Fungi As Kin
Sold Out for 2025
Do you want to know more about the fungal kingdom?
Mushrooms are fascinating forms of life that humans have deep relationship with. We have been using them for food and medicine for thousands of years, yet are just beginning to understand their role in the greater ecosystem.
"Fungi as Kin" is a four-part class that will introduce students to working with fungi to grow mushrooms for food and how to safely and sustainably identify and harvest wild mushrooms for food and medicine.
Course Details
Laura's teaching style is relationship-based. Our focus will be on moving slowly and building knowledge while respecting the fungal world—seeing them as more than a "resource" to be mass harvested.
The same small group will meet several times, so we'll support each other in learning this new skill and make new foraging friends.
This program expands greatly on the half-day Introduction to Mushroom Foraging class that Laura has been running for several years. Fungi As Kin includes lifetime access to The Mushroom Course online resource.
- Fungal ecology and their role in the natural world
- Growing mushrooms on logs, in straw bags and garden beds
- Identification of a wide variety of wild mushrooms
- Learning to use field guides and other resources for safe and effective identification
- Making teas and tinctures of medicinal mushrooms
Program days will be filled with hands-on learning growing opportunities like making your own shiitake log or oyster mushroom bag, and planting wine cap mushroom garden beds. We will make mushroom teas, stocks and alcohol tincture extracts. We will go on long walks off-trail in the forest and get to know different mushroom habitats and species.
We'll spend time diving deep into field guides and other resources to understand the anatomy of mushrooms and how to properly identify them. We'll learn not only edible and medicinal species but learn about poisonous ones and discuss other interesting species found in the Muskoka forests.
This program takes place mostly outdoors in all weather and conditions (severe weather like tornado warnings excepted). Bugs are a part of nature in the Muskoka summers. Please come to class dressed appropriately for the weather, with long sleeves and pants for bugs, and proper footwear for hiking off-trail through rugged woods. This program is not suitable for those with mobility issues.
2025 Sessions
Class Dates
May 10, July 19, August 30, September 27
Class Hours
10:00 am–4:30 pm
Program Location
Wild Spirit Homestead (home of Laura & Chris) between Dwight & Dorset, Ontario and Wild Muskoka Production Kitchen in Dwight, Ontario.
Program Cost
$700+HST; includes all class materials & handouts, a mushroom log to take home, and a mushroom bag and mushroom medicine made in class. Price also includes lifetime access to The Mushroom Course online program.