Growing Shiitake Mushrooms at Sunset Community Garden

April 13, 2025


Shiitake mushrooms and lion's mane mushrooms are delicious and easy to grow. It does take time. Join us at Sunset Community Garden (@sunsetgardenridgewood) where we will use the log inoculation method to grow these edible mushrooms!

Last season gardeners inoculated logs with oyster mushrooms, and lion's mane mushrooms. We are looking forward to enjoying the first mushrooms from last year's inoculation later this spring. The oak logs we inoculate during this workshop will remain in the garden and begin fruiting next year.

This is an opportunity to get hands on with the materials and methods for log-grown mushrooms that you can replicate in your own garden/outdoor growing space. A discussion of long-term care and maintenance of mushroom logs will accompany the hands on inoculation.

This is a free workshop. All are welcome! Reserve a spot!

A big thank you to NYRP for the logs, Biotech without Borders for the spawn and Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) for the tools and expertise for this workshop. Facilitation of this workshop would not be possible without the CCE Community Mushroom Educator Program that has trained many of us here in NYC how to grow and teach about log grown mushrooms! Check out some videos from CCE exploring some of the many aspects of growing mushrooms.

If you are planning to attend the log inoculation, also consider participating in our Clothing & Housewares Swap.

**Please note: This event is entirely outdoors at Sunset Community Garden. Please wear comfortable clothing including closed toe shoes that you do not mind getting dirty. Bring water and food. There is a port-a-potty on site.

Community Garden Leadership Program Information Session - June 4

June 4, 2025
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

The Community Garden Leadership Program is an online program that prepares individuals to enhance their leadership skills to strengthen community gardens throughout New York State. You will learn management best practices and operational skills. It is a year-long program requiring participants to meet as a cohort each month and connect with experienced professional, subject matter experts, and faculty to foster a supportive distance learning experience.

To learn more about the program, we are offering virtual informational sessions in June!

Intercropping with Mushrooms

June 8, 2025
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Bronx, NY

Join us for an afternoon of hands-on learning at Morning Glory! This free community workshop, led by Urban Agriculture Specialists Karen Guzman and Yolanda Gonzalez from Cornell Cooperative Extension, is perfect for anyone looking to diversify their garden harvest by interplanting with mushrooms. Learn how to maximize your garden space with small-scale techniques to increase productivity. You'll get guidance on growing three different types of mushrooms, from site selection to harvest. A food demo from a local chef will also explore the versatility of cooking with mushrooms! 

Community Garden Leadership Program Information Session - June 12

June 12, 2025
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

The Community Garden Leadership Program is an online program that prepares individuals to enhance their leadership skills to strengthen community gardens throughout New York State. You will learn management best practices and operational skills. It is a year-long program requiring participants to meet as a cohort each month and connect with experienced professional, subject matter experts, and faculty to foster a supportive distance learning experience.

To learn more about the program, we are offering virtual informational sessions in June!

Community Gardens Soil Testing Program Accepting Applications

Soil testing supports the growth and expansion of community gardens by protecting the health and safety of the food produced in these gardens. CCE Harvest NY, in partnership with the NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets (AGM) and the Cornell Soil Health Lab, is offering eligible, food-producing gardens in New York State the opportunity to send soil samples for testing without charge.

The soil test will analyze samples for heavy metals and nutrient levels. Test results help gardeners make appropriate plans to produce high quality fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Technical support and education for participating growers will be provided by the CCE Harvest New York team. Learn more about the 2025 Community Gardens Soil Testing Program.

New York Urban Farms Sustainable Pest Management Fact Sheet Series

Cornell Cooperative Extension has partnered with dozens of urban farms across New York State to demonstrate and evaluate sustainable pest management strategies. Together with farmers, we found success using control methods that prevent or reduce crop losses through exclusion strategies, crop timing, host resistance, the introduction of beneficial organisms, and more. Regardless of management strategy used, common requirements for success include a knowledge of the pest and disease complex, preventative deployment and commitment to the process. The New York Urban Farms Sustainable Pest Management Fact Sheet Series includes case studies highlighting pest management techniques that New York urban farms have found valuable.