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Stipe-n Cap


Registered: 08/04/12
Posts: 7,623
Loc: Canada
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Uncle Ben's "Tek" 10
#28500223 - 10/11/23 02:33 PM (3 months, 15 days ago) |
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All Uncle Ben's threads will be locked:
The "Uncle Ben's Tek" is not a viable tek. The Shroomery would like to encourage new mushroom cultivators to adopt beginner friendly teks with proven track records; Bottom line, we want everyone to grow and harvest mushrooms with the highest possible rate of success.
If you insist upon using UB Tek, you can find plenty of amateur growers willing to help you over at Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/unclebens/
Or use the search function to access previously discussed grows, which will also be locked as they pop back up.
The following post will outline why the Uncle Ben's "tek" is not endorsed, nor encouraged at The Shroomery:
Every new grower equates any result whatsoever with success. "I grew mushrooms, therefore x technique works", appears to be the sentiment. I would like to think that a simple, logical, reasonable explanation as to why this technique is less than desirable would be sufficient, so here it goes:
Grain packets inoculated with contaminated spore solution, filtered by micropore tape covering a hole opened by non-sterile scissors or blade, may in fact result in mushrooms; however, the gods of probably dictate that:
Quote:
You may reasonably expect a man to walk a tightrope safely for ten minutes; it would be unreasonable to do so without accident for two hundred years.
Volume will reveal flaws in any technique, or inoculum. Uncle Ben's "tek" was designed by and employed by people who do not understand the basic principles handed down to us by the wider scientific disciplines of microbiology, bacteriology, and mycology. Uncle Ben's tek is the bacteriologists equivalent of inoculating agar with spit, then streaking with an isopropyl soaked fingertip to streak for species identification.
This is why the wider world of commercial mushroom farming sees us like this:
 
Even if Uncle Ben's pouches were immaculately sterile, spore solution isn't. Spore syringes are not sterile, although some are admittedly cleaner than others. Even if an UB pouch has been inoculated with clean LC, or an agar wedge without having first cross contaminated the bag while opening it, you're still left with a bag filtered by micropore tape:
1. Whole cooked rice is a terrible choice for spawn;
2. Noobs looking for a hassle free approach to cult shouldn't be attempting a back door hack for spawn production;
3. Even if fruited straight from the rice pouch without use as spawn, fruited grains produce meager results at best, especially when inoculated with spore solution.
This is why changing the inoculum in an attempt to save the "tek" doesn't really change anything. You're still making some of the worst spawn possible, or the worst fruiting substrate possible; No matter how you tweak the variables you're left with garbage.
Especially if you're capable of producing pure culture on agar or liquid culture, you've just wasted it on a trash substrate housed in a garbage vessel.
The multispore solution approach can "work", but why would you bother?
Let's remember this "tek" is used to produce spawn, unlike PF tek, which is an encapsulated fruiting substrate. Contaminated spawn carries competitor organisms which are exponentially multiplied when introduced to a hydrated bulk substrate. Bacteria and mold love warm, humid, stagnant environments.
PF tek on the other hand is designed for septic spore solution, it's designed with failure in mind. The intention of the PF tek is to fruit directly from the inoculated substrate which is left intact, the granular rice flour keeps bacteria locked in place allowing for the possibility of a flush even when contaminated.
New cultivators simply do not have the requisite knowledge to appreciate the sheer simplistic genius of the PF tek. PF tek can be inoculated without the use of a still-air-box (SAB), or any consideration for aseptic technique, previous experience, expensive equipment, or much knowledge.
PF tek doesn't require a pressure cooker; PF tek is inexpensive; PF tek is noob friendly; PF tek is designed for use with septic spore syringes; PF tek is designed to be run cheaply in volume, and is the only acceptable, reasonable introduction tek for new growers exploring the cultivation of multiple active species, not just one, without the requirement for obtaining expensive equipment.
PF tek is the only appropriate entry level tek. There is no comparison, there's no contention, there's no competition.
Uncle bens fails on every single point of analysis; Failing to see this is either the result of incompetence, or intellectual dishonesty, probably both simultaneously, unless you're a freshly minted cultivator.
Rice pouches = spawn, spawn is at least an intermediate level cultivation practice, not an entry level skill. The use of spawn is by definition more advanced than fruiting from PF jars, therefore PF is far less complicated, and far more noob friendly.
Failure will be higher with UB when compared to PF, making PF the obvious choice for folks who want a hassle free, simplistic, inexpensive introduction to mush cult that produces results.
If producing your own BRF with a coffee grinder is too much of a pita, pre-milled brown rice flour is widely available and very inexpensive. Hydrated brown rice flour mixed with vermiculite is the superior comparative media.
Rice pouches produce a high rate of failure, largely due to the use of septic spore solution being introduced to a moist, still air environment. Spawn is inevitably mixed/disturbed at some point, whether it's directly after inoculation, during spawn-run, or just prior to spawning to bulk substrate.
Bacteria has limited motility without the presence of sufficient moisture, and when agitation/shaking has been removed from the process. Using too much spore solution will exacerbate bacterial infections due to increased bacterial motility throughout the medium; however, even when a single drop of MS-solution is used, the agitation of the rice prior to spawning blends the bacteria (or any other contaminant) globally throughout the packet, and then homogeneously throughout the bulk substrate at spawning. Bulk substrate is a water reservoir, contaminants love moist/humid environments.
It's worth mentioning that any disruption of the mycelial colony via breakage will weaken the organisms ability to stave off infections, this is why spawn will stall post shake: stalling is the result of contamination which has taken advantage of the weakened host. This also applies to the bulk substrate post spawning. Infected spawn will grow slowly, produce metabolites, Trichoderma, molds, and aggressive bacterial blooms.
It's at this stage when the new grower must decide which tubs to purchase, what hole configuration to employ with their tubs, what tubs to buy, what brand of coir to use, how much water is required, if pasteurization is required, etc, up to and including never ending threads asking the same questions ad nauseum. This is when I ask: have you ever heard of PF tek?
UB produces failure on a biblical scale. Loss should be factored into any pricing analysis, failure means: more spore solution required to produce fruit, more packets, time wasted, etc.
PF Tek, on the other hand is not spawn, it's a type of "all in one" fruiting substrate. The entire life cycle of the mushroom is played out in one rigid sterile container. The design prevents cross contamination, and provides adequate filtration; The substrate remains intact throughout the life cycle which limits the scope of inevitable infections by removing agitation of the substrate.
By maintaining the integrity of your media your colony will have a greater chance of producing fruit even when threatened by aggressive bacteria, this is simply not the case with UB. The granular structure of the BRF/vermiculite combo further restricts bacterial motility.
You don't know what you don't know. This is basic and self evident to anyone with an understanding of cultivation practices, the mushroom life cycle, and a basic understanding of contamination.
PF requires only a pot, water, brown rice flour, and vermiculite. The one time purchase of jars is just that, one time. These jars can be easily and truly rendered sterile, and can be reused hundreds of times. They're capable of maintaining that sterility, and are nearly fool proof.
New growers lack the requisite experience to identify problems with spawn. Spore solution to spawn of any kind will produce contamination, the same contamination will present itself in pf jars. UB packs restrict visibility, which makes identifying contamination difficult unless absolutely obvious, Trichoderma or some other mold would be an obvious indicator to some, while others confuse it with enzymatic bluing.
Contamination identification is an intermediate to advanced level cultivation skill. Even when bacterial, yeast, or mold contaminations are apparent to more advanced growers, the new grower will oftentimes argue as though their personal identity has been violated, then proceed to expand their rekt spawn.
PF is designed to allow maximum visibility when injecting spore solution down the face of the glass jars. This visibility allows the new grower to correlate outcome with growth patterns. They quickly learn which visual identifiers correspond to either outright failure or reduced fruiting performance without sacrificing downstream resources.
No shaking, no spawning, no requirement for ninja eyes. Uncle bens is a spawn production tek that at it's core is essentially a contamination expansion tek. This is why we do not endorse the use of Uncle bens here at the Shroomery, it has nothing to do with jealousy.
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jack_straw2208
Doctor



Registered: 02/12/07
Posts: 3,115
Loc: Earth
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Stipe-n Cap] 1
#28500233 - 10/11/23 02:44 PM (3 months, 15 days ago) |
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What about stir fry recipes?
I am a big fan of water chestnuts and baby corn, it should be noted that ginger does not need to be skinned prior to grating.
Onion, garlic, green pepper, broccoli, mushrooms!
homemade teriyaki is a lot of fun too, if you have powdered ginger and garlic and soy sauce you might not even have to go to the store
-------------------- If you canβt tell what you desperately need, itβs probably sleep.
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Stipe-n Cap


Registered: 08/04/12
Posts: 7,623
Loc: Canada
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Off to a good start with temp troll bans.
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Kinoko314
Stranger Danger



Registered: 12/16/22
Posts: 1,521
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Stipe-n Cap]
#28500280 - 10/11/23 03:19 PM (3 months, 15 days ago) |
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This was probably necessary. Every couple of weeks we go through this whole thing again and again.
I tried it once with 4 bags, nocced up with a LI. They all ended up quite colorful. It might have been my LI, it might have been the micropore tape filter, or maybe both.
Instant rice is still more expensive than grain, even if you don't count failing bags that go in the trash. Even the cleanest ones never canopy afaik. Has anyone ever seen a UB canopy?
People will keep trying it, and some will get a handful of shrooms, but that doesn't make it a good tek.
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Screwup
Googles your dumb questions


Registered: 01/27/22
Posts: 6,295
Last seen: 17 minutes, 48 seconds
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Kinoko314] 3
#28500292 - 10/11/23 03:29 PM (3 months, 15 days ago) |
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UNCLE BENS IS SUPERIOR AND IM TIRED OF ACTING LIKE ITS NOT
-------------------- π
π΄ π° πΌ π² π» πΈ π½ πΆ π
π
π° πΏ Help US help YOU TEK 2023 Dehydrator TEK
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Stipe-n Cap


Registered: 08/04/12
Posts: 7,623
Loc: Canada
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Kinoko314]
#28500300 - 10/11/23 03:37 PM (3 months, 15 days ago) |
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Yeah, it was either this or a blanket ban on all bullshit UB arguments, because that's what these threads turn into.
There's some genuine/sincere individuals who are new to the hobby and just don't know any better, but I have a hunch most of these threads are initiated by trolls.
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Screwup
Googles your dumb questions


Registered: 01/27/22
Posts: 6,295
Last seen: 17 minutes, 48 seconds
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Stipe-n Cap] 1
#28500324 - 10/11/23 03:53 PM (3 months, 15 days ago) |
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A lot of the dumbass threads all around where people really dig in on their stupidity are trolls but somehow theyβll get legitimized lmao. I think weβre due for one any time now feels like itβs been quite a while.
THUUUGNAR I MISS YOU π
-------------------- π
π΄ π° πΌ π² π» πΈ π½ πΆ π
π
π° πΏ Help US help YOU TEK 2023 Dehydrator TEK
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Jabeebaboo
Stranger


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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Screwup] 1
#28500387 - 10/11/23 04:56 PM (3 months, 15 days ago) |
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I'm finishing up with my first grow, which I did with dollar store Uncle Ben's. I started with 10 bags, 5 of them grew mold. 2 Trich, 2 Penicillin, and 1 with some nice Aspergillus. While I'm definitely not unhappy with what I'm getting, I could've gotten so much more with the same amount of effort. Also pretty certain what "clean" spawn I managed was still bacterial.
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Benson
The Kidd β


Registered: 09/29/20
Posts: 837
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Jabeebaboo]
#28500414 - 10/11/23 05:19 PM (3 months, 15 days ago) |
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Quote:
I will be locking all future Uncle bens threads on sight

Good move, thanks!
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CorteX_


Registered: 07/26/05
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Benson] 1
#28500419 - 10/11/23 05:21 PM (3 months, 15 days ago) |
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I would love to see a slightly bacterial spore syringe vs both brf+verm and wbr side by side to compare how effective PF really is. UB sucks, but I consider WBR to be better than PF assuming you prep it yourself. It's actually fairly decent and it will cut colonization time in half. Used to do it all the time before I got my PC and has always worked well.
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B Traven
Stranger



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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Jabeebaboo] 2
#28500423 - 10/11/23 05:25 PM (3 months, 15 days ago) |
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Wow, so all Uncle Ben's related discussion will pass through this thread, then we'll manage it here.
Sounds like....gate-keeping....
One other point: There are different standards of sterilization. Aseptic packaging for something like microwaveable rice only needs to keep it shelf-stable in undisturbed, anoxic conditions until someone throws it in the microwave. A lot of the mold spores and bacteria that we're trying to kill when sterilizing grain jars aren't harmful to humans in the form that we find them on raw grains. Exposing rice bags to oxygen, adding extra moisture, and then letting them sit around for a few weeks is not something they planned for at the USDA or the factory.
-------------------- Beware of advice- even this.
Edited by B Traven (10/11/23 05:27 PM)
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meta_mmxxii


Registered: 08/03/23
Posts: 598
Loc: PNW
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: B Traven]
#28500447 - 10/11/23 05:46 PM (3 months, 15 days ago) |
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Thanks for creating this Stipe, I was getting a little fed up with this nonsense all over the board, good lookin!
-------------------- Lots of up-to-date Teks: Trusted Cultivators Teks The most comprehensive explanation of things I have read on the forums: Ultimate Tek Compendium Another very good read for new members: The Hitchhikers Guide π
π΄ π° πΌ π² π» πΈ π½ πΆ π
π
π° πΏ
Edited by meta_mmxxii (10/11/23 06:19 PM)
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BeefSupremeJr
Detritivore



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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: meta_mmxxii] 2
#28500467 - 10/11/23 06:00 PM (3 months, 15 days ago) |
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as always ill throw my usual card in the hat:
its one of the most expensive grains to use as spawn. At $2.33 per half lb bag (walmart) that comes to $233 per 50 lbs. Feed stock wheat or oats is between 12-17$ per 50 lbs and is in every way superior to rice.
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RonnieRazz
Stranger
Registered: 09/28/23
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Hey there everyone quick question, this is my first time growing I put together a couple different teks and this one just happened to get done first I was wondering what your guys thoughts were on if this looks ready to transfer over to my fruiting chamber..?

Edited by RonnieRazz (10/11/23 06:37 PM)
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B Traven
Stranger



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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: RonnieRazz]
#28500551 - 10/11/23 06:53 PM (3 months, 15 days ago) |
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Quote:
RonnieRazz said: Hey there everyone quick question, this is my first time growing I put together a couple different teks and this one just happened to get done first I was wondering what your guys thoughts were on if this looks ready to transfer over to my fruiting chamber..?


The pics are blurry, and the bags don't offer much visibility in the first place.
But yeah, I'd say they're as ready as they'll ever be!
-------------------- Beware of advice- even this.
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mentalAstronaut
Stranger

Registered: 09/22/23
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Quote:
BeefSupremeJr said: as always ill throw my usual card in the hat:
its one of the most expensive grains to use as spawn. At $2.33 per half lb bag (walmart) that comes to $233 per 50 lbs. Feed stock wheat or oats is between 12-17$ per 50 lbs and is in every way superior to rice.
Which is all well and good if you have plans or a use for 50# of grain/oats/etc...Uncle Ben's is available in bags that only cost $2.33 and are readily available. I was tempted to do UBtek partly for that reason, but fortunately found enough threads/discussion like this one to show the error of that thinking.
I think threads like this that can show WHY UB is a bad idea are extremely beneficial instead of propagating it as a viable entry into the hobby. I think examples of other cost efficient/scale/successful/inconspicuous options presented in one place will help more people make an informed decision.
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B Traven
Stranger



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Quote:
mentalAstronaut said:
Quote:
BeefSupremeJr said: as always ill throw my usual card in the hat:
its one of the most expensive grains to use as spawn. At $2.33 per half lb bag (walmart) that comes to $233 per 50 lbs. Feed stock wheat or oats is between 12-17$ per 50 lbs and is in every way superior to rice.
Which is all well and good if you have plans or a use for 50# of grain/oats/etc...Uncle Ben's is available in bags that only cost $2.33 and are readily available.
I buy grain in the bulk section of my local grocery store. Less than $2 a dry pound, so drastically cheaper than microwaveable rice. And I can buy as little as I like.
Any store that sells microwaveable rice probably also carries small boxes or bags of dry rice.
But that's all kind of beside the point, because you shouldn't really be messing with whole grain unless you have a pressure cooker, which is a substantial investment. So that brings us back to PF tek, and tracking down vermiculite and wide-mouth half-pint jars. And maybe a coffee grinder if you're prepping your own brown rice flour. Still a pretty cheap and quick trip to one or two stores, and it'll set you up for many successful PF cakes.
UBtek is the crack rock of cultivation, except that crack is more reliable.
-------------------- Beware of advice- even this.
Edited by B Traven (10/11/23 07:32 PM)
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AskingAlexis
Stranger
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Stipe-n Cap]
#28500739 - 10/11/23 08:09 PM (3 months, 15 days ago) |
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UB to coir just for fun and they look like shit. (I have legitimate teks going now too) I inoculated two bags, put them both in

to a little tub thing and they look like theyβre knotting. Surprised the hell outta me! Still plenty of time for things to go very wrong though.
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DrunkPunk
Not a drunk, not a punk.



Registered: 10/08/22
Posts: 59
Loc: Colorado
Last seen: 2 months, 19 days
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Quote:
mentalAstronaut said: I think examples of other cost efficient/scale/successful/inconspicuous options presented in one place will help more people make an informed decision.
Speechless.
Queuing up Bod's Sticky.
https://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/24144021
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AskingAlexis
Stranger
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: AskingAlexis]
#28500754 - 10/11/23 08:17 PM (3 months, 15 days ago) |
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Quote:
AskingAlexis said: UB to coir just for fun and they look like shit. (I have legitimate teks going now too) I inoculated two bags, put them both in

to a little tub thing and they look like theyβre knotting. Surprised the hell outta me! Still plenty of time for things to go very wrong though.
Iβm not sure why it keeps adding some of the pictures in between my words? Thatβs weird and I didnβt do that myself. They just uploaded that way. Lol
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B Traven
Stranger



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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: AskingAlexis]
#28500871 - 10/11/23 09:05 PM (3 months, 15 days ago) |
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Quote:
AskingAlexis said: UB to coir just for fun and they look like shit. (I have legitimate teks going now too) I inoculated two bags, put them both in to a little tub thing and they look like theyβre knotting. Surprised the hell outta me! Still plenty of time for things to go very wrong though.



Everything runs on transparent and versatile, but sometimes confusing, old-school url codes. You got the pictures pasted in fine, but the code for them just ended up in the middle of your paragraph somehow.
If you quote my post, you can see all of the code in it.
If you click "edit" on the original post you made, you can compare notes and see how I rearranged it.
There's a reason why almost all my posts have taglines indicating that I later edited them lol
-------------------- Beware of advice- even this.
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chikn fingaz


Registered: 02/24/23
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: B Traven] 1
#28500878 - 10/11/23 09:12 PM (3 months, 15 days ago) |
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Do we know who came up with Uncle Bens tek, so we can give them 99 years of hard labor?
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Kinoko314
Stranger Danger



Registered: 12/16/22
Posts: 1,521
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: B Traven]
#28500900 - 10/11/23 09:21 PM (3 months, 15 days ago) |
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Quote:
B Traven said:
Quote:
AskingAlexis said: UB to coir just for fun and they look like shit. (I have legitimate teks going now too) I inoculated two bags, put them both in to a little tub thing and they look like theyβre knotting. Surprised the hell outta me! Still plenty of time for things to go very wrong though.
  
Everything runs on transparent and versatile, but sometimes confusing, old-school url codes. You got the pictures pasted in fine, but the code for them just ended up in the middle of your paragraph somehow.
If you quote my post, you can see all of the code in it.
If you click "edit" on the original post you made, you can compare notes and see how I rearranged it.
There's a reason why almost all my posts have taglines indicating that I later edited them lol
Or you can get rid of the spaces between pics so that it doesn't have to be so looooooong.
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Baba Yaga
β₯ coir grower

Registered: 09/13/20
Posts: 3,955
Loc: Hyperspace Chicken Coop
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Kinoko314] 2
#28501022 - 10/11/23 11:08 PM (3 months, 15 days ago) |
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I know Uncle Bens is rubbish but what about the new and improved Uncle Beans?
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vfb123


Registered: 12/23/22
Posts: 43
Loc: Canada
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: B Traven] 1
#28501038 - 10/11/23 11:34 PM (3 months, 15 days ago) |
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Quote:
B Traven said: UBtek is the crack rock of cultivation, except that crack is more reliable.
If Uncle Ben's is the crack rock of cultivation, then agar plates are freebase.
-------------------- -vfb123
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Beano
Tree turds



Registered: 11/11/06
Posts: 198
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Baba Yaga] 2
#28501042 - 10/11/23 11:41 PM (3 months, 15 days ago) |
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Quote:
Baba Yaga said: I know Uncle Bens is rubbish but what about the new and improved Uncle Beans?


I'll spread the good word
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AskingAlexis
Stranger
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: B Traven]
#28502259 - 10/12/23 07:42 PM (3 months, 14 days ago) |
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Quote:
B Traven said:
Quote:
AskingAlexis said: UB to coir just for fun and they look like shit. (I have legitimate teks going now too) I inoculated two bags, put them both in to a little tub thing and they look like theyβre knotting. Surprised the hell outta me! Still plenty of time for things to go very wrong though.



Everything runs on transparent and versatile, but sometimes confusing, old-school url codes. You got the pictures pasted in fine, but the code for them just ended up in the middle of your paragraph somehow.
If you quote my post, you can see all of the code in it.
If you click "edit" on the original post you made, you can compare notes and see how I rearranged it.
There's a reason why almost all my posts have taglines indicating that I later edited them lol
Shroomery auto-pasted them in for me though. I just clicked the little image that allows you to upload pics to your post and thatβs just where it added them for some reason. If I was on a computer I wouldnβt mind going through and trying to fancy my post up but I absolutely hate trying it on my phone. Hereβs an update though. I removed one of the cakes out of the bowl and just laid it on my incubator tray filled with water because the sides had a lot of knotting going on too so I figured if the sides were gonna pin too I might as well open it up for it to do so. I left the other in the bowl it was in. Iβm still not even 100% sure these are knots but itβs what it looks like to me.

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BeefSupremeJr
Detritivore



Registered: 11/02/11
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: AskingAlexis]
#28502277 - 10/12/23 07:47 PM (3 months, 14 days ago) |
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incubator eh? I suppose theres little and less we can do to talk you out of that too.
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B Traven
Stranger



Registered: 03/10/20
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But you can still see the code if you go to edit your post.
I do everything on my phone, including cleaning up that post for you lol
-------------------- Beware of advice- even this.
Edited by B Traven (10/12/23 07:53 PM)
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AskingAlexis
Stranger
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: B Traven]
#28502300 - 10/12/23 07:54 PM (3 months, 14 days ago) |
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I didnβt say I couldnβt. I just said itβs annoying.
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meta_mmxxii


Registered: 08/03/23
Posts: 598
Loc: PNW
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: chikn fingaz]
#28502500 - 10/12/23 09:48 PM (3 months, 14 days ago) |
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Quote:
Spacecadet94 said: Do we know who came up with Uncle Bens tek, so we can give them 99 years of hard labor?
I believe Uncle Ben himself invented the tek just before he died after eating one of the mushrooms from his first flush. lmao
-------------------- Lots of up-to-date Teks: Trusted Cultivators Teks The most comprehensive explanation of things I have read on the forums: Ultimate Tek Compendium Another very good read for new members: The Hitchhikers Guide π
π΄ π° πΌ π² π» πΈ π½ πΆ π
π
π° πΏ
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B Traven
Stranger



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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: meta_mmxxii]
#28502524 - 10/12/23 10:00 PM (3 months, 14 days ago) |
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meta_mmxxii said:
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Spacecadet94 said: Do we know who came up with Uncle Bens tek, so we can give them 99 years of hard labor?
I believe Uncle Ben himself invented the tek just before he died after eating one of the mushrooms from his first flush. lmao
Everyone thinks the name change to Ben's Original was a way to sweep a racist trope under the rug.
But really, it was Uncle Ben reaching nirvana from all those sweet, sweet mushrooms grown from his bags. And it could only happen after some executives in the Mars corporation were inspired by divine wisdom to start marketing heat-and-serve microwaveable rice pouches. That was the catalyst for the legions of the faithful to implement UBtek, which eventually led to Uncle Ben's ascension.
-------------------- Beware of advice- even this.
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veggie

Registered: 07/25/04
Posts: 17,501
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: chikn fingaz] 1
#28502716 - 10/13/23 02:00 AM (3 months, 14 days ago) |
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Quote:
Spacecadet94 said: Do we know who came up with Uncle Bens tek, so we can give them 99 years of hard labor?
The Uncle Ben's Tek, as it is now known, was developed right here on The Shroomery some 20 years ago. Some cultivators tried it with some success, many failed miserably with moldy, bacterial messes. It was discarded as a viable tek due to it's low 20-25% success rate, and cultivators stayed with the standard, proven, high success techniques. That being the traditional agar β grain β substrate, starting from a spore print for those with a PC and the PF-Tek (BRF/Verm) starting with a spore syringe for those without a PC.
Somehow a few years back UB found it's way to reddit and youtube, as most of our outdated scrapped teks do, and surprisingly gained popularity and a loyal following.
We can steer people towards the easy, highly productive methods and away from UB, but many people will refuse to budge and defend the UB. And that is their right. We can ignore them. We don't have to feed the trolls, as some of them may be. Trying to force people to change their minds makes them more resistant to change. Many will come around on their own weeks or years later or not at all. That is their choice.
This thread can be productive, but it can easily turn into a mean-spirited, troll fest, where shroomerites attack the tek and insult and ridicule new users who dare use a method not recommended by most cultivators. It has happened before. I hope that doesn't happen here, just wanted to point that out.
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DERRAYLD
Constructus


Registered: 05/13/02
Posts: 9,281
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: veggie] 1
#28502717 - 10/13/23 02:06 AM (3 months, 14 days ago) |
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We all forget real fast that rice is a viable grain, not as good as the default grains we use but they work.
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B Traven
Stranger



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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: DERRAYLD]
#28502838 - 10/13/23 06:51 AM (3 months, 14 days ago) |
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I think the point of this thread is to cut down on the "Oh, god, not another UB thread " reaction, and to allow people to give actual advice on projects in-process without feeling like enablers. And as we've gotten all the caveats out of the way in one central location, there's no need to over-engage with the people who choose that hill to die on.
I'm not gonna lie, UBtek represents the worst combination of corporate branding and wasteful consumption to me. If I clown a bit, it's actually just to avoid getting sanctimonious about the whole thing.
-------------------- Beware of advice- even this.
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B Traven
Stranger



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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: AskingAlexis]
#28502860 - 10/13/23 07:06 AM (3 months, 13 days ago) |
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Quote:
AskingAlexis said:
Quote:
B Traven said:
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AskingAlexis said: UB to coir just for fun and they look like shit. (I have legitimate teks going now too) I inoculated two bags, put them both in to a little tub thing and they look like theyβre knotting. Surprised the hell outta me! Still plenty of time for things to go very wrong though.



Everything runs on transparent and versatile, but sometimes confusing, old-school url codes. You got the pictures pasted in fine, but the code for them just ended up in the middle of your paragraph somehow.
If you quote my post, you can see all of the code in it.
If you click "edit" on the original post you made, you can compare notes and see how I rearranged it.
There's a reason why almost all my posts have taglines indicating that I later edited them lol
Shroomery auto-pasted them in for me though. I just clicked the little image that allows you to upload pics to your post and thatβs just where it added them for some reason. If I was on a computer I wouldnβt mind going through and trying to fancy my post up but I absolutely hate trying it on my phone. Hereβs an update though. I removed one of the cakes out of the bowl and just laid it on my incubator tray filled with water because the sides had a lot of knotting going on too so I figured if the sides were gonna pin too I might as well open it up for it to do so. I left the other in the bowl it was in. Iβm still not even 100% sure these are knots but itβs what it looks like to me.


You still clicked a click or whatever to have the code for the images dropped in to where it landed the middle of your paragraph, but nevermind. It was easy enough to follow, anyway. Sometimes I accidentally delete the wrong part of the quote codes, and end up with such a mess that I get frustrated and delete everything lol
Yeah, there are definitely some knots forming there. Surface conditions look ok to me. Not much to do but cross your fingers and let it ride!
-------------------- Beware of advice- even this.
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Stipe-n Cap


Registered: 08/04/12
Posts: 7,623
Loc: Canada
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: B Traven] 2
#28502914 - 10/13/23 07:49 AM (3 months, 13 days ago) |
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Quote:
B Traven said: I think the point of this thread is to cut down on the "Oh, god, not another UB thread " reaction, and to allow people to give actual advice on projects in-process without feeling like enablers. And as we've gotten all the caveats out of the way in one central location, there's no need to over-engage with the people who choose that hill to die on.
Correct.
The OP clearly states why we don't support UB; it provides an alternative, helps the sincere noob while outing trolls and their antiestablishment-crusader cousins who possess a greater desire for dopamine by combat, rather than a sincere interest in cult. They can expect removal by ban hammer.
This thread is not intended for encouragement with UB grows, advice on "how things look" etc. Should an UB zealot attempt to highjack this thread for pontification, their post will be deleted, then issued a vacation.
This thread might just be locked outright, the OP converted to a disclaimer and warning. No discussion. This subject has been sufficiently covered ny the OP and all previous threads on the topic.
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lowbrow
Paddy Time!!!!


Registered: 09/12/08
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Stipe-n Cap]
#28503225 - 10/13/23 11:54 AM (3 months, 13 days ago) |
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Uncle Benβs is not the only brown rice in a pouch. Dollar Tree is rocking a highly inexpensive knock off.
-------------------- Amanita86 said: Sui is trying to mod right now. Kinda like a newborn calf tryin ta stand fer the first time ainβt it..
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BeefSupremeJr
Detritivore



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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: lowbrow]
#28503238 - 10/13/23 12:08 PM (3 months, 13 days ago) |
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I thought this thread would be fun. Now i kinda hope stipe just locks it.
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mentalAstronaut
Stranger

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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: DrunkPunk] 1
#28504147 - 10/14/23 09:29 AM (3 months, 12 days ago) |
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Quote:
DrunkPunk said:
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mentalAstronaut said: I think examples of other cost efficient/scale/successful/inconspicuous options presented in one place will help more people make an informed decision.
Speechless.
Queuing up Bod's Sticky.
https://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/24144021
Yes, Bod's sticky is a great post and it s where I started. But you cherry-picked one line out of my comment in order to make a smartass comment (for whatever reason) when I was showing support as someone new to the hobby for why THIS thread was a valid conversation. My whole comment was referring to a resource as to WHY UBtek is bad and alternatives. People go with UB because is sounds the easiest and the amount of information here and elsewhere can be overwhelming. As a newcomer, as helpful as Bod's sticky is, BeefSupremeJr's recent post https://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/28501530/page/1 I think is a very good addition, along with the current thread.
Edited by mentalAstronaut (10/14/23 09:52 AM)
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elasticaltiger
Like Tigers in Coitus




Registered: 06/24/13
Posts: 8,042
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Wait are people actually doing this?
-------------------- First time growing cakes? DON'T make a Shotgun Fruiting Chamber The Shmuvbox. - The Old TC's Like it Afraid to Start Growing From Your Own Prints? Drop it Like a Tiger! No Pouring. No Syringes. No Cutting. No flaming. No Contamination. No Bullshit. "The best thing to do while your waiting is to start more stuff. I usually got so much happening that I have tossed projects simply because I didn't have time for them. -Pastywhite QFT Pastywhite's Easy Agar Tek (PastyPlates) Tiger Drop Video Demos By munchauzen Van Gogh wouldβve sold more than one painting if heβd put tigers in them.βBill Watterson EZEKIEL 23:20
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BeefSupremeJr
Detritivore



Registered: 11/02/11
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Quote:
mentalAstronaut said:
Quote:
DrunkPunk said:
Quote:
mentalAstronaut said: I think examples of other cost efficient/scale/successful/inconspicuous options presented in one place will help more people make an informed decision.
Speechless.
Queuing up Bod's Sticky.
https://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/24144021
Yes, Bod's sticky is a great post and it s where I started. But you cherry-picked one line out of my comment in order to make a smartass comment (for whatever reason) when I was showing support as someone new to the hobby for why THIS thread was a valid conversation. My whole comment was referring to a resource as to WHY UBtek is bad and alternatives. People go with UB because is sounds the easiest and the amount of information here and elsewhere can be overwhelming. As a newcomer, as helpful as Bod's sticky is, BeefSupremeJr's recent post https://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/28501530/page/1 I think is a very good addition, along with the current thread.
i appreciate that. bods sticky has always been a little overwhelming for me. I have a very linear mind. abstract for sure, but i need direction. im trying to help and so is everyone around here. i know theres a certain snarky vibe to the community sometimes. its developed over a long period of posting the same links to ask questions to ad nauseam. we really do just want to cover the world in myc and help everyone do it.
personally i wish we could destroy about 40% of the old info on this site but thats just the nature of this beast.
Im formatting versions of these topics to add to the hitchhikers guide including a "busy/wealthy mans guide" for those people that have more money than time. You can literally buy LC, grain jars, prepped coir. hell, you can buy a premade SAB! slam it all together and you are off to the races! And there's nothing wrong with that. I have friends who are medical professionals that basically do this.
Another topic to address the overall snark that you see. we mean well. some of us have just been talking to each other for so many years that it's like talking to family members. Etiquette just isn't necessary.
try not to take it personal man. we really do want everyone to succeed, we just get really tired of the UB stuff and rotten grow bags etc. Stip
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Texas Honey Badger
No fucks given



Registered: 07/12/18
Posts: 57,700
Loc: Spicemaster Texas
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Quote:
elasticaltiger said: Wait are people actually doing this?
Yeah idiots are actually trying it I tried it 22 years ago Fuck Uncle Ben Tek Itβs not even a Tek
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Some call me Paw πΎ
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Stipe-n Cap


Registered: 08/04/12
Posts: 7,623
Loc: Canada
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Quote:
elasticaltiger said: Wait are people actually doing this?
The dumbest "tek" ever, with the most militant of cult followings. Folks seem to think it's the Achilles heel of the cult oligarchy.
They've realised our fascist control over the world of mushrooms has finally come to an end. Shroomery isn't even their real dad, and they don't have to listen to us anymore 
Uncle Ben wasn't the messiah they wanted, but he's the one they needed.
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elasticaltiger
Like Tigers in Coitus




Registered: 06/24/13
Posts: 8,042
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Stipe-n Cap] 2
#28504263 - 10/14/23 11:25 AM (3 months, 12 days ago) |
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Quote:
Stipe-n Cap said:
Quote:
elasticaltiger said: Wait are people actually doing this?
The dumbest "tek" ever, with the most militant of cult followings. Folks seem to think it's the Achilles heel of the cult oligarchy.
They've realised our fascist control over the world of mushrooms has finally come to an end. Shroomery isn't even their real dad, and they don't have to listen to us anymore 
Uncle Ben wasn't the messiah they wanted, but he's the one they needed.
How dare they. Its like Monty Python's "What have the Romans ever done for us?"
-------------------- First time growing cakes? DON'T make a Shotgun Fruiting Chamber The Shmuvbox. - The Old TC's Like it Afraid to Start Growing From Your Own Prints? Drop it Like a Tiger! No Pouring. No Syringes. No Cutting. No flaming. No Contamination. No Bullshit. "The best thing to do while your waiting is to start more stuff. I usually got so much happening that I have tossed projects simply because I didn't have time for them. -Pastywhite QFT Pastywhite's Easy Agar Tek (PastyPlates) Tiger Drop Video Demos By munchauzen Van Gogh wouldβve sold more than one painting if heβd put tigers in them.βBill Watterson EZEKIEL 23:20
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Texas Honey Badger
No fucks given



Registered: 07/12/18
Posts: 57,700
Loc: Spicemaster Texas
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Stipe-n Cap] 1
#28504268 - 10/14/23 11:29 AM (3 months, 12 days ago) |
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Quote:
Stipe-n Cap said:
Quote:
elasticaltiger said: Wait are people actually doing this?
The dumbest "tek" ever, with the most militant of cult followings. Folks seem to think it's the Achilles heel of the cult oligarchy.
They've realised our fascist control over the world of mushrooms has finally come to an end. Shroomery isn't even their real dad, and they don't have to listen to us anymore 
Uncle Ben wasn't the messiah they wanted, but he's the one they needed.
I suggest a perma bann for anyone pushing any uncle bens teks
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Some call me Paw πΎ
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Anglerfish
hearing things



Registered: 09/08/10
Posts: 18,641
Loc: Norvegr
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: chikn fingaz]
#28504296 - 10/14/23 12:07 PM (3 months, 12 days ago) |
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Quote:
Spacecadet94 said: Do we know who came up with Uncle Bens tek, so we can give them 99 years of hard labor?
I had to google this, and turns out a guy on reddit calling himself Shroomscout claims to be the originator of this "tek".
Source is the following article:
https://www.zamnesia.com/blog-uncle-bens-rice-tek-shroom-cultivation-n2747
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veggie

Registered: 07/25/04
Posts: 17,501
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Anglerfish] 2
#28504334 - 10/14/23 12:46 PM (3 months, 12 days ago) |
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Yeah, people claim Shroomscout came up with the idea even though it was posted on Shroomery 18+ years ago https://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/4170612 and users tried it several years before that. It was called different names over the years. That happens quite often and still happens here where many 'new' teks are just renamed 'old' teks. But Shroomscout can have the credit for UB if he wants. 
I am all for locking new UB tek posts and sending them back to reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/unclebens/. People learn about UB on reddit or youtube and then come to shrooomery when it all goes south, or to brag if they manage to get a few shrooms.
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Stipe-n Cap


Registered: 08/04/12
Posts: 7,623
Loc: Canada
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Anglerfish] 4
#28504341 - 10/14/23 12:54 PM (3 months, 12 days ago) |
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Quote:
When performing the PF tek at home, getting to this stage takes many hours, and requires sterilisation and a pressure cooker. Pre-steamed bags of rice, such as Uncle Benβs, do away with all of this.
Then he said
Quote:
You can make your life easier by using a laminar flow hood, or at the very least a still air box. These pieces of equipment greatly reduce the chances of contamination.
I picture one of those cheesy tv infomercials:
Tired of pressure cooking for hours...
*camera pans to flustered woman with 6 kids trying to juggle milk bottles and diapers while failing to simultaneously operate a 23q Presto*
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Benson
The Kidd β


Registered: 09/29/20
Posts: 837
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: veggie]
#28504367 - 10/14/23 01:29 PM (3 months, 12 days ago) |
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veggie said: https://www.reddit.com/r/unclebens/

One of the first threads I clicked into asking if clearly-contaminated UB was contaminated:

Didn't know myc piss was still in anyone's lexicon
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Kinoko314
Stranger Danger



Registered: 12/16/22
Posts: 1,521
Loc: Colorado
Last seen: 13 days, 12 hours
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Benson]
#28504380 - 10/14/23 01:41 PM (3 months, 12 days ago) |
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Quote:
Benson said:
Didn't know myc piss was still in anyone's lexicon 
People still say it. Then some TC comes along and rages about how it's not piss (which we all already know) and it shuts people up for a while.
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Stipe-n Cap


Registered: 08/04/12
Posts: 7,623
Loc: Canada
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Benson] 3
#28504389 - 10/14/23 01:53 PM (3 months, 12 days ago) |
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Lol, I've definitely been that guy...
This is precisely why I stress the use of correct terminology. If folks would take a second to understand some key terms, they immediately present a framework for troubleshooting.
What's "myc piss" to a noob? Well, it kind of sounds like a natural waste product, nothing to worry about, definitely not a contaminant. If one understands that "myc piss" is actually metabolites, then what you're seeing is a metobolic response. What's a metobolism? What's a metobolic response, "hey google, what is the function of fungal metobolites".... it immediately opens your mind to the algorithmic flow of reasonable questions which produce knowledge.
Fukn myc piss, lel. Somebody ranted in the comments of my yt video that covered symptoms of bacterial spawn. Myc piss was the culprit, nothing to do with bacteria because piss is just a waste product. Bacteria is a shroomery lie, you can't prove it's not piss.
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Kinoko314
Stranger Danger



Registered: 12/16/22
Posts: 1,521
Loc: Colorado
Last seen: 13 days, 12 hours
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Stipe-n Cap]
#28504403 - 10/14/23 02:08 PM (3 months, 12 days ago) |
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OMG, I followed that Reddit link and went down the rabbit hole. This shit is hilarious!
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Stipe-n Cap


Registered: 08/04/12
Posts: 7,623
Loc: Canada
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Kinoko314]
#28504405 - 10/14/23 02:11 PM (3 months, 12 days ago) |
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Absolute legunds.
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BeefSupremeJr
Detritivore



Registered: 11/02/11
Posts: 6,812
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Kinoko314]
#28504408 - 10/14/23 02:13 PM (3 months, 12 days ago) |
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i deleted reddit.. it was rotting my brain.
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WeavieWonder
Time Travel Sucks



Registered: 08/18/16
Posts: 1,455
Loc: USA
Last seen: 1 month, 2 days
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: BeefSupremeJr] 1
#28504956 - 10/14/23 11:27 PM (3 months, 12 days ago) |
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UB tek is lame af, but I think I understand why people are drawn to it.
It is my understanding that the majority of these folks are not looking to invest a lot of money and time into learning the inner workings of mushroom cultivation. They are seeking the path of least resistance to obtain some mushrooms so they can go giggle and have fun with their friends. Nothing wrong with that.
The problem though is that UB is not as reliable as it is made out to be by the people who sell it. UB'ers who have problems come here to seek advice and then get the taste slapped out of there mouth. A lot of heated discussions ya know?
I think giving the UB people their own space is great. UB people can talk to other UB people about UB things. If they want to learn more traditional and reliable methods of cultivation later down the road, I think that would be cool. Most everybody on this forum are receptive to individuals who take a genuine interest in cultivation practices and techniques.
UB tek can work. But it might the worst way to go about it from a scientific perspective. UB'ers probably wouldn't even bother with this shit if they could go to a store and buy mushrooms for a good price. Mush Cult wouldn't though. They'd still all grow they own shit. Because we're all a bunch of nerds.
Cheers Everybody,
- ** WeavieWonder ** - Mushroom Scientist Person
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B Traven
Stranger



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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: WeavieWonder]
#28504970 - 10/14/23 11:46 PM (3 months, 12 days ago) |
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In one of these other threads about UB or outdated TEKs or what-have-you, I mentioned how I got into growing.
I won't repeat myself, but the point was basically that I followed every set of instructions I came across to the best of my ability. I was lucky enough to have my first instructions be the MMGG, and then PFtek straight from the source.
I've met people who were very devoted to growing mushrooms, and just cranking away at UBtek, mainly because it was the first thing they were exposed to. It was "working fine" for them, and they didn't want to rock the boat.
Some people aren't afraid to put in work or invest in equipment, but they're also primarily focused on consistently producing medicine. In their minds, switching techniques carries the risk that someone in need might miss out.
That's the fucked up part about the dialogue around UBtek being "just fine" for "people who just want to trip," etc. It can convey the idea that anything "beyond" UBtek is just for people who want to geek out on a hobby, but UBtek is the real tried-and-true technique for consistent
-------------------- Beware of advice- even this.
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BeefSupremeJr
Detritivore



Registered: 11/02/11
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: B Traven] 2
#28504997 - 10/15/23 12:17 AM (3 months, 12 days ago) |
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that makes perfect sense B. i do even eat the things myself hardly anymore, but i have a lot of people who actually really need them. one of my clients has ALS. another has another horrible neuro disorder i wont name. some have ptsd symptoms, others just manage their depression and anxiety and dont want to be on an ssri or mood stabilizer. very people i know take mushrooms for fun. that said i dont grow them for fun.
i cant actually afford to dick around with any other method than what im doing. i feel like im barely keeping up as it is. id be in real trouble if i lost even one tub right now. dont get me wrong, i do geek out on this craft but i dont do what im doing because its fun. it is fun, but theres a degree of seriousness. I always say im going to do some novelty grows and have some fun but i never have time for it. i want to try getting into some of fahts teks but i do worry that if i fuck up people wont get their medicine.
i dont think UB'ers quite understand this kind of pressure. maybe it really does "work" for them but it would never work for me and my people.
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GogoBonkers
Just another pilgrim



Registered: 07/09/23
Posts: 87
Last seen: 1 hour, 5 minutes
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Some weeks ago, in a local bar, i was talking to a guy i just met first time. He was quite cool, we talked about mushrooms, didn't tell him exactly i'm about to start cultivating, but i explained him the pf-tek, he was quite interested. Then he said "did you know that it's possible to grow from uncle bens rice bags without sterilizing?". He told me it's big on reddit and stuff. First i was like wow, this is great, but then i gave it a thought and figured it's way too expensive and that's also what i told him. At this time i didn't know about the high failure rate, but just money wise it's not clever, if you have the time to get into real growing. I told him to just buy a pressure cooker, read a lot and he'll be fine. Unfortunately i wasn't too deep into shroomery yet, it was when i made my first couple of posts here, which were kind of frustrating, so i didn't advice him to come here. Dunno didn't see him again, he might grow some UB stuff idk
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lowbrow
Paddy Time!!!!


Registered: 09/12/08
Posts: 9,662
Last seen: 15 hours, 48 minutes
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: GogoBonkers]
#28505124 - 10/15/23 05:30 AM (3 months, 12 days ago) |
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The argument that itβs too expensive has had a possible paradigm shift with the discovery of a knock off brand of brown rice at the dollar tree.
Bad reputation or not, a pre-sterilized cubensis medium for a 1.25 aint bad at all.
A tool like that in a mycologists arsenal cannot be ignored.
Since my dollar tree discovery ive been stocking up.
Ever since I heard about this technique Ive been wanting to expiriment with or modify it a little. The idea of using liquid culture instead of spores seems like an entirely feasible modification to the UB tech.
The main argument and the hate for the UB tech is the chance of.contamination.
What happens when contamination is no longer an issue with this tech? Will the hate still remain?
Iβm in the process of designing a device that will cut the contamination factor out of the mix.
One thing I noticed about the availability when I was getting the brown rice packets(at the dollar tree) was that the brown rice packets were scarce. Usually there wasnt any. There was a ton of all the other rice packetss but the brown rice packets seemed to be the most popular I couldnt help but wonder if somebody else was buying hem for cultivation purposes. It could be fanciful thinking on my part but it was one hell of a coincidence.
-------------------- Amanita86 said: Sui is trying to mod right now. Kinda like a newborn calf tryin ta stand fer the first time ainβt it..
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Stipe-n Cap


Registered: 08/04/12
Posts: 7,623
Loc: Canada
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: lowbrow] 2
#28505204 - 10/15/23 07:44 AM (3 months, 11 days ago) |
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Quote:
lowbrow said: The main argument and the hate for the UB tech is the chance of.contamination.
What happens when contamination is no longer an issue with this tech? Will the hate still remain?
Yes. If you read the OP, you'll discover that UB is a spawn production tek. Nothing about UB is appealing, nothing. PF tek is a rice tek, but superior on every conceivable level of analysis.
Quote:
Iβm in the process of designing a device that will cut the contamination factor out of the mix.
Or just use rigid glass jars filled with rice flour, vermiculite, and water. Floppy bags covered with MP tape will never be a viable option.
The objective is to encapsulate a sterile environment which receives adequate filtered gas exhange. The filter must be capable, the gas exchange must be ample. Micropore tape is a very poor option, especially when coupled with pouches.
Furthermore, the vessel should be reusable when dealing with higher rates of failure, to reduce waste. Spores to anything will produce failures.
How difficult is it to steam a batch of jars in a pot? Are people really that lazy/cheap? Mushrooms are more often a hobby than a necessity, if you cant afford a bag of rice, 12 x 1/2 pint jars, and some vermiculite then one shouldn't be starting any new hobbies or growing mushrooms, a "how to grow a better life tek" would be more suitable.
Quote:
One thing I noticed about the availability when I was getting the brown rice packets(at the dollar tree) was that the brown rice packets were scarce. Usually there wasnt any. There was a ton of all the other rice packetss but the brown rice packets seemed to be the most popular I couldnt help but wonder if somebody else was buying hem for cultivation purposes. It could be fanciful thinking on my part but it was one hell of a coincidence.
Rice pouches are 100% unnecessary, even if they were free they wouldn't compete with PF tek.
Quote:
A tool like that in a mycologists arsenal cannot be ignored.
Growing a handful of mushrooms doesn't make you a mycologist. Growing 1k lbs won't make you a mycologist. A real mycologist wouldn't consider the use of rice pouches a viable resource for the production of mushrooms.
If mycologists have heard of this technique, it would be ignored.
 
Having a backyard vegetable garden does not make you a botanist; sticking feathers up your butt does not make you a chicken.
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BeefSupremeJr
Detritivore



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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Stipe-n Cap] 4
#28505227 - 10/15/23 08:17 AM (3 months, 11 days ago) |
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*slowly pulls feathers out of his ass*
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Stipe-n Cap


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BeefSupremeJr
Detritivore



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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Stipe-n Cap]
#28505232 - 10/15/23 08:23 AM (3 months, 11 days ago) |
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Stipe-n Cap


Registered: 08/04/12
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: BeefSupremeJr] 1
#28505235 - 10/15/23 08:25 AM (3 months, 11 days ago) |
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We like you better as a real boy, beef. Forget aboot the feathers and go grow some mush.
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Tiamo
Trust in LITFA




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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: lowbrow]
#28505252 - 10/15/23 08:47 AM (3 months, 11 days ago) |
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Quote:
lowbrow said: The argument that itβs too expensive has had a possible paradigm shift with the discovery of a knock off brand of brown rice at the dollar tree.
Bad reputation or not, a pre-sterilized cubensis medium for a 1.25 aint bad at all.
A tool like that in a mycologists arsenal cannot be ignored.
Since my dollar tree discovery ive been stocking up.
Ever since I heard about this technique Ive been wanting to expiriment with or modify it a little. The idea of using liquid culture instead of spores seems like an entirely feasible modification to the UB tech.
The main argument and the hate for the UB tech is the chance of.contamination.
What happens when contamination is no longer an issue with this tech? Will the hate still remain?
Iβm in the process of designing a device that will cut the contamination factor out of the mix.
One thing I noticed about the availability when I was getting the brown rice packets(at the dollar tree) was that the brown rice packets were scarce. Usually there wasnt any. There was a ton of all the other rice packetss but the brown rice packets seemed to be the most popular I couldnt help but wonder if somebody else was buying hem for cultivation purposes. It could be fanciful thinking on my part but it was one hell of a coincidence.
I really wonder if the premise that pouches of ready to eat brown rice are sterile is true. I don't necessarily believe it to be so. Not that it matters when injecting it with spores.
--------------------
If you have used a Miraculix Psilocybin QTest, could you please share your results? Shipping free Ps. natalensis spore prints to any address in The Netherlands, just
Mush love
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B Traven
Stranger



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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: lowbrow]
#28505298 - 10/15/23 09:47 AM (3 months, 11 days ago) |
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Quote:
Tiamo said: I really wonder if the premise that pouches of ready to eat brown rice are sterile is true. I don't necessarily believe it to be so. Not that it matters when injecting it with spores.
I really don't think they are, or at least not consistently so. There's no need for it. We can grow out horribly bacterial substrates and eat whatever fruits we glean with no ill effects. Companies have no reason to spend extra money making sure that those sorts of bacteria have been fully neutralized, especially when the rice in the bag won't even be exposed to oxygen before getting nuked.
Quote:
lowbrow said: The argument that itβs too expensive has had a possible paradigm shift with the discovery of a knock off brand of brown rice at the dollar tree.
When you consider what the equivalent amount of dry grain would be, even the cheaper off-brands are still expensive. You're paying for water and packaging. There's probably like 20 cents' worth of rice in one of those pouches.
-------------------- Beware of advice- even this.
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elasticaltiger
Like Tigers in Coitus




Registered: 06/24/13
Posts: 8,042
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: B Traven] 5
#28505331 - 10/15/23 10:15 AM (3 months, 11 days ago) |
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If ya'll only knew the kind of stuff that goes on in large food production facilities you'd never eat prepackaged food again.
oops. Accidentally dropped the fettuccine again.
-------------------- First time growing cakes? DON'T make a Shotgun Fruiting Chamber The Shmuvbox. - The Old TC's Like it Afraid to Start Growing From Your Own Prints? Drop it Like a Tiger! No Pouring. No Syringes. No Cutting. No flaming. No Contamination. No Bullshit. "The best thing to do while your waiting is to start more stuff. I usually got so much happening that I have tossed projects simply because I didn't have time for them. -Pastywhite QFT Pastywhite's Easy Agar Tek (PastyPlates) Tiger Drop Video Demos By munchauzen Van Gogh wouldβve sold more than one painting if heβd put tigers in them.βBill Watterson EZEKIEL 23:20
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Screwup
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Itβs just gonna get cooked anyways so whoβs the real dummy *tapping head*
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π° πΏ Help US help YOU TEK 2023 Dehydrator TEK
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BeefSupremeJr
Detritivore



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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Screwup]
#28505488 - 10/15/23 12:40 PM (3 months, 11 days ago) |
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One of the first things I'm going to look at when I get my microscope is some fucking uncle Ben's rice.
Shall we start taking bets? hobbit is a great bookie. I would trust that man with my life savings.
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Stipe-n Cap


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Loc: Canada
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: BeefSupremeJr] 1
#28505519 - 10/15/23 01:01 PM (3 months, 11 days ago) |
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I think you'd have a very difficult time identifying bacteria, it should be free of bacteria or mass spoilage would be an issue.
The sterility of the pouch is sort of moot anyways:
1. Whole cooked rice is a terrible choice for spawn;
2. Noobs looking for a hassle free approach to cult shouldn't be attempting a back door hack for spawn production;
3. Even if fruited straight from the rice pouch without use as spawn, fruited grains produce meager results at best, especially when inoculated with spore solution.
This is why changing the inoculum in an attempt to save the "tek" doesn't really change anything. You're still making some of the worst spawn possible, or the worst fruiting substrate possible; No matter how you tweak the variables you're left with garbage.
Especially if you're capable of producing pure culture on agar or liquid culture, you've just wasted it on a trash substrate housed in a garbage vessel.
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BeefSupremeJr
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Stipe-n Cap] 1
#28505537 - 10/15/23 01:08 PM (3 months, 11 days ago) |
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I realize we are talking about this in private messages but just to clarify for the larger audience, I would want to prepare the rice as per, then emulsifying a sample in distilled water and preparing slides from that.
I do realize that cross-contamination would be the biggest challenge. I think therefore the more conclusive test would be to simply prepare a pouch and leave it unopened for a month and then putting some samples to plate.
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Mycolorado
Hobbyist


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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Stipe-n Cap] 2
#28505555 - 10/15/23 01:18 PM (3 months, 11 days ago) |
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One of my coworkers said her husband was gonna start growing and I said I could help them get started and she said βUncle Bens?β Fucking crazy how this shit is so prolific.
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Stipe-n Cap


Registered: 08/04/12
Posts: 7,623
Loc: Canada
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Mycolorado] 4
#28505559 - 10/15/23 01:25 PM (3 months, 11 days ago) |
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Yeah, it's nuts.
I was approached a few years ago by someone in the cannabis industry who was interested in mush. My friends made the introduction, I then brought him into my lab to demonstrate culturing techniques over a few wobbly pops; he insisted on trying UB....so we did. We inoculed an entire case of UB in front of my 2x4 flowie, all bags went to shit, but, the best part of that experience was the UB t-shirts they ordered while we waited for the bags to colonize.
The shirts were burnt orange with the Uncle ben logo, except Ben had a third eye. I refused to get one, lol.
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BeefSupremeJr
Detritivore



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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Mycolorado] 2
#28505560 - 10/15/23 01:25 PM (3 months, 11 days ago) |
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totally. I was introduced to a mutual friend recently in a bar. He began the conversation by saying that our mutual friend had told them that I was "the man" at growing mushrooms. Of course I said "oh I don't know about that". He asked if I would be interested in looking at his operation at some point and of course I paid lip service just to be polite "yeah for sure man of course one of these days" I already knew in the back of my mind what he was doing but then he said the words.
Uncle Ben's
My mind kind of went blank as a motioned to the bartender to close my tab
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BeefSupremeJr
Detritivore



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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: BeefSupremeJr] 1
#28505562 - 10/15/23 01:27 PM (3 months, 11 days ago) |
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there has to be something we can do with that T-shirt design... there's a fucking golden meme there but I can't quite put my finger on it
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Stipe-n Cap


Registered: 08/04/12
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Loc: Canada
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: BeefSupremeJr] 2
#28505566 - 10/15/23 01:30 PM (3 months, 11 days ago) |
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It looked something like this, maybe even exactly like this...I can't remember:
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BeefSupremeJr
Detritivore



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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Stipe-n Cap] 1
#28505570 - 10/15/23 01:35 PM (3 months, 11 days ago) |
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where is smelly hobbit when I need him? I feel like this is not only a slap in the face to my beloved community but a debasement of our craft in general. some new shroomery merch would be nice, but twice as nice if we can plagiarize the design and spitball it back at them
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Bluewidow
New Guy



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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Stipe-n Cap] 1
#28505572 - 10/15/23 01:39 PM (3 months, 11 days ago) |
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Just after a few days of research I am starting to realize that the Uncle Ben Tek is the equivalent of jumping out of a plane 20,000 feet up without a parachute and hoping your friend catches you and he didn't forget his parachute.
While these AIO Grow bags and UB Teks seem rather appealing, you would wind up spending hundreds on a few ounces if you even get anything. I am sure some don't mind and just are doing it for fun cause they saw it on youtube. Usually, if you are beginning to cultivate you would think they would want to get a good success rate with the least amount of funds.
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BeefSupremeJr
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Bluewidow] 1
#28505577 - 10/15/23 01:46 PM (3 months, 11 days ago) |
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"uncle mYcOloGiSt. " Contaminated every fuckin time
I would wear that shirt
Edited by BeefSupremeJr (10/15/23 01:47 PM)
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Beano
Tree turds



Registered: 11/11/06
Posts: 198
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Throwing an /r out there for one of those Uncle bens shirts. Kthx
-------------------- I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things.
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Smellyhobbit
Actual Retard



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Quote:
BeefSupremeJr said: where is smelly hobbit when I need him? I feel like this is not only a slap in the face to my beloved community but a debasement of our craft in general. some new shroomery merch would be nice, but twice as nice if we can plagiarize the design and spitball it back at them
I would be so fuckin down for some new shroomery merch
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Screwup
Googles your dumb questions


Registered: 01/27/22
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Smellyhobbit] 1
#28505604 - 10/15/23 02:06 PM (3 months, 11 days ago) |
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Horsie on a shirt please.
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π
π° πΏ Help US help YOU TEK 2023 Dehydrator TEK
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Nonagon
Bacon frying, sparrows chirping


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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Anonymous] 3
#28505924 - 10/15/23 06:59 PM (3 months, 11 days ago) |
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Uncle Ben should step his shit up and get a line of sterile PF cake side dishes on the grocery store shelves. Iβm his nephew, Iβll let him know.
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π
π° πΏ
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BeefSupremeJr
Detritivore



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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Nonagon] 3
#28507616 - 10/17/23 12:18 AM (3 months, 10 days ago) |
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Patrick in the pub delivering the goods.
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RoscoeReturns
Crotchety chode man



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Yummmmm, dinner.
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lowbrow
Paddy Time!!!!


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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion *DELETED* [Re: Stipe-n Cap]
#28509528 - 10/18/23 01:45 PM (3 months, 8 days ago) |
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Post deleted by Stipe-n Cap
Reason for deletion: This is not the purpose of this thread. We will not be arguing the efficacy of this "tek".
Edited by Stipe-n Cap (10/18/23 02:09 PM)
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Tiamo
Trust in LITFA




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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: lowbrow]
#28509545 - 10/18/23 01:53 PM (3 months, 8 days ago) |
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Lowbrow, how do you plan to solve the contamination issue? If we can not guarantee the pouches are sterile and the spores are clean we can never solve that issue. Theoretically, it would be great if there was some ready to purchase sterile grain and guaranteed clean inoculant. That would make growing mushrooms very easy for the common man, which is a good thing.
--------------------
If you have used a Miraculix Psilocybin QTest, could you please share your results? Shipping free Ps. natalensis spore prints to any address in The Netherlands, just
Mush love
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Stipe-n Cap


Registered: 08/04/12
Posts: 7,623
Loc: Canada
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Tiamo]
#28509565 - 10/18/23 02:16 PM (3 months, 8 days ago) |
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There is no "fixing" this "tek", it is not within the purview of this discussion to address these matters: viability, current/past grows, efficacy, etc.
This thread is intended to educate new growers who have been lead astray and who possess a sincere desire to not only learn why we don't endorse this technique, but receive sound direction moving forward.
Any and all replies which cross into the former categories will be deleted.
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BeefSupremeJr
Detritivore



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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Stipe-n Cap]
#28509567 - 10/18/23 02:17 PM (3 months, 8 days ago) |
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havent used ms paint in a while.
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Stipe-n Cap


Registered: 08/04/12
Posts: 7,623
Loc: Canada
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This won't be the first or the last time I've been accused of censorship, but, I'm the only cult moderator willing to discuss this topic, period. All other cult moderators (who have given their opinion on the matter) would prefer a zero tolerance policy on the discussion of UB. Locking all topics and discussions on sight, then redirection to reddit
So, I am by definition the most moderate of that group 
However, I am definitely leaning toward a complete blackout of discussion, it's just not very helpful.
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Stipe-n Cap


Registered: 08/04/12
Posts: 7,623
Loc: Canada
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Re: Uncle Bens open mic discussion [Re: Stipe-n Cap] 6
#28509583 - 10/18/23 02:21 PM (3 months, 8 days ago) |
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This thread has been closed.
Reason: All Uncle Ben's threads going forward will be locked:
The "Uncle Ben's Tek" is not a viable tek. The Shroomery would like to encourage new mushroom cultivators to adopt beginner friendly teks with proven track records; Bottom line, we want everyone to grow and harvest mushrooms with the highest possible rate of success.
If you insist upon using UB Tek, you can find plenty of amateur growers willing to help you over at Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/unclebens/
Or use the search function to access previously discussed grows. Which will also be locked.
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