Mushrooms
OK, mushrooms. Love them or hate them. I’m in the former group but I have family, on the “in-law” side, that are solidly in the “hate them” group.
I am interested in seeing if mushroom can be raised on these tropical islands for several reasons. Actually, I saw that mushroom could be raised on Dominica so now it’s just figuring out if they can adjust to my microclimate. Why my interest?
First, mushrooms are a good source of protein and other nutrients. I would like them in my diet and I would like to encourage others to include them as well. (But I don’t want to buy imported ones from China.) Second, mushrooms, given other favorable environmental factors, can be grown on “waste products” - such as cardboard boxes, wood chips, coffee grounds, cocoa pods, banana stems/leaves, coconut waste, sugarcane bagasse, and other organic material available on the islands and other developing countries. Third, as mushrooms can be dried for use later they could be more easily exported or used after disasters.
In short, I’m interested in finding ways the islands can produce more food, goods, and services so they don’t have to import as many things. I’m particularly interested in ways the islands can produce their own disaster food supplies as part of food security – a significant component of Peace Corps work around the world. I’m also interested in closing some of the loops in the island economy by taking wastes from one activity into another productive activity as a resource.
Mushrooms, well, the mycelium of fungus that produces the fruiting bodies we call mushrooms, can also directly increase the growth and productivity of crops and trees, build up the soil, recycle wood waste after storms, and might be used to remediate pollution and toxic wastes. Some mushrooms also have significant medicinal value – I’m no expert and need to do more research or leave such statements to the experts. ;-).
Growing mushrooms was a big project in Ghana and Peace Corps produced a video on one method. I raised a bag in the Upper West, but it was really more suited to the cooler, wetter southern part of the country. I’ve also grown mushrooms from a kit back in the states and my son is very adapt at growing mushrooms for a restaurant.
I spent last rainy season on Grenada looking for mushrooms in likely spots, but didn’t find any. I’m going to look again this season.
Looking for mushrooms on the Nature Island was an entirely different story. I found some likely Cinnamon Caps on a log in Dominica less than an hour after landing. I was visiting a friend of the person who picked me up and we talked about such things are composting, vetiver, and aquaculture. I noticed some turkey tails on a log and was going to take a picture when the friend said I should see some other ones (pictured above).
I also saw a wide number of mushrooms such as larger turkey tails (which can be used as a medicinal tea - reference, rather than eaten) on a hike to a waterfall and visited a couple who has a mushroom business in Dominica. (Although they are about 5 weeks from production after Maria.)
I had also forgotten how much cooler and wetter Tete Morne is, at twice the elevation (over 1,000 feet), compared to Munich. If I had been allowed to return to Tete Morne I almost certainly would already be raising mushrooms.
The temperature in my house in Munich gets above 90 and that is just a bit hot for part of the process to create spawn for mushroom production (increasing the risk of contamination and slowing mycelium growth.
So, if a Peace Corps volunteer (or anyone in a developing nation) wanted to start mushrooms, what would be a good method? A mushroom grow kit is expensive and makes you dependent on the supplier. I don’t recommend the grow kit method – cost, shipping, sitting on the dock for customs, ect.
The best way to start is to leverage someone already raising mushrooms, like Rainforest Mushrooms on Dominica. Unfortunately, I’ve not found anyone raising mushrooms here on Grenada.
The next method is to develop what might pass as a clean area suitable for such work that doesn't need climate control. (Munich and my house might not qualify.) This will be used to grow spores or mycelium into spawn.
One could collect spores, mycelium, or tissue samples from mushrooms growing naturally. It might be better to order the spores or mycelium of an easy to grow variety like oyster mushrooms. Spores involve an additional step, but are more durable in transit and sitting in a hot customs house.
The spores would be used to grow the initial mycelium or one could start with a mycelium culture. Then one would go through the process of create spawn. All this requires the relatively clean work area (HEPA filter likely), basic lab equipment (petri dishes, test tubes, or something, along with agar or such), and a good bit of luck, trial, failures, and practice.
The next part is fairly easy. The spawn (which might also be ordered but again issues if held up transit or customs) would then be used to inoculate the grow material (previously known as waste). Bags, bins, or outside methods of sawdust, cardboard, straw, etc are possible.
Raising mushrooms on the islands is not as crazy as it might sound. I could grow a bag in the Upper West during to cool period so could do something similar if I stay in Munich (or encourage someone in a better microclimate to easily grow them year round).
Mushrooms are raised in many developing countries. People grew them in Damascus during the war to help prevent starvation even after their lab was bombed. Clever Peace Corps volunteers and others can succeed with a reasonable microclimate and a bit a work and luck.
Again, as with these posts – I’m expecting outside research and cost/benefit analysis; full consideration of any idea presented in this series. Books by Paul Stamets and others might be helpful if you are really interested.
Love always,
John
I am interested in seeing if mushroom can be raised on these tropical islands for several reasons. Actually, I saw that mushroom could be raised on Dominica so now it’s just figuring out if they can adjust to my microclimate. Why my interest?
First, mushrooms are a good source of protein and other nutrients. I would like them in my diet and I would like to encourage others to include them as well. (But I don’t want to buy imported ones from China.) Second, mushrooms, given other favorable environmental factors, can be grown on “waste products” - such as cardboard boxes, wood chips, coffee grounds, cocoa pods, banana stems/leaves, coconut waste, sugarcane bagasse, and other organic material available on the islands and other developing countries. Third, as mushrooms can be dried for use later they could be more easily exported or used after disasters.
In short, I’m interested in finding ways the islands can produce more food, goods, and services so they don’t have to import as many things. I’m particularly interested in ways the islands can produce their own disaster food supplies as part of food security – a significant component of Peace Corps work around the world. I’m also interested in closing some of the loops in the island economy by taking wastes from one activity into another productive activity as a resource.
Mushrooms, well, the mycelium of fungus that produces the fruiting bodies we call mushrooms, can also directly increase the growth and productivity of crops and trees, build up the soil, recycle wood waste after storms, and might be used to remediate pollution and toxic wastes. Some mushrooms also have significant medicinal value – I’m no expert and need to do more research or leave such statements to the experts. ;-).
Growing mushrooms was a big project in Ghana and Peace Corps produced a video on one method. I raised a bag in the Upper West, but it was really more suited to the cooler, wetter southern part of the country. I’ve also grown mushrooms from a kit back in the states and my son is very adapt at growing mushrooms for a restaurant.
I spent last rainy season on Grenada looking for mushrooms in likely spots, but didn’t find any. I’m going to look again this season.
 |
| First flush of mushrooms I saw on Dominica |
I also saw a wide number of mushrooms such as larger turkey tails (which can be used as a medicinal tea - reference, rather than eaten) on a hike to a waterfall and visited a couple who has a mushroom business in Dominica. (Although they are about 5 weeks from production after Maria.)
 |
| Nice flat ones on a log |
 |
| Large turkey tails (I think) visible from a distance |
 |
| Small ones by the side of the trail |
 |
| Rainforest mushrooms was not up for tours, but had a nice chat with the woman working with mushrooms. |
 |
| Tete Morne, high enough up to commonly be in the clouds, would be an ideal place to grow mushrooms Notice water droplets on the line |
Starting mushrooms
So, if a Peace Corps volunteer (or anyone in a developing nation) wanted to start mushrooms, what would be a good method? A mushroom grow kit is expensive and makes you dependent on the supplier. I don’t recommend the grow kit method – cost, shipping, sitting on the dock for customs, ect.
The best way to start is to leverage someone already raising mushrooms, like Rainforest Mushrooms on Dominica. Unfortunately, I’ve not found anyone raising mushrooms here on Grenada.
The next method is to develop what might pass as a clean area suitable for such work that doesn't need climate control. (Munich and my house might not qualify.) This will be used to grow spores or mycelium into spawn.
One could collect spores, mycelium, or tissue samples from mushrooms growing naturally. It might be better to order the spores or mycelium of an easy to grow variety like oyster mushrooms. Spores involve an additional step, but are more durable in transit and sitting in a hot customs house.
The spores would be used to grow the initial mycelium or one could start with a mycelium culture. Then one would go through the process of create spawn. All this requires the relatively clean work area (HEPA filter likely), basic lab equipment (petri dishes, test tubes, or something, along with agar or such), and a good bit of luck, trial, failures, and practice.
The next part is fairly easy. The spawn (which might also be ordered but again issues if held up transit or customs) would then be used to inoculate the grow material (previously known as waste). Bags, bins, or outside methods of sawdust, cardboard, straw, etc are possible.
Raising mushrooms on the islands is not as crazy as it might sound. I could grow a bag in the Upper West during to cool period so could do something similar if I stay in Munich (or encourage someone in a better microclimate to easily grow them year round).
Mushrooms are raised in many developing countries. People grew them in Damascus during the war to help prevent starvation even after their lab was bombed. Clever Peace Corps volunteers and others can succeed with a reasonable microclimate and a bit a work and luck.
Again, as with these posts – I’m expecting outside research and cost/benefit analysis; full consideration of any idea presented in this series. Books by Paul Stamets and others might be helpful if you are really interested.
Love always,
John
Comments
Post a Comment