Backyard Mushroom Cultivation

In this workshop we will be learning how to set up a Garden Giant mushroom bed in Welland Orchard and make small Blue Oyster mushroom buckets to take home.

A little bit about our two edible species of mushrooms:

• Garden giants also called Wine Cap mushrooms and Stropharia rugosoannulata are a type of mushrooms that feeds on many substrates and is usually regarded as a beneficial addition to perennial gardens. The mycelium of these mushrooms is known to attract earth worms and feed on nematodes which in turns help promote healthy root systems.
• Pleurotus ostreatus, commonly called oyster mushrooms, are a fabulous type of fungi found naturally in temperate and subtropical forests around the world (often found growing wild on trees in these parts). Not only are these mushrooms beautiful, but they are also a culinary delicacy and have been found to have many environmental benefits.

The goal of this workshop is to learn about basic mushroom cultivation, both in perennial beds in a garden space and in buckets, and make you confident in growing your own mushrooms at home. Each participant will get the chance to prepare their own Blue Oyster mushroom bucket to take home to start off their mushroom growing adventure!

The workshop will run for 2 hours, in two parts, first with an introductory/informative session and then with the practical set up of a mushroom bed in the orchard and individual mushroom buckets.

Be sure to come dressed for the elements as this workshop will be held outdoors.

As there is limited parking available at the orchard, please bike, walk, bus or carpool if possible. We are located right on the galloping goose, and you are welcome to bring bikes into the orchard to lock them up safely.

If you are driving, there are 8 parking spots located at the end of stancil lane, 1 of which will be reserved as accessible for the duration of the workshop. Please be mindful of our neighbours and do not park in the large driveway on the south side of the street. Additional parking can be found along the street on High St and Eaton Ave.

Hi, I'm Lily, a microbiologist and environmental engineer to be. In my day-to-day life, I like to collect hobbies and projects about self-sufficiency, environmental remediation and microbiology -including but not limited to growing mushrooms.

This workshop is in person only. Please dress appropriately for all types of weather, as the workshop will be hosted outside in the orchard.

This workshop is available on a sliding scale basis. Please pay in alignment with your financial privilege to help us continue to offer tickets in this way.

LifeCycles Project Society is always working to learn more about, and breakdown, barriers that may exist in accessing our programming. We understand providing sliding scale tickets is by no means an exhaustive look at systems of oppression that exist for people. We welcome your ideas and feedback as we work to continue learning.

Please contact us if you are no longer able to attend but hold a ticket so we can make your space available to someone else and work to process your refund.

You can also register for the event by calling our office at 250 383-5800 or via email by contacting [email protected]

Access from the parking area off Stancil Lane is through a latching unlocked gate. There is a gravel/dirt path sloping downward from the gate that leads to a wide flat grassy area with picnic table seating. If you are coming from the Galloping Goose entrance, which also has a latching unlocked gate, you will find a gravel/dirt path that slopes upward to the wide flat seating area. The steepness of the path varies throughout the Orchard and is steepest at the top of the Orchard closer to the Stancil Lane entrance, and at the bottom between the Galloping Goose trail and the Orchard entrance. The pathway from the Galloping Goose to the entrance to the Orchard has several sharp turns.

The Orchard has a single-stall gender-neutral composting toilet facility on site with ramp access and transfer bars which will be open during the workshop. The composting toilet is located below the flat area and toward the Galloping Goose entrance. Hand sanitizer is available inside the toilet.

The workshop will be held outside rain or shine, please dress appropriately for the weather. The seating provided is picnic benches. Please feel free to bring a cushion or your own folding chair, a limited number of cushions are available at the orchard.

There is access to potable water on site. Please bring your own water bottle.

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