Education

LEARN TO GROW MUSHROOMS

Join us for hands-on learning of simple methods you can use to grow mushrooms successfully at home! We will discuss the role fungi and mushrooms play in healthy ecosystems and tour our farm practices before digging into projects you can take with you.

SUNDAY OCTOBER 5

10am to 1pm

$60 per person includes all materials to take home.

Using Wellspring Forest Farm farm as a living laboratory, we will explore ways we can grow mushrooms in creative use of spaces, year round. This class will focus on oyster straw and lions mane block production methods, along with discussion of the environmental requirements and controls to grow inside. Tour the farm and ask your questions! You will take home active grow kits to fruit you own mushrooms at home. Older kids (5+) are welcome with a parent or adult!

COPPICE AGROFORESTRY 

November 1 & 2

Coppice Agroforestry with Mark Krawczyk 

Hands on Skills Workshop @ Wellspring Forest Farm in Mecklenburg, NY

Saturday, November 1 from 9 - 4pm

Sunday, November 2 from 9 - 1pm

Tiered Pricing $155 / $175 / $195 (based on household income)

Join Mark Krawczyk, farmer and author of Coppice Agroforestry - Tending Trees for Product, Profit and Woodland Ecology and Steve Gabriel, farmer and author of Silvopasture and Farming the Woods, for a deep dive into the art, science, and practice of coppice agroforestry.

Leveraging the working landscape of Wellspring Forest Farm as our living classroom, in this workshop geared to students of all experience levels, we’ll examine the many facets of resprout silviculture practices like coppicing, pollarding, hedgelaying and more, both in the field and in the classroom. The farm has been cutting and managing systems for the last five years so participants get to see actual examples of coppice, pollards, hedgelaying, and explore how they fit into other farm systems. 

This weekend event kicks off with an introductory slideshow and talk examining the fundamentals of these practices, along with their varied histories from around the world. We’ll also explore why coppicing has been so crucial to peoples across the globe for centuries and discuss its potential to further diversity farms, homesteads and other working landscapes here in our bioregion. 

On Saturday and Sunday, we’ll spend time in the field, looking at old and creating new coppice stools and pollards, discussing best practices, tools, techniques, and timing and then practice some of the most promising opportunities to transform small diameter rods and poles into value added products for the home economy, farm enterprises, and cottage industry.

COMING THIS WINTER: 

Growing Mushrooms for Fun and Profit

January - March (online course)

Join us for an exploration of the fascinating world of mushrooms that is rapidly growing in the United States. Whether you just want to grow for yourself and community, or develop a commercial enterprise, this class provides an overview of the current and ever-changing landscape of mushroom growing. 

Consider this a curated workshop of all the essential information to help you start or expand your plan for mushroom growing. Each session centers on content with ample time for questions and discussion. All sessions will be recorded and posted online for viewing, along with additional links and resources in between classes, so you can participate even if you can’t join all the live sessions. You can choose individual sessions to join, or sign up for all three and save!

Facilitated by Steve Gabriel of Wellspring Forest Farm, who has been growing mushrooms for 19 years, and developed CornellMushrooms.org while working in mushroom research and education at Cornell University for 12 years. 

January (Outdoor Cultivation)

February (Indoor Cultivation)

March (Sales and Markets)

WE ARE CURRENTLY FINALIZING DATES FOR THE CLASS, email stevegabrielfarmer@gmail.com to be notified when registration opens. 

FARM CAMP

We will offer school break camps in 2024 - 2025 and another round of summer camps next year!

email Liza if you you want to be notified when dates and registration are posted.