Mushroom Cultivation

[garnetmoth]

Hello all,
I recently attended a workshop by Magnificent Mushrooms (hes on FB, in Paoli, IN) just outside Louisville, KY. Neat information, awesome show and tell (we got to hammer in inoculatant dowels to logs and wax the holes), and got a straw kit to take home.

I asked about the books by Paul Stamets, and he said yes! read them! so I am almost halfway through Mycelium Running (and LOVING it). My Oyster mushroom kit has fruited, and Ive already started making cardboard spawn from the stems.

My dear husband and I have hunted logs (were in the city) from storm-fall, and Im going to inoculate another round of logs, and a bed of wood chips.

Im planning to put Miatake (Grifola frondosa) into a big oak piece and part-bury it in the spring. I have an Oyster (Pleurotus ostreatus) on Oak log from the workshop. Ill also put Lions Mane (Hericium erinaceus) in an oak log and beech log. Ive got Wine Cap (Stropharia rugosoannulata) to go in a cardboard and woodchip bed. And, last but not least, we got a culture syringe of Elm Oyster (Hypsizygus ulmarius) that I hope to get into a usable form- ill report back with anything that works.

Im a little mushroom crazy right now, but its nice. Mycelium Running is definitely a keeper book.

Please share your successes, failures, and questions!

[12540dumont]

mycelium running is one of my fav books. Since reading it I have used mycorrhizae on all my field crops and have really seen the benefit. We've done some little brown mushrooms, some oysters, and I found out that one year my son grew the "other" mushrooms.

The Mushroom Cultivator by Paul is also a great reference book.

Mushroom crazy...oh my dear, wait till you look at Paul's website. There's mushroom hunting societies out here and we even went to a funghi fair in Santa Cruz...

Candy Caps! I want Candy Caps. They smell so heavenly when cooking. I can't grow outdoor mushrooms as one farm from mine there is a huge mushroom farm...spores fly.

[12540dumont]

www.hulu.com/watch/289530/tedtalks-jae-rhim-lee-my-mushroom-burial-suit

We don't talk about death. We don't talk about what it requires. I applaud this young woman who's working on a better way to accept it.

[ottawagardener]

Candy caps? That sure sounds like something I want.

Thanks for the link 12540dumont.

[garnetmoth]

Indeedy, thanks Holly! Ill get around to watching the talk....

So you say mushroom farms near- I know spores spread, but have you tried any log-inoculated mushrooms? left a pile or 2 of hardwood chips out to catch wild edibles? Im really curious about this! I know one farm miles and miles away from me who has shitake logs, but I understand that most log-mushrooms do OK once they colonize the log themselves-

Never heard of Candy Caps- sound yummy! can you describe the flavor family?

[steev]

Maple syrup is generally cited.

[12540dumont]

umm...maple cookies baking....

I have plug spawn in the fridge. It's been their 2 years. I guess I should find a log this year

[steev]

The mushroom season is starting here; I spotted several flushes of Marasmia oreades this week. A Polyporus sulfureous ( chicken-of-the-woods ) was fruiting last week; it's been out annually up on the same oak at least 20 years.