Mushroom Growing Workshops
We run hands-on workshops on growing native Aotearoa mushrooms at home with simple, low-tech methods, on the Kāpiti Coast and across the wider Wellington region.
Book a Beginners and an Advanced workshop together and get a free copy of our book Family of Forest & Fungi / He Tukutuku Toiora. Afterpay is available at checkout.
Beginners · Low-Tech Growing
Mushroom growing doesn't have to be rocket science. In this 4-hour introductory workshop you'll learn how to grow gourmet native mushrooms at home with simple, low-cost materials, and how to expand your own spawn so you can keep growing at almost no cost.
We begin with a presentation on fungi ecology (the role of fungi in our ecosystems, how they live and grow, and what they need to thrive in cultivation), an introduction to a range of native species and their traditional uses, and an overview of cultivation methods, narrowed down to the most low-tech, permaculture-friendly ones for growing at home. After a tea break we get hands-on: you'll make your own grow kit and spawn to take home, with your first harvest in about 4 weeks. Afternoon tea is provided.
Advanced · Logs & Liquid Culture
A 4-hour follow-on workshop for those who have done our beginners' workshop, or who already have some mushroom growing experience and a basic understanding of fungi ecology. Take your growing to the next level and expand your capacity for food resilience with fungi. The workshop covers:
- Recap and check-in: a refresher on fungi ecology and how your spawn and grow kits are going
- Native fungi in the wild: more native species, where to find them and what to avoid
- Making spawn: dowel spawn and liquid culture
- Log cultivation: growing native shiitake on logs and managing them over the years
- Your own genetic library: preserving and multiplying your favourite strains
You'll take home your own inoculated native shiitake log and a liquid culture syringe of pekepeke-kiore (a native cousin of lion's mane). Afternoon tea is provided.
School Workshops
Ngatimoti School Room 5 with teacher Suzanne Tawharu
We host school workshops specially tailored to younger audiences, focusing on sharing about the fascinating kingdom of fungi. Students get the chance to make their own mushroom grow kits to take home and also receive a copy of our book Family of Forest and Fungi.
Please get in touch to learn more about our special school workshop package.
Feedback from teacher Suzanne Tawharu, (Years 7/8, Ngatimoti School):
The akonga (students) enjoyed finding out about fungi and that there were edible native mushrooms. The akonga also loved making their own growing kit to take home and share with their whanau. The book was beautiful with a real te ao Māori perspective.
The akonga learnt about native mushrooms and how they are great solutions to some of our environmental problems that humans have created as well.
The akonga enjoyed learning about fungi, and, once inspired, found interesting facts about how fungi communicate with trees and other fungi.
Thanks to Valetta and Mihau for putting in this mahi and coming into school to teach us about fungi. Tino pai ō mahi.
Fungi are veteran survivors of ecological disruption... They are inventive, flexible, and collaborative. With much of life on Earth threatened by human activity, are there ways we can partner with fungi to help us adapt?
- Merlin Sheldrake, Author of Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures
Workshop Enquiries
All upcoming public workshops are listed on our booking page. Follow us there to be notified when new dates are added.
We have special rates for schools or charities. If your organisation is interested in hosting one of our workshops, please get in touch to find out more about our packages.
We also have digital gift vouchers available for purchase!
