Nature & the Outdoors   

Learn easy, inexpensive or free techniques to create an easy to maintain food forest in your Verde Valley back yard or acreage.

Utilizing outdoor experiences as well as classroom exercises, participants will deepen their connection to the vast web of nature that resides within and without. The goal is to use that partnership as a guide for their lives. Participants will leave the class knowing more about living well in the world with nature as their master teacher. 8 Master Lessons of Nature will be taught. Bring a journal, hat, water and binoculars if you have them.Participants must be able to stand and/or walk for an hour or more. The first class will be at the Verde campus utilizing both the classroom and the outdoor trails there. Subsequent classes will have different nature settings in the Verde Valley area.

“Let’s Talk About Mushrooms as Medicine in Ancient Cultures and Modern Science. Let’s Cook and Eat Specialty Mushrooms and Between Bites Talk about Nutrition. Let’s Learn to Garden with Mushrooms to Improve Soil and Crop Health … and to Deter Pests, and  For Fun, Let’s Grow Mushroom Mycelium into Durable Lampshades and Planters!”

“There is Mush’room in the Mushroom Farming Business!  Possibilities include Growing Fresh, Specialty Mushrooms, Producing Value-added Products such as Mushroom Jerky and Medicinal Tinctures, Growing for Retailers, and Mushroom Compost.  All Aspects of Mushroom Farming are Discussed in Detail.  Learn to Grow Gorgeous Specialty Mushrooms without Harmful Chemicals for Chefs and Families using Low-Tech Systems. Discussions Include: Mushroom Lifecycle and Terminology, Growth Requirements for Specific Species, Farm Food Safety, Harvesting, Packaging, Choosing Vendors, Input Costs and Bookkeeping.”