Education
Online Mushroom Class
Growing Mushrooms for Fun and Profit
Online webinar series with Steve Gabriel, Wellspring Forest Farm
LIVE SESSIONS on Mondays: Jan 13, 20, 27 / Feb 3, 10, 17 from 1 - 3pm EST
All sessions are recorded and available for later viewing.
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.
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.
PART ONE: CULTIVATION BASICS
Week 1 – Introduction to the “shroom boom” in the USA
Learn the basic biology and ecology of mushrooms as a living organism, along with an overview of the current state of the mushroom industry in the US, including the prospects for small farm enterprises, food and medicinal products, and therapeutic uses of psychoactive mushrooms.
Week 2 – Growing Mushrooms Outdoors
Discover the opportunities for growing mushrooms in the woods, field, and garden. We will explore outdoor growing through the lens of ecology and consider the ways we can cultivate on logs, stumps, beds, and in soil.
Week 3 – Indoor Cultivation of Mushrooms
Growing indoors means creating the conditions for mushrooms to thrive - while keeping pests and disease out! It's feasible to grow at a range of scales, from a repurposed fridge to a dedicated mushroom house. Learn about balancing temperature, moisture, air, and light to grow amazing mushrooms, no matter your climate.
PART TWO: SALES AND PROFITS
Week 4 – Finding and Growing your Market
If you want to sell mushrooms, developing sales channels based on interpersonal relationships is key. Luckily, mushrooms have captured the attention of consumers and chefs and have high demand that is often unmet by local growers. Learn about the best markets to pursue and the importance of packaging, labels, and pricing.
Week 5 – Value Added Mushroom Products
A key to capturing value from mushrooms is to have a plan for those you can’t sell fresh! Learn about various products including dried, powders and seasonings, medicinal extracts, and the potential margins, markets, as well as regulatory requirements for selling them.
Week 6 – Budgeting and Key “Pinch Points”
This session will discuss enterprise budgets and share templates for you to develop a projection for your grow operation. We will also discuss record keeping and the critical points of your operation to focus on improving so you can increase the profit potential of a mushroom farm.
PRICING
We’ve divided the course into two sections, since some folks might want to just learn about growing, versus those who also want to consider commercial mushroom farming:
PART 1: CULTIVATION BASICS: Tiered pricing $95/$130/$160 for three classes
PART 2: SALES AND PROFITS: Tiered pricing $95/$130/$160 for three classes
Attend both sessions and SAVE!:
Tiered pricing of $180/$240/$300 for all six classes