North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Richard Moyer <ramoyer@gmail.com>]

Doreen,
Last NAFEX talk (or two) I did, included pics of oyster mushrooms on
poplar logs, to broaden thinking about 'fruit'.  Not to rock the boat,
but do the NAFEX bylaws (or protocol on this list) allow discussion of
fruit from the fungal kingdom, or merely the plant kingdom?
Been inoculating and growing mushrooms around 10 years.  Great way to
grow fruit in the shade, and in the fall, winter (some years) and
early spring.  We're expanding our range of oyster and shiitake
production, due primarily to farmers market and chef demand.

Easy to get into at any level, lots of info available.  I encourage
you to find a company and a person there who's been at it for years,
and have an extended conversation.  Oysters are very easy to begin
with; share your interests and goals by phone, and they can suggest
inoculation strategies to get started.  Note that 2.2 lbs is only a
few dollars less than 5.5 lbs of spawn inoculant; we often share an
order to hold down costs.  Plugs easier in practice, but more costly
in potential yield per dollar invested.  Contact me offlist and will
let you know the companies we have experience with.

Richard Moyer
SW VA
gathered morels last evening, enjoyed wilted lettuce with duck confit
and shiitakes day before

Doreen wrote:
Does anyone grow their own mushrooms?  Do you use plugs or inoculant?  I
> love oyster mushrooms and came across wooden plugs that you place in holes
> drilled in a tree stump.  I'm thinking of ordering the plugs.  The same
> company has inoculated kits available, too.  After three or four harvests,
> they say you can spread the kit over your compost pile and mushrooms will
> thrive.  That's an option too.
> Doreen