The Shroomshop: Mushroom Cultivation for Beginners

The Shroomshop: Mushroom Cultivation for Beginners takes place on 18 November 2026. Venue: BMECP Centre, Brighton.

Come and learn the basics of mushroom cultivation and explore various techniques for growing gourmet and medicinal mushrooms. This will be a hands-on experience and will cover everything you need to know to get you started. Mushrooms' therapeutic value has been prized in indigenous cultures for thousands of years. In the past few decades, they have become even more popular for their medicinal qualities in the West, as a result of an expanding body of scientific research supporting their numerous health benefits. You will gain valuable insights into the world of mushrooms and unlock the potential for producing your own food and medicine. You will learn practical knowledge that empowers you to cultivate these remarkable organisms for your well-being. You Will Learn: What are Mushrooms? How do Mushrooms grow? How do you grow Mushrooms at home? How to make your own grain spawn How to make a fruiting tub? Mushroom Aftercare Where to get everything? Each participant will leave with a grow kit Darren in action (above) leading the workshop. About your facilitator: Darren Le Baron is an educator, mycologist and psychedelic researcher specialising in mushroom cultivation, ethnomycology and the cultural history of fungi. Based between the UK and the Caribbean, Darren has over 13 years’ experience cultivating gourmet and medicinal mushrooms and is widely known for his Shroomshop Masterclasses and accessible, hands-on mushroom education. In 2021, he launched the UK’s first accredited Mycology and Mushroom Cultivation course for schools and young people, using fungi as a powerful tool for practical learning, creativity and community development. Darren is a dynamic international speaker and researcher, exploring the relationships between fungi, psychedelics, ancient cultures and traditional plant medicines, with a particular focus on African ethnobotanical and fungal traditions. He is a member and presenter with the London Psychedelic Society, Chair and committee member of Breaking Convention, and has presented at events and festivals including the Detroit Psychedelic Conference, All Things Fungi, Ozora, Noisily and Lightning in a Bottle. Alongside his work with fungi, Darren is an Organic Horticulturist and Permaculture tutor, supporting schools, businesses and communities to develop practical, sustainable growing systems. Through his workshops and research, Darren brings together science, cultivation, culture and lived experience, making the fascinating world of fungi accessible to everyone—from complete beginners to experienced growers.