More money for your waste product?

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

I have been looking at producing shrooms at home on logs for a little while, has anyone considered the potentiasl for crops grown on waste logs?

 

In this day and age with a need to diversify and turn a buck in a difficult financial climate it might be worth looking at. Of course you may be happy with the fuel market, but I think there is a bigger income to be had by the shrewd.

 

Just a thought to put out there for all?

 

I should add, this isnt that laughable an idea, some shrooms are delicacy and highly sort after in london resturants ganoderma lucidum grifola, and many more.

Edited January 31, 2010 by Tony Croft aka hamadryad

[David Humphries]

Always had the impression that there were a fair few people already doing this Tony.

 

 

 

 

 

.

[Quickthorn]

I know someone doing this..i think he's growing oyster mushrooms on birch logs. I'm told that you can get kits for it, which are basically plugs inoculated with the relevant spores. You drill holes in the log, bang the plugs in and put the log wherever the instructions say.

[Charlieh]

i looked into it, theres a thread somewhere about it, but the firewood was worth more and the lead in time is several years, and its not as easy as just innoculating the logs and leaving them for maximum production, you have to shock the logs into fruiting with many species by using methods such as submerging the log for a short time,

 

i will see if i can find the thread

 

here we go http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/general-chat/5466-growing-mushrooms.html

Edited January 31, 2010 by Charlieh

[David Humphries]

http://www.humungus-fungus.co.uk/http://www.channel4.com/food/on-

 

Growing Mushrooms | Food | Channel4.com

 

Gourmet Woodland Mushrooms - Farming, Gardening, Hobby Growing Kits, Education, Training and Information

 

etcetera, etcetera.........

 

 

 

 

 

 

.

[Charlieh]

Gourmet Woodland Mushrooms - Farming, Gardening, Hobby Growing Kits, Education, Training and Information

 

these were the cheapest wholesalers i could find for plugs

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

I had an idea some might be doing it but thought it was worth mentioning, do all i can to promote the shrooms!

[Joy Yeomans]

we bought some plugs of shitake and oyster mushrooms from gourmet mushrooms for a trial on some poplar we got, couldnt firewood it as it takes too long to dryout, got about £180 quids worth of plugs , took the lad a few days to drill and peg all the logs, had a trial at the top field with round penny logs and long 3ft lengths, took a year to get any mushrooms to show of, and now 2nd year getting alot and big ones, will take some photos if i remember and post - was a success - but not had time to find markets for them

[Charlieh]

Try denstone hall farm shop! they seem to love buying locally sourced stuff, would be just up their street!

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Local supplies are the new thing, people are becoming more responsible for their food miles, and there is PLENTY of market out there.