Though not technically a "plant" they do grow in or near-garden like
environments. Mushrooms ... especially certain species like
Lentinula
edodes(aka, "shiitake") are well know and well documented anti-cancer
agents.
Google "shiitake cancer" and be prepared for some serious reading.=20
Since any organic gardener could grow these in their own environment,
it seems appropriate to include them in any garden-related health
discussion.
Mushrooms have been a primary treatment and preventative in Asia for
a
very long time. Serious scientific study and trial both here and in
Asia have well documented why and how they work. In fact, they do
not "attack" cancer directly. Instead they tone and potentiate the
human immune system.
Why don't we see their use widespread in the U.S.? Because
pharaceuticals basically call the shots in American medicine now.=20
Shiitake mushroom production cannot be monopolized, therefore great
corporate fortunes cannot be made in producing them.
be well
Vinekeeper
You are so right with this one, Vinekeeper! I had totally forgotten
about these mushrooms. And they are sooo good!=20
Have you ever grown them yourself? If so where did you get whatever
is used to start them?
Gloria, Texas
US zone 8a
--- In GardeningOrganically@yahoogroups.com, "wvinekeeper"
> Though not technically a "plant" they do grow in or near-garden
like
> environments. Mushrooms ... especially certain species like
> Lentinula
> edodes(aka, "shiitake") are well know and well documented anti-
cancer
> agents.
> Google "shiitake cancer" and be prepared for some serious reading.=20
> Since any organic gardener could grow these in their own
environment,
> it seems appropriate to include them in any garden-related health
> discussion.
> Mushrooms have been a primary treatment and preventative in Asia
for
> a
> very long time. Serious scientific study and trial both here and
in
Gloria asks if I grow shiitake myself.
Yes.
We grow shiitake on low-value hardwood logs. Sugar maple, beech and ironwood are the best in this neighborhood (the upper Great Lakes). Would use oak as well if we had it, but there is none growing in these particular upland woods.
We can effectively turn a 50 cent piece of firewood into a $30-40 piece of food on a reliable basis. The only technology we use is a chainsaw and an electric drill to make the holes to place the sawdust "spawn". Cost of materials per one meter log 3-8" in diameter is under $0.50.
We produce suitable pieces of wood for inoculation during the winter months when the sap in the tree in down. As our woods are largely second and third growth and overstocked with small trees in competition, regular timber stand improvement cutting which normally produces firewood at best, now produces firewood, food and health security, and a cash income. Inoculation is normally done in April-early June.
There is an abundance of information on shiitake production on logs on the internet, including sources for the spawn. We use an outfit called Field and Forest out of Peshtigo, Wisconsin for our spawn. Spawn in easy to produce at the homestead level. We buy it because of the bulk we use and because we cannot yet produce it as cheaply and easily as we can buy it.
We began with a few dozen logs, but now "plug" over a thousand logs each season. We began because we wanted this food in our household diets on a regular basis (one to several meals per week). Excess production was easily stored (they dry and store very well) or shared with friends. Local five-star eateries take them eagerly at around $10 per pound.
Production is so simple it eludes me why there are not shiitake or oyster mushrooms in virtually every garden. In China, such resources as regularly molder back into the soil would always be used to produce another food crop. They produce over six million TONS of gourmet food and high quality "medicine" from any carbon based material on its way back into compost.
The logs require a few months after inoculation before they begin to produce, but will then produce two to four crops on each log for several years. We reckon that a twenty pound maple bolt will produce 5-10 pounds of mushrooms over several seasons ... and then still be a fairly good piece of fuelwood.
be well
vinekeeper
I hope you leave some trees for the wildlife and the
Great Lakes Agroforestry
Yes.
We grow shiitake on low-value hardwood logs. Sugar maple, beech and ironwood are the best in this neighborhood (the upper Great Lakes). Would use oak as well if we had it, but there is none growing in these particular upland woods.
We can effectively turn a 50 cent piece of firewood into a $30-40 piece of food on a reliable basis. The only technology we use is a chainsaw and an electric drill to make the holes to place the sawdust "spawn". Cost of materials per one meter log 3-8" in diameter is under $0.50.
We produce suitable pieces of wood for inoculation during the winter months when the sap in the tree in down. As our woods are largely second and third growth and overstocked with small trees in competition, regular timber stand improvement cutting which normally produces firewood at best, now produces firewood, food and health security, and a cash income. Inoculation is normally done in April-early June.
There is an abundance of information on shiitake production on logs on the internet, including sources for the spawn. We use an outfit called Field and Forest out of Peshtigo, Wisconsin for our spawn. Spawn in easy to produce at the homestead level. We buy it because of the bulk we use and because we cannot yet produce it as cheaply and easily as we can buy it.
We began with a few dozen logs, but now "plug" over a thousand logs each season. We began because we wanted this food in our household diets on a regular basis (one to several meals per week). Excess production was easily stored (they dry and store very well) or shared with friends. Local five-star eateries take them eagerly at around $10 per pound.
Production is so simple it eludes me why there are not shiitake or oyster mushrooms in virtually every garden. In China, such resources as regularly molder back into the soil would always be used to produce another food crop. They produce over six million TONS of gourmet food and high quality "medicine" from any carbon based material on its way back into compost.
The logs require a few months after inoculation before they begin to produce, but will then produce two to four crops on each log for several years. We reckon that a twenty pound maple bolt will produce 5-10 pounds of mushrooms over several seasons ... and then still be a fairly good piece of fuelwood.
be well
vinekeeper
Do you have any photos of this process you wouldn't mind posting into
the Photo File on the group homepage? It would be great to see all
those logs with mushrooms growing on them even without the whole
process to see.=20
I am guessing these must be grown in the shade?=20
Gloria, Texas
US zone 8a
--- In GardeningOrganically@yahoogroups.com, Great Lakes Agroforestry
and ironwood are the best in this neighborhood (the upper Great
Lakes). Would use oak as well if we had it, but there is none
growing in these particular upland woods.
> =20=20=20
> We can effectively turn a 50 cent piece of firewood into a $30-40
piece of food on a reliable basis. The only technology we use is a
chainsaw and an electric drill to make the holes to place the
sawdust "spawn". Cost of materials per one meter log 3-8" in
diameter is under $0.50.
> =20=20=20
> We produce suitable pieces of wood for inoculation during the
winter months when the sap in the tree in down. As our woods are
largely second and third growth and overstocked with small trees in
competition, regular timber stand improvement cutting which normally
produces firewood at best, now produces firewood, food and health
security, and a cash income. Inoculation is normally done in April-
early June.
> =20=20=20
> There is an abundance of information on shiitake production on
logs on the internet, including sources for the spawn. We use an
outfit called Field and Forest out of Peshtigo, Wisconsin for our
spawn. Spawn in easy to produce at the homestead level. We buy it
because of the bulk we use and because we cannot yet produce it as
cheaply and easily as we can buy it.
> =20=20=20
> We began with a few dozen logs, but now "plug" over a thousand
logs each season. We began because we wanted this food in our
household diets on a regular basis (one to several meals per week).=20
Excess production was easily stored (they dry and store very well) or
shared with friends. Local five-star eateries take them eagerly at
around $10 per pound.
> =20=20=20
> Production is so simple it eludes me why there are not shiitake
or oyster mushrooms in virtually every garden. In China, such
resources as regularly molder back into the soil would always be used
to produce another food crop. They produce over six million TONS of
gourmet food and high quality "medicine" from any carbon based
material on its way back into compost.
> =20=20=20
> The logs require a few months after inoculation before they begin
to produce, but will then produce two to four crops on each log for
several years. We reckon that a twenty pound maple bolt will produce
5-10 pounds of mushrooms over several seasons ... and then still be a
fairly good piece of fuelwood.
"Local five-star eateries take them eagerly at around $10 per pound."
Is this dried or fresh?
" We reckon that a twenty pound maple bolt will produce 5-10 pounds of
mushrooms over several seasons"
Again, fresh or dried?
Do you dry them in a dehydrator? My sister just took a class on raising
mushrooms and asked if we would like to go in with her. HMMMMM...!
Gayla Roberts
Always Enough Ranch
Acampo, California
http://bouncinghoofs.com/alwaysenough.html
Bill Barnhill is our Inspiration! Go Bill!!!
aeranch@gmail.com
Gloria asked about photos of the shiitake.
I have many photos stored in Yahoo, but have not yet figured out how to
load them into this site's photo collections. I can send a general
invitation by email to the list and folks could find their way to the
album.
Please forgive me ... I have a new computer as well and am generally
stumbling around right now. If you would like me to post a general
invitation to view the mushroom albums at Yahoo I can do that. Please
advise. If anyone can advise me how to recapture my photos from Yahoo
to be posted on this site, I would much appreciate it.
As an alternative, one could use the Google search engine ... click on
images ... and search for "shiitake".
SHADE:
Gloria also asked if the mushrooms are grown in shade. The answer is
YES. We generally work under the canopy of a pine plantation that has
been recently thinned. Shade keeps the logs from drying out too much.
We periodically soak the logs in order to induce fruiting. This keeps
the logs above 20% moisture content. Less than that and the resident
mycelium could be stressed and die out.
I would rate the shade in the pine canopy at around 50%.
be well
Vinekeeper
Thank you, Vinekeeper. Please just send us a link for us to view the
photos at your Yahoo site. Then I can add a Link to that into the
Links section of the homepage for future viewing by anyone browsing
through there for shiitake mushrooms.=20
Gloria, Texas
US zone 8a
