Growing Mushrooms at Skylands
Whenever I go hiking at Skylands, my home in Maine, or in the woodlands of my Bedford, New York farm, I always enjoy discovering and identifying the different wild mushrooms that may be growing along the way.
A mushroom is the fleshy spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus. Fungus thrives in moist areas and loves growing on decaying wood. They are also an important part of the forest ecosystem. Because they live off of decaying plant matter, fungus breaks down and disposes of fallen tree branches, leaves, and even animals. It also digests rock particles and other organic matter in the soil, so new plants can grow. Last week, Chris Koppel, my woodlands manager at Skylands, received a collection of unusual mushrooms from Field & Forest Products, Inc. - a company in Peshtigo, Wisconsin that has been growing quality mushroom spawn since 1983. The process of growing mushrooms is very interesting, and very different from growing other crops. Enjoy these photos.
And remember, never eat any mushroom you cannot clearly identify.
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- It was very exciting to receive this package of mushroom spawns. Field & Forest Products has both a carefully regulated spawn lab and a farm in which to test spawns, new strains and other new technologies.
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- Chris cut newly felled tree logs for this process. Oyster mushrooms prefer soft hardwoods like aspen, poplars, willow and many other “weed” trees. Chris looked for logs with diameters ranging from six to 12 inches. He also ensures the cuts are smooth and level so the sections can be stacked.
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- It is important that the wood is also free from any obvious conks or cankers.
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- Chris then fills the work truck with the logs ready to be planted with mushrooms.
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- The two to three foot tall stumps are gathered and placed in a location that shaded where the bulk of the growing season maintains a daytime temperature of 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
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- We received four different types of mushrooms, each sealed in a five pound bag with sterilized spawn sawdust substrate.
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- Sawdust spawn consists of mycelium grown into hardwood sawdust. This is our bag of Golden oyster sawdust spawn.
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- Golden oyster mushrooms, Pleurotus cornucopiae, are luminous citrine yellow mushrooms with a tangy flavor that’s perfect in small quantities as an edible garnish. This mushroom lightens in color when sautéed. (Photo provided by Field & Forest Products)
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- This bag contains Pohu oyster spawn. Sawdust spawn is sensitive to drying out and must be kept moist throughout the inoculation process.
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- PoHu, Pleurotus ostreatus, produces large, leafy clusters of ochre-colored mushrooms and are heavy producers. (Photo provided by Field & Forest Products)
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- Summer White oyster sawdust spawn is a new strain for Field & Forest Products. This also arrived in a five pound bag.
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- Summer White™ is a large, cream colored Oyster that fruits during warm, rainy spells in late spring through early fall. (Photo provided by Field & Forest Products)
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- And here is the Grey Dove sawdust spawn.
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- Grey Dove™ oysters are prolific and reliable. They are steel blue pins that slowly change into silvery grey as the cap matures. The shape is classic oyster – graceful stems with a shell-shaped cap. (Photo provided by Field & Forest Products)
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- Field & Forest Products, Inc. sends very detailed instructions with every order.
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- For this “totem pole” process, Chris places a cup of spawn in the bottom of a black plastic bag and spreads it out to the same diameter as the log to be used.
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- Next, Chris places one log into a black plastic bag on top of the first spawn layer. He then spreads another cup of spawn on top of the log to the same diameter as the log.
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- Using his hand, he spreads the sawdust spawn around, so it is about an eighth-inch to a quarter-inch thick.
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- The height of the bag is going to limit the number of log pieces used. Typically totems are two or three logs high.
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- Chris places another log section on top.
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- And continues to spread another cup of the mushroom spawn in the same way.
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- Once the sections are complete, Chris cuts a piece of craft paper big enough to cover the top of the wood.
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- He then covers the top and secures it with tape. A paper bag or several sheets of newspaper can also be used. The paper must have direct contact with the spawn layer. Finally, Chris draws up the black bag over the whole totem and loosely closes it, so there is still some air circulating around the spawns.
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- Chris does this process until all the mushroom spawns are inoculated. It takes at least four months to incubate the mushroom spawns. The logs will then be unstacked and moved outdoors to continue developing. Hopefully we will have some beautiful mushrooms growing this summer.
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