Iowans with an eye for fungi are invited to participate in upcoming Mushroom Cultivation Workshops in central and eastern Iowa this spring. Hosted by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, the workshops are open to anyone interested in learning how to grow mushrooms at home.

Each participant will create a two-gallon bucket oyster mushroom grow kit to take home and nurture. The workshop will cover fungi basics, their roles in Iowa ecosystems and common ways people cultivate mushrooms in their own homes and backyards.

Gina Buelow, natural resources field specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach, has led mushroom foraging programs for several years and frequently receives questions about mushroom cultivation. This workshop provides an opportunity for participants to build foundational knowledge, get their questions answered and potentially begin a new hobby.

“Mushroom cultivation is a great way to observe mushrooms, and it is generally the safest way to do so. You pick out what strain of mushroom you want to grow, and if you do everything correct, that is exactly what you are going to get growing from your bucket,” she said. “We will be growing our native species of oyster mushrooms at these workshops.”

Workshop locations and dates

• March 16: Big Grove Brewpub, Solon. Registration link.
• March 24: Big Grove Brewery, Des Moines. Registration link.
• April 6: Big Grove Brewery, Des Moines. Registration link.

All workshops will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the listed locations. Registration is $35 per participant.

The workshops are supported by the Big Grove Brewery Big Grove for Good Foundation.

For more information, contact Buelow at gbuelow@iastate.edu.