Cultivating Edible Mushroom Garden Beds

Fungi are the world's best composters and play an important role in building healthy soils, food production and supporting plant health. This hands-on workshop will teach the basics on how to build a mushroom grow bed in your garden for seasonal mushroom harvests while supporting optimal ecological functioning. No prior knowledge required. Class will include discussion on the role mycelium and fungi play in soils and the broader agroecology, basic mushroom

identification and then the hands-on building of mushroom beds onsite at Oakhill Farm. 

Attendees will also have the option of pre-ordering oyster mushroom grow kits, Stropharia Rugosoannulata (Red Wine Cap/ King Stropharia) spawn and/or substrates to take home to establish their own mushroom farms at home! Any questions about these: julia@sporadicalcitymushrooms.com.au.

Julia Laidlaw | Sporadical City Mushrooms

Julia has many years of experience both as a farmer and working to support the farming community in Australia and worldwide. She is an experienced educator having taught at informal workshops, international conferences and has delivered programs in urban agriculture and food system studies at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Julia enjoys supporting others in growing their own food by sharing her skills and experience and has built her understanding of healthy foods ecologies. In 2018 she established Sporadical City Mushrooms in the small rental on Swanston St in downtown Melbourne, moving to upscale her business in Alphington in 2020 where she continues to produce seasonal gourmet mushrooms for restaurants, households, and farmers markets.

Who Will Benefit from the Course?

• People wanting to build their ecological literacy and learn more about the fungi kingdom around us and how it connects the natural world
• People interested in growing their own food, and enjoying ongoing home-grown seasonal mushrooms
• Interested people from 8 years up - all children must be accompanied by an adult