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NESpores
Formerly MyLady


Registered: 04/17/05
Posts: 464
Loc: Vermont USA
Last seen: 17 years, 11 months
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Substrate Testing
#5335855 - 02/24/06 07:35 PM (17 years, 11 months ago) |
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After downloading the AWESOME GSN Calculator, I learned alot about nutritional values of various foods. I was in awe when i saw the nutritional value of Peas and Barley. I decided to do some experimental substrate tests. After a grueling journey of not being able to find whole dried peas, i settled for split peas. Split peas were soaked for 24 hours, and they looked a bit dry, so they were only briefly strained, then loaded into jars. PC'ing took care of them being fully hydrated, as the excess moisture on the outside was forced into the peas. A half a pound of Barley was simmered for like a half hour, with 1 tbsp of ground coffee added to the water, untill it was very soft (and obviously full of water) but with a little bit of chewy-ness left in the very center. BTW, just scoop out a piece of barley, blow on it to cool it, and chew it to determine level of doneness.
Split peas (dried) and barley (dried) both cost $.68/lb. This may seem expensive, but after simmering/soaking, you get APPRX. 10 pints of barley, and even more peas. Not to bad if you ask me! And because I do pint jars, 5 at a time, things work out awesome.
I loaded the 3 jars of Barley into the PC'er, and the 2 jars of Split peas, and PC'ed for 1 hour 15-20 minutes. I also sterilized 4 plastic containers (each 1 pint) of barley in the microwave. This was to see if, because food cleanliness requirements, a PC isn't necissary.
After the microwaving and PC'ing, the Barley shook extremely easily. Just as easy, if not easier, than WBS does. The Split peas proved me wrong, and did not turn into mush (at all actually) in the PC'er, and they too shook very easily. Just make sure to shake gently and with a little twist in the wrist, otherwise, they will turn to mush. Let everything cool, it will only take a few hours (very suprisingly). Last night around midnight, I nocked up 2 microwaved barley containers with Penis Envy spores, the other two with LC of Mazatapec. I then nocked up the jars with Lipa Yai multi spore.
everything is now incubating at 82.5-85 degrees F.
I will check on the jars and containers sometime monday, tuesday, or wednesday.
I will be fruiting directly from the peas and barley, to see what potency is like, and what yeilds are like.
BTW, here is a pic of what to look for if you get barley, and also a pic comparing the nutritional value of Peas to Rye Berries, which are famous for producing awesome mushies.

 Download the GSNC, NOW! It's pretty damn cool! Peace!
-------------------- Did your grow fail, and now your out of spores? Problem Solved. Check out my CakeSaver Tek. http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/5236115/an/0/page/0
Edited by NESpores (02/24/06 09:33 PM)
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skeletor
the dude
Registered: 09/06/05
Posts: 1,235
Loc: heaven on earth
Last seen: 17 years, 4 months
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Re: Substrate Testing [Re: NESpores]
#5336126 - 02/24/06 09:16 PM (17 years, 11 months ago) |
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for some reason im thinking maybe adding some verm to those jars might help. i know we don't do that to rye or WBS but those are seeds and beucase of their nature don't dry out as i see your jars doing. just a thought though. also maybe a casing layer might be needed i couldn't tell if you were up to that or not. as u can tell i am worried about moisture haha. good luck keep posting. if the experiment doesn't work maybe think about putting on jaw rye or WBS to 1:1 ration peas and again to barley. that is if the straight substrates don't knock up well.
-------------------- im sorry about your mother. She was a terrible attrative woman. Get back to nature; hunting burgers and gathering fries.
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krill
absolute gonzo


Registered: 10/25/05
Posts: 521
Loc: mars hotel
Last seen: 11 years, 6 months
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Re: Substrate Testing [Re: skeletor]
#5336176 - 02/24/06 09:35 PM (17 years, 11 months ago) |
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A for effort A+ for originality love to hear how this turns out
seems like alot of peeps here are a bit shy to step out the box and work with different subs or sub additives.
yay for you! 
i think Skeletor has a point about the Verm but for experimental purposes maybe it would be better to leave the verm out on the first test run - so you have a Control to judge from.
i would add some Flaxseed meal too (maybe on the 2nd try) but that's just my $0.02
-------------------- "DO NOT ADJUST YOUR MIND. IT IS REALITY THAT IS MALFUNCTIONING." - Robert Anton Wilson NO LEFT TURN UN-STONED
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User714


Registered: 07/01/05
Posts: 356
Last seen: 3 months, 29 days
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Re: Substrate Testing [Re: krill]
#5336360 - 02/24/06 10:37 PM (17 years, 11 months ago) |
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Really cool idea man, can't wait to see what happens. I love finding out about new substrates and experimenting with stuff. I hope they stay hydrated, it sounds like the barley will. Does it have a rice-like texture, because rice works fine for the same purposes. Good luck and thanks for thinking outside the box.
-------------------- They'll never be good to you, bad to you. They'll never be anything, anything at all.
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NESpores
Formerly MyLady


Registered: 04/17/05
Posts: 464
Loc: Vermont USA
Last seen: 17 years, 11 months
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Re: Substrate Testing [Re: User714]
#5336650 - 02/25/06 12:21 AM (17 years, 11 months ago) |
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Update: Ok, so i went and wasted a few dollars (literally) on various products sitting right next to where i found the barley and peas. Here is what went down with the stuff i tried:
Lentils: Don't even friggin bother. These things actually make me mad. As nutritious as they may be, it is so friggin hard to get proper moisture content. Like i already said, don't even waste your time trying these, ever.
Great Northern Beans: Prepare exactly as split peas, but be prepared for massive increase in size. I bought the smallest beans they had, and they ended up being almost as big as kidney beans from chilly in a can. Also, there was a bean experiment in the past, but it never got past the colonization, the guy never fruited them or something.
Soy Beans: Yet to try these out.
There you have it. I posted that just incase this thread inspires others to do some experimenting, so that way they don't waste there time with lentils. fucking lentils...
-------------------- Did your grow fail, and now your out of spores? Problem Solved. Check out my CakeSaver Tek. http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/5236115/an/0/page/0
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Hoss
Stranger


Registered: 06/13/05
Posts: 297
Last seen: 12 years, 1 month
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Re: Substrate Testing [Re: NESpores]
#5336663 - 02/25/06 12:27 AM (17 years, 11 months ago) |
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Damn, just when I bought some lentils! =]
I'm sure with some trial and error, the right moisture content can be mastered.
I too will be starting to experiment with different formulas that I've made with the GSNC.
NESpores, PM me. I'll be using some of your ideas for the next version of GSNC. I also have some other ideas that I thought up, that I'm sure you could help me out with (through your experiments).
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NESpores
Formerly MyLady


Registered: 04/17/05
Posts: 464
Loc: Vermont USA
Last seen: 17 years, 11 months
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Re: Substrate Testing [Re: User714]
#5336697 - 02/25/06 12:38 AM (17 years, 11 months ago) |
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Update: Ok, so i went and wasted a few dollars (literally) on various products sitting right next to where i found the barley and peas. Here is what went down with the stuff i tried:
Lentils: Don't even friggin bother. These things actually make me mad. As nutritious as they may be, it is so friggin hard to get proper moisture content. Like i already said, don't even waste your time trying these, ever.
Great Northern Beans: Prepare exactly as split peas, but be prepared for massive increase in size. I bought the smallest beans they had, and they ended up being almost as big as kidney beans from chilly in a can. Also, there was a bean experiment in the past, but it never got past the colonization, the guy never fruited them or something.
Soy Beans: Yet to try these out.
There you have it. I posted that just incase this thread inspires others to do some experimenting, so that way they don't waste there time with lentils. fucking lentils...
And also, I just checked some of the related threads at the bottom of the page, here's what i came up with: Mexicana A strain does extremely well on barley for scleriota production. Barley will go super gunky and stick in nonshakable clumps if too much water is in the jar when PC'ing. This suprised me, as it shook so easily for me and water was perfect. And, on guy managed to mix up BR with barley, and ground it up, and used the barley flour in place of BRF in the PF tek. his picks (and his comments) showed some intense colonization that he said was going fast.
That's all for now i guess. nighty night all. :-P
-------------------- Did your grow fail, and now your out of spores? Problem Solved. Check out my CakeSaver Tek. http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/5236115/an/0/page/0
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