When: 4TH Wednesday, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Where: Gardopia Gardens M.E.M.E. LAB
619 N New Braunfels Ave, San Antonio, TX 78202
COST: FREE Donations accepted
Register so we know how much supplies to bring and can keep you in the loop.
This month we welcome guest educator Dani Vargas. The class will be comprised of a brief slide show with some talking points on the various organisms found in the Soil Food Web followed by a live microscopy exploration of samples of compost and/or soil.
ABOUT DANI
Dani is grateful to have been born at home with a midwife, in the unceded territory of the Payaya Nation (San Antonio, Tejas), and grateful to have had many mentors and wise people guide them towards self-healing and wholeness. At age 9, they began working in agriculture on the family farm in the ancestral territory of the Osage Nation in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. Since the profound impact that rural living had on their youth, Dani has been on a life-long journey that revolves around what it means to live as a natural human being. As a descendant of Native Coahuiltecan and Nahuan Revolutionaries and French and Scottish (Celtic) Rebels, they feel enlivened by resisting the oppression created by a pathological colonial (un)culture of endless war, domination, and exploitation. By challenging hierarchy, patriarchy, gender-conformity, and authoritarianism, they seek to empower others to return to their natural human roots, heal their wounds, and become life-giving creators within an earth-based community of free beings. Recognizing that people can not effectively resist oppression if they can not nourish themselves, Dani formed Dos Arbolitos Consulting in 2024 to empower anyone to grow anything, anywhere, by focusing on soil health. Dos Arbolitos’ mission is to heal the soil so the people are healed by the Earth.
MORE ABOUT THE MEME LAB
Mark your calendars for these monthly M.E.M.E.(Microgreens Eatery and Mushroom Education) Lab workdays at Gardopia Gardens, where the quest for knowledge, the sense of community, and the wonders of mycology converge. Join us in this extraordinary journey, where the beauty of discovery and the magic of mushrooms come alive.
With hands on activities, we will examine and nurture mycelium cultures, unveiling the secrets of fungal life first hand. Let’s dive into the depths of mycology, unraveling the myriad benefits of mycelium in our soil, our diets, and various roles it plays in the Central Texas ecosystem.
We introduce the art of crafting grain spawn, cloning native mushrooms, sterile lab work practices, and the steps to consistently growing healthy mycelium. Together we’ll witness to the magic of mycology, watching our fungal friends fruit and flourish in the community grow chamber, and throughout Gardopia Gardens, a testament to the harmony between science and the natural world.
All volunteers must register and complete a waiver form.
What to bring: Bug spray (there are mosquitos!), water, sunscreen, clean clothes. We highly recommend wearing long pants. No sandals or open-toed shoes!
Parking: MEME Lab is located at Gardopia Gardens. The best access to the Lab is off N. New Braunfels Ave. Park in the lot located at 619 N New Braunfels Ave. See the map for directions, parking lot location, and how to find the entrance.
LEARN MORE ABOUT MEME Lab:
Microgreen Eatery and Mushroom Education Lab is a community science and education initiative organized alongside Central Texas Mycological Society exploring the connections between mycelium health, urban forests and mycology. Working in partnership with Gardopia Gardens, the project will activate the community with hands-on workshops, public art, and a community science effort to investigate how mycorrhizae fungi can be used to improve urban forest resiliency.
THE PROJECT SEEKS TO:
Foster stewardship and learning about urban forestry and mycology through public hands-on workshops.
Enhance the educational resources that communicate the importance of urban forest resiliency and the critical role fungi play in supporting soil and tree health.
Launch a community science pilot project to understand the potential benefits of saprophytic and symbiotic root fungi (mycorrhizae) for San Antonio’s urban forests.
