11/07/2021
How are mushrooms cultivated for commercial farming? With patience, a good eye and proper technique.
We begin culturing by using a nutrient packed agar where, once sterilised, a culture (either from spores or tissue sample from mushrooms) is introduced to the petri dish and begins to expand on the agar.
Stage Two, Grains. Once a clean culture has been identified on our cultured petri dishes, we will transfer a wedge from the agar to some prepared grain. Grains provide the mushroom with extra nutrients, preparong them with the energy required for the next stage.
Stage Three, bulk substrate. Once the grains have been entirely engulfed by mycellium, we prepare for the final stage with a supplemented wood substrate. It takes about two weeks for the grains to expand across the wood once introduced.
Finally, once the bags are white with mycellium, the fungus will begin to produce mushrooms!
It can be a long, stressful journey to get from spore-to-table but the beauty in cultivating life trumps hardship, every single time.
