March is a month of transitions and changes. New growth begins to emerge, old growth resurfaces, life finds a way! At Collar City Mushrooms, we made many new connections, continued to spread our mycelium, and flourished with fungi!
The Shroomwagen roared out of storage and is getting ready to resume local deliveries.
On March 11, 2021 we had our official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony. So much has happened over the last year.
Collar City Mushrooms is moving into Phase 2 of its operation: purchase the building, expand into the second floor, and build out a commercial kitchen. With this exciting announcement we have also launched a Phase 2 gofundme.
Over $1,200 has been raised so far! We have some great rewards for your participation! Help us accelerate our growth and bring even more tasty mushrooms to the Capital Region and beyond.
FORAGED NEW YORK
As the weather warms and the spring approaches the foraging itch really starts to burn! This year, in addition to foraging for mushrooms for ourselves and to include in products at the shop, we are helping to facilitate a brand new festival throughout the city of Troy! ‘Foraged New York.’ Follow our instagram page @foraged.ny or visit our website www.foragednewyork.org for details as they emerge. This festival will include foraging walks in several spots walkable from downtown Troy, Foraged foods at several downtown restaurants, live music, and more! May 25 – 28.
Emma Willard High School Senior Student Jiwoo joined us for some hands on farm experience as well as some virtual support by creating a new webpage detailing where our products are found in the Capital Region.
We are constantly talking to new restaurants and markets. During the Month of March several new spots moved closer to carrying our mushrooms regularly:
More and more people are coming to us with the intent to grow their own mushrooms at home. We sold our first liquid culture syringe and heavily increased our ready-to-fruit block output to cover our own growth needs as well as those of the people doing larger at home grow operations.
Avery Taught a virtual Growing Mushrooms course through Capital Roots to local gardeners interested in expanding into at home fungi farmers.
Avery gave a presentation on the medicinal and nutritional benefits of mushrooms to a very interested group of residents at the Hearthstone Village Retirement Community.
The Capital Roots Afterschool program visited for some hands-on mushroom growing experiences then took some mushrooms back to the urban grow center to experiment with cooking them.
Bosque Foods Residency Wrapped up.
Isabella, Quentin, Emma, and Rafael, the team behind Bosque Foods wrapped up their stay with us in Troy and have moved on to the next phase of their development. The last few months our farm was very full with our teams working side by side. They will be sorely missed!
Check out what they are working on here:
We are in discussion with Troy’s own Ovenbird Bakery to become a pickup spot for their delicious baked products.
https://www.instagram.com/ovenbird_baking/?hl=en
The students from the SUNY Cobleskill Plant Science and Sustainability club visited to tour the farm and talk about how mushrooms can help create a more sustainable future.
We got new Dao de Mogu Warrior stickers on sealed vinyl printed by NoName Sign Co. These stickers are beautifully crafted and durable!
Tuesday, March 8, and Tuesday March 22 from 7 to 8pm: Meditation amongst the mushrooms continues to meet every other Tuesday to engage with different meditation practices.
Sunday, March 13: Second Sunday Poetry and Prose was back in person hosted by Nancy Klepsch.
Thursday, March 17th : Our Mushroom Book Club met and shared the medicinal products we each made and talked about chapters 2 and 3 of Medicinal Mushrooms by Christopher Hobbs.
Friday March 18th: Worm Moon Yoga: A full Moon Vinyasa Flow with Maria Diotte. This was our first full yoga class and we determined that we can fit 10 – 12 guests for a class with our current setup.
Thursday, March 24th: Avery was interviewed on “The Nick Bisanz Show” and discussed all the big things happening down at the farm. You can watch the interview here:
Saturday, March 26th 5pm – 8pm: We hosted our first art night of 2022:
Exploring All Peoples through Artistry – A Celebration of the Life Works of Lois Lewis Schumm
Nick Bisanz entertained us with some guitar instrumentals and culinary treats by Meg Meduna really wowed all the guests.
Matt Olley from the Little Viking took our mushrooms to the Catskills for a private Maker’s Mark dinner party.
Check out the Little Viking in Troy at 333 Broadway Ave:
https://www.thelittlevikingco.com/
COMING SOON:
Monday, April 4th: Mushroom Talk at Balance Massage and Healing Arts Studio in Delmar 6pm – 7:30pm: Avery will share some mushroom themed poetry, discuss the healing properties of the medicinal mushrooms grown at Collar City Mushrooms, and talk about incorporating mushrooms into your Easter Dinners.
http://www.balancemassageandhealingartsstudio.com/
Saturday, April 9th, 6pm – 9pm: Dinner on the Farm with the Meaty Max Team:
Course 1: Beet Burger Sliders served on a pretzel bun with the works: (cheese, pickles, lettuce) and topped with mushroom and meaty max bacon– Can be made GF over greens
Course 2: Mushroom & Meaty Max Tikki Masala Skewers served over garlic amaranth and with side local, seasonal veggies. Fully GF
Crouse 3: Mini Key Lime Lion’s Mane Cheesecakes with a date crust. Fully GF
Mushroom beverage will be served but please feel free to BYOB!
$60/seat there are only a few tickets left!
Get Tickets here:
Saturday, April 16th, 7pm – 8pm: Diotte Sorelle WSG: Avery: a Pink Moon Celebration
An evening of poetry, rhythm, meditation, and connection featuring Diotte Sorelle, and Avery the Poet.
Diotte Sorelle is a duo of sisters Maria & Kristin Diotte collaborating together and presenting experiences of spoken word poetry blended with percussion and song.
Avery the Poet is a wordsmith and creative expressionist who weaves stanzas of emotional depth and every day moments into poetic experiences.
The evening will entertain, enlighten, relax, and uplift. There will be percussion, poetry, and guided meditative spoken word experiences.
Mushroom Tea will be served.
$10 suggested donation
Tuesday, April 19th, 7pm – 9pm: Ending the Prohibition of the Mind, a Mushroom Symposium
Psilocybin containing mushrooms have been banned since 1970 by the Federal Controlled Substances Act, but the times they are a changin. This virtual event will include lawyers, lawmakers, counselors, and advocates from across New York and beyond. Tune in through the Sanctuary’s site from anywhere in the world! Read more about it, see our panelists, and register here:
Listen to an interview on the Hudson Mohawk Magazine Radio Show featuring symposium organizers Avery Stempel and Corinne Carey:
Saturday, May 7th, 5pm – 8pm: Collar City Mushrooms and Bliss Arts Music and Creativity Celebration with Artist Jonn Paul and Groovestick
Plus our regularly occurring events:
Meditation Amongst the Mushrooms every other Tuesday (April 5 – NO APRIL 19th this month because of the symposium)
Moon inspired Yoga with Maria Diotte every other Friday (April 15 and 29)
Collar City Mushrooms 