ISO help w/opportunity maple tree down for outdoor mushrooms

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blissful

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@larry_stewart we had a big maple taken down today. The branches and trunks are all laying in the yard. We'll be burning it all, except if maples are good for growing mushrooms. I read that they are. I think this was a silver maple, about 40-50 feet tall.

We're thinking the location to be the north side of the house which gets little to no sun, what do you think about location?
If we bought plugs or sawdust...how should we buy spawn and what would you suggest for a type of mushroom? Do you have a good company I might order from?
 
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I use field and forest, they're actually up in your neck of the woods. Their products and selections are good. They some times take a few days to get back to you when you have a question. Once an order got damaged while being shipped and they replaced it with no issues.

Think the north side of the house is fine. If it gets hit with a sprinkler thats ideal, if not, just needs to be sprayed down with a hose during loon dry spells. They also have mushroom blankets which retain moisure. I havent had luck with them.

This is their Home Page

This is a link to the learning page for outside log growing
- There is a chart for which wood is good for which mushroom
- Also instructions on how to inoculate


Contact info :

Contact Us​

Email: info@fieldforest.net
Phone: 800-792-6220 or 715-582-4997
Mailing Address:
Field & Forest Products
501 Hart Drive
Peshtigo, WI 54157
Hours:
Monday - Friday 9 am - 3 pm (CST)
Saturday & Sunday Closed
Tours are only available at workshop events. If you want to see our facility or the farm, and have a desire to learn about growing mushrooms, see our Workshop page for current event listings.
If you wish to pick-up an order, please call ahead to check on availability and to schedule a pick-up time.

During peak seasons, it may take us several days to reply back to email inquiries. If you need immediate response, please call us at 800-792-6220, Monday through Friday 9 am to 3 pm (CST).
 
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Excellent! I knew you'd know where to buy the stuff we need. Thank you so much!

There is a small area to the right of the front door, the North/west side of the front of the house. There, nothing grows well except things that like the forest floor w/little light. There is a spigot there too.

Now we need to trim up the 'logs' to put in that area. (instead of burning them) The house protects that area from the westerly wind. It will stay cool and damp most of the spring/summer/fall.
 
The only mushrooms ive been successful with ( in logs ) is shiitake. I grow various varieties , but I am poor at labelling , so I cant tel for sure which were more successful than others. I ve gotten mushrooms from logs as early as 6 months after inoculating ( so far Ive only used the inoculated dowels). One bunch of logs took 1 1/2 years before producing. A few logs are 3 or 4 years old and still produce (I was going to toss them, but then noticed a bunch of mushrooms on them).

They can produce several times a year if the conditions are right. ( Temp, humidity, rainfall...) In my area , seems that Mid march through April, and late august through September are the most productive , although I've harvested every month of the year, depending on what kind of winter/ summer we had.

They usually all kinda come at once when the conditions are right.
Got to check every day cause then can pop up and be ready, unexpectedly, within a few days. Got to get to them before the slugs get them or they dry out.

If you're chipping any of the wood, or have cheap access to straw, wine cap mushrooms are good and productive too ( in beds made of straw and wood chips).
 
I know you know, but I dint post the links to get out of explaining what I do or my experience, just figured I'd get you straight to the source. Obviously Im open to any questions, explanations, experiences what I did right , wrong.... so feel free to ask away.

North spore is a good source also, but I primarily get from Field & Forest.
 
Yes I know you know I know we know...lol.
Mr bliss asks questions, I show him the video's on the website about spawn with 2 methods, showing how it is done. So now he has a good idea what kind of 'logs' to keep for the mushroom area.

For eating, what kind of mushrooms do you believe are the best eating mushrooms. Like button mushrooms?
 
bliss - I'm pretty sure you will have great variety in taste and texture with these.
Shiitaki, Lions Mane, Oyster and Chestnut.
The Chestnut is pretty close to your 'button' type mushrooms.
I have grown indoors the Chestnut, Oyster and Lions Mane and another which I can't think of. All are delicious and can be prepared differently. Up until a while ago, I believe Shiitaki were not even available for home growers. I would love to try them.

They dry beautifully. I've never tried to dry the others - I just gobbled them up.

Good luck and much success to you!
 
Yes I know you know I know we know...lol.
Mr bliss asks questions, I show him the video's on the website about spawn with 2 methods, showing how it is done. So now he has a good idea what kind of 'logs' to keep for the mushroom area.

For eating, what kind of mushrooms do you believe are the best eating mushrooms. Like button mushrooms?
I think buttons, for me , are the most universal. I belong to one ' mushroom ' group ( which I dont participate and Im not crazy about) and they all frown upon those mushrooms, they're all more into exotic kinds, but screw them . I like the taste and texture of them, just another mushroom to have in my arsenal. Ive grown them a few times through kits, but it's not financially worth it, by the time you pay for the kit, the shipping and the amount they produce. It was fun to do a few times, but that is it. If I lived in mushroom country ( Pennsylvania) and I was able to get my hands on more bulk material , with no shipping, Id grow them more often.

Oysters and Shiitake are probably my second go to. To me, the shiitake has a flavor like no other, there for not as universal ( for me), but I love the flavor and texture. ( easiest and most productive for me to grow on logs). The oysters aer very easy to grow indoors and plentiful. I like there mild flavors, and just boiling them in slightly salted water creates such a mellow mushroom broth. I usually freeze bulks of them in this ' broth', then defrost as needed . they maintain their cooked texture. Ive grown pink, yellow , gray and white varieties ( all have slightly different growing conditions ). I find the Italian Gray ones ( not sure of exact name) to be the easiest and most productive.

King oysters have a great texture, especially the stem . People ( maybe even you, I know someone did here) made 'King oyster scallops' out of the stems, by scoring and searing them in a pan.

Maitake arent bad. I don't see what the hype is with them, but when I have them, I use them. Definitely add a different texture than other mushrooms.

Lions Mane are fun to play around with. break then up to make ' crab cages' cause they are flakey. Or can press and pan fry, that gives a more ' meaty' feel.

But getting back to the question, The white button are my primary mushroom due to their universal uses

Anytime im in the market and see a mushroom ive never tasted before, you can guarantee Im going to buy it and play around with its in the kitchen

Ive also grown a bunch of others for the same reason, just to try something new.
 

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