Marguerite d'Ervau

WO Assistant checklist - Growing Mushrooms (draft)

with Wouter Hassing

During the workshop Growing Mushrooms, fungi expert Wouter Hassing will teach participants about the potential of mycelium and how to start mushroom cultivation. They get to go home with a bag of ready-to-sprout oyster mushrooms and starter knowledge on fungal strains, mycelium and production methods.

As a workshop assistant, your role is to set up straw, pressure cooker, chairs and tables in Clean Lab, print handouts, help Wouter (regulary) during the workshop and clean up afterwards. Don't hesitate to print this assistant checklist and have it with you on the day of workshop! 

Here is some information about ticketing when you are a workshop assistant.

Vergroot

Mushroom - kitchen - Life moments in the kitchen. Photographs taken by Giulia Menicucci.

General information about the workshop

Time ~4h (1h prep + 3h during)

Location: Cleanlab
Max. participants: 15
Workshop leader: Wouter Hassing
Phone number: 0650737690
Email: info@mycophilia.nl

NOTE: Wouter Hassing is difficult to reach due to his busy days. Use the email to get in touch with Wouter - it is checked by him and his wife.

 

Material checklist

For this workshop, you will need:

  • 1 p.p. Handouts [Workshop box / document attached at the bottom of this page]
  • 1 p.p. Stools/chairs [Clean Lab]
  • 1 p.p. Bank A4 sheet of paper and a pen [Clean Lab (office supplies drawer) / Office]
  • 1 p.p. Lab coats [Clean Lab - in the corridor between front space and clean room]
  • 1 pair p.p. Rubber gloves [Clean Lab - front space / clean room]
  • 1 p.p. Hairnets [Clean Lab - front space]
  • 1 p.p. Face masks [Clean Lab - front space]
  • 1 p.p. Tiewraps [Clean Lab / Office]
  • 5k/15 p. Straw (no hay!) [Clean Lab]
  • 1 Big white container [Clean Lab or outside of Clean Lab]
  • 1 Huge metal pot [Clean Lab]
  • 1 Gas stove [Clean Lab]
  • 1 Lighter [Clean Lab]
  • 1 Alcohol in spray bottle [Clean Lab - clean room]
  • 2 Full Gas Tanks [White container at the street, key is in the locker in the Office (bring empty ones here too)]
  • 1 p.p. Water glasses [Bar]
  • 2-3 Water carafes [Bar]

NOTE: Wouter will bring rest of the equipment and materials.

 

To-Do List

 

Before the workshop

Prepare in the week before:

  1. Check if you have everything needed for the workshop (buy straw if needed)
  2. Print handouts
  3. Gather all materials to the Clean Lab

 

On the day itself

Be there at least two hours before the workshop starts.

Set-up the front room:

  1. In the clean room: Clean stainless steel tables in the clean room with alcohol, and tidy up around the tables
  2. In the front space: Put enough chairs around the wooden tables and place a handout, A4 sheet and pen for every workshop participant.
  3. In the front space: Tidy up, and make sure there are enough coat hangers for the jackets.
  4. Prepare the straw:
  • Soak straw in a white container (see picture) two hours before the workshop. Tip: first fill the container outside with the hose until the point you can still carry it in. Then put in the amount of straw you need and push it under water. Add water by pouring it over using a smaller bucket.
    Vergroot

    Growing mushrooms - material -

  • Fill the pot with water until it reaches the false bottom, and lift it on top of the gas stove.
  • Light the stove at least one hour before the workshop or just when you finished soaking the straw. Put the lid on!
  • Fill the steaming pot with straw (when the water is boiling) half an hour before the workshop. Take it easy, put layer after layer gradually. Make sure the steam gets through a layer before you add another one on top.

 

During the workshop

  • Welcome participants and scan tickets.
  • Give a short introduction about Mediamatic before the workshop (think about this beforehand).
  • Help carry the pot into the clean room.
  • Give participants coats, hairnets and gloves before they enter the clean room.
  • Help put straw on the table.
  • Take a photo of the workshop. This can be, for example, an overview photo, a photo of the product, or a photo of the participants. When taking photos of participants, remember to ask for permission.

 

Timeline of the workshop

 

Week before

Print handouts and buy straw if needed.

13:00

Set up in the clean room: tidy up, clean stainless steel tables.

Set up in the front space: soak the straw; set up the gas stove and the pot, and start boiling; fill the pot with straw; prepare for ticketing.

14:30

First guests arrive.

15:00

Start of the workshop (short intro on Mediamatic by you, and then Wouter will take over).

15:00

Introduction by Wouter.

15:15

Explanation on mycelium.

15:30

Bring the pot to the lab and help put straw on the table.

15:45

Participants put on lab coats and protection,  and enter the clean room via double doors.

16:00

Participants fill in grow bags with straw and mycelium, seal the bags.

16:30

Back to front space: explanation on how to continue at home.

16:45

Last questions.

17:00

End of the workshop.

After the workshop

Cleaning up the lab and putting everything back.