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03-05 February 2025

3-days mushroom harvesting course  tailored for commercial farms, and learn the techniques needed for high-yield mushroom farming

Fill out the form and get access to the intensive course at a special price right now.

The course starts on 03 February 2025

There are only 5 spots left.

€1199 instead of €1500
for the 3 days long course ON FARM

Need help deciding if this course is right for you? Write to us on

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Who is this course for?

This course is targeted at farms with more than 10 pickers that are looking to optimize their harvesting activities.
The course does not cover spawn or compost production

Harvesting managers & coordinators

course provides crucial strategies for building and maintaining an efficient harvesting system. Equips with the tools needed to monitor team performance, collaborate with HR and coordinate closely with the Logistic, Sales, and Packing teams.

Harvesting Trainers

is essential for enhancing training programs and mastering effective harvesting techniques. The course offers insights into optimizing training schedules, refreshing skills, and ensuring new harvesters are well-prepared to meet quality standards

Farm managers

The harvesting department is the largest department on the farm, and its efficient operation is crucial to the farm's overall success.

Senior Supervisors

is essential for effectively managing all harvesting staff and ensuring quality production. The course provides strategies for overseeing daily operations, improving communication, and understanding picture on a bed.

22 years experience in harvesting and farm management

trainer

Andrey Gladkih

Gain industry-leading knowledge from a professional with over 20 years of experience in the mushroom sector. I’ve led expansive operations across Europe, including well-known names as Monaghan Mushrooms, Walsh Mushrooms, Korona using globally proven techniques to achieve excellence. This course will provide you with the practical skills and insider knowledge needed to excel in the mushroom industry. 

I am convinced that motivation and organization are the foundation of prosperity, pushing even such important things as harvesting techniques or equipment used to the background.

Course Description

 

This course will focus on the practicalities of building an effective harvesting department on a mushroom farm. To achieve this, it’s essential to skillfully weave together structure, staffing, motivation, harvesting techniques, planning, and coordination into a cohesive system. In this course, you will learn how to make harvesting on your farm more cost-effective with lower staff turnover, without sacrificing yield or quality.

Program

Monday 03 February

🟢 Module 1: Introduction and Farm Overview (08:30 – 9:15)

  • Introduction

🟢 Module 2: • Key factors influencing harvesting (9:15 – 11:30)

  • Overview of all factors
  • Motivation
  • Types of motivation on a farm
  • Best practices in motivation
  • Choosing right payment system as a way to get the best out of pickers
  • Incorporating all types of motivation into operation

🟢 Module 3: Training (11:30-12:00)

  • Types of flushes
  • Picking strategy
  • Theory: Setting up the bed (Day 1) and practical session

🟢 Lunch (12:30 – 13:00)

🟢 Module 3: Training continuation (13:00 – 14:30)

  • Training Program for Pickers
  • Responsibilities of the trainer
  • Practical aspects of training on the farm
  • Theory: How to set up the bed based on the type of flush

🟢 Module 4: Picker Development and Recruitment (14:30 – 16:00)

  • Picking technique and ergonomics
  • Induction manual and employee handbook
  • Differences in training new and existing personnel
  • Approach to training new personnel
  • Measuring picker effectiveness
  • Selecting good pickers
  • Recruitment of pickers

Tuesday 04 February
=================
🟢 Module 1: Supervision and Practical Training (08:30 – 12:30)

  • Supervision and Practical Training
  • Growing room: Practical aspects on the farm
  • Theory and practical session Setting up the bed (Day 2)

🟢 Lunch (12:30 – 13:00)

🟢 Module 2A: Farm Structure and General Roles (13:00 – 13:30)

  • Farm structure: Differences for small, medium, and large farms

🟢 Module 2B: Specific Roles and Responsibilities (13:30 – 14:30)

  • Role descriptions: Trainer
  • Role descriptions: Manager
  • Role descriptions: Product coordinator
  • Role descriptions: Supervisor
  • Role descriptions: Porter
  • Role descriptions: Picker

🟢 Module 3: Planning and Best Practices (14:30 – 16:00)

  • Forecast and planning: Daily, weekly, and long-term
  • Determining the correct number of pickers
  • Planning the growing room
  • Best practices and Review

🟢 Summary

🟢 Test

Wednesday 05 February
==================
🟢 Module 1: Picking equipment (08:30 – 12:30)

  • Equipment for harvesting: Comparison
  • Effectiveness and how to choose right equipment for your farm
  • Hi-tech vs low-tech: How robots will impact harvesting
  • Practical aspects on the farm
  • Growing room: Setting up the bed (Day 3)

🟢 Lunch (12:30 – 13:00)
Disease Management (13:00 – 13:30)

  • Disease identification
  • Best practices

🟢 Module 2 Communication and cooperation between departments (13:30-15:00)

  • Communication between departments (sales, growing, pickers, supervisors)
  • Integration of growing, harvesting, and sales operations
  • Conducting effective meetings
  • In the mind of a picker

🟢 Summary of the Course (15:00 – 15:30)

🟢 Recap of key learnings

🟢 Final Review and Q&A (15:30 – 16:00)

🟢 Open discussion and final questions

This course includes:

  • A general tour of the farm
  • Every day 2-hour sessions in the mushroom growing room with practical demonstrations
  • Farm walks every day
  • Three days of classroom sessions lasting 2-4 hours
  • Presentation of harvesting equipment
  • Q&A sessions
  • Handouts and gifts from sponsors

Your results after the course:

You Will Learn

  • You know how to improve the structure of the harvesting department on your farm.
  • You understand how to better motivate your mushroom pickers.
  • You see opportunities for planning and coordination between departments.
  • You are better at evaluating candidates you hire.
  • You know thinning and harvesting techniques to increase yield.
  • You know how to adapt harvesting to different product requirements and wave types.
  • You spent your time with great benefit and gained a dozen new friends! 🙂

VENUE

FUNGUS S.C.

BRACIA MARCINIAK Produkcja i Sprzedaż Pieczarek

The cooperative began its operations in 1995, and after its latest expansion in 2013, it now produces 450 tons of mushrooms per month, with 120 pickers handling the harvesting. This year, the farm was fully equipped with new automated trolleys. The farm’s products are sold in the UK and EU markets.

Two years ago, the cooperative acquired a composting plant and now operates using its own compost. As a bonus for course participants, we will organize a tour of the composting facility.

SPONSORS

This workshop organized in collaboration with CHRISTAENS GROUP, AGRO PROJECTS, GROW-TIME ENGINEERING

Christaens Group
Grow Time Engineering
Agro-Projects

Our previous courses: feedback

Don’t just take our word for it

Federico Magnani

Fungar, Italy

Damian Marciniak

Fubgus S.C., Poland

Наталія Яремчук

Фунгі-Фарм, Ukraine

Saeed Hassoun

Golan Mushrooms, Israel

Brendan Byrne

Farm owner, Ireland

George Kyriakides

Kyriakides Mushrooms, Cyprus

Marta Hajduk

Hajduk, Poland

Boey Tze Zhou

Farm owner, Malaysia

Paulius Pilipavicius

Baltic Champs, Lithuania

Dr Akilan Ramnathan

British Agro Products, India

Piotr Walczak

OKECHAMP S.A., Poland

Artur Kazmierczak

GS-Fresh, UK

Solvita Avotina

Codd Mushrooms, Ireland

Cristinel Olenici

McKenna farm, Ireland

Frequently asked questions

What is included in the course fee?

The course fee includes 3 days of practical and theoretical sessions on the farm, lunches, and handouts. Accommodation is not included. Rooms in our recommended nearby hotel cost approximately 60 euros per night.

Typically, there are enough participants with cars in the group to offer rides to those without transportation. If that is not the case, we will assist you in arranging a taxi.

The course will be conducted in English and will be translated into Polish.

Yes, this course can benefit both newcomers and those with years of experience. However, please note that it covers only one aspect of farm operations—the mushroom harvesting process—although it is a crucial one.

This course is ideal for individuals who can make or influence decisions regarding the harvesting department. These include farm managers, directors, harvesting department heads, harvest coordinators, senior supervisors, and those involved in hiring staff for the mushroom farm. It is also beneficial for supervisors who have some influence over the organization of the harvesting department.

Yes, the course will include the harvesting technique for Portobello mushrooms.

No, this course is not intended for mushroom pickers. Harvesting techniques are only a small part of the curriculum, with most of the time dedicated to structuring and managing the harvesting department effectively.

No, this course focuses exclusively on mushroom harvesting and the organization of the harvesting department. For growing courses you can check next one here or contact us for future schedule.

We can provide an invitation letter for your visa application. You will need to apply for the visa at the Polish embassy.

The course focuses on button mushrooms and includes harvesting techniques for both white and brown varieties, including Portobello. But organization principles will be the same on other mushroom types farms. 

Yes, participants will have opportunities to observe and understand the operations in the harvesting department through real-life demonstrations on the farm. 

Each participant will be also given a part of shelve on 1st flush to harvest by himself. 

The course covers the essential equipment used in mushroom harvesting, discussing both traditional and modern tools.

Yes, participants will receive a UMDIS certificate of completion, which is recognized across various mushroom farms.

The course typically lasts for 3 days, with daily sessions of 6-8 hours, depending on the pace of the group.

Yes, we limit each session to a maximum of 15 participants to ensure personalized attention.

Accommodation is not included, but we recommend nearby hotels, such as Reśliński Hotel, for your convenience.

This course does not include ongoing support post-completion; however, we encourage participants to ask specific questions during the sessions.

Our refund policy states that if you notify us at least two weeks before the course start date, you will receive a full refund. If notified less than two weeks before the start date, refunds are not guaranteed. If we cancel or reschedule the course, a full refund will be issued.

No, employment is not provided upon course completion.

Refund policy

If you are unable to attend the course, we will refund the full amount provided you notify us at least two weeks before the course start date. If you inform us of your inability to attend less than two weeks before the course begins, we cannot guarantee a refund.

In the event that the course is canceled or rescheduled by the organizer, a full refund will be issued to all registered participants.

Payment options

Payment by Visa and MasterCard – WayForPay.
Bank transfer – request and invoice here.

Contact information of the organizer

Private entrepreneur
Yenchenko Maksym

Tax ID 2870701232

Legal address: m.Kyiv, vul.Zarichna, Bud 2 Korp.3, sq.12.

maksym.yenchenko@umdis.org

tel. +38 (067) 506 45 21

Email Us

maksym.yenchenko@umdis.org

Call Us

+44 7415406548

Fill out the form and get access to the intensive course at a special price right now.

The course starts on 03 February 2025

There are only 5 spots left.

€1199 instead of €1500
for the 3 days long course ON FARM

Need help deciding if this course is right for you? Write to us on

€1199 instead of €1500 for the course ON FARM