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1-Day Complete Mushroom Propagation Class

Sunday June 11, 2023
Rensselaerville, NY

(Register by May 11)

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We’re excited to share with you the magical world of home-mushroom-growing.  This full-day class split into two parts is designed to demystify the process of cultivating mushrooms, and allow you to start growing and propagating your own at home.  In addition to an equipment starter pack, you’ll also go home with mushroom substrate with mycelial life inside – inoculated and ready to grow!

While this hands-on class will be focused on indoor growing, the majority of what you learn can be applied to outdoor growing as well.

EVERYONE will have the opportunity to make and take home their own still-air-box. (A still-air-box is a low-tech simple way of creating a semi-sterile environment without the need for advanced/expensive equipment.)

(This class will be led by Brian:  “Trained in science, steeped in Earth”  I graduated with a B.S. and M.S. in physics from RPI.  After a long journey away from hard sciences, I’ve come back to scientific inquiry with a softer perspective, informed and guided by nature.)

MORNING:

In the morning you’ll learn how to grow mushrooms on substrate.  We’ll cover preparing and inoculating mushroom food (i.e. substrates), growing and fruiting, dealing with and preventing contamination, working in a sterile environment, applying growing principles to outdoor growing, and more.  After the morning session, you’ll be able to grow your own mushrooms from spawn and cultures.  You’ll take home with you a starter pack of:

  • Still Air Box (SAB)  
  • Grow bags
  • Sawdust substrate
  • Basic supplements
  • Nitrile Gloves
  • Pre-inoculated grow bag – your choice of mushroom species* guaranteed to grow
  • (If you’re attending the full day, a grow bag that we will prepare and inoculate in class) **

AFTERNOON:

In the afternoon, you’ll learn to cultivate and maintain your own mushroom culture library.  We’ll cover spore prints, liquid cultures, agar cultures, grain-spawn, plug-spawn, working in a sterile environment, and more. After the afternoon session, you’ll be able to create your own spawn and cultures.  You’ll take home a starter pack of:

  • Still Air Box (SAB)
  • Liquid culture broth
  • Liquid culture & spawn jar lids
  • Agar plates
  • Sterile syringes
  • Disposable scalpel
  • Rye berries for making spawn
  • Choice of mushroom culture syringe*
  • Isopropanol spray bottle
  • Nitrile Gloves
  • (If you’re attending the full day, a grow bag that we will prepare and inoculate in class) **

*Choice of: Reishi, Turkey Tail, Lion’s Mane, Oyster.  (These species are strong growers and relatively easy for beginners.)

**Preparing the substrate makes it warm, and it needs to cool down before mushroom culture can be added to it. If you’re here for both the morning and afternoon, there will be enough time for this.

  • If you only go to the morning class you will take home a ‘grow-bag’ that was prepared and inoculated ahead of time.
  • If you are here for the full day, you will also take home a second ‘grow-bag’ that we will prepare and inoculate together.
  • If you only go to the afternoon class you will not take home any ‘grow-bags’.

Required Materials:

MORNING: While it’s not absolutely required, it’s recommended that you have a vacuum sealer or impulse sealer at home, as well as a pressure cooker.  You will not need to bring either of these to the class.

AFTERNOON:  In order to make use of what you learn in the afternoon class, you will need a pressure cooker as well as a “gram” scale; an impulse sealer or vacuum sealer is also recommended. You do not need to bring any of these with you.

All Proceeds support our conservation work!

Morning Class  – $125
9:30M – 12PM

Afternoon Class – $175
1PM – 4PM

Both Classes – $250

(if you’re attending only the afternoon, please arrive early at 12:30PM to make your still air box)

50% deposit required to cover materials cost.

(Discounts available for groups that only want to take home one set of equipment – i.e. spouses, roommates, etc)

Add vegetarian soup & homemade bread lunch for $10.
There are no food/restaurant options nearby, so make sure to plan appropriately.
We look forward to meeting and sharing with you!

 Email brian@apromisetogaia.org or
Text (518) 256-2119
with any questions.

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