Culturing Oyster mushrooms
My Mycophage  list ('shrooms I've eaten)

 
                  The DancingMorel
                  Dave Fischers Mushrooms
                 Tom Volk's Site
                   Mushroom Expert
                    Hesler & Smith - Lactarius Monograph
 

        Morels 2008
 

Background Information - Pluerotus ostreatus
 
 

The greenhouse/growing chamber	One of the culture bags	Hanging around
The final crop	Harvest time in Tennessee	Preparation of the Feast

Hot water pasteurization:

• Cut cereal straw (wheat , barley) into 2-4" pcs. enough to form a compacted basketball-sized lump.
• Place straw in a cloth bag(pillow case) or wire basket add 1 teaspoon calcium carbonate(limestone-not dolomite)
• Completely submerge the bag in a pot of hot water (160^oF) for 1 hour.
• Wash down work area with disinfectant (household bleach diluted) cleanliness is essential!
• Remove straw from pot, drain and cool on disinfected work area. Cool to room temperature.

• Take handful straw and place in clear poly bag (approx. 18x24") next take 1/4 cup spawn and place in bag, repeat process, pack down. Tighter the better. Tie bag at top.
• Puncture bag 20x with clean nail or fork
• Place bag in an environment protected from insects, dust, or drying out. Maintain temp. 74 to 75F(a large clean garbage bag works good, just fold the top over, needs ventilation.
• In about two weeks when straw is all white with mycelium, make about 8-10 1/2" slashes in bag and place in indirect light maintain 80- 90% humidity 70 to 75F temp.

     Eating wild mushrooms in class is not a bad way to get your kids attention in order to teach about fungi. Although I have tasted the gastronomical delights of the mushrooms on this list, only a few have I cooked in class for my kids. Where possible, I've set a link to a web site that gives more information on those mushrooms for my students. I ALWAYS recommend they do not eat mushrooms without getting my positive identification of them!!

1. Agaricus campestris
2. Aminita caesarea
3. Armillariella (Honey fungus)
4. Boletus bicolor
5. Boletus ornatipes (awful!)
6. Boletus pallidus
7. Calvatia cyathiformis (puff ball)
8. Calvatia (Langermannia) gigantea (giant puffball)
9. Cantharellus cibarius
10. Cantharellus cinnibarinus (cinnamon chantarelle)
11. Cantharellus cibarius (chantarelle)
12. Coprinus comatus (Shaggy Mane)
13. Craterellus fallax (black trumpet)
14. Entoloma abortiva (aborted entoloma)
15. Fistulina hepatica (Beefsteak polypore)
16. Flammulina velutipes (velvet foot)
17. Hericium erinaceus
18. Hydnum repandum (Sweet tooth; hedgehog)
19. Hypholoma sublateritium (brick caps)
20. Hypomyces lactifluorum (Lobster fungus)
21. Laccaria ochropurpurea
22. Lactarius hygrophoroides
23. Lactarius indigo (blue milky cap)
24. Lactarius volemus
25. Laetiporus sulphureus (chicken of the woods)
26. Lepiota americana
27. Lepiota procera
28. Lepista nuda (blewit)
29. Lycoperdon perlatum
30. Meripilus giganteus
31. Morchella elata
32. Morchella esculenta
33. Panellus serotinus (fall oyster)
34. Pleurotus ostreatus (Oyster)
35. Pluteus cervinus (Fawn-colored mushroom)
36. Russula virescens
37. Russula crustosa
38. Sparassis crispa (herbstii)
39. Strobilomyces confusus ( Confusing bolete - old man of the woods)
40. Suillis americanus
41. Suillus granulatus
42. Suilllus pictus
43. Tricholomopsis platyphylla (platterfuls)
    44. Austroboletus betula
    45. Rozites caperata
    46. Hericium ramosum