Discover the World of Tropical Fungi
Embark on a journey through the fascinating realm of tropical fungi with our expert-led courses designed to inspire and educate.
Meet Dave
Dave - Mushroom Gardener
“i LOVE mushrooms”
Dave’s story begins in the heartland of Kansas, where the vast mechanized farmlands and suburban landscapes sparked his desire for something more. His quest for meaning led him to Hawaiʻi, where he immersed himself in organic agriculture, finding a profound connection to the earth through regenerative farming practices. Dave’s passion for mycology blossomed in North Carolina at the Eco-Institute, where he honed his skills in mushroom cultivation and foraging. His dedication to sustainable agriculture culminated in the founding of the Tropical Fungi Academy, where he shares his knowledge and love for fungi with the world.
Meet Chase
Chase - Myco-Permaculturist
Chase is a mycologist who is passionate about facilitating the diversification of backyard, community and school gardens by adding mushrooms and other fungi to the landscape. He has been growing mushrooms and deep researching fungi since 2004 and currently operates a research-and-development tropical mushroom farm.
Chase has completed two Cornell University courses on mushroom cultivation including the Specialty Mushroom Production Course as well as the Woodland Mushroom Cultivation: Growing Mushrooms on Logs, Stumps, and Woodchips course. He is also certified in wild mushroom foraging food safety.
Chase is passionate about growing local varietals of fungi and enjoys culturing mushrooms foraged in the wild. He and his friends use the resulting local master spawn to get more mycelium out into his community so that mushrooms can be grown in gardens using traditional and low-tech methods.
As a field mycologist, Chase is currently building the foundations for a local fungarium for his community that is dedicated to surveying, documenting, and studying our local fungal diversity in collaboration with the Hawaiʻi Fungi Project.
Passionate about how fungi can assist farmers in diversifying their farm plans, he is a mentor in the Farm Apprentice Mentoring Program (FAM) of the Hawaiʻi Farmers Union.
Chase has been a regular featured presenter at the Hawaiʻi Mushroom Festival since its inception where he gives talks on mushroom cultivation and identification and leads wild mushroom identification walks.
He is a contributing editor of Fungi Magazine and publishes articles on mushroom cultivation as well as on profiles of tropical mushroom species.
Chase teaches fungal biology and ecology, mushroom cultivation, and mushroom identification for the University of Hawaiʻi’s Continuing Education Program.
Chase and his partner Dave hold regular online and outdoor fungi education classes, workshops, and courses as the Tropical Fungi Academy.
What Sets Us Apart
Hands-On Learning
Our courses emphasize practical, hands-on experience in mushroom cultivation and mycology.
Expert Instructors
Learn from seasoned mycologists with decades of combined experience in the field.
Sustainable Practices
We focus on eco-friendly methods, teaching students how to cultivate fungi sustainably.
Milestones in Mycology
Explore the journey of Dave and Chase as they revolutionize fungi education through the Tropical Fungi Academy.
2004
Chase Begins His Fungi Journey
Chase starts growing mushrooms and researching fungi, laying the foundation for his future expertise.
2010
Dave Discovers Organic Farming
Dave moves to Hawaiʻi and immerses himself in organic agriculture, sparking his passion for mycology.
2013
Eco-Institute Experience
Dave gains hands-on experience in mushroom cultivation at the Eco-Institute in North Carolina.
2018
Backyard Regeneration
Backyard Regeneration research-and-development tropical mushroom farm founded.
2020-21
Tropical Fungi Academy Founded.
Tropical Fungi Academy successfully fruits edible mushrooms on invasive wood species.
2023-24
Tropical Fungi Academy becomes
the first documented organization to successfully fruit Tropical Blewit Mushrooms (Lepista tarda) and Bagasse Mushrooms (Volvariella volvacea) in a worm composting bin.