BELLINGHAM/SULTAN – Two farmers are offering mushroom growing workshops this month.

Workshop participants drill alder logs to inoculate with Shiitake spawn at Cascadia Mushrooms last year. PHOTO COURTESY OF ALEX WINSTEAD

Cascadia Mushrooms will share mushroom cultivation tips and techniques during an on-farm workshop on Sunday, April 19 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 4771 Aldrich Road in Bellingham. Owner Alex Winstead and crew will show participants how to grow mushrooms at your home, farm, school or business and get a behind-the-scenes view of the mushroom species they grow. All supplies will be provided and each student will take home several growing projects of their own. There will be plenty of time for questions, and a lot of hands-on activities. Participants should bring a lunch; some snacks and coffee, tea and water will be provided. The cost is $60 per person. To register, call (360) 714-8859 or visit http://www.cascadiamushrooms.com/Workshops.php.

On Saturday, April 18, Jim Goui, a staff mycologist with Fungi Perfecti, an Olympia-based company that specializes in supplying home and commercial mushroom growers, will instruct a workshop at Ed’s Apples in Sultan. Participants will learn about different types of edible mushrooms that can be grown both indoors and outdoors, different species, growing media such as log, stump, sawdust and straw culture, and more. The workshop takes place 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at 13420 339th Ave SE (aka Rice Road) in Sultan. All participants will take home a packet of shiitake plug spawn along with complete instructions to cultivate your own outdoor mushroom logs. The cost is $80 per person, which includes the workshop, handouts, box lunch, and 100 shiitake plugs to take home. Couples rate is $125. Register online at mushrooms.brownpapertickets.com or call contact Kate Halstead at (425) 357-6024.