Grow mushrooms at home using rye berries.
Many people who enjoy cooking with mushrooms have turned to home cultivation as a less expensive alternative to purchasing them at the grocery store. There are a variety of mediums that lend themselves to mushroom spawn cultivation, including rice and coffee grounds, but using rye berries reduces the amount of clumping and caking that occurs in the process. Rye berries are inexpensive and well-suited to encourage mycelial growth. Like any growing medium, rye berries must be heat pasteurized to kill any mold or bacteria and to properly prepare it for spawn colonization. Although many mushrooms grow in rye berries, oyster mushrooms are the most successful. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Clear an area for the mushrooms to grow. The best location is shady and damp, and undisturbed by foot traffic, pets or children. Dig the soil to a depth of 4 inches and turn it to loosen any clumps. Water the soil well.
2. Spread the hardwood chips over the tilled soil to a depth of 3 inches. Water the soil again. Continue to lightly water the area daily until the rye mushroom spawn is ready for broadcasting.
3. Clean all work surfaces and cutting instruments using bleach or alcohol to sterilize anything that comes into contact with the mushrooms or the rye berries.
4. Wash the glass canning jar and allow it to air dry. Place 1 cup of rye berries in the jar. Cover them with 3/4 cup of water. Place the metal lid on the jar and tighten it. Shake the jar well to mix the water and the rye. Place it in a warm location and let it sit overnight.
5. Loosen the lid and strain out any unabsorbed water. Add 3/4 cup of water to the jar. Turn the plastic seal on the metal lid insert to face up, then screw it onto the jar.
6. Prepare the pressure cooker with the amount of water your cooker needs for canning. Place the jar in the pressure cooker and process at 15 psi for 90 minutes. Allow the cooker to cool.
7. Separate the mushroom caps from the stems and reserve the caps for cooking. Discard any mushrooms that are not fresh or that are decayed or rotting. Coarsely chop the stems, roots and clumps.
8. Remove the lid from the jar and add the chopped mushrooms. Replace the lid and lightly tighten it to allow gas exchange into the jar. Shake the jar well to distribute the mushrooms into the rye berries. Set the jar in a dark location away from drafts. The ideal location has a constant 65 to 70 degree Fahrenheit temperature.
9. Mycelium begins growing on the rye within five days. It appears white and fuzzy like mold. Shake the jar then let it sit for five days. Repeat the shaking and let the jar sit for another five days. At this point, the rye should be fully inoculated with mycelium. Remove the lid and break up the cake that has formed with a sharp knife.
10. Rake the surface of the prepared soil to remove the layer of moist mulch. Spread the inoculated rye berries over the surface and cover them with the mulch that was removed. Water lightly.
11. Water daily using a misting sprinkler until the area is damp but not soaked. Within a month, mushrooms should begin fruiting. They may begin sooner or later depending on the climate and growing conditions.
Tags: five days, depth inches, mushroom spawn, mushrooms grow, pressure cooker, Shake well