BF 151: Outdoor Mushroom Cultivation

Growing Mushrooms on Logs, Stumps, and Woodchips

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Learn how to cultivate with the seasons in farms, fields, and gardens

Mushrooms are an emerging niche crop with many benefits, including improving farmer stewardship of forested lands and the ability to offer a unique and highly desired product. With a bit of practice, mushrooms can be easily grown outdoors on many materials and in alignment with the seasonal and cyclical nature of outdoor growing.

This course trains new and experienced farmers in the background, techniques, and economics of outdoor mushroom production. Students will learn the basic biology of mushrooms, cultivation techniques for shiitake, oyster, lions mane, and other easy to grow mushrooms, proper conditions for fruiting outdoors, managing pests and other issues, and harvesting and marketing strategies.

Target Audience

All levels - This course is for new farmers, or experienced farmers seeking to diversify their operations. It’s also relevant to woodlot owners and backyard gardeners, and forest stewards interested in this topic. Growing as a viable economic enterprise will be discussed, though techniques can also be applied at any scale. Mushroom growing is an easy topic for beginners with some experience farming and managing crop systems.

Course Objectives

At the completion of this course, you will:

  • Be able to describe the basics of outdoor mushroom production and harvesting
  • Have the opportunity to participate in an at-home, hands-on mushroom cultivation experiment
  • Connect mushroom cultivation to the management of healthy forests
 and soils
  • Understand the logistics of management, sales, and safety issues related to mushroom farming
  • Be empowered to start your own mushroom cultivation journey

Webinars

The bulk of the course happens on your own time, with discussions, readings, and assignments in Teachable, our virtual classroom. To add to the experience, webinars will be woven into the online interface of the course to allow you to meet on a weekly basis to learn from outside presenters and ask questions to address your farm issues in real time. If you miss one, they are always recorded and posted for later viewing.

Webinar Schedule

In 2024, this course will be offered live for 6-weeks on Tuesdays from 6:30 – 8:00 PM (Eastern) from November 5 – December 10. While we encourage live attendance, so you have the opportunity to engage with presenters and ask questions, all webinars are recorded and posted in the online classroom to watch anytime. Once enrolled in this course, you will retain access to all materials indefinitely, and can return to participate in the live webinars in future offerings of the course if you wish. Join us!


Your Instructor


Aysha Venjara + Amanda Heidel + Connor Youngerman
Aysha Venjara + Amanda Heidel + Connor Youngerman

Aysha Venjara, a keen observer of nature and longtime gardener, thrives in the small curiosities of the world around us. A Hudson Valley native, she began volunteering on local farms and training in regenerative agricultural practices in 2013. It so happened that her biodynamic studies at the Pfeiffer Center in Chestnut Ridge, NY, were just down the street from the Sufi mosque she attended since childhood. The link between these two fundamental aspects of life, faith and farming, became a topic of deep exploration and formed the start of an incredible journey. In 2016, Aysha became the steward of a beautiful piece of land, 3.5 acres of a former biodynamic dairy farm, and a 1950’s barn, lovingly converted into a home by a designer and musician couple. The Falaha Center for Spiritual Agriculture, whose mission is growing faith, family, and fun through farming, was born out of a calling to both protect and share the gifts of the land and the home—most especially at a time when our connections to the earth, and one another, are under constant assault. Through the Falaha Center, Aysha uses small but thriving farm enterprises, namely log-grown shiitake mushrooms, pastured eggs, and educational workshops, to fund a food pantry garden program, on-farm mentorship for youth groups, and woodland conservation activities. Aysha is also a columnist for dirt magazine, a local Hudson Valley food and farming publication, and a facilitator for the Cornell Small Farms Program Woodland Mushroom Course.

Amanda Heidel is a Cornell Community Mushroom Educator and founder of Mushroom Shed, a community project centered around the connections between fungi, soil, food, art, health, and culture. She specializes in low-tech mushroom cultivation on organic waste materials. She is also the Grants Manager of Choice Words Ithaca, a grant writing and fundraising firm that works with nonprofits, municipalities and educational institutions to seek and acquire grant funding.

Connor Youngerman is the Agroforestry and Mushroom Lead at Cornell Small Farms Program. His background includes a master’s in agronomy, work in data science, and a lifelong compulsion to plant trees and gardens ( so far in PEI, MA, AZ, VA, NY and HI). Connor is a NY Master Forest Owner Volunteer, and is certified as to forage and sell wild mushrooms. His research and education endeavors focus on woody perennial plant propagation, and novel mushroom substrates.


Student Testimonials

“Hearing what everyone else is coming to the table with was valuable. It sparked some things I never considered before.”
“The case studies and conversations with people actually farming mushrooms was the most helpful for me. I also really appreciate having a source to ask specific questions.”
“I really valued the wealth of knowledge presented, costs, business plans, panelists, the ability to ask questions in real-time and learning where to find resources etc.”
“I appreciated the diversity and thoroughness of the information and resources. The presenters did an excellent job!”
“This class had an interactive aspect and break out rooms that kept us engaged.”

Course Curriculum


  General Course Resources
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  (Week 1) Orientation & Mycology 101
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  (Week 2) Habitats & Substrates
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  (Week 3) Cultivation Stages & Methods
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  (Week 4) Harvest & Store
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  (Week 5) Grower Panel
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  (Week 6) Moving Forward with Mushrooms
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Frequently Asked Questions


When does the course start and finish?
The course officially starts and ends on the dates given above, when the instructor gets involved and begins hosting live weekly webinars. If you are registering after the webinars have concluded for the year, you will have immediate access to all the course materials, and will be able to participate in the next year's webinars if you choose to.
How long do I have access to the course?
How does lifetime access sound? After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like - across any and all devices you own.
What if I am unhappy with the course?
We would never want you to be unhappy! If you are unsatisfied with your purchase, contact us in the first 7 days and we will give you a full refund.

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