I am absolutely thrilled to be able to offer this intensive series of mushroom cultivation programs in collaboration with the Harvest Moon Society in Clearwater, MB.

If you are interested in exploring the enormous potential of mushrooms to help diversify your home grown crops, increase the overall productivity of your garden and help contribute to and nurture the health of your soil, this may be your idea of a good weekend. The interface of mycology, ecology and agriculture is the underlying theme for all of the integrative practices that you will learn in this series of hands on workshops.

Gourmet edible and medicinal fungi are well suited to be grown in association with other annual and perennial crops, however they can also be grown under conditions that many vegetables, herbs or fruit bearing plants cannot.

Many fungal species and strains flourish on cheap, widely available natural materials and can be grown using creative methods that can help to stack functions in the garden. Mushrooms are a high yeilding, economical, space saving and highly nutritious food source that (in my humble opinion) are widely underutilized by both home gardeners and small scale commercial vegetable crop farms alike.

I hope you’ll consider joining us. Please see below for the pricing structure and descriptions of the 5 courses that will be offered as part of this residency. Additional information regardling the venue (Harvest Moon Society Learning Centre) as well as local accomodations and ammenities can be found below the course descriptions.

Please visit our online store to purchase tickets and register.

Individual Course: $40
Saturday (all day): $110
Sunday (all day): $70
Full Weekend: $150

COURSE OUTLINES

Saturday, May 4th, 10:00am - 12:00pm
1) Introduction to Mushroom Growing: Understanding and working with our fungi allies

This course will cover the basics of fungi as a unique and distinct group of organisms, highlighting their anatomy, life cycle, reproduction, ecological niches and broad spectrum behaviours. Considering the nature and needs of the mushroom as an organism is paramount to crafting a substrate, situation and environment that is condusive to healthy growth and bountiful harvests. Materials and techniques such as liquid culture, spawn, sterilization vs. pasteurization etc. pertaining to the special considerations of working with mycelium and fungal cultures will also be discussed.

Saturday May 4th 1:00pm - 3:00pm
2) Gardening with Mushrooms: Producing and utilizing fruiting blocks outdoors

Fruiting blocks, also known as grow blocks or grow kits, are typically 4-5 lb. sterilized blocks of mycelium that are inoculated with mushroom grain spawn. These blocks are comprised of hydrated hardwood sawdust and nutrient amendments such as soy hulls or wheat bran, which improve mycelium health and boost yields. If you are looking for the least involved method of mushroom cultivation, you have found your ideal product. In this course, we will explore how fruiting blocks can be incorporated into your outdoor garden space using a multitude of creative techniques will be explored in detail.

This program also includes a hands on, collaborative project that will have participants inoculate their own 4 lb. grow bag of sawdust and wheat bran with lions mane grain spawn that can be brought home to grow on their own. Instructions for care and assistance are included.

Saturday May 4th 4:00pm - 6:00pm
3) Gardening with Mushrooms: Seasonal projects using bins, buckets and bags

One of the most exciting aspects of mushroom growing is how simple the entire process can be. Gourmet edible and medicinal mushroom cultivation isn’t just for those that have a home with a garden or land with a forest at their disposal. Kitchens, living rooms, apartment balconies, decks and patios are all suitable environments. This course will cover numerous space saving and upcycling options for growing mushrooms in a variety of containers and materials.

This program includes a hands on, collaborative project where everyone will participate in recreating what has proven to be one of the most straight foward, simple and rewarding methods of growing mushrooms outdoors. Parcipants will have the option of assembling their own 1 gallon pails of white oyster (Plueorutus ostreatus) mushrooms that they can then bring home to grow in their own yards. Instructions for care and assistance are included.

Sunday May 5th 10:00am - 12:00pm
4) Gardening with Mushrooms: Inoculating hardwood logs for years of reliable harvests

Growing mushrooms on the branches and stumps of trees is one of the oldest methods of domesticating wild edible and medicinal mushrooms. Using modern tools and techniques, we have been able to refine and improve upon this age old cultural practice that is rooted in our fundamental understanding of fungal ecology. This course will cover how to determine trees that are suitable for mushroom cultivation, as well as how to cut, cure, store, stack, inoculate and care for your mushroom logs over time.

This program includes a hands on, collaborative project that will have everyone measuring, drilling, inoculating and sealing hardwood logs that will rest, mature and flush crops of mushrooms for years to come at the Harvest Moon Learning Center. Participants will also have the option of taking home their own individual 3-4 foot long hardwood logs with a gourmet edible mushroom* that they can grow out in their yards.

*the precise species and strain will be decided on and announced closer to the program date. The fungal species is dependent on what host tree species are available to harvest and use for this program.

Sunday May 5th 1:00pm - 3:00pm
5) Gardening with Mushrooms: Growing perennial fungi using wood chip mulch, sawdust and straw

Wood chip mulch and sawdust are often abundant byproducts generated by the regularly scheduled maintainence of any urban forest, lumber mills and carpenters. Along with wheat straw, these cellulose and lignin rich organic materials have an enoromous capacity to produce high quality food in the form of a variety of delicious and medicinal xylophagous (wood decomposing) fungi. This course will cover suitable mushroom species, materials and method considerations and cultivation styles ranging from buried logs, straw rafts and mulch troughs.

This program includes a hands on, collaborative project where everyone will assist with assembling a wine cap (Stropharia rugosoannulata) mushroom patch on site using wood chip mulch and / or sawdust. Participants will also have the option of taking home a 4 lb. bag of inoculated wine cap sawdust spawn that they can use to inoculate their own backyard beds of sawdust, straw or wood chips. Instructions for care and assistance are included.

About The Harvest Moon Learning Centre

The Harvest Moon Learning Center (HMLC) is located at 8-10th Street in Clearwater, MB, about 200km southwest of Winnipeg (Hwy 3 to Hwy 3A, just past Crystal City).

The HMLC has 4 dorm rooms available ($30/night). Each dorm room has a bunk bed with a double on the bottom and TwinXL on the top. There are showers and washrooms and potable water. Anyone staying in a dorm room would need to bring bedding (sheets, blankets, pillows). 

There is plenty of space for tents in the HMLC yard. We ask $10/tent. There is direct washroom/shower access from outside.

Note: outdoor water sources are collected rainfall, this water is not for drinking. Please conserve.

There is also a rustic cabin available for rent (also $30/night). This cabin sleeps 4 (a double and two single) and has no electricity or water, but has a gorgeous view and an unforgettable experience. Cabin stayers are also required to bring their own bedding. 

A photo of the cabin in question can be found on the HMS website (top left) and there is also a photo of one of the dorm rooms (top right).

The HMLC has a full commercial kitchen, should anyone want to do any cooking while they are out. Clearwater also has a community owned restaurant, the Clearwater Junction, as well as the Clearwater Country Market, which specializes in catering (and is usually not open on weekends, contact Tina if you’d like some catering). 

The entire learning center has excellent wifi and there is a landline but cell service is poor. There is a firepit available for use, along with firewood. Please have the hose ready (located nearby to the north), in case of issues. The closest grocery store is in Crystal City, about 10 minutes east of Clearwater. There is also a beer vendor, etc.

Any questions can be directed to the HMS COordinator, Dustin Mymko, at info@harvestmoonsociety.org