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Gr0wer
always improving


Registered: 09/16/03
Posts: 6,056
Loc: El Paso, TX
Last seen: 5 years, 10 months
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Compressed straw the bomb!
#22367755 - 10/12/15 11:35 AM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
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I just changed source for my straw due to excessive wheat seeds in my previous bale. So i went to the local tractor supply and picked up three bails of compressed straw. They weigh 50 lbs each and are $10 ea. They are wrapped in plastic which makes storage in my shed easy and clean. Upon opening i realized they are pre shredded! Totally worth the extra cost considering how messy and time consuming shredding is. I just wish it was organic.

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TheBeardedNerd


Registered: 08/18/13
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Re: Compressed straw the bomb! [Re: Gr0wer]
#22379684 - 10/14/15 04:54 PM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
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Great idea. I'm all about ease when it comes to getting the job done so these are awesome. How many 5 gallon buckets do you think you could fill with one bale of this?
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Gr0wer
always improving


Registered: 09/16/03
Posts: 6,056
Loc: El Paso, TX
Last seen: 5 years, 10 months
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One bail i would say makes about 10 5 gal pails id guess. About 230 lbs of wet substrate.
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TheBeardedNerd


Registered: 08/18/13
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Re: Compressed straw the bomb! [Re: Gr0wer]
#22383232 - 10/15/15 12:17 PM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
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That's really exciting! Because it's chopped I was thinking it'd work great for doing a combination of pasteurized straw and pasteurized hardwood fuel pellets in buckets.
Good find!
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Gr0wer
always improving


Registered: 09/16/03
Posts: 6,056
Loc: El Paso, TX
Last seen: 5 years, 10 months
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I was thinking about trying some wood pellets in the mix for my blues. If i do ill let you know how it comes out vs plain straw. I can tell you one thing the straw really needs a 1-2 day soak. I tried 6 hours with soapy water and my bags are 1-2 lbs lighter than my other bags i soaked for two days in soapy water.
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dreadhed

Registered: 01/21/11
Posts: 175
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Re: Compressed straw the bomb! [Re: Gr0wer]
#22387814 - 10/16/15 10:34 AM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
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Last time I was TSC I didn't buy the compressed bails and went some where else. I didn't realize it was all ready shredded though. I'll have to remember that next time I need some straw.
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shroombasa
Sojourner



Registered: 05/02/15
Posts: 364
Loc: 'Merka
Last seen: 3 years, 3 months
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Re: Compressed straw the bomb! [Re: dreadhed]
#22388255 - 10/16/15 12:55 PM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
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Ditto. This will beat the hell out of using a chainsaw. I hope I can get this stuff locally.
-------------------- Trade list
Peace and long life.
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solarity
mm... my favourite food



Registered: 03/31/09
Posts: 1,590
Loc: UK
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Re: Compressed straw the bomb! [Re: shroombasa]
#22388340 - 10/16/15 01:21 PM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
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naaa.. That's not a bag of compressed straw... THIS is a bag of compressed straw! (2,200lbs)
-------------------- Commercial exotics farmer for 8 years - now sold up!
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Jim Morrison
Lizard King



Registered: 03/20/15
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Re: Compressed straw the bomb! [Re: solarity]
#22388472 - 10/16/15 01:54 PM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
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And THIS is a bale of straw. 1750 pounds. Your point?
-------------------- Jim Morrison's Trade List Live Long and Myceliate! The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws. Ayn Rand
Edited by Jim Morrison (10/16/15 01:56 PM)
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shroombasa
Sojourner



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Re: Compressed straw the bomb! [Re: solarity]
#22388540 - 10/16/15 02:08 PM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
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That certainly is!
-------------------- Trade list
Peace and long life.
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Gr0wer
always improving


Registered: 09/16/03
Posts: 6,056
Loc: El Paso, TX
Last seen: 5 years, 10 months
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Re: Compressed straw the bomb! [Re: shroombasa]
#22389393 - 10/16/15 05:02 PM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
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solarity is that pre shredded?
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Nakedmushroomguru
Wanderer



Registered: 10/02/15
Posts: 89
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Re: Compressed straw the bomb! [Re: Gr0wer]
#22389596 - 10/16/15 05:46 PM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
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What I've bn using for months love it makes it so much easier no shredding just add alfalfa and pasturize. It is also so much easier to store and takes up less room than the bales I was using
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Gr0wer
always improving


Registered: 09/16/03
Posts: 6,056
Loc: El Paso, TX
Last seen: 5 years, 10 months
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How's the alfalfa working for you? i've always thought to stay away from the green hays.
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Nakedmushroomguru
Wanderer



Registered: 10/02/15
Posts: 89
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Re: Compressed straw the bomb! [Re: Gr0wer]
#22389654 - 10/16/15 05:57 PM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
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I just use a little but it has increased my yield and the seems to produce a longer lasting healthier mushroom . It also as sped up colonization times by a day or to
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solarity
mm... my favourite food



Registered: 03/31/09
Posts: 1,590
Loc: UK
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It's straw pellets - that bag hydrates to 7500lbs of very finely chopped dense straw.
I chopped 3 bales of those round things with a tractor chopper last year but the cut was no where near fine enough. If you can get them pellets are expensive but worth it in storage space reduction.
-------------------- Commercial exotics farmer for 8 years - now sold up!
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Jim Morrison
Lizard King



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Re: Compressed straw the bomb! [Re: solarity]
#22392043 - 10/17/15 06:51 AM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
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Holy crap! Now that's a shit load of straw.
-------------------- Jim Morrison's Trade List Live Long and Myceliate! The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws. Ayn Rand
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dreadhed

Registered: 01/21/11
Posts: 175
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Re: Compressed straw the bomb! [Re: solarity]
#22392409 - 10/17/15 09:30 AM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
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Quote:
solarity said: It's straw pellets - that bag hydrates to 7500lbs of very finely chopped dense straw.
I chopped 3 bales of those round things with a tractor chopper last year but the cut was no where near fine enough. If you can get them pellets are expensive but worth it in storage space reduction.
I've just started using straw pellets a while ago & have had some luck with them. How do you prep your pellets?
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Gr0wer
always improving


Registered: 09/16/03
Posts: 6,056
Loc: El Paso, TX
Last seen: 5 years, 10 months
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Re: Compressed straw the bomb! [Re: dreadhed]
#22392648 - 10/17/15 10:23 AM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
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curse you solarity it seems all the straw pellets in bulk are mainly a european item, maybe i just need to search deeper. There is always the option of buying a few round bales and going to a pellet mill for a custom order, i know some in the north east do this for landowners with their own trees. I did however find some cool bulk delivery companies that hook up to your house and pump your bags full of wood pellets.
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shroombasa
Sojourner



Registered: 05/02/15
Posts: 364
Loc: 'Merka
Last seen: 3 years, 3 months
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Quote:
Nakedmushroomguru said: I just use a little but it has increased my yield and the seems to produce a longer lasting healthier mushroom . It also as sped up colonization times by a day or to
I've been considering using alfalfa, but I've been reading some of Buckeye's threads and it seems that they cause the logs to overheat in the warmer months. How much do you supplement?
-------------------- Trade list
Peace and long life.
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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: Compressed straw the bomb! [Re: shroombasa]
#22394791 - 10/17/15 06:57 PM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
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someone get me one of these: a pull behind straw pelletizer!
I've got thousands of acres of wheat within 20 miles of my farm. Wonder what they run new?
http://www.meccagri.it/premos-5000-pellet-direttamente-in-campo-con-l-ultima-novita-di-krone/
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Gr0wer
always improving


Registered: 09/16/03
Posts: 6,056
Loc: El Paso, TX
Last seen: 5 years, 10 months
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Re: Compressed straw the bomb! [Re: drake89]
#22394899 - 10/17/15 07:21 PM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
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Has to be $100-200k+ pretty sweet though.
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Gr0wer
always improving


Registered: 09/16/03
Posts: 6,056
Loc: El Paso, TX
Last seen: 5 years, 10 months
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Re: Compressed straw the bomb! [Re: Gr0wer]
#22660801 - 12/15/15 09:28 PM (8 years, 1 month ago) |
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Now that i've been working with this a while and i'm finally doing full bales i can give a good report.
So it looks like this is barley straw, judging by the seeds. Some bales have sections where you will find longer strands of straw, still most of the bale is well chopped and i use it all as is, don't have time to chop onesies twosies. Each bale weighs 50 lbs, i'll break it up and bag it into 12 bags with ~1830g straw in each bale 75g gypsum and 75g espoma organic fertilizer then hot water bath pasteurize in a 55 gal drum for 60-90min. This gives me six 34-37 lb logs using 2-3 jars of spawn per log for ~210lb total weight.
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enlightened seed
Utopia is a state of mind



Registered: 05/04/07
Posts: 2,117
Loc: amongst civilization
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Re: Compressed straw the bomb! [Re: Gr0wer]
#22665481 - 12/16/15 10:30 PM (8 years, 1 month ago) |
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what type of places sell straw?
i have asked at some gardening stores with no luck, maybe i should have look at tractor supply?
or somewhere else?
edit : i looked on their web page and sure enough....
Edited by enlightened seed (12/16/15 10:56 PM)
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dhype773
Enter the Void


Registered: 10/29/15
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The straw that Gr0wer uses is from Tractor Supply (as stated earlier in the thread). I plan on using the same for my first grow once I score jay a few more small necessities to do it right. You could find it cheaper from a local farmer if you have any around, but it will not be chopped.
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Baby_Hitler
Errorist




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Re: Compressed straw the bomb! [Re: dhype773]
#22666591 - 12/17/15 07:13 AM (8 years, 1 month ago) |
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Apparently, TSC chopped, compressed straw bales are kind of seedy. People complain (on the TSC website) about barley sprouting up in their yards after using it.
-------------------- Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ (•_•) <) )~ ANTIFA / \ \(•_•) ( (> SUPER / \ (•_•) <) )> SOLDIERS / \
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drake89
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Registered: 06/26/11
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Re: Compressed straw the bomb! [Re: Baby_Hitler]
#22666619 - 12/17/15 07:29 AM (8 years, 1 month ago) |
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Quote:
Baby_Hitler said: Apparently, TSC chopped, compressed straw bales are kind of seedy. People complain (on the TSC website) about barley sprouting up in their yards after using it.
a little barley never hurt anyone
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Gr0wer
always improving


Registered: 09/16/03
Posts: 6,056
Loc: El Paso, TX
Last seen: 5 years, 10 months
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Re: Compressed straw the bomb! [Re: Baby_Hitler]
#22666623 - 12/17/15 07:32 AM (8 years, 1 month ago) |
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Most straw has seeds in it. Don't sweat the seeds. I used to separate them out using water since seeds sink but i've since stopped and still haven't had a single oyster log contam and i'm somewhere around 30 logs. I was actually thinking of supplementing with more seeds Maybe one day as an experiment.
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Jim Morrison
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Re: Compressed straw the bomb! [Re: Gr0wer]
#22666700 - 12/17/15 08:16 AM (8 years, 1 month ago) |
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Never had oat straw sprout after pasteurization.
-------------------- Jim Morrison's Trade List Live Long and Myceliate! The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws. Ayn Rand
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Gr0wer
always improving


Registered: 09/16/03
Posts: 6,056
Loc: El Paso, TX
Last seen: 5 years, 10 months
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Yea hot bath pasteurized straw wont sprout but I belive he was getting at they may be a source for contamination not being sterilized, which is not the case.
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Baby_Hitler
Errorist




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Re: Compressed straw the bomb! [Re: Gr0wer]
#22667893 - 12/17/15 02:19 PM (8 years, 1 month ago) |
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That was the main thing I was concerned about. Glad to hear you haven't been having problems with it.
-------------------- Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ (•_•) <) )~ ANTIFA / \ \(•_•) ( (> SUPER / \ (•_•) <) )> SOLDIERS / \
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