SWMBO got me a shii-take mushroom indoor kit for Christmas. Since we were away the week after Christmas I didn't get it started right away, but now we're eating shii-take mushrooms!
The base is a compressed sawdust that has been inoculated with spoors. It's about 16" x 8" and maybe 14" tall. It looks like a big popcorn ball!
First you soak it in clean water, not polluted with anything. I have a rain barrel so that's as fresh as i can do. So, you soak it for few hours then let it dry out for a day. Start misting it several times a day with clean water and within a week I had this:
As of Saturday, after only 13 days of misting we started eating shii-takes! We had four on Saturday and have several more ready now. The kit allegedly produces 5- 10 lbs after 3-4 immersions. Once it stops producing you are supposed to soak it again and it just keeps going!
SWMBO also got the outdoor plug kit but I am waiting for the snow to melt before starting these. I'll start them indoors and then transfer in the spring. These are plugged into an oak log and then left to grow. it may take 6 months to a year before the outdoors ones are ready to harvest.
Check out 'Fungi Perfecti' for more information...
Don
PS Apparently the correct spelling "Shii-take" is "not accepted"
Lentinula edodes
Well that works okay, but who would know what you were talking about (without Google)?
🙂
Loyal
"Shrooms come from magic spores" yummy
I always figured you were a fun guy Don.
Get it? See what I did right there? Fun guy and fungi because you were talking about mushrooms.
Seriously though that looks pretty cool.
gonna try that! http://www.fungi.com/ I was surprised at the other varieties and media available.
yeah snoop, I'm a real 'fungi' all right, just keep me in the dark and feed me 'shii-take' all the time!!
It would be interesting to see if they can ship out of the country!!
> It would be interesting to see if they can ship out of the country!!
Their web site says yes, they will ship world wide, but the receiver is responsible for making sure any import permits required are obtained and all that good stuff. Bureaucracy here is immense! There are agricultural import prohibitions and inspections, we sure don't need those plant diseases common in the US that could decimate our crops. Export of fruits and vegetables to the US is a major source of income.
I use a mailbox service in the US. Many curriers operate here, one will fetch and bring directly to my home on a weekly basis for $7 US. Friends often go up for shopping and we retrieve mail for each other. If I want to subject myself to the whims of the fearful DHS/TSA inspectors I can spend 5 or 6 hours of windshield time, an easy loop. Coming back South is no issue, no hassle at all... that part is a kind and courteous experience. They are mostly looking for commercial import of electronics and of course guns, not anal at all, always respectful.
