Log selection

Logs stack in the Spawn Yard

So Shiitake mushroom like to grow in tree logs. We started the process of selecting logs in February 2011. For Shiitake the preference seems to be White Oak (Quercus alba) and Red Oak (Quercus rubra) trees. Yet other trees such as Maple, White Ash, Sweetgum, Mockernut Hickory and Yellow Poplar favor the growth of Shiitake. We gathered a total of 100 logs including Red and White Oaks, Maple, Tulip poplar and Black Birch.

Bobcat stacking the logs March 16th 2011

In general you need hardwood logs that can retain their bark to protect the delicate spawn that will be inoculated into the logs. For practical management reasons, the logs should be uniform as possible between 3 to 4 feet long (40 inch) and average 4 inches in diameter. Bigger than this, the logs would be to heavy to handle.

Cultivating Shiitake Mushrooms in Bethany CT

Shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes) are exotic, edible, cultivated mushrooms originally from East Asia. They are well known for their nutritious values as well as for their health and medicinal properties. Shiitake are rich, meaty and have a kind of a smoky flavor. In Connecticut, in many stores you will find Shiitake fresh and dried or in a commercial vinaigrette. However, the dried Shiitake mushrooms that we have found are imported or come from as far as Oregon. The fresh ones are hard to tell where they come from. In November 2010, we ask ourselves, why don't we try to cultivate these mushrooms? So we started with some research, study and move to action. This blog is about our experience, what we have been learning and the fun we are having. Our motivation is to be able to grow mushrooms organically and locally, incorporate them as part of our vegetarian diet in a variety of ways, share them with our community, sell them (to pay the costs) and to share the experience with others.