Marshall, NC - September 2, 2025 - The Forest Farmacy, the only Indigenous-led mushroom school in the Southeast, has announced the launch of its online education programs that blend Indigenous agriculture and modern mycology. Rooted in Cherokee homeland, the programs aim to train the next generation of regenerative farmers and forest stewards while reconnecting participants to ancestral belonging and ecological responsibility.
The Forest Farmacy’s curriculum reflects a growing recognition of fungi as more than agricultural products. Mushrooms are ecological allies that sustain biodiversity, strengthen food sovereignty, and demonstrate the resilience of decentralized networks. By placing mushroom farming within a broader ecological and cultural framework, the school emphasizes how fungi can be both a source of nourishment and a model for restoring balance to the land.
The programs are designed not only to teach mushroom cultivation courses, but to instill practices of stewardship and reciprocity with the natural world.
Key program details:
The Forest Farmacy’s programs offer three distinct paths:
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Beginner Mushroom Growing Course (3 months): The first step in the certification pathway, this course introduces cultivation basics and myco-regeneration, partnering with fungi for whole forest health.
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Regenerative Mushroom Farming Certification (12 months): A comprehensive program including sterile lab training, cultivation techniques, and business readiness to prepare students for sustainable mushroom enterprises.
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Wild Co-Tending Certification (2 years): Designed for spiritual seekers, healers, and landowners, this advanced program guides participants in forest stewardship, myco-regeneration, and reconnection to ancestral practices.
In alignment with its mission, The Forest Farmacy partners with Native-led nonprofits. Half of all proceeds from introductory webinars are directed towards these organizations, supporting Indigenous-led initiatives in regenerative agriculture and ecological stewardship. This model ties education directly to community benefit and land-based resilience.
New Book Release
The programs are also timed with the upcoming release of The Mycelial Healer (Chelsea Green, Oct 2025), co-authored by Forest Farmacy founders Christopher Parker, (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians) and eco-psychologist Katherine Parker, PhD. The book connects directly with the Forest Farmacy’s curriculum, exploring fungi as healers of both land and people.
Enrollment and Upcoming Classes
Early enrollment for the Certification Program, which starts on January 2026, is now open through October 27, 2025. The Forest Farmacy will also host in-person training sessions on September 28, 2025, for Sterile Lab Techniques and on October 18, 2025, for Mushroom Cultivation for Beginners. Upcoming live webinars include, “How to Grow Mushrooms at Home” and “Mushrooms for Regenerative Farmers.”
For program details, enrollment information and upcoming course schedules, please visit https://www.theforestfarmacy.com/.
About The Forest Farmacy
The Forest Farmacy is a working farm and school of applied eco-mycology located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina. Founded by Christopher Parker (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians) and Katherine Parker, PhD (eco-psychologist), the school is dedicated to teaching regenerative mushroom farming and forest stewardship through a unique integration of Indigenous knowledge and modern science.
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Media Contact
Company Name: The Forest Farmacy
Contact Person: Dr. Katherine Parker
Contact Number: (413) 429-5991
Email: healing@theforestfarmacy.com
Country: United States
Website: https://www.theforestfarmacy.com/
Media Contact
Company Name: The Forest Farmacy
Contact Person: Dr. Katherine Parker
Email: Send Email
Phone: (413) 429-5991
Country: United States
Website: https://www.theforestfarmacy.com/
