Mushroom logs

[NOMOREGEARS]

I have been growing mushrooms outdoors for 6 years now. Outdoor mushroom growing requires logs ( called bolts by mushroom growers). The preferred size bolts are 4-8" in diameter, 36-40" long. I own my own woodlot to cut trees from. Last year we did some thinning and had an abundance of logs. After cutting what I wanted for mushroom bolts, I planned on using the rest for firewood. My youngest son cut about 40 extra bolts and inoculated them with mushroom spawn. That is about $48 worth of mushrooms spawn & 5 Hours work. In a weeks time he sold all 40 logs between $30-40 a piece. He bought himself a chainsaw afterwards .

For you loggers trying to maximize your operation. I want you to seriously consider cutting mushroom bolts. I would pay $3-4 a bolt , hell I would even scrounge your tops and pay you.

The preferred tree in my area for growing Shiitakes would be red oak, hornbeam, hop hornbeam, red maple, hard maple and even elm.

For oyster mushrooms, we use poplar, red maple.

For lion mane, we use hard maple or beech

For Nameko , I use cherry or hop hornbeam.

I can provide a list of preferred trees. I am currently teaching inoculation classes.

A few pictures of what I do.

 

[esean]

Most growers prefer white oak for shiitakes, probably because it lasts longer. I tried dogwood years ago but don't remember how that did. Sugar maple lost its bark pretty quickly but produced heavily until that point. I guess its a tradeoff between heavy production/short log life and lower production but longer life?

 

[Mad Professor]

I have been growing mushrooms outdoors for 6 years now. Outdoor mushroom growing requires logs ( called bolts by mushroom growers). The preferred size bolts are 4-8" in diameter, 36-40" long. I own my own woodlot to cut trees from. Last year we did some thinning and had an abundance of logs. After cutting what I wanted for mushroom bolts, I planned on using the rest for firewood. My youngest son cut about 40 extra bolts and inoculated them with mushroom spawn. That is about $48 worth of mushrooms spawn & 5 Hours work. In a weeks time he sold all 40 logs between $30-40 a piece. He bought himself a chainsaw afterwards .

For you loggers trying to maximize your operation. I want you to seriously consider cutting mushroom bolts. I would pay $3-4 a bolt , hell I would even scrounge your tops and pay you.

The preferred tree in my area for growing Shiitakes would be red oak, hornbeam, hop hornbeam, red maple, hard maple and even elm.

For oyster mushrooms, we use poplar, red maple.

For lion mane, we use hard maple or beech

For Nameko , I use cherry or hop hornbeam.

I can provide a list of preferred trees. I am currently teaching inoculation classes.

A few pictures of what I do.

I'm curious. You have to tend the bolts much and water them?


"Upstate" is pretty big. I'm in W. New England. You nearby or far away?

 

[NOMOREGEARS]

Most growers prefer white oak for shiitakes, probably because it lasts longer. I tried dogwood years ago but don't remember how that did. Sugar maple lost its bark pretty quickly but produced heavily until that point. I guess its a tradeoff between heavy production/short log life and lower production but longer.

I deal with many growers and only know of two who use white oak. White oak has a natural resistance to rot. A log is only good for about 4-6 years. 6 would be pushing it. Mycelium feeds on the compounds in the logs. I am currently using red maple and it will out produce oaks in the first 4 years with Shiitakes. It's pretty much spent after 4 years. My red oak that I inoculated in 2018 are still pumping out mushrooms but no when near the numbers they did in the first two years. From a commercial stand point, you don't want to be tending low producing logs forever.

I'm curious. You have to tend the bolts much and water them?


"Upstate" is pretty big. I'm in W. New England. You nearby or far away?

I have a misting system set up in my log yard. It cuts down on the amount of water I use. In dry periods I wet the logs down. I force fruiting on Shiitakes throughout the summer. This involves dunking logs in a container for an extended period. I use an ibc tote with the top cut out to immerse the logs.

I am northwest of the capital district in NY. About a 40 min drive from Albany.

 

[Marley5]

Interesting.
My property yields many different types of edible mushrooms each year but never did I try to grow them.
I do remember many years ago " early 70's " a neighboring farmer had Red oak logs in his barn and sold shiitakes.

 

[Mad Professor]

I deal with many growers and only know of two who use white oak. White oak has a natural resistance to rot. A log is only good for about 4-6 years. 6 would be pushing it. Mycelium feeds on the compounds in the logs. I am currently using red maple and it will out produce oaks in the first 4 years with Shiitakes. It's pretty much spent after 4 years. My red oak that I inoculated in 2018 are still pumping out mushrooms but no when near the numbers they did in the first two years. From a commercial stand point, you don't want to be tending low producing logs forever.

I have a misting system set up in my log yard. It cuts down on the amount of water I use. In dry periods I wet the logs down. I force fruiting on Shiitakes throughout the summer. This involves dunking logs in a container for an extended period. I use an ibc tote with the top cut out to immerse the logs.

I am northwest of the capital district in NY. About a 40 min drive from Albany.

Gloversville Amsterdam area? Not too far from me, SW VT

 

[NOMOREGEARS]

Since I pretty much cut my own wood lot , red oak is relatively fast growing compared to white. I have cut coppiced red oak that was cut in the late 90s. }

Gloversville Amsterdam area? Not too far from me, SW VT

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