I was pretty excited in July when my shiitake mushrooms first started fruiting.  I inoculated several white oak logs (they hold their bark longer than other types) in August of 2008 with shiitake spores.  It took a full year of my ignoring the logs before they started fruiting so, after all that hard work, I was thrilled to see the logs sprouting some of my favorite fungi.  I was satisfied.
Just last week, as I was…um…doing nothing, I happened to walk around behind the shed where I keep the shiitake logs. Â I didn’t expect much…afterall, I had a great harvest in July…and I was satisfied. Â To my amazement, my friends, the old white oak logs and the shiitake mycelia had joined to give me a wonderful Fall gift!
I know it is not ideal to eat shiitake mushrooms when they are as big as my head, but I had so many huge mushrooms that I couldn’t even see my logs (which are 4 feet long and 6 inches in diameter)(ok…so maybe I am exaggerating…there weren’t that many mushrooms, but you get my point)! Â I began to harvest the beauties and they felt excellent to the touch….like a soft, tender cut of meat I guess (ok…so I know that’s weird but it’s hard to describe).
Anyhow, I did some talking to a friend and she said that mushrooms often delight  their collectors when the weather changes, particularly when there is a lot of rain to go with it.  That’s precisely what happened this Fall.  They are so easy to grow and so wonderful to eat!  My mushrooms…they always delight me!
So, do you like mushrooms? Â Do you grow mushrooms? Â Do you ever feel like a mushroom?
Heyyyyyy…. Them are some good lookin’ mushrooms, boy!! I’m still interested in the morels… finding them, growing them…. I think I’m going to do some research this winter….
Gorgeous mushrooms!! Love them! You won’t believe what I did this morning…. get ready:
Blogged!!!
I know, right? Crazy.
Have a great day.
Lacy
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What company do you get your seeds (mycelia) from? Did you know that mushrooms are crazy good for your immune system? Especially the more ‘exotic’ ones. Read: Not Button Mushrooms.
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I would love to grow mushrooms. Someday I’ll get into it, I just have so many other thigns going on right now. I do collect morels in the spring when they grow, but that’s the extent of my mushroom growing.
.-= Chiot’s Run´s last blog ..Homemade Ketchup =-.
Love mushrooms…don’t grow them…often a bump on a log so yes I suppose I feel like a mushroom on occasion! Kim
.-= the inadvertent farmer´s last blog ..Not Me…Never =-.
I love mushrooms! I don’t grow them and I don’t know if I will even try. I guess I’m afraid.
.-= YDavis´s last blog ..And the winner is…. =-.
Very Cool. Now how will you store them or use them up?
I definetly want to try this!
.-= Kim´s last blog ..Foraging for Mushrooms in Maine Woods =-.
I like the mushroom, I don’t grow the mushroom, and sometimes my hair LOOKS like a mushroom.
That’s a lot of fungas talk!
.-= Capri Kel´s last blog ..Potent Quotable-A Day of Sadness =-.
Fungus?
.-= Capri Kel´s last blog ..Potent Quotable-A Day of Sadness =-.
AmyZ, Chiot’s Run – it’s easy to grow these if you have a dark damp place…
Lacy – Welcome back!
CeeCee – I can’t remember now…there are lots of online places that are good though I think
Kim – my mushroom times seem to be increasing…in the dark and fed…well, you know…
YD – get mycelia from a good place and there is no danger…
Kim – we’ll use some but we’ll dehydrate most of them…
Capri Kel – At least you have hair!
Yes I love them-no I don’t grow them, wish I did-yes sometimes I do feel like a ‘mushedroom’ : )
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Oh man Warren… I love mushrooms, and have wanted to try this for a long time. I think you’ve inspired me! Congrats… they look great!
.-= Beau´s last blog ..Carpe Vertere Autumni Diem! =-.