Join Jassy Drakulic and Lorin Von Longo-Liebenstein for an outdoor workshop on Hay Castle lawn.
Against popular belief, mushroom growing in gardens does not only work behind the house, tucked away in the shade. There are many ways to include fungi into gardens and even more good reasons to do so. Fungi play an incredibly important role in most ecosystems and including them in your garden can bring a variety of benefits to your green space that go beyond a delicious harvest. As a direct food source or in the form of wood decomposed by fungi that functions as breeding or hunting grounds, a lot of creatures depend on fungi in different stages of their lives. While growing plants for pollinators in gardens is very common these days, having deadwood with fungi growing on it to provide homes for them is still quite niche.
Join Professor Lynne Boddy from Cardiff University for a masterclass introduction to the amazing hidden kingdom of fungi - a kingdom with more species than plants and vertebrates combined. Working unseen, fungi are essential to Earth’s terrestrial ecosystems, and without them we could not survive.
Lynne is a prominent scientist, prolific author and ardent communicator of the mysteries and importance of fungi.
Lion's Mane, Reishi, Cordyceps, Turkey Tail: medicinal mushrooms are everywhere and promising miraculous results, but what does the evidence actually say? This beginner-friendly talk unpicks the evidence from the hype, explores the modern and traditional uses of medicinal fungi, and looks at how to identify good products.
A fascinating discussion between Kit Ondaatje Rolls, Hania Opienski and Oli Genn-Bash.
In this conversation, Professor Andy Letcher of Exeter University will discuss the cultural history of the magic mushroom, with a focus on the UK. There is renewed interest in the potential of psychedelics to address a number of stubborn mental illnesses, as well as a burgeoning psychedelic underground, driven especially by people travelling to the Amazon to consume ayahuasca in healing ceremonies.
But what about our own psychoactive mushrooms, the Liberty Cap (Psilocybe semilanceata), and the Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria)? Are there traditions of local consumption and if so, how far back do they go? In this talk Andy will challenge many of the myths that have arisen around magic mushrooms, answering questions such as: were the builders of Stonehenge tripping and was Santa Claus originally a mushroom munching shaman?
Fungi have often been overlooked in conservation, as they are hard to see, hard to study and frequently underappreciated. However, there is a growing realisation that these unsung heroes need conserving too. In this talk, Cardiff University ecologist and lecturer Dr Sarah Christofides will introduce you to the fungal stars of a major new conservation effort and explain how you can get involved in helping to preserve them.
Lee Davies is the collection manager for the largest, oldest, and most scientifically important collection of dried fungi in the world.
Kew Fungarium holds over 1.25 million specimens from all seven continents, representing roughly 60% of known global fungal diversity.
In this talk he will discuss his life and the remarkable fungi he has met, from his work at Kew to expeditions in Madagascar.
How can fungi shape the way we write poetry? Join mycologist and poet Nathan Smith for an introduction to fungally-informed poetic structures and practices.
Poetry Bookshop, The Pavement, Lion Street, Hay-on-Wye, HR3 5BU
Saturday 3 October, 6-7pm
Join Rich Wright, a conservation mycologist with over 20 years' experience in fungal ecology, rare species translocation and cultivation, for a talk on rethinking decay in Britain's oaks. Having held posts at Kew, Cardiff University and Plantlife, Rich brings deep scientific and field knowledge to heart-rot, a process often misunderstood despite its huge value for woodland biodiversity. The talk draws on years spent among ancient oaks and their fungi, exploring what decay can teach us about the living world, and ourselves.
Come along and try some board games out with Dylan.
There is a great selection of games - many of which you may not have seen before. Have a go and if you have fun there are even some to buy too.
Session runs from 11am to 2pm in our Clore Education Space.
Dylan Thomas and Richard Burton are icons of twentieth century Wales. They have produced stories about Christmases in Wales that rival Charles Dickens’ short stories about Christmas in nineteenth century England. In some ways Thomas and Burton can be accused of inventing Christmas in exactly the same way Dickens is responsible for creating the Christmas that we enjoy so wholeheartedly.
For all of that, however, Burton and Thomas were actors whose love of words shines through these two short but heart-warming stories.
Described by the South Wales Evening Post as ‘a joy’, this ‘Welsh Icons Xmas show’ performed by two actors has proved hugely popular - Join Lighthouse as they conjure up Christmas in the air....
Open 10am to 5pm,
seven days a week.
Hay Castle
Oxford Road
Hay-on-Wye
HR3 5DG
01497 820079
info@haycastletrust.org