| The Red Bay Farm Mushroom Page (Updated 14 Sep 09) A diary of my experience raising mushrooms www.redbayfarm.com (There are many photos on this page so please be patient) |
Feb 28, 2008 we received our order
of 300 plugs containing Shiitake
(Lentinula edodes) spawn from our
first supplier. 1000 more plugs on
order from a second supplier.
of 300 plugs containing Shiitake
(Lentinula edodes) spawn from our
first supplier. 1000 more plugs on
order from a second supplier.
Feb 29, 2008 I selected a
small section of forest to
thin
small section of forest to
thin
Mar 1, 2008
I thinned the
forest
I thinned the
forest
Mar 1, 2008
These are the
logs resulting
from the
thinning
These are the
logs resulting
from the
thinning
The trees selected for this experiment are:
Red Maple, Sour Wood, Sweet Gum, White Oak, Water Oak, Dogwood, and Black Gum
Red Maple, Sour Wood, Sweet Gum, White Oak, Water Oak, Dogwood, and Black Gum
Mar 7, 2008
Here is my inoculation set up. There really isn't much too it. Just a drill, a 5/16
drill bit, a hot plate, some paraffin, a pot and a wooden mallet.
It took me about an hour to drill, drive in the spawn plugs and seal the ends of
the spawn plugs and log ends with hot paraffin.
Here is my inoculation set up. There really isn't much too it. Just a drill, a 5/16
drill bit, a hot plate, some paraffin, a pot and a wooden mallet.
It took me about an hour to drill, drive in the spawn plugs and seal the ends of
the spawn plugs and log ends with hot paraffin.
These are the logs after being processed. The wet looking (paraffin coating)
spots are the plug locations. These logs were given to family, coworkers and
friends as part of our experiment with Shiitake. 1300 200 plugs were used to
inoculate about 35 3 to 4 foot long logs
We will be provided directions to each person who received a log and will keep
in touch to track the success of the inoculation. Additionally, we want to see if
the average homeowner can successfully care for a freshly inoculated log for the
long period of time (6-9 months) needed before seeing the first mushroom
harvest. It actually took over 12 months!
We would like to determine what the market might be for freshly inoculated logs.
spots are the plug locations. These logs were given to family, coworkers and
friends as part of our experiment with Shiitake. 1300 200 plugs were used to
inoculate about 35 3 to 4 foot long logs
We will be provided directions to each person who received a log and will keep
in touch to track the success of the inoculation. Additionally, we want to see if
the average homeowner can successfully care for a freshly inoculated log for the
long period of time (6-9 months) needed before seeing the first mushroom
harvest. It actually took over 12 months!
We would like to determine what the market might be for freshly inoculated logs.
| The close up pictures of log ends show the growth of the shiitake spawn. The dark stains indicate growth. These photos were taken on 2 May, 2008 Starting from the left is sweet gum showing the best growth, sour wood with some growth and water oak with more noticeable growth. The other tree species show very little staining. |
If you are a landowner and would like to experiment with Shiitakes yourself I recommend visiting the mushroom people site for a quick online review of the timing and details of raising Shiitake mushrooms. The Missouri Center for Agroforestry has produced the best all around guide to raising Shiitake mushrooms commercially that, as a novice, I have been able to find on the Internet. |
27 Feb 2009. This year I decided to try another technique which combines coppice techniques, storm salvage and mushroom culture. Pictured below left is a red maple stump coppiced and treated with canola oil infused with oyster mushroom spores. The dark spots on the stumps are from the growth of the spores (I hope). Note the caps sitting on the ground next to the stump...they were removed for the photo. The jug of treated canola oil is in the middle picture. The treated canola oil is used to lubricate my chainsaw chain. The picture to the right of the oil is of the remains of a live stump from a hurricane blow down. The trunk was cut for firewood. The trunk wedges were cut out of the stump and in the incision was packed with sawdust inoculated with shiitake spawn. I removed one of the wedges to show how the mycelia have begun to grow...they are the cottony looking object in the top of the photo. The staining on the wedge also indicates the growth of the mycelia. |
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| 2 May 2009. The initial results using canola oil infused with oyster mushroom spawn look very promising. Having tried using several techniques for mushroom inoculation at this point in my experiment this is my favorite technique. Why? I am not interested in starting a commercial mushroom operation. I want to have some mushrooms to eat, maybe some mushrooms to give guests who visit or customers who wish to harvest a few mushrooms. Using the stumps leverages the existing root system to supply the moisture the mushrooms need to grow. The stack method, pictures below right, seems to also be effective but the moisture levels are not as high. The logs laying on the ground, also pictured below on the right, seem to be hosting the mushrooms. Below are what the stumps look like after a couple of months. Although I used this method on a variety of hardwoods it appears that sweet gum (Liquidambar styracifluais) the best host for the pearl oyster on my property. I will keep you posted. |
| 4 Jun 09. More than a year ago I gave Don and several other folks in Virginia green freshly inoculated shiitake logs. Here are pictures from Don's first harvest. The mushrooms were sauteed as an ingredient in Korean bulgogi! Yum! Want to learn about Korean recipes. Here are some videos to help you get you started on a culinary adventure. Just click here Yum Yum Asia |
Feb 28, 2008 we received our order
of 300 plugs containing Shiitake
(Lentinula edodes) spawn from our
first supplier. 1000 more plugs on
order from a second supplier.
of 300 plugs containing Shiitake
(Lentinula edodes) spawn from our
first supplier. 1000 more plugs on
order from a second supplier.
Feb 29, 2008 I selected a
small section of forest to
thin
small section of forest to
thin
Mar 1, 2008
I thinned the
forest
I thinned the
forest
Mar 1, 2008
These are the
logs resulting
from the
thinning
These are the
logs resulting
from the
thinning
The trees selected for this experiment are:
Red Maple, Sour Wood, Sweet Gum, White Oak, Water Oak, Dogwood, and Black Gum
Red Maple, Sour Wood, Sweet Gum, White Oak, Water Oak, Dogwood, and Black Gum
Mar 7, 2008
Here is my inoculation set up. There really isn't much too it. Just a drill, a 5/16
drill bit, a hot plate, some paraffin, a pot and a wooden mallet.
It took me about an hour to drill, drive in the spawn plugs and seal the ends of
the spawn plugs and log ends with hot paraffin.
Here is my inoculation set up. There really isn't much too it. Just a drill, a 5/16
drill bit, a hot plate, some paraffin, a pot and a wooden mallet.
It took me about an hour to drill, drive in the spawn plugs and seal the ends of
the spawn plugs and log ends with hot paraffin.
These are the logs after being processed. The wet looking (paraffin coating)
spots are the plug locations. These logs were given to family, coworkers and
friends as part of our experiment with Shiitake. 1300 200 plugs were used to
inoculate about 35 3 to 4 foot long logs
We will be provided directions to each person who received a log and will keep
in touch to track the success of the inoculation. Additionally, we want to see if
the average homeowner can successfully care for a freshly inoculated log for the
long period of time (6-9 months) needed before seeing the first mushroom
harvest. It actually took over 12 months!
We would like to determine what the market might be for freshly inoculated logs.
spots are the plug locations. These logs were given to family, coworkers and
friends as part of our experiment with Shiitake. 1300 200 plugs were used to
inoculate about 35 3 to 4 foot long logs
We will be provided directions to each person who received a log and will keep
in touch to track the success of the inoculation. Additionally, we want to see if
the average homeowner can successfully care for a freshly inoculated log for the
long period of time (6-9 months) needed before seeing the first mushroom
harvest. It actually took over 12 months!
We would like to determine what the market might be for freshly inoculated logs.
| The close up pictures of log ends show the growth of the shiitake spawn. The dark stains indicate growth. These photos were taken on 2 May, 2008 Starting from the left is sweet gum showing the best growth, sour wood with some growth and water oak with more noticeable growth. The other tree species show very little staining. |
If you are a landowner and would like to experiment with Shiitakes yourself I recommend visiting the mushroom people site for a quick online review of the timing and details of raising Shiitake mushrooms. The Missouri Center for Agroforestry has produced the best all around guide to raising Shiitake mushrooms commercially that, as a novice, I have been able to find on the Internet. |
27 Feb 2009. This year I decided to try another technique which combines coppice techniques, storm salvage and mushroom culture. Pictured below left is a red maple stump coppiced and treated with canola oil infused with oyster mushroom spores. The dark spots on the stumps are from the growth of the spores (I hope). Note the caps sitting on the ground next to the stump...they were removed for the photo. The jug of treated canola oil is in the middle picture. The treated canola oil is used to lubricate my chainsaw chain. The picture to the right of the oil is of the remains of a live stump from a hurricane blow down. The trunk was cut for firewood. The trunk wedges were cut out of the stump and in the incision was packed with sawdust inoculated with shiitake spawn. I removed one of the wedges to show how the mycelia have begun to grow...they are the cottony looking object in the top of the photo. The staining on the wedge also indicates the growth of the mycelia. |
| 2 May 2009. The initial results using canola oil infused with oyster mushroom spawn look very promising. Having tried using several techniques for mushroom inoculation at this point in my experiment this is my favorite technique. Why? I am not interested in starting a commercial mushroom operation. I want to have some mushrooms to eat, maybe some mushrooms to give guests who visit or customers who wish to harvest a few mushrooms. Using the stumps leverages the existing root system to supply the moisture the mushrooms need to grow. The stack method, pictures below right, seems to also be effective but the moisture levels are not as high. The logs laying on the ground, also pictured below on the right, seem to be hosting the mushrooms. Below are what the stumps look like after a couple of months. Although I used this method on a variety of hardwoods it appears that sweet gum (Liquidambar styracifluais) the best host for the pearl oyster on my property. I will keep you posted. |
| 26 Jul 09 - The shiitake logs are producing. Here are some recent pictures. After over a year the log is producing nice mushrooms. The are also good...note the large mushroom is missing...it was good. |
14 Sep 2009 - My Shiitake Mushrooms are continuing to produce. I harvested about a pound of
fresh mushrooms this AM for my breakfast omelet. My friend Norman is having great luck with
his red oak (water oak) log. To the left is a classic photo that is testament to the care he has
given the log. The log sits under a shade cloth with Norman's collection of tropical plants.
Along with the plants the log recieves frequent wetting with well water.
What are the best woods for Shiitakes?
My results indicate that oak (white oak and red oak) and red maple work best. Others have
used sweet gum with great results.
What woods were unsuccessful for me?
Black gum, sour wood and dog wood
fresh mushrooms this AM for my breakfast omelet. My friend Norman is having great luck with
his red oak (water oak) log. To the left is a classic photo that is testament to the care he has
given the log. The log sits under a shade cloth with Norman's collection of tropical plants.
Along with the plants the log recieves frequent wetting with well water.
What are the best woods for Shiitakes?
My results indicate that oak (white oak and red oak) and red maple work best. Others have
used sweet gum with great results.
What woods were unsuccessful for me?
Black gum, sour wood and dog wood