Learn to Grow Mushrooms in Upcoming NYC Workshop

image001Specialty mushrooms are easy to grow and maintain, making them a lucrative product for beginning and experienced growers alike. These mushrooms often require little start-up costs, and may even only require materials you already have on hand. 

On Wednesday July 17, the Cornell Small Farms Program’s specialty mushroom project is partnering with Cornell Cooperative Extension, Grow NYC, and Just Food to host a workshop on specialty mushrooms production. The workshop will cover how to grow mushrooms, focusing on their potential as a small enterprise for community and local markets. 

During the workshop participants will learn how to inoculate a shiitake log, grow oyster mushrooms on straw, and plant wine cap mushrooms into wood chips. Everyone who completes the workshop will leave with materials to produce their own mushrooms. 

The workshop will be lead by Yolanda Gonzalez an Urban Agriculture Specialist for Cornell Cooperative Extension Harvest NY that lives in NYC supporting urban farmers.  Additional expertise will be provided by Jie Jin, a mushroom grower and founder of CuriouSeed, an education studio dedicated to cultivating eco consciousness through playful, experimental and hands-on programming and experiences. Steve Gabriel, an extension specialist for Cornell Small Farms Program and a mushroom farmer in the Finger Lakes, will also provide instruction and addition expertise. 

The workshop will take place at Green Valley Garden (Isabahlia Farm) at 93 New Lots Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11212 — at the corner of New Lot Ave and Sackman — from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. This workshop is offered for free, thanks to supportive funding from the USDA and Cornell Cooperative Extension. However, space is limited and participants are asked to only register if they are committed to coming. To register, visit: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NYCMushroomClasses2019

For more information on mushrooms, visit our project page or check out the Harvest NY Urban Ag Program on Instagram @urbanag.nyc.

Claire Morrow

Claire is preparing to start her senior year as a Plant Science major in CALS. She is concentrating in sustainable plant production, and hopes to one day work in extension to help farmers implement sustainable practices that are both economically feasible for them and good for the planet. She is from a small town in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia where she learned to appreciate nature and great farm fresh food. She is excited to have the opportunity to both help out with Small Farms programming and get her hands dirty on the research farm this summer.
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2 Comments

  1. Avatar of Wes Wes on July 16, 2019 at 10:03 pm

    Hi I would like to know if there is still room at the mushroom inoculation workshop

    • Nina Sannes on July 26, 2019 at 9:16 am

      Hi Wes,

      For upcoming events and workshops you can find more information on the project page, or contact Steve Gabriel at sfg53@cornell.edu for more information. Hope this helps!

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