INCREDIBLE FUNGI

This April, we have been learning about the incredible kingdom of fungi.

On Saturday 23rd April, Rich Wright led a workshop at the Global Gardens site on the benefits of cultivating fungi in the garden. On an unexpectedly bright day, Rich introduced us to the fundamentals of fungi and then guided us through a series of practicals including creating a blackcurrant and wine cap fruit patch and inoculating a number of beech logs with oyster mushroom spawn.

We were nourished with a delicious soup and sourdough bread provided by Riverside Sourdough.

On Monday 23rd April Prof.Lynne Boddy from Cardiff University provided some food for thought with a talk on 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' of the fungi kingdom. We learnt about how fungi are fundamental components of a healthy soil, healthy crops, heathy ecosystems and a healthy planet!

Riverside Sourdough then provided us with a taster menu of a range of fungi based snacks including:

Roast miso and sesame oyster mushrooms on sourdough

Tandoori and wild garlic button mushroom

Spinach, kale and chestnut mushroom puree with watercress and toasted walnuts on sourdough

Mixed mushroom and spinach tart

The delicious fungi-based dishes were accompanied with mixed leaves from Cardiff Salad Garden

These are the first events of a series of activities that are part of the Global Gardens 'Seeds and Spores' project. Follow us on facebook or twitter for news of the next workshop on healing plants in the garden. With a special thanks to Grow Wild for making these events possible.