn to take home and start your own mushroom cultivation (Oyster, Wine Cap, Almond Portabello)
- A mushroom log to take home inoculated with Turkey Tail or Shiitake mushroom
THE COURSE IS SUITABLE FOR
Anyone with an interest in growing their own mushrooms.
WHAT TO BRING
- Notebook and pen
- Camera
- Clothing suitable for doing practical activities outdoors – sturdy footwear, warm layers, waterproofs and sun protection
- A packed lunch, or lunch can be purchased from the Beech Cafe
ABOUT THE TUTOR
James Scrivens is the head mushroom grower at Coed Talylan in Wales. James began his journey into the world of mushroom cultivating successfully culturing a wild oyster mushroom found in the Forest of Dean. After growing this strain of Pleurotus Ostreatus on straw he soon began to delve deeper into the world of “mycorestoration” with a desire to find ways of applying these ideas and techniques to the design of integrated agroecosystems. James plans to develop the woodlands of Coed Talylan into an example of “Mycoforesty” and applied mycology as a foundational approach to designing agroecological methods of land management. Alongside this he is also creating a fungal nature reserve as part of a long term conservation strategy for the woodland. These endeavours are recorded and shared through the Mycogeneration website, an online resource to support participants of the Mushroom Cultivation Course in their future mushroom growing practice.
mycogeneration.co.uk
mycogeneration.co.uk
Check Out Accommodation
You can get 10% discount when you stay with us during your course for 2 nights or more in our campsite or eco lodge. Please call us on 01730 823166 to make your accommodation booking. Our reception is open Monday to Friday, 9am - 5pm.
