Tannery Pond Center presents our Workshop: Mushroom Inoculation by Melanie Sawyer
August 22 | 10 AM - 12 PM
Class Fee: $25 per person, the fee must be paid in advance. Check made out to Tannery Pond Center, mail or drop off!
RSVP: call 518-251-2505 or email director@tannerypondcenter.org to reserve your spot.
Location: Tannery Pond Center
Max Class Size: 10 (minimum 7 years old, children must be accompanied by an adult)
This workshop is made possible, in part, by the Adirondack Foundation’s Generous Acts grant.
A mushroom log inoculation class teaches participants to transform hardwood logs into mushroom farms by drilling holes, packing them with mushroom spawn (plugs or sawdust), and sealing them with wax, creating a sustainable food source that produces fungi such as oyster or shiitake over several years after a colonization period. This hands-on workshops covers log selection (dormant hardwoods like oak/birch), inoculation techniques, and post-inoculation care.
What You Learn
Log Selection: Identifying and selecting appropriate hardwood logs (oak, maple, birch) cut during dormancy for best results.
Inoculation: Drilling holes and inserting mushroom spawn (e.g., shiitake, oyster) into the logs. I will also teach students that other mushroom mycelium can be grown the same way.
Sealing: Covering the spawn with wax to protect it from drying out and contamination.
Care & Fruiting: Understanding the colonization period (months to a year) and how to "force" mushrooms to fruit through soaking or waiting for the right conditions.
What Students Get
A log inoculated with mushroom mycelium.
Written instructions for continued care.
Why Attend
Great for beginners, gardeners, and foragers.
Learn a sustainable way to grow your own food.
Often a fun, social activity with a focus on nature and food.
Why should we include mushrooms in our diet?
Shiitake and oyster mushrooms are nutritious fungi, low in calories but rich in fiber, B vitamins, copper, and immune-boosting polysaccharides, supporting heart health, gut function, and immunity, with shiitakes also offering vitamin D and ergothioneine for antioxidant effects, while oyster mushrooms provide beta-glucans for cholesterol.
Shiitake Mushrooms (Lentinula Edodes)
Immune Support: Contain polysaccharides (like lentinans) that enhance immune response and boost white blood cell production.
Heart Health: Have eritadenine and beta-glucans, which help lower cholesterol and reduce inflammation.
Nutrient-Rich: Good source of B vitamins (especially B5), copper (vital for immunity), zinc, fiber, and vitamin D.
Antioxidants: Contain ergothioneine, which fights oxidative stress, and may have antiviral/antibacterial properties.
Digestive & Oral Health: Fiber aids digestion, and compounds can help balance mouth bacteria, benefiting gums and preventing gingivitis.
Oyster Mushrooms (Pleurotus Ostreatus)
Heart Health: Contain beta-glucans, which help manage cholesterol levels, and potassium for blood pressure.
Immune Support: Also rich in beta-glucans, bolstering immune function.
Nutrient-Rich: Provide fiber, potassium, and antioxidants, promoting fullness and digestive health.
Melanie Sawyer
Melanie Sawyer is a past participant of the History Channels best watched survival show ALONE where 10 contestants are dropped separately in the brutal conditions of the Arctic and survive as long as they can using their skills and only 10 items completely alone filming the entire process as they go, in Melanies case that was 43 days, she placed 4th.
Based here in the Adirondacks, Melanie teaches her Historical foraging knowledge and traditional survival skills to schools, lodges and groups all over America.
Visit Melanie Sawyer Wild Foods and Wilderness website HERE or HERE.