Introduction to Mushroom Cultivation
We grow our mushrooms on what are commonly called "mushroom blocks." This process unfolds in several distinct stages, each critical to producing high-quality mushrooms. Over the years, we've noticed that people have lots of questions about how we grow mushrooms—and that makes sense, since it's quite different from more familiar farming practices like vegetable, dairy, or meat production.
The Seven Stages of Cultivation
1. Strain Selection [what type of mushroom to grow]
We choose which mushroom strains to cultivate based on our crop plan, which is determined by market demand. This decision shapes everything that follows.
2. Substrate Treatment [choosing and pasteurizing materials]
We pasteurize an average of 2,000 lbs of substrate weekly using a large steam-heated tank. This step prepares the growing medium and eliminates unwanted organisms.
3. Inoculation [adding mycelium to prepared substrate]
Inoculation is a labor-intensive step where we add mushroom "spawn" to each block and hand-mix it thoroughly, ensuring even distribution throughout the substrate.
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4. Incubation [process of mycelial growth]
During incubation, the mushroom blocks rest in a stable temperature environment, allowing the mycelium to colonize the substrate completely until it's ready to enter the fruiting stage.
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5. Initiation [mushrooms begin forming, referred to as "pinning"]
Once the block reaches the initiation stage, it's moved into our growing space—an environment with steady airflow, humidity, and temperature control. Here, the first tiny mushroom formations, called "pins," begin to appear.
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6. Fruiting [mushrooms developing]
The pins develop rapidly into mature mushrooms, typically ready to harvest within 5 to 10 days after pinning, depending on the variety.
7. Harvest [ready to use]
We hand-harvest the fresh mushrooms and store them in a walk-in refrigerator until they're sold. This year, we expect to produce approximately 10,000 lbs of fresh mushrooms.
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