When I attended the Northwest Home and Garden show a few weeks ago I picked up a Shiitake Mushroom Kit. Although I’m not a fan of mushrooms, the Handsome Husband is.
If you have never grown mushrooms before you should give it a go. It will make you feel like a total hippie {I know I feel like one}. Not only are growing mushrooms super fun, they make a great conversation piece when placed on a kitchen or coffee table.
When you have friends over and they spy the ‘shroom kit in the living room and the greenhouse out back they’ll start to wonder… What else is this lady growing? Hmmm.
When I opened the box my block of mushroom goodness was wrapped up in a heavy-duty plastic bag. Luckily the kit comes with a set of VERY simple directions.
Inspect kit. If you don’t see any brown bulges popping out place the bagged mushroom kit in the refrigerator for 3-5 days {I left it in for 5}.
Take the kit out of the refrigerator, place the mushroom patch on a dinner plate and mist with rain water {or boiled water that has been cooled}.
After giving the patch its daily watering, I then carefully placed the plastic tent it came with back over the mushroom kit. Although the directions stated I should spray my mushroom patch 3-4 times a day, I cheated. I only sprayed the patch once a day over the next 5 days {I’m lazy}.
Fast forward 5 days. This is what the mushroom patch looked like. Wowza! I think it looks like a buffalo.
Now all I need to do is find a few recipes so I can cook these babies up. Apparently Shiitake mushrooms can be harvested at 2 week intervals for up to 16 weeks. Holy canolies, that is a lot of fungus.
Mavis wants to know…
Do you grow your own mushrooms? Do you buy mushrooms or do you forage for them in the forest?
If you would like to try growing mushrooms at home, go HERE. Amazon sells them and prices start at around $11 for plugs, and little more for larger kits.
Want to try foraging for mushrooms? Check out Mushrooming without Fear: The Beginner’s Guide to Collecting Safe and Delicious Mushrooms
*Amazon prices are subject to change at anytime.
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Jennifer Jo says
That’s way cool.
You Can Call Me Jane says
This is awesome. We love mushrooms- raw on salads, in stir fry, you name it. Do you mind saying how much the kit cost? I may have to consider this- the kids would love helping to mist it:-).
You Can Call Me Jane says
Duh. I just saw the link and the price. No need to reply:-).
Mavis says
I think they would love to watch the mushrooms grow.
Amber @ Tales of Domestica says
I have never grown mushrooms, but this is pretty dang cool!
alliegator says
I just found your blog through pinterest, and have really enjoyed reading it. We should be friends. I live in suburbia, and have chickens (I had bees last year but they didn’t survive the winter), and grow a garden.
Another blog I read had a major mushroom operation going. http://hardworkhomestead.blogspot.com/2012/03/fungi-with-fun-guy.html She bought spores and put them into logs- they’re supposed to produce for years.- until the logs break down.
Heather says
I recently took a garden class. The garden guru showed us a video titled 6 ways
Mushrooms could save the world. I have re-watched it several times. Look it up on Google. 6 ways mushrooms can save the world. It’s fascinating. It’s totally inspiring like you Mavis.
Vicky says
You don’t look like a hippy – trust me, I know cuz I was one! Nice blog btw.
Mavis says
Ha Ha Ha. Thanks Vicky.
Becky says
My grandfather grows several different kinds, including morels and shiitakes. He grows some with plugs in logs and others, he grows in hay bales. He is quite the expert–I need to get all of his tips and get growing some!!
Tanya Peila says
My son is the only one who eats mushrooms in our house but I think he would love to watch them grow and eat them!