KiezPilz

Kiez Pilz is a citizen-science collective unfolding the social and ecological benefits of communal fungi cultivation. We are making use of unused spaces and urban waste streams. Our goal is reproducible, community-based fungi cultivation.

We see fungi cultivation as a portal towards more sustainable ways of living, community empowerment, and reciprocal connection with non-human life.

Dreams

We dream of communities that enrich the natural world around them and enrich each other in the process. Moving away from extraction and exploitation towards solidarity and autonomy. People empowered to define their own lives in cooperation with each other and the non-human co-conspirators around them.

Fungi close the loop of natural cycles. They turn the fallen leaves into into rich living soil that supports the growth of a new tree. Fungi show us the connection of old and new, of death and rebirth.

We hope to foster community resilience by working with fungi — both as direct practice and as a source for reflection and metaphor.

Methods

Using low-tech and DIY methods, we cultivate mushrooms at a community scale. Our first space is a fruiting chamber in the basement of Top Lab in Schillerkiez Neukölln where we grow Oyster Mushrooms, Lion's Mane and Reishi. We grow the mushrooms using locally sourced waste materials as substrate, using sawdust from a local wood-shop and coffee grounds from local coffee shops.

You can find more documentation of our process here.

We encourage you to reproduce our experiment in your home or your neighborhood and are happy to share material and knowledge.


Contact

e-mail — contact@kiezpilz.de
telegram — https://t.me/+0JX49SM2jykxMjli