|
|
Post by grungy on Apr 10, 2009 2:05:07 GMT -5
Hello oldfatguy, welcome to the group. I hope you enjoy yourself and feel free to jump in anytime with questions, answers or just plain observations. Maybe you would care to introduce yourself to the group so that we can know you a little better.
Cheers,
Val aka grungy
|
|
|
|
Post by ceara on Apr 10, 2009 7:29:19 GMT -5
Well you can get away with less than ideal environment if using a fast growing strain, like some oysters. They have the potential to eat contamination from what I have read. I have seen photos of projects that someone did with cloning oysters from fresh and put the spawn in a burlap sack outdoors with random twigs and he got a real nice crop.
I'd really like to do this as well and have been wanting to for a few years but never got the cash to order the plugs. We have lots of wood, but have to cut it, and I have a few pounds of unfiltered beeswax. Was hoping to find wild oysters growing here, but no such luck. Only edibles I found were the occasional lobster fungus (but never knew what the host shroom was and so didn't take a chance eating it), some lactarius thyinos (orange milky) and a few chanterelles.
|
|
|
|
Post by oldfatguy on Apr 10, 2009 13:58:55 GMT -5
The only true way to identify any mushroom is with the spores under a microsope. So I would say, as I always say, don't eat them. I've heard that when your internal organs begin to melt, from mushroom poisoning, that it is quite uncomfortable! The Mycofiltration process that you are speaking of can be found, in its entirety, in Paul Stamets latest book, Mycelium Running. A great read...if you are a MycoNut.  To start your own plugs, you need to start the spores in sterilized agar petri dishes. Or, if the mushrooms are really fresh and in good, clean shape, you can clone them. Rip it open where the stem meets the cap. Heat a scalpel to red hot, let cool, then cut out a small chunk and place in cooled agar to grow out. Once they have grown out in the dish, sterilize soaked hard wood dowels in a mason jar. A little saw dust included to help the leap off. Use a pressure canner. 15 psi for about an hour. When cool, cut pieces of agar/mycilium and place in jar, quickly replacing lid. When all done, shake real well and leave at about 75 to 80 degrees. You will see the saw dust being consumed then the dowels will become covered with white. Have your logs set in position, drill, let hole cool, then pound them in. I have used wax and not used wax. Didn't seem to make that big of a difference. If you don't have a flow hood, use a rubbermaid tub on its side with plastic you lift up to reach in and do your sterilization work. In the beginning, I used a pantry that was completely washed down with bleach. As long as air is not swiriling germs around, you can acheive a certain amount of success. If you look in the jars and see green...no success. |
|
|
|
Post by ceara on Apr 10, 2009 14:55:25 GMT -5
Yes the dreaded green! Have heard much about it.
I have a lot on my plate for this year. Maybe by next year I will be able to get into it.
|
|
|
|
Post by mnjrutherford on Apr 22, 2009 7:59:49 GMT -5
Geez, the $35 I spent for 500 grown out plugs were so worth it! I'm not up to that sort of work and I have other stuff to do besides... ::grinning:: Besides, somebody ought to really deserve the money I give out!
|
|
