MycoTek Bristol: The Art & Science of Mycelium Cultivation with Dr Sam Gandy

Learn how to grow and make your own brain boosting Lion's Mane supplements in this interactive workshop

There is a growing recognition of the therapeutic and health-promoting potential of fungi. Yet mushroom powders, tinctures and capsules can be costly and have a high environmental footprint. Rather than needing to rely on buying supplements, did you know that you can easily grow your own fungi for consumption at home? Yielding a high-quality product for a fraction of the price!

Through a mixture of theory and practice, Dr Sam Gandy will lead you through the process of growing your own Lion’s Mane fungi. Suitable for beginners, low cost and requiring minimal equipment or expensive tools, this method has a very low environmental footprint and is well suited for people who lead busy lives or are tight on space.

WHY LION'S MANE?

While the methods taught in this workshop can apply to growing many different types of fungi, this session will focus on Lion’s Mane. Known to have a ton of health promoting properties, this mighty mushroom can:

• Promote an increase in levels of Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), a key molecule involved in plastic changes related to learning and memory
• Reduce mild symptoms of anxiety and depression
• May help repair nerve damage
• Has strong anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and immune-boosting abilities

Through this workshop, Sam will empower you to grow your own fungi by giving you the means of being self-sufficient in producing your own mycelium of whatever species you would like to grow! Using a simple approach that is highly effective and immensely rewarding. 

Post-workshop, you will have access to a walkthrough guide and a variety of other resources to help you get growing!

WHAT WE WILL COVER:

• Theory: Why do this, and what are the benefits of lion’s mane?
• An introduction to simple liquid culture techniques
• Preparing grain for inoculation
• How to perform inoculation with liquid mycelium
• Creation of one’s own culture jar lids and use of mycobags
• Using a pressure cooker for sterilisation
• A guided walkthrough using presentation and practical experience of the process from start to finish
• Preparing mycelium grain for consumption with recommended recipes
• ‘How to’ guides and support information which you can use post-session
• There will also be time for Q&A

WHAT TO BRING:

• Please bring cheap jars/pickle jars for the practical section and a notebook for taking notes
• This growing method uses a pressure cooker, but you will not need one for this workshop

YOUR FACILITATOR

Dr Sam Gandy

Sam Gandy is a lifelong nature lover with a PhD in ecological science from the University of Aberdeen and MRes in entomology from Imperial. A collaborator with the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College, London, Sam has a particular interest in the capacity of psychedelics to (re)connect humans to the natural world. 

As an ecologist, researcher and science writer, Sam is working at the intersection of ecology and psychedelics. Sam is also a hobby mycologist, beaver fan, writer, speaker and workshop facilitator. He has been fortunate enough to conduct field research in various parts of the world, reaching as far as Texas, the Peruvian Amazon and Ethiopia, as well as locations a little closer to home. Sam previously worked as a scientific assistant for the Beckley Foundation, an institution which actively seeks to investigate the effects of psychoactive substances on the brain and consciousness in order to harness their potential benefits. Sam has also contributed to the Synthesis Institute, working as an eco-psychology coordinator, designing individually tailored nature-based practices for people undergoing psilocybin therapy for depression. Sam is a senior science writer for Wavepaths and has given a TEDxOxford talk on the capacity of psychedelic substances to enhance human-nature connection, and the implications this has for human wellbeing and the biosphere at a time of growing disconnection and ecological destruction. 

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