Friends of Fungi: A Hiking, Foraging, & Mushroom Cultivation Retreat

From the largest living organism on the planet to the creation of soil, Fungi play an essential part for life on earth. They have been recycling and helping to heal the planet for centuries. Now, we can pair with Fungi to improve our lives through appreciating the food and medicines this extraordinary Kingdom has to offer.

Come explore the interesting and ancient relationship fungi have with our world and our culture. Learn about Kingdom Fungi and mushrooms in history and as we currently know them. Discussions will include: biology and ecology of fungi, mushrooms as food and medicine, how fungal allies can create resilience in our agriculture and communities, gardening with mushrooms, and mushrooms to heal the planet.

Through fun hands-on activities learn low tech methods to cultivate gourmet and medicinal mushrooms, identify and harvest wild mushrooms, and make mushroom medicines.

Schedule

Friday, May 24th

• 3 – 8pm Check-in
• 6 – 7pm Dinner
• 7:30pm Intro and Welcoming Program
  • Intro Circle
  • Presentation: Mushrooms 101 – Biology and Ecology of Kingdom Fungi

Saturday, May 25th

• 8 – 9am Breakfast
• 9:30am – 12pm Morning Program
  • Basic Mushroom Identification: Learning field guides and trusted websites
  • Mushroom Walk: Foraging in the forest & observing characteristics of fungi
  • Spore prints and groups of mushrooms
• 12 – 1pm Lunch
• 1 – 3pm Break
• 3 – 6pm Afternoon Program
  • Hands on : Shiitake Log inoculation – take home your own inoculated Shiitake Log
  • Hands on : Indoor Oyster Mushroom on Coffee Grounds/Cat Litter Inoculation – Take home an Indoor Oyster Grow Kit
• 6 – 7pm Dinner
• 7:30 – 9pm Evening Program
  • Presentation : Mushrooms as Medicine for people and the forest
  • Hands-on : Tincture Making – Take home your own made Chaga Tincture
• 9pm Camp Fire/Movie (Optional)

Sunday, May 26th

• 8 – 9am Breakfast
• 9:30am – 12pm Morning Program
  • Intermediate Mushroom Identification
  • Mushroom Walk: Foraging in the Forest.
  • Mycoflora Project: adding to the species survey for Menla and Catskill Region
• 12 – 1pm Lunch
• 1 – 3pm Break
• 3 – 6pm Afternoon Program
  Discussion: Mushrooms in the garden: Cultivating from woodland mushrooms and the of amplifying mycorrhizal fungi for the garden.
  Hands on: Wine-cap in Woodchips Inoculation – Take home a Wine-cap starter
  Discussion: Introduction to myco-technologies & mycoremediation
• 6 – 7pm Dinner
• 7:30 – 9pm Evening Program
  • Open Discussion: Assimilating and disseminating mushroom knowledge: where we go from here
• 9pm Camp Fire/Movie (Optional)

Monday, May 27th

• 8 – 9am Breakfast
• 9:15 – 11:45am Morning Program
  • Mushroom Walk
  • Feedback and Q&A
  • Close
• 12 – 1pm Lunch

* Please note that schedule is subject to change