Sarah Brown
What The Fungus is a mushroom farm that supplies premium oyster mushrooms and seasonal varieties. The farm offers mushroom cultivation products, mentorship programs, and gourmet mushrooms. The process of mushroom farming involves cultivating fungi to yield foods, medicines, construction materials, and other products. Mushrooms require different conditions than plants for optimal growth and depend on their growth medium for energy and growth materials. There are two main components to mushroom cultivation: spawn and substrate. Spawn refers to any material with mycelium that will transfer mycelia into a substrate, while the substrate is what the mycelium grows on as a food source to produce mushrooms.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Mushroom Type | Oyster mushrooms, with a rotating selection of seasonal varieties |
| Mushroom Products | Fresh and dried mushrooms, kits, spawn, substrates, grow bags |
| Mushroom Cultivation Products | Spawn, mentorship programs |
| Expertise | Mycology, arboriculture, marketing strategy, sales, hospitality |
| Mushroom Growing Requirements | Water, right temperature, good airflow, ventilation, humidity control, temperature control |
| Spawn | Material with mycelium on it, used to transfer mycelia into a substrate |
| Substrate | The material on which the mycelium grows and which acts as a food source for the mushrooms |
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$14.99
What You'll Learn
The benefits of mushroom farming
Mushroom farming has gained popularity among entrepreneurs looking for innovative ways to diversify their farms or operations. It has many benefits over traditional agriculture. Firstly, it is environmentally friendly and sustainable. Unlike plants, mushrooms do not require sunlight and instead derive their energy and growth materials from their growth medium through biochemical decomposition processes. This means that mushrooms can be grown in a variety of settings, including caves, which can provide a stable environment for growth.
Mushroom farming is also efficient in its use of space. For example, shiitake mushrooms are grown on 1-metre hardwood logs, which can be placed under the closed canopy of a coniferous stand. Additionally, mushroom farming can have low labour costs, especially when compared to other forms of agriculture. While it can be labour-intensive, with proper planning, it can be profitable for small-scale operations.
Another benefit of mushroom farming is the variety of mushrooms that can be grown. Different mushrooms have unique growing requirements, and some are more difficult to grow than others. For instance, oyster mushrooms and lion's mane mushrooms can be grown from ready-to-fruit blocks, while other mushrooms may require more specialised knowledge and equipment. The type of mushroom cultivated will depend on the business model and target market. For example, culinary enthusiasts and health-conscious consumers may prefer different types of mushrooms.
Finally, mushroom farming can provide a consistent supply of mushrooms throughout the year. While outdoor farming is cheaper, it is seasonal and cannot provide year-round production. Indoor mushroom farming, on the other hand, can provide a continuous supply of mushrooms, although it requires more initial investment and knowledge. Overall, mushroom farming offers a unique and sustainable way to produce food and can be a profitable venture with proper planning and execution.
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The process of cultivating mushrooms
To cultivate shiitake mushrooms, one must inoculate 1-metre hardwood logs with a diameter of 10-15 cm with the mycelium of the shiitake fungus. This involves drilling holes in the logs, filling them with cultured shiitake mycelium, and sealing the holes with hot wax. The logs are then placed under the closed canopy of a coniferous stand to incubate for 12 to 15 months. After incubation, the logs are soaked in water for 24 hours, and shiitake mushrooms will begin to fruit seven to ten days later.
The process of growing mushrooms also involves composting, fertilizing, casing, pinning, and cropping. During composting, pasteurization is often included to retain beneficial microorganisms in the growth substrate. Pinning is a critical step as it triggers mushrooms towards fruiting through a combination of carbon dioxide concentration, temperature, light, and humidity.
Additionally, maintaining proper ventilation, humidity, and temperature is crucial for mushroom cultivation. Moisture can be adjusted by using cold mist, live steam, or wetting the walls and floors. Temperature control can be achieved through pipes with circulating hot water or hot forced air through ventilation ducts.
Mushroom farming can be an environmentally friendly, sustainable, and space-efficient practice. However, it is labour-intensive, and certain challenges, such as pests and crop failures, must be managed. Overall, cultivating mushrooms requires careful consideration of the growing conditions and techniques specific to each mushroom variety.
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Types of mushrooms
The process of cultivating mushrooms is called fungiculture. It involves growing fungi under specific conditions to yield foods, medicines, construction materials, and other products. Mushrooms have different growing requirements, and there are various types of mushrooms, each with unique characteristics and benefits.
One popular type of mushroom is the shiitake mushroom. Shiitake mushrooms are cultivated by inoculating hardwood logs with the mycelium of the shiitake fungus. This process involves drilling holes in the logs, filling them with cultured shiitake mycelium, and sealing the holes with hot wax. After incubation, the logs are soaked in water, triggering the growth of shiitake mushrooms.
Oyster mushrooms are another sought-after variety. They are known for their culinary and health benefits, with a rotating selection of seasonal varieties available. Oyster mushrooms are relatively easy to cultivate, even for beginners, and can be grown using ready-to-fruit blocks.
Agaricus bisporus, commonly known as button mushrooms, is a widely cultivated species that includes portobello and crimini mushrooms. This species goes through several stages of farming, including composting, fertilizing, spawning, casing, pinning, and cropping.
In addition to these, there are several other types of mushrooms with unique characteristics. For example, the golden oyster mushroom (Pleurotus citrinopileatus) and the snow fungus (Tremella fuciformis), a type of jelly fungus commonly used in Chinese cuisine. The truffle, belonging to the ascomycete grouping of fungi, is another sought-after mushroom that grows underground in association with certain trees.
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Pests and other issues
Pests and diseases are common issues in mushroom farming, and they can severely impact yields and crop quality. Mushrooms are susceptible to a number of pests, including insects and other organisms. The most pervasive and damaging pest for many growers is the sciarid fly, also known as the fungus gnat. These flies are attracted to light sources and lay their eggs in the substrate, and their larvae can devour mycelium and compost, causing mushrooms to become brown and leathery. Other common pests include mites, slugs, nematodes, and various types of flies such as phorid flies and cecid flies. Nematodes are usually a beneficial soil organism, but some species actively devour the fungi present in mushroom farms, causing degeneration of the mushroom mycelium.
To control and eradicate these pests, mushroom growers can employ a variety of methods, including natural and chemical pest control. Prevention is critical in mushroom cultivation, and growers should maintain a clean growing environment, use sterile growth mediums, and monitor regularly for signs of pests. Natural pest control methods include introducing natural enemies of the pests, such as predators (ladybugs, lacewings, parasitic wasps), parasites, and pathogens. For example, beneficial nematodes can be used to control fungus gnats, and Trichoderma fungi can compete with pathogenic species. Companion plants like marigolds, basil, garlic, and lavender can also be used to repel certain insect pests with their strong scents, confusing and deterring them from infesting the crop.
In addition to pests, mushrooms are also susceptible to diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, and other fungi. Some common diseases in mushroom cultivation include Verticillium dry bubble, which is the most common fungal disease among commercially cultivated white button mushrooms, and green mold, which can cause significant yield losses. Bacterial Blotch or Bacteria Spot disease is caused by the Pseudomonas tolaasii bacterium and results in brown, sunken lesions on the mushroom's cap, reducing their commercial value. Proper sanitation methods, such as pasteurization of the soil medium and equipment, are crucial to preventing and controlling diseases in mushroom farms.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices can help producers prevent and reduce the spread of pests. Exclusion techniques prevent pests from entering new rooms and escaping from infested areas. Disinfectants and sanitizers are also important tools in managing mushroom pests and diseases, but they should be chosen carefully considering their effectiveness and potential corrosiveness. Overall, a proactive approach is necessary to deal with pests and diseases in mushroom cultivation, requiring regular monitoring, adaptability, and a mix of preventative and biological treatments.
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The history of fungiculture
In terms of human fungiculture, the practice has existed for thousands of years, with indoor mushroom cultivation first developing in caves in France. These caves provided a stable environment with consistent temperature and humidity, ideal for mushroom growth. The technology for controlled growth and fungal spawn was later brought to the UK in the late 1800s, with mushroom farming continuing to evolve and spread globally.
One of the most widely cultivated mushroom species, Agaricus bisporus, includes the button mushroom, portobello, and crimini mushrooms. The farming process involves six stages: composting, fertilizing, spawning, casing, pinning, and cropping. Pinning, which involves triggering mushrooms towards fruiting through specific conditions of carbon dioxide concentration, temperature, light, and humidity, is considered the most challenging step.
Shiitake mushrooms, another popular variety, are cultivated using hardwood logs inoculated with the shiitake fungus. The process involves drilling holes in the logs, filling them with cultured shiitake mycelium, and sealing them with hot wax. After incubation, the logs are soaked in water, triggering the growth of shiitake mushrooms.
Over the last 25 years, mushroom farming has seen significant progress with trends such as forced aeration, improved nutritional status of mushrooms, and alternative uses of post-crop compost. Today, mushroom farming is gaining popularity among entrepreneurs due to its environmental sustainability, efficient space usage, and potential profitability for small-scale operations.
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Frequently asked questions
What The Fungus is a mushroom farm that supplies premium oyster mushrooms and other seasonal varieties. They also provide mushroom cultivation products, mentorship programs, and kits for beginners and experienced growers.
Mushroom farming is the cultivation of mushrooms, which are a type of fungi. It involves creating the right conditions for mushrooms to grow, including temperature, humidity, and ventilation.
You can start a mushroom farm indoors or outdoors. Indoor mushroom farming is more expensive but allows for year-round production, whereas outdoor farming is cheaper but seasonal. You will need to purchase spawn and substrate, which is the material that the mushrooms will grow on. You can also buy ready-to-fruit blocks, which come pre-inoculated with the mycelium and are ready to fruit.
