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Chris893
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Registered: 03/01/13
Posts: 209
Last seen: 5 years, 8 months
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Dry mushroom prices?
#21682422 - 05/15/15 10:11 AM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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How much are you all charging for your dried reishi, shiitake, lion's mane, oysters, etc?
I'm aware that prices will vary based on venue, region, cost of production, but I'm just trying to get a general idea. I dry everything after 5-7 days to keep quality where I like it and to save space. I sell at farmers markets and have a small local grocery account.
My costs to produce are low as I use local materials but I'm estimating $1-2/lb not factoring in paying myself anything, it's a hobby . I'm shooting for 30lbs a week of oysters and lesser amounts of other species.
For fresh oysters, I get $10-16/lb. Same for other species. The store's margin is kind of high on fresh items, but the customers don't seem to mind the 25-40% mark up.
I'm assuming it's the same for dry.
I'm trying to come up with a way to offer shiitake regularly but they take up some incubation room.
Edit: Forgot to add that I have access to a commercial kitchen and that I would be selling as loose bulk bin style dry as opposed to packaged units. Unless of course you all want to share your secret cheap packaging methods
Also, I'm the only producer in the area. However, the local populous is largely uninformed, uneducated, and afraid to try new things. I regularly get somewhat rude or offensive comments at the farmer's market which is also in part why my target production amount isn't higher. I figure they will come around eventually, I need to get a helper so that I can offer samples (they have to be prepared on site).
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Edited by Chris893 (05/15/15 10:33 AM)
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Juiceh
Dabbing All Day



Registered: 09/25/12
Posts: 3,208
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Re: Dry mushroom prices? [Re: Chris893]
#21682652 - 05/15/15 11:25 AM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
Chris893 said: I regularly get somewhat rude or offensive comments at the farmer's market which is also in part why my target production amount isn't higher.
What kind of rude\offensive comments have you received?
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solarity
mm... my favourite food



Registered: 03/31/09
Posts: 1,590
Loc: UK
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Re: Dry mushroom prices? [Re: Juiceh] 1
#21682875 - 05/15/15 12:20 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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I mix mine up and bag them in small ziplocks, fold a card header over the top, staple (through the non bag side of the ziplock then use a label to hide the staple. Pic sorry best I have. These go out at 5$.

For gifts I use some expensive jars and a expensively printed glossy label. These retail at $7.50 - $11 depending on size.

I don't bother with wholesale dried as they are imported too cheap. I would like to get into the "supplements" market as I grow LM but don't know where to start with UK legislation.
-------------------- Commercial exotics farmer for 8 years - now sold up!
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frog48
Peasant



Registered: 03/08/13
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Re: Dry mushroom prices? [Re: Chris893]
#21683135 - 05/15/15 01:28 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
Chris893 said: I regularly get somewhat rude or offensive comments at the farmer's market.
I know that. Ten years ago I started selling shiitake on famersmarkets in the south of France. People looked at me as if I was trying to poison them. French have a huge tradition of picking wild mushrooms. Cultivated mush is considered as suspect. It's getting better but still difficult. Dry shiitake on the market here 100€/kg. Solarity, like that jar! trop classe! I guess I should start growing some more colors too. How do you dry them?
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solarity
mm... my favourite food



Registered: 03/31/09
Posts: 1,590
Loc: UK
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Re: Dry mushroom prices? [Re: frog48]
#21683750 - 05/15/15 04:12 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
Solarity, like that jar! trop classe!
Merci! Though that's because they are German...
Quote:
I guess I should start growing some more colours too. How do you dry them?
ermmm in a dryer! Actually a converted fridge:

And in the summer (ie July 15th to August 15th) In a bloody great big outdoor dryer!
-------------------- Commercial exotics farmer for 8 years - now sold up!
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beastcoast
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Re: Dry mushroom prices? [Re: solarity]
#21683937 - 05/15/15 05:23 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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Hey Chris. I can't really help with prices, as I'm still working on growing my first oyster. But I have to ask: Your production costs seem mighty low. Do you grow your own spawn or buy it? I have access to grain/straw very cheap also. Spawn seems to be a considerable cost. Is it a hassle making as spawn as you do for 30 pound yields a week? Thanks dude.
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frog48
Peasant



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Re: Dry mushroom prices? [Re: solarity]
#21685286 - 05/15/15 11:34 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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You're so incredible well organised Solarity, you're sure you're not German?
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Chris893
The Lurker

Registered: 03/01/13
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Re: Dry mushroom prices? [Re: beastcoast]
#21686824 - 05/16/15 11:55 AM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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Thanks Solarity, I understand what you have from the description. About how many grams per bag? I have seen something similar in health food stores. Do you add a desiccant packet to them or is there no need?
The gift jars look excellent as does your improvised refrigerator dehydrator. Do you have the heated fans blowing from the top and the bottom? Or is the top just an exhaust?
Juiceh: I get these every week for sure at least once: Those are weird. I don't like mushrooms. Are those safe to eat? Mushrooms are gross. Do you have any normal stuff?
And I always get negative responses when people ask if they can eat them raw and I recommend against it because of possible gastric discomfort .
Beastcoast: I know that some of the people who have large outputs per week, like Solarity, chefinainteasy, and drake, will sometimes purchase spawn to keep quotas met. But since I'm such small scale and don't have regular venues(restaurants), I make all of mine. I get wheat/rye from a local feed store for $14-18 for 50lbs. I'm trying oats this week for the same price.
Those production cost estimates were when I was using straw but I am in the process of switching to lime pasteurized fuel pellets which I'm sure will increase the cost some.
I was getting straw for $3-3.50 a square bale and am getting the pellets for $5 for 40lbs. I get 3-5lbs of oysters per log on the first flush and can make ~3 36-48" logs per bale of straw using 2.5kg or ~5-6lbs of spawn(hydrated grain) per log.
The reason I'm switching to lime pellets from straw/sterilized supplemented sawdust is to save time: I don't have a shredder to cut up straw and all the other methods I've tried take too long. If I had a big sterilizer I would consider using supplemented sawdust but I just have two AA921s. I work and go to school full time so I need to save it where I can.
But as far as spawn is concerned: estimating low at only 3lbs of mush per log, I need 10 6lb spawn bags/week. That's three 2hr PC cycles in one AA plus an extra cycle for grain master jars. I have a large kettle I use over a propane turkey burner that will hold 6 bags worth of grain at a time which, after boiling for 10min, I then dump on a large strainer made of wood frame and metal window screen to dry, though I recommend using hardware cloth instead; the window screen is tearing.
So aside from agar and lab-work, it's one day's worth of work; usually Sunday. I soak the grain overnight, then use it the next morning.
If for any reason I can't get all the PCing done in one day, I refrigerate the hydrated unsterilized grain in the fridge for up to 3 days until I have time to run it through the PC. Then it's good for months though it may dry out some during that time.
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beastcoast
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Re: Dry mushroom prices? [Re: Chris893]
#21694216 - 05/18/15 11:40 AM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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Thanks so much, Chris. That was all very helpful.
If you're going through 60 pounds of spawn a week, I think I need to come up with a system to produce my own. It would cost me 180 dollars for 30 pounds shipped!
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drake89
Mushroom Magnate



Registered: 06/26/11
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Loc: TN
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Re: Dry mushroom prices? [Re: beastcoast]
#21694502 - 05/18/15 01:03 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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It's 180 for 80# for me from amycel.
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Chris893
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Registered: 03/01/13
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Re: Dry mushroom prices? [Re: beastcoast]
#21694516 - 05/18/15 01:07 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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Definitely.
Keep in mind that I use a lot of spawn though, at a much higher rate than most others. And you can get away with using much less when using sterilized supplemented sawdust vs pasteurized substrates.
Edit: Damn, that's a good price
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Edited by Chris893 (05/18/15 01:09 PM)
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solarity
mm... my favourite food



Registered: 03/31/09
Posts: 1,590
Loc: UK
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Re: Dry mushroom prices? [Re: Chris893]
#21694616 - 05/18/15 01:39 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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25gr /bag of dried
Why such a high spawn rate? I go 3.5-4% (wet/wet) for limed sub for greys and pinks. Colonisation in 10 -12 days.
Also having made my own spawn and bought in, at the moment I am a big fan of buying in spawn and doing one 5% expansion. It takes 6 days in the IC to turn a 6lb bag of commercial spawn into 120lbs with almost no risk. Cost and time is minimal and the quality is superb (which is why it only takes 6 days of course!)
-------------------- Commercial exotics farmer for 8 years - now sold up!
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drake89
Mushroom Magnate



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Re: Dry mushroom prices? [Re: solarity]
#21694629 - 05/18/15 01:43 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
solarity said: 25gr /bag of dried
Why such a high spawn rate? I go 3.5-4% (wet/wet) for limed sub for greys and pinks. Colonisation in 10 -12 days.
Also having made my own spawn and bought in, at the moment I am a big fan of buying in spawn and doing one 5% expansion. It takes 6 days in the IC to turn a 6lb bag of commercial spawn into 120lbs with almost no risk. Cost and time is minimal and the quality is superb (which is why it only takes 6 days of course!)
ya for shiitake I take 2x10lb bags to 100x6lb sawdust bags. then use those 100 sawdust bags to inoculate 1000 more!
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solarity
mm... my favourite food



Registered: 03/31/09
Posts: 1,590
Loc: UK
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Re: Dry mushroom prices? [Re: drake89]
#21694663 - 05/18/15 01:53 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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Now that IS a shitload !!
-------------------- Commercial exotics farmer for 8 years - now sold up!
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drake89
Mushroom Magnate



Registered: 06/26/11
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Re: Dry mushroom prices? [Re: solarity]
#21695203 - 05/18/15 04:56 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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I'm switching to all shiitake so I need to grow twice as much and sell them For almost half of what I'm getting now.
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beastcoast
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Re: Dry mushroom prices? [Re: drake89]
#21695922 - 05/18/15 08:26 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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Solarity, what do high volume growers like you use for spawn reproduction? G2G transfer in mason jars lol?
And Chris, you're saying that sterilized supplemented sawdust requires less spawn than pasteurized sub? Interesting... I'm going to be using straw with gypsum just because I can get it for cheap and I found a way to pasteurize large volumes pretty quickly
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Chris893
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Registered: 03/01/13
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Re: Dry mushroom prices? [Re: beastcoast]
#21697278 - 05/19/15 06:22 AM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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25gr /bag of dried <-- thanks solarity
Have you all not noticed any reduction of yeild or quality when doing these expansions? I was under the impression that spawn producers really expand as much as possible already.
Geez solarity! 3.5-4 percent!? That's insane. I use a high spawn rate because I have not yet had the time to experiment with reducing the amount. In fact, I'm just now getting the lime sawdust under wraps. But after hearing that, I need to start today lol. Might as well get 10 times the amount out of my spawn that I already am doing the work for if I can.
Beastcoast: Yes, normally you would use less spawn for supplemented sawdust than pasteurized sub because you make up the nutrient difference with bran or some other supplement. But if solarity is able to get reasonable yields using 4%, then I see no reason to bother with sterilizing supplemented sawdust
Edit: I am now using 4-5g of lime/liter of water as opposed to 2g. I was having too much trouble with contams with just 2g for fuel pellets.
Also, I'm going to buy some spawn now
Edited by Chris893 (05/19/15 06:27 AM)
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solarity
mm... my favourite food



Registered: 03/31/09
Posts: 1,590
Loc: UK
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Re: Dry mushroom prices? [Re: Chris893]
#21698424 - 05/19/15 01:26 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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The tech at Mycelia said one expansion would be OK but don't blame them if I got mutants or low yields! As I said spawn is ready in 5-6 days and so far no issues. I just expanded the first lot of Florida Oyster today in preparation for the summer. 1 x 3.3kg bag ---> 9x5kg bags and 9x2kg bags (one run of 210kg wet will get 7 kg spawn).
Strange about the lime amount, above about 1.5g/l it just precipitates out, as that is saturation point. Try an extended drain period like 48hrs. You are not using hot water are you?
-------------------- Commercial exotics farmer for 8 years - now sold up!
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Chris893
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Registered: 03/01/13
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Re: Dry mushroom prices? [Re: solarity]
#21701962 - 05/20/15 10:53 AM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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Ha, it's good to hear that you haven't had any issues.
Yes, it is pretty insoluble as you said. And I'm using fuel pellets, the compressed sawdust for burning in special stoves, so I only hydrate to the capacity which I want, usually 50-55% total sub weight being water assuming the pellets have 0% moisture initially.
This is usually done in a cement mixer where the sub ingredients are added in order: pellets, lime water + lime, gypsum, spawn. I use hot water as it makes the pellets expand faster and give the pellets, water, gypsum about 10-15 minutes to mix expand and cool before adding spawn.
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solarity
mm... my favourite food



Registered: 03/31/09
Posts: 1,590
Loc: UK
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Re: Dry mushroom prices? [Re: Chris893]
#21702646 - 05/20/15 02:52 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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Ok well I assume you are having some success but a few theoretical issues with your method.
Hot water lowers the ph of your lime water as it lowers the solubility of lime see this paper
Lime takes a wile to kill stuff. I use straw pellets - just like yours but straw. 6 hours = contams, 12 hours = yay!
Gypsum is a buffer that will further reduce the pH - I think what you are seeing is that a chunk of the lime alkalinity is being neutralised by the gypsum. (Chemistry not my strong point so I'll stop there!) which is why you are having to over saturate your lime solution.
60-70% moisture is what I aim at and seem to get good results. In fact I have had poor performance of 55% moisture sterile wood pellets,
Not sure how happy spawn will be about being dumped into a high pH environment, again I get best results from letting it come down.
All of these things may be overcome by using a LOT of spawn but you may find issues if you reduce your spawn rate.
-------------------- Commercial exotics farmer for 8 years - now sold up!
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primrose
Stranger


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Re: Dry mushroom prices? [Re: Chris893]
#21702685 - 05/20/15 03:07 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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I started growing the exotic mushrooms as a hobby while growing the regular white buttons. I found the love of my life doing the exotics and converted the farm to exotics.
This was about 1985 or 1986. Talk about questions and trying to sell ice cubes to Eskimos. I was told I was selling toadstools and that they were poisonous. It was really hard to sell Shiitakes and oysters in this time period.
So I did dry a lot of them and what I did find is that campers and I mean back woods campers loved them as they were light and would not spoil. This became my life line. I hope this helps you.
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primrose
Stranger


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Re: Dry mushroom prices? [Re: primrose]
#21702741 - 05/20/15 03:25 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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Sorry forgot to add that in my state you now need to have a food processing license to dry mushrooms
So make sure that your farm is up to that and have all the paperwork in order to dry mushroooms.
Good luck with your drying mushrooms.
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drake89
Mushroom Magnate



Registered: 06/26/11
Posts: 4,168
Loc: TN
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Re: Dry mushroom prices? [Re: solarity]
#21702901 - 05/20/15 04:07 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
solarity said: Ok well I assume you are having some success but a few theoretical issues with your method.
Hot water lowers the ph of your lime water as it lowers the solubility of lime see this paper
Lime takes a wile to kill stuff. I use straw pellets - just like yours but straw. 6 hours = contams, 12 hours = yay!
Gypsum is a buffer that will further reduce the pH - I think what you are seeing is that a chunk of the lime alkalinity is being neutralised by the gypsum. (Chemistry not my strong point so I'll stop there!) which is why you are having to over saturate your lime solution.
60-70% moisture is what I aim at and seem to get good results. In fact I have had poor performance of 55% moisture sterile wood pellets,
Not sure how happy spawn will be about being dumped into a high pH environment, again I get best results from letting it come down.
All of these things may be overcome by using a LOT of spawn but you may find issues if you reduce your spawn rate.
yup. i had eryngii stall at 50-55% on wood pellets
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beastcoast
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Re: Dry mushroom prices? [Re: primrose]
#21703931 - 05/20/15 08:01 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
primrose said: Sorry forgot to add that in my state you now need to have a food processing license to dry mushrooms
So make sure that your farm is up to that and have all the paperwork in order to dry mushroooms.
Good luck with your drying mushrooms.
do you need a license to sell them fresh?
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primrose
Stranger


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Re: Dry mushroom prices? [Re: beastcoast]
#21704134 - 05/20/15 08:48 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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No you do no need license to sell fresh mushrooms.
In my state dried mushrooms are a processed food and you will need to have a processed food license for that.
I only posted this to help other growers so they do not get hit with a fine.
I hope this helps.
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solarity
mm... my favourite food



Registered: 03/31/09
Posts: 1,590
Loc: UK
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Re: Dry mushroom prices? [Re: drake89]
#21705281 - 05/21/15 05:45 AM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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Drake Stall at colonisation or fruiting. I can colonise no problem but having issues with fruiting. Upped my moisture twice now as it seems like the sub is not being fully colonised.
-------------------- Commercial exotics farmer for 8 years - now sold up!
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drake89
Mushroom Magnate



Registered: 06/26/11
Posts: 4,168
Loc: TN
Last seen: 4 years, 10 months
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Re: Dry mushroom prices? [Re: solarity]
#21705332 - 05/21/15 06:23 AM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
solarity said: Drake Stall at colonisation or fruiting. I can colonise no problem but having issues with fruiting. Upped my moisture twice now as it seems like the sub is not being fully colonised.
they stalled during colonization which i hear is normal for some kings
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Chris893
The Lurker

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Re: Dry mushroom prices? [Re: drake89]
#21705523 - 05/21/15 08:06 AM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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That is interesting. I'm glad you provided the source solarity, because I wouldn't have believed you that's very unusual. I guess I should try out the cold water and see if that helps. I got the idea after reading this thread: http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/19367080/fpart/1/vc/1
Also, what do you do with your hydrated straw while you are waiting 12hrs for the pH to come back down? Do you just cover it with a tarp or put it in totes to keep it from drying out?
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solarity
mm... my favourite food



Registered: 03/31/09
Posts: 1,590
Loc: UK
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Re: Dry mushroom prices? [Re: Chris893]
#21706605 - 05/21/15 02:22 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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My tank (StasturliserTM) has a cylindrical mesh bag in it, with excess "height" I fold the top over. I drain for 2 days at the moment which is a PITA. But the results are excellent.


I process up to 700kg (1500lbs) of sub a week (at the moment- watch this space...), think I am a bit past totes!!
-------------------- Commercial exotics farmer for 8 years - now sold up!
Edited by solarity (05/21/15 02:36 PM)
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Chris893
The Lurker

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Re: Dry mushroom prices? [Re: solarity]
#21706690 - 05/21/15 02:43 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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Impressive! Build and ship me one to see if I can get away with less lime and spawn . What did you use for the heating element?
I'm going to experiment with cutting back and see how low I can get before contamination pops up.
-------------------- Chris893 Trade List <-- click to see what I have for trade Looking for <-- click to see if you have something I want
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solarity
mm... my favourite food



Registered: 03/31/09
Posts: 1,590
Loc: UK
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Re: Dry mushroom prices? [Re: Chris893]
#21706820 - 05/21/15 03:18 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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Its a steam pipe. Hooked up to a 7kw sauna steamer. All about it here http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/21427270
-------------------- Commercial exotics farmer for 8 years - now sold up!
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