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maddchef
Vaginal escape artist



Registered: 09/04/09
Posts: 5,602
Loc: Your mom's vag
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Spawn production woes
#21759097 - 06/03/15 08:33 PM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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hello ladies and germs. My name's maddchef and I'm a shroomaholic.
I haven't actually grown actives in 6 months or so and have been ramping up my edibles. Where's my chip?
Anyways I'm running into a problem that is better served being asked here as edibles are usually grown on more of a schedule and with a lot more thought.
My problem is I can't seem to get a good schedule for spawn production (grain). I am limited to one 23qt pc and 2 16qt's.
I'm running into a problem trying to hydrate an adequate amount of grain easily and also one trying to dry/drain the grain afterwards.
I either see great setups for prepping tiny amounts of grain or killer setups for larger amounts but requires you to build a large apparatus which is a no go since I'm renting.
Any suggestions you can share will be greatly appreciated.
-------------------- In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king. All mushrooms are edible, but some only once..... Easier than cakes I do science and shit.
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t3chnobily
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Re: Spawn production woes [Re: maddchef]
#21759256 - 06/03/15 09:13 PM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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Can you prep grain outside? A stock pot on a turkey fryer with a aluminum window screen on a couple of sawhorses in the back yard is pretty effective.
Welcome to gourmet!
Adding measured water to dry grain and then PCing would work also but I prefer simmering.
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maddchef
Vaginal escape artist



Registered: 09/04/09
Posts: 5,602
Loc: Your mom's vag
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Re: Spawn production woes [Re: t3chnobily]
#21759543 - 06/03/15 10:24 PM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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Elaborate on the turkey pot. Yes I can prep outdoors and I have several burners.
Would you just simmer and flip? Or tack the screen between the horses and pour it out on there?
I need to switch grain as mine now has a lot of cracked corn so I either have to rinse it even after I simmer or deal with a starchy mess or let it dry forever.
-------------------- In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king. All mushrooms are edible, but some only once..... Easier than cakes I do science and shit.
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mcchieftan
Part man, part mushroom



Registered: 09/08/05
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Loc: Norway
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Re: Spawn production woes [Re: maddchef]
#21759882 - 06/04/15 12:06 AM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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For a few weeks now I've been using a no-prep method and atmospheric sterilisation. I put the relevant volume of water, grain and gypsum in a bag, fold it over and the run the steriliser for 18 hours at 95 C. I started using ratios that were suggested here for wheat but my rye was cooked afterwards. I dropped the water content and then gradually brought it back up, checking each week to see how the grains were. The spawn is now working great and it's taken hours out of our production cycle! I'm now using 1.8kg of dry (unsoaked) rye, 1.2kg of water and a small spoonful of gypsum.
Perhaps you could try soaking the grain with exactly the right amount of water overnight and then PCing the next day with no drainage or boiling?
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solarity
mm... my favourite food



Registered: 03/31/09
Posts: 1,590
Loc: UK
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Re: Spawn production woes [Re: mcchieftan]
#21760159 - 06/04/15 03:10 AM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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Sure about those ratios chief? My recipe is only .8L water for 1.2 kg wheat?
-------------------- Commercial exotics farmer for 8 years - now sold up!
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mcchieftan
Part man, part mushroom



Registered: 09/08/05
Posts: 525
Loc: Norway
Last seen: 9 months, 1 day
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Re: Spawn production woes [Re: solarity]
#21760409 - 06/04/15 06:09 AM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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Hi Solarity,
Yup, sure about the ratios but bear in mind I'm using rye not wheat?
Hope you're doing well I keep meaning to IM you and keep getting whisked away on other adventures..
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t3chnobily
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Re: Spawn production woes [Re: maddchef]
#21760658 - 06/04/15 08:16 AM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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I use RR 12hr soak then bring to boil and dump on a framed screen to steam dry. Bag and cook. I have 3 4 gal stock pots for grain prep. Man grain one or twice a week.
I mostly use sawdust spawn to inoculate pasteurized substrate so I don't need as much grain.
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solarity
mm... my favourite food



Registered: 03/31/09
Posts: 1,590
Loc: UK
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Re: Spawn production woes [Re: t3chnobily]
#21761334 - 06/04/15 11:51 AM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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Fab at the mo, just made a big purchase after a month of design and discussion so looking forward to getting that to work.
I ask because your ratio is identical to mine - 0.66L/kg grain - you ended up back where you started!
OP - never tried it myself but I have heard that the dry grain bag prep we are discussing is not so successful when using a PC. There have been a whole bunch of threads on grain spawn prep though.
-------------------- Commercial exotics farmer for 8 years - now sold up!
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maddchef
Vaginal escape artist



Registered: 09/04/09
Posts: 5,602
Loc: Your mom's vag
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Re: Spawn production woes [Re: solarity]
#21761558 - 06/04/15 12:51 PM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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Dry prep works well with rye grass seed but not wbs or many other whole grain.
I've seen a bunch of good ideas but they're either too big and expensive for my level or too small to be practical to anyone but the random hobbyist.
The screen stretched out sounds promising though but when I do a 12hr soak flies tend to flock to that shit. Not to mention I have to fight the squirrels off with 2 sticks
-------------------- In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king. All mushrooms are edible, but some only once..... Easier than cakes I do science and shit.
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PirateSwazey


Registered: 12/12/12
Posts: 2,993
Loc: Here, Now
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Re: Spawn production woes [Re: maddchef]
#21767074 - 06/05/15 06:24 PM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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I can prep 100lbs of grain spawn in a day by soaking in 5 gallon buckets loaded with about 8 quarts of dry grain each. After soaking overnight I dump the grain and soak water into 3 old pressure cookers and bring it to a boil on an outdoor propane stove. Then I strain the grain on a big strainer I made out of 2x4's, porch screen and a couple 2x1 strips. While that is drying I load the cookers again and boil the next batch. It helps to put a fan under the strainer when doing this many grains!

Anyhoo, it shouldn't even be necessary to produce that much spawn for gourmet mushrooms.. you can get away with just a few lbs of spawn to feed an entire farm pretty easily
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maddchef
Vaginal escape artist



Registered: 09/04/09
Posts: 5,602
Loc: Your mom's vag
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I hate soaking my grains but it looks as if I must. It seems to attract every fly in the neighborhood.
The 2x4 frame seems quite useful, what are you using for a strainer material?
-------------------- In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king. All mushrooms are edible, but some only once..... Easier than cakes I do science and shit.
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wildernessjunkie
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Re: Spawn production woes [Re: maddchef]
#21767792 - 06/05/15 09:38 PM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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How much grain do you need to produce?
My process is to line a 5 gallon bucket with a an old pillowcase from the Goodwill. Fill the bucket about 1/3 full with WBS and then fill the bucket to the halfway mark with boiling water. Put the lid on. Let it sit until cool and remove the pillowcase and hang it to drain.
The grain ends up, slightly underhydrated and still a bit wet when cool. I fill my jars about 2/3 full and then set them through the PC. By the time theyre done...perfect hydration every time.
The limits of production would only hinge on how many buckets/pillowcases, and how fast I can boil water.
Not the fastest method, but some shit gets done.
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maddchef
Vaginal escape artist



Registered: 09/04/09
Posts: 5,602
Loc: Your mom's vag
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That sounds like an easier method actually. I'm not a fan of the simmer and then drain.
You don't see any bacteria issues from having wetter than normal grains?
I filled a 5gal half way full this evening and filled with boiling water but to drain I usually use heavy duty mesh laundry bags and try to let drip and air dry for 8+ hours but the squirrels, the goddamn squirrels go after my hanging bags and bit holes through the mesh and not only ruin the bag but dump out half my grain.
I wouldn't think the pillow case would let much air get to your grains.
-------------------- In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king. All mushrooms are edible, but some only once..... Easier than cakes I do science and shit.
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wildernessjunkie
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Re: Spawn production woes [Re: maddchef]
#21767888 - 06/05/15 10:02 PM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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My grain is wet when it goes into the jar. But just right after the PC run.
They arent fully cooked/hydrated with the boiling water, the PC finishes the job. It takes a little longer, but theres plenty of distractions while you wait.
Also...I hear that free range, grain fed squirrel is delicious when properly prepared.
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maddchef
Vaginal escape artist



Registered: 09/04/09
Posts: 5,602
Loc: Your mom's vag
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Those little bastards are relentless. Maybe I just need to grab a 6 pack, a bb gun, and watch my grain dry one afternoon.
-------------------- In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king. All mushrooms are edible, but some only once..... Easier than cakes I do science and shit.
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MudaFuka
Poppin bottles



Registered: 12/14/13
Posts: 18,648
Loc: Canada
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Re: Spawn production woes [Re: maddchef]
#21768405 - 06/06/15 12:33 AM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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I can hydrate and dry 25 qt jars worth of whole oats in less than an hour (I could do much more if I owned a bigger pot). I just fill 2 9qt pots half way with oats, toss in some gypsum and boil for 25 minutes or so. Then I strain and dump my oats into a 66qt tub lined with a towel and hit it with a blow drier for about 15 minutes. The only thing that slows me down is the time it takes to sterilise them.
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poofterFroth
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Re: Spawn production woes [Re: MudaFuka]
#21769179 - 06/06/15 07:14 AM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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Just figure out the correct dry grain to water ratio for your grains, add it to your jars and PC for 90 minutes. Just make sure to shake your jars before they fully cool to avoid clumps.
Its fast, hassle free and no squirrels. 
I don't understand why people waste so much time and energy soaking, simmering and draining grains.
--------------------
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maddchef
Vaginal escape artist



Registered: 09/04/09
Posts: 5,602
Loc: Your mom's vag
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#1 because I use bags and doubt it would work well #2 I use wbs because I have a stellar cheap connection and using mixed grains the ratio will vary with every run I would think
-------------------- In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king. All mushrooms are edible, but some only once..... Easier than cakes I do science and shit.
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PirateSwazey


Registered: 12/12/12
Posts: 2,993
Loc: Here, Now
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Re: Spawn production woes [Re: maddchef]
#21769295 - 06/06/15 07:59 AM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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Another option that my friends use on their farm is to soak grains overnight, strain, and then add powdered gypsum & lime (in a 4:1 ratio of gypsum to lime) to their grains after straining and mix in a large tote. I believe they use a little less than a quart of the mixed powder per 50# grain bag. The grains will still be a little moist when loaded into bags but they will absorb it during the sterilization cycle.
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