Are you ready to forage connection? To get your hands dirty in the mysteries of nature? Are you ready to explore the woods with a group of like-minded primates? At Spore School, we will endeavor to connect with and explore the mysteries of nature together through the lens of the Kingdom of Fungi. We will get to know edible, medicinal, poisonous, slimy, colorful, and weird woodland fruits—and we will get to know each other, deepening through group games and projects. Get ready to play, create, cook, move, taste, smell, laugh, propagate, suspend your disbelief, and to start a lifelong inquiry into your role in nature.

• Participate in group activities that build connection with each other and the mysteries of fungi and nature.
• Hunt for mushrooms: species ID, where and when they grow, as well as their associated trees and plants.
• Harvest to eat, make medicine and dyes with wild edible and medicinal mushrooms.
• Converse about our role in nature, the evolution of fungi, mushroom life cycles, their connection to the seasons, how and what they eat.
• Participate in basic mushroom cultivation practices.
• Engage in fun homework projects that deepen our relationships to fungi and nature. 

Details:

• Time: 9:30 AM — 2:30 PM:
• Dates: 

​        Sundays: 5/15, 6/19, 7/17, 8/21, 9/19 and 10/16

• Please do not register for Spore School if you are unable to commit to attending all meetings
• Open to participants of ages 15+
• Program cost: $250-500 sliding scale. COVID-19 precautions such as social distancing and mask wearing are encouraged to ensure safety of participants.

Instructor Bio: Dean Colpack has spent a lot of time out in the woods, where he loves to explore and learn about the wild things he encounters. He enjoys foraging, cooking, using mushrooms for food and medicine, and has deep appreciation for their fascinating anatomy and ecology. 

*We will be traveling to a variety of locations in the Pioneer Valley (up to 30 min from Northampton). You will likely need to use your personal vehicle (or carpool!) for transportation to and from field sites.

This program supports public fruit tree planting, planting 5 trees per participant. Limited work trade available.

To Sign up please fill out the registration!

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