How to Grow Shiit-Loads of Shiitakes #1 ~ Lunasi Micro-Enterprise Series [PHOTOS]

This morning we harvested 15 LBS of SHITTAKE MUSHROOMS! That's a shiit-load!

People are always like, "Woah! How do you grow shiitakes? Is it hard?" And I'm like "No, it's super easy. Getting set up is some work, but then it is a piece of cake." Here is the basic process for attaining this kind of shiitake wealth yourself:

1 - Get quality bolts, or logs, preferably oak, but lots of hardwoods work fine. Make sure to cut while the tree is still in dormancy, aka no leaves, best in the spring before sap starts running so that the bark does not slip. The fresher the better, although some people swear by letting them sit a few weeks. You want bolts that are 2-3 feet long and about 5-8 inches in diameter, more sapwood to heartwood ratio (branches are best). You want the bark in good condition, not scuffed up, in order to keep moisture in and fungal invaders out.

2 - Get an angle grinder with a high speed drill bit. We ordered that and everything else one could possibly need from these fine people: Field and Forest Products. Definitely worth requesting a magazine from them and drooling over the photos of shroomy nom.

3 - DREAM ABOUT MUSHROOMS LIKE THESE:

4 - Drill holes every 6 inches on the bolts of wood. Insert spawn of choice (we use sawdust spawn with lots of varieties). cover with food grade wax, we use cheese wax.

5 - Stack the logs in crib stack and leave for 6 months to 1 year, depending on the strain of mushroom. This period of rest is called the spawn run. Warm weather and wide range varieties usually colonize a log in 6-9 months at temps above 55 F. Cold weather strains 9-12 months. So, if you inoculate your logs in Spring of one year, expect to begin harvesting Spring and Summer of the next year. Logs have a lifespan of about 3 years if intensively managed.

6 - DREAM ABOUT MUSHROOMS LIKE THESE:

5 - Once spawn run is complete, begin managing your stacks on forced-fruiting schedule, which I can post about in future blogs. Most important thing to know is : Move your water to your logs not your logs to your water. Remember me when this advice made all the difference.

Always have some passive cold weather strains to extend your seasons into early spring and late autumn. By mid-summer, you will be up to your ears in shiitakes. This is our biggest basket we own, full to the brim today from just 15 logs:

check out these resources by the Cornell University Small Farms Extension Dude-In-Chief, Steve Gabriel. Also very worth checking out his book, Farming the Woods. We went to his mushroom camp several years ago and look where we are now! Rolling Deep in Shiitake! We've got a 120 log operation right now, looking to scale up in the future as we secure the right markets.

Next time I will post some more information about dialing in your laying yard design and how to manage a yard with the most ease, effectiveness, and joy!

Thanks for reading!
Love,
Lily