Pre-Conference Events
8th Annual Mycelium Mysteries
A Women's Mushroom Conference
Pre-Conference Immersions & Workshops are deep-dive learning experiences with a more intimate group. Add one or more pre-conference events on to your Mycelium Mysteries weekend experience OR just join us for a pre-conference workshop or foray (you don't have to register for the Mycelium Mysteries weekend Conference to attend a Pre-Conference activity). View all pre-conference events below, then sign up on the main registration page.
2-DAY IMMERSION
Mushroom Cultivation Extravaganza with Cornelia Cho & Ingrid Daudert
Learn conventional and less conventional mushroom propagation methods!
Wednesday, September 18 & Thursday, September 19 | 9am-5pm
Join us to learn a variety of ways to grow your own bounty of edible and medicinal fungi. Once again, Cornelia Cho will be joining forces with Ingrid Daudert to present some lesser-known, labor and cost-saving ways of cultivating mushrooms.
Ingrid will be covering traditional drilling, filling and waxing shiitake log inoculation as well as pasteurizing straw and log sections as a medium for growing mushrooms. Cornelia will be sharing a lesser-known way to inoculate FRESH CUT (no log drying waiting period needed) hardwood logs without drilling, pounding or waxing. This method works with a multitude of hardwood species and not just oak. Cornelia will also be sharing the "Just Add Water" oyster mushroom cultivation method using recycled paper pellets.
We will be cultivating at least 5 different species and covering at least 5 different techniques that can often be used interchangeably. We will also have time for Q & A, as well as discussion about ways to start and/or expand your cultivation efforts. Join us to up your cultivation game and provide you and your loved ones with a multitude of mushrooms!
Includes Lodging Wednesday night and meals Wednesday Lunch through Thursday Lunch. Register here!
We are offering 2 partial work exchange positions for this immersion. You will pay a discounted rate in exchange for helping Cornelia and Ingrid during the immersion. This work exchange position would include helping to lift and move logs. Please be prepared to offer physical assistance. If you're interested, contact us at HerbWomen@gmail.com!
THURSDAY
All-day Foray with Rebecca Chandler
Thursday, September 19 | 9am-5pm
In this all-day foray, we will discover the many facets of Mycology - from identification and medicinal uses to dyeing natural fibers with mushrooms! This class is designed for the mushroom huntress or enthusiast who is looking to immerse themselves in the mysterious world of funga and emerge more confident and empowered to take the next steps in their mycological journey.
The class will begin with an introduction to mushroom identification, terminology, and morphology so that we are able to better observe and talk about the mushrooms. We will briefly discuss foraging tools and field guides before going into the forest to see all of these characteristics first-hand!
Women will be encouraged to use all of their senses to hone their observation skills. Advanced identification techniques will be discussed such as microscopy, using chemical agents, and using dichotomous keys. Please bring a field guide if you have one.
Participants will be encouraged to choose a mushroom to get to know. We will begin creating our own mushroom foraging journals. This practice deepens our relationship with the mushrooms through deep observation, writing and drawing activities. A template will be provided but please bring a pen or pencil and a notebook.
Lastly, we will get creative and learn the many applications of making art with mushrooms. Participants will get to dye their own piece of silk or wool with Lobster mushrooms. Class participation will be limited to 15. Register here!
Creating Ritual For Women's Mysteries with Ruth Barrett
Thursday, September 19 | 9-5pm
To celebrate Women’s Mysteries is to reclaim and re-sacralize our journey through the five uterine blood mysteries of our birth, menarche, giving birth/lactation, menopause, and death. Although the blood mysteries are natural physiological occurrences, these passages have become tainted, even to ourselves, by being ignored, discounted, invalidated, and shamed through a cultural denial of women’s uterine blood and by the influence of patriarchal culture on our own self-perception and attitudes about what it is to be female. We are robbed of the powerful opportunities for profound spiritual connection through the reverent celebration of our female rites of passage. It's not too late to heal. It’s not too late to celebrate. In this intensive workshop, Ruth Barrett, ritualist and author of Women’s Rites, Women’s Mysteries – Intuitive Ritual Creation, will guide women through an original process to create their own personal ritual from one Mystery passage for healing, reclaiming female embodiment, and bring greater meaning and celebration to our lives. Women who are childless by choice or circumstance are also invited to participate. The rituals are to be enacted by each woman at a time of her choosing outside of this workshop. Register here!
Navigating Psychedelic Space: Tools & Techniques to Support Mushroom Journeys with Katherine MacLean, PhD
Thursday, September 19 | 6-9pm
In this 3-hour intensive we will explore the space of mushroom journeys from a sober perspective through instruction, discussion, meditation, role play, and guided music. Instructor Katherine MacLean will begin the workshop by providing an overview and framework for understanding the roles of facilitator (also known as gatekeeper, guide) and practitioner (the one who journeys). We will then directly explore the mushroom space and practice our skills through guided meditation, music, and paired practice. This workshop is limited to 12-14 people to allow one-on-one feedback and sufficient support and guidance during experiential practice. Please note that this workshop does not include ingesting any psychoactive substances, and participants are expected to show up in a clear and sober frame of mind and body. Register here!
Mushrooms in the Kitchen & Apothecary with Linda Conroy
Thursday, September 19 | 6-9pm
Learn about the healing value of mushrooms and how to prepare them for optimal nourishment and healing. This presentation will be multifaceted, offering information about mushroom nourishment and medicine. An overview of the health benefits and medicinal qualities of mushrooms will be shared and the instructor will offer ideas for preparing mushrooms and recipes for inspiration. In the hands-on component, we will make a variety of mushroom condiments, delicacies, and medicine that everyone will take home. Register here!
FRIDAY
Formulating with Mushrooms & Herbs | Gina Rivers
Friday, September 20 | 9am-12pm
Have you ever wanted to create a formula with mushrooms and herbs, but were unsure of how to combine them? Join Gina Rivers, MycoHerbalist and formulator, in an intensive workshop where we will discuss and explore phytochemistry and myco-chemistry, complimentary energetics of compatible mushrooms and herbs, how to create a balanced formula for a client or yourself, and how to supercharge your apothecary with mushroom/herbal synergy! The participant will leave with several recipes for potent and effective remedies, and an understanding of how to use functional mushrooms in future formulations. Register here!
Navigating Psychedelic Space: Tools & Techniques to Support Mushroom Journeys with Katherine MacLean, PhD
Friday, September 20 | 9am-12pm
In this 3-hour intensive we will explore the space of mushroom journeys from a sober perspective through instruction, discussion, meditation, role play, and guided music. Instructor Katherine MacLean will begin the workshop by providing an overview and framework for understanding the roles of facilitator (also known as gatekeeper, guide) and practitioner (the one who journeys). We will then directly explore the mushroom space and practice our skills through guided meditation, music, and paired practice. This workshop is limited to 12-14 people to allow one-on-one feedback and sufficient support and guidance during experiential practice. Please note that this workshop does not include ingesting any psychoactive substances, and participants are expected to show up in a clear and sober frame of mind and body. Register here!
Transform Your Voice,
Transform Your Life with Cornelia Cho
Friday, September 20 | 9am-12pm
On a minute-to-minute basis, your tone of voice reveals rich information about your life struggles, vulnerabilities, and state of mind. Fortunately, because it's linked directly to your brain, your voice has neuroplasticity: the capacity to be re-wired. This allows you to challenge and unwind the stories that have wrapped themselves around your brain, breath, and vocal cords. Changing your tone is not about forcing yourself to pretend; it means you get to re-wire your brain while still holding on to what makes you truly you. Cornelia will guide you in identifying what you're revealing to the world through your voice. Then she'll help you explore ways to begin loosening the grips your early patterns have on your current life. Using the listening partnership platform, we’ll create a connected, supportive environment to help you start shifting your tone.
Come with bravery, expect surprises and leave with ideas for changing the way people respond to you. Please prepare to arrive and stay for this entire activity.
This pre-conference workshop allows a more intimate, personal experience, with more focused attention from Cornelia. Register here!
Introduction to the Norse Runes: A Female-Centered Approach with Falcon River
Friday, September 20 | 9am-12pm
This workshop offers a female-centered approach to learning about the Elder Futhark runes. The Old European root words from which the word “rune” originates mean “mystery” or, “to whisper.” It has been suggested by many runic scholars that the written form of runes originate in the dendritic patterns found in our own bodies and throughout Nature, from the structure of a tree trunk and its branches to our own circulatory system. The shape, form, and energetic pattern emanated by each rune is rooted in the mysteries of nature from which this ancient alphabet was derived. Participants in this pre-conference class will learn the basic meanings of the 24 runes, how to pronounce, write them, and use them in some basic, magical, and practical ways. Register here!
Make Your Own Foraging Basket with Jeni Mursau
Friday, September 20 | 9am-1pm
Weave your own foraging basket that has an adjustable leather cross-body strap which allows for a comfortable fit; important especially with the changing seasons of Wisconsin! Jeni from Woven Blessings Basketry will provide all the materials, tools, and instructions to complete your basket from start to finish. There is no prior weaving experience necessary for completing this basket. Register here!
Watercolor Painting with Foraged Mushrooms with Caro Arevalo
Friday, September 20 | 9am-12pm
Join us for an immersive workshop where we delve into the enchanting world of watercolor painting, guided by the beauty and wonder of nature's treasures; mushrooms. This workshop offers a blend of artistic exploration and mindful connection. Throughout the session, Caro will lead us through the fundamentals of watercolor techniques, infusing each step with moments of mindfulness to deepen our connection with both the art supplies and the natural world. With foraged mushrooms as our muse, we will experiment with different styles and techniques to paint our mushrooms and find what feels good for each of us. Each participant will have the opportunity to create their own painting. With these skills you'll leave equipped with invaluable tools and tips to continue your artistic journey long after the workshop concludes. Join us for an afternoon of inspiration, creativity, and a profound connection to the artist within you with mushrooms as our muses. Let the whispers of nature ignite your imagination and awaken your senses as we paint, create, and celebrate the beauty of the world around us. Register here!