Taryn Hubbard Environmental Research Spring 2010 Jason Hamilton

 Food and Medicine production Non-timber forest product Exciting biological process Nutrition—Protein, Vitamin B Medicinal—Benefits to immune system Business opportunity  Beneficial decomposition Mycoremediation: “Use of fungi to degrade or remove toxins from the environment.” 1 Mycoforestry: Restoration, mycorrhizal relationships Natural composters, pesticides, and fungicides

 How does it work?  Location Outdoors Indoors  Substrate Straw, log, sawdust  Spawn Mushroom starter culture—mycelia & grain/sawdust  Ideal growing conditions Warm, humid, moderately lit

 Oyster  Shiitake  Maitake (Hen of the Woods) ‏  Wine Cap/King Stropharia  Reishi  Portabello, Button, Crimini  Morel  Lion’s Mane  Chicken of the Woods  Turkey Tail  Straw mushroom

 Shiitakes: freshly cut logs, 3-8” in diamater  Ideal bark: in between thin & thick, developing ridges  Hardwood—Oak is best!  70-77˚F, 80-85% Humidity  Natural shade & canopy cover— mix of deciduous & evergreen forest  Clean forest floor, little to no slope

 Spring or fall Will fruit faster if spring  Drilling pattern  Plug or sawdust spawn  Cover with wax Prevents infiltration Holds water  Stacking formation: “Crib”  “Forcing” logs Soak in water to “awaken” mycelia  Different varieties  different time frames Reishi & Maitake: 2+ years!

 Must replicate ideal conditions in an indoor setting  Oysters: Temperature = 60-70˚F Humidity 80% inoculation 90% spreading 100% fruiting Light Air flow  Species dependent

 Sterilize substrate Boil chopped straw(170 º for 1-2 hours) ‏ Carbon to Nitrogen ratio = 20:1  Layer sterile bag – substrate & spawn Spawn: Grain or sawdust  Seal bag quarter-sized holes for fruiting  Hang bag to maximize fruiting area

 Difficult to replicate an ideal environment Humidity & air flow  Infestations Fungus gnats Green mold Outdoor insects & animals  King stropharia bed  Time and Size

 Benefits Supply of healthy mushrooms Safety Delicious! Learn to build, create, and manage a space Business potential  Forest fertility Growth & Decomposition  Community connections Teachers, local cultivators

Future Fungi Goals Mushroom marketing & business Collaboration with EcoVillage, New Roots Charter School, and other community connections Spawn production Fungi in the forest Fungi in the community garden Mycoremediation Mycology course Wild mushrooms

Thank you!  1 Paul Stamets Mycelium Running  Penn State University Cultivation of Oyster Mushrooms  Mary Ellen Kozak & Joe Krawczyk Growing Shiitake Mushrooms in a Continental Climate