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 b3jamboree
(don't be a)Stranger
Registered: 09/11/06
Posts: 184
Loc: 45th Parallel, MI
Last seen: 4 hours, 29 minutes
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 growing your own substrate (millet and wheat)
#8574389 - 06/28/08 01:49 PM (2 months, 8 days ago) |
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I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with growing your own substrate? I am interested in getting my cultivation operation certified organic, and the cost of organic grains would far outstrip the premium I could put on an organic mushroom.
So I figured the best way to go is grow an acre or two of millet and wheat and get the field certified. If I'm not mistaken all that is required to getting mushrooms certified organic is using certified organic substrate.
I work on, and have a work trade agreement for land on a veggie farm that is trying to become certified organic anyhow, so it wouldn't be much of a stretch to lease another couple of acres from my boss. When he is ready to certify the grain fields would be certified as well.
Has anyone ever grown their own grains? I imagine harvest would be the hardest part, unless you had a tractor and a combine. I could picture myself hiring a few people for a day or two of harvesting and processing the grains by hand. I'm fairly certain I would still be saving money over buying costly organic grains.
Any ideas on this one?
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 UrbanFungi
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Registered: 12/23/07
Posts: 50
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Re: growing your own substrate (millet and wheat) [Re: b3jamboree]
#8574566 - 06/28/08 02:57 PM (2 months, 8 days ago) |
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See if you can find this book in your library: http://www.amazon.com/Successful-Small-Scale-Farming-Down-Earth/dp/0882666428/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1214686350&sr=8-1
It has a really good how-to on grain, from threshing to winnowing by hand or simple machines.
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evergood
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Registered: 06/23/08
Posts: 5
Last seen: 1 month, 13 days
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Re: growing your own substrate (millet and wheat) [Re: UrbanFungi]
#8577778 - 06/29/08 04:02 PM (2 months, 7 days ago) |
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You are correct in that grain is very expensive. However, you do not want to use grain for the substrate for this reason. Use a low cost waste product such as sawdust and enrich with bran. The cost will be much lower. If you are growing pleurotus, use straw. Remember, because most of the mushrooms grown belong to the white rot family, they will grow on any ligno-cellulose product. Even shiitake can be grown on straw or grasses if the density and aeration is correct (see Juncao Technology production method). Also, harvesting grains by hand is hard work and labor intensive. Ask anyone who has lived in a developing country. Finally, organic standards should be on the web for your review.
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b3jamboree
(don't be a)Stranger
Registered: 09/11/06
Posts: 184
Loc: 45th Parallel, MI
Last seen: 4 hours, 29 minutes
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Re: growing your own substrate (millet and wheat) [Re: evergood]
#8577986 - 06/29/08 05:26 PM (2 months, 7 days ago) |
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Juncao! This is what I have been dreaming about. Any more sources of information on this method would be greatly appreciated.
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