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Cincy Mushroom Farm & CSA

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The Cincy Mushroom Farm is an urban agriculture and research project with three objectives: (1) Produce local and organic mushrooms in Cincinnati, OH while operating within an existing farm and C.S.A., (2) Contribute to local restoration and conservation efforts using Fungi as a natural bio-remediator, and (3) Create meaningful and engaging educational programs for all ages.

Why is this farm project so important? Because urban farming is essential to local resiliency and is much more sustainable then shipping food across the country, because restoration of natural habitats is necessary to managing pollutants and invasive species, because educating people and especially young adults and children is beyond information, it is about creating connections, relationships, mindfulness.

Why should you donate your energy to this project? Because it takes a village to build a great society and great projects, because you are this project more then I am the initiator of it, because donating will give this farm project longevity and health as you and I decided that it is worth materializing. Help me fund the Cincy Mushroom Farm.
(Mushroom Production - Lion Mane- 2014)

Where is Cincy Mushroom Farm happening?
Located on the West side of Cincinnati, Enright EcoVillage is a vibrant community surrounded by many acres of land and amazing people. Among many great happenings in this community is the Enright farm and C.S.A. which produces local vegetables and fruits. The greenhouses, which used to be for flower production, were completely reshaped and have been successfully operating, serving over 50 families with locally grown organic veggies. The Cincy Mushroom Farm is currently being built within the C.S.A. and has an enormous potential.(Enright Ridge Urban EcoVillage C.S.A. building and greenhouse, Price Hill - Cincinnati, OH, Google Earth).

Objectives Defined(Sterile propagation inside the newly built lab- 2015)

1- Mushroom Production in Cincinnati

Mushrooms are a key agricultural component and the Cincy Mushroom farm is aiming to produce multiple species of mushrooms year round using two main techniques; (1) Indoor cultivation within a regulated environment that can produce under any conditions, (2) using outdoor techniques such as logs, totems and outdoor beds.
(Cultivation of Pink Oyster on Straw - 2009)

Treasure Lake, KY - Spring 2015
treasure lake is a family owned business of 31 years that local permaculturist Doug Crouch manages and acts as the land steward. This Spring, overstocked red maples will be cut down to reduce the density of trees and introduce non-timber products to the business through the inoculation of logs and installation of outdoor beds. Our goal being to have over 500 logs inoculated by the beginning of 2016. Many more projects are ongoing.
(Totems with harvested logs at work - 2014)

2- Restoration & Conservation
Fungi is a natural fertilizer and a powerful agent of adaptation and balance in ecosystems helping decompose organic material and release nutrients made available to plants, insects and other living creatures, and by communicating vast amount of information through a dense underground network.

Bioremediation is a process that uses naturally occurring or trained organisms to filter and restore habitats. The Cincy Mushroom Farm aims to produce fungi strains trained to filter carcinogens and pollutants while developing practical means of reducing invasive species found in the Tri State region. The goal is to eradicate the use of fungicides and pesticides used by conventional landscaping companies and work towards sustainable remediation practices.
(Propagation of mushroom strains for Bioremediation purposes- 2014)

3- Meaningful Educational Programs
I have successfully been teaching Mycology and mushroom cultivation for over 4 years now and having an operating farm and research facility would greatly influence the quality of the workshops, give me the opportunity to work on longer term projects and really show practical ways of cultivating fungi. Teaching about Mycology, nutrition, medicine, cultivation and restoration is essential to the Cincy Mushroom Farm project. My goal is to create programs made available to all ages, especially young adults and children through nature hikes and forays, tours, workshops to create a sense of context and discovery.
(Inoculation of logs workshop- Fungi Perfecti -2009)

My name is Romain Picasso, and I am here to share my vision and passion, and I need you to be part of this vision for the benefit of our community. I have farmed organically for the past 10 years using Biodynamic practices and I currently landscape professionally using Permaculture principles. Fungi is an amazing organism  and I want to create excitement, discovery, relationships with the means for greater appreciation. Donate today and share this project with your network. Be the mycelium underground and spread the love.

Thank you for your attention and support,
Sincerely,
Romain B. Picasso
For more information visit:
www.botanicagardenscapes.com

Organizer

Romain Picasso
Organizer
Cincinnati, OH

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