Slowpix.org

Tag: mushroom cultivation

  • King oyster mushrooms growing company

    King oyster mushrooms growing out of a block

    Place: Csíkbánkfalva/Bancu

    Having arrived a series of large buildings, we were met by a middle-aged man who led us inside one of the buildings where we were joined by his son, Péter Előd. He’s a young man, around 30 years old and he’s the main mushroom grower at this company.

    The mushrooms are called King Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus Ostreatus) because of its shape. In fact, they started with growing the cultivated mushroom, next they changed to cultivating winter and summer oyster mushroom . They are growing on dead trees in shady, cool and humid places with little carbon dioxide in the wild, and to grow them inside a building, it’s necessary to imitate the conditions of their natural habitats.

    Péter’s father does administration, but he’s also helps with the growing. Other employees also helps with the production of the mushrooms, packing, etc.

    We were shown four halls full of racks filled with prism-shaped plastic blocks with mushrooms growing out from their surfaces, and we were told that they buy them from a company in Hungary. The substrate on which the mushrooms grow is prepared with, amongst other things, hay and corncobs. After having been pasteurized, mycelium (the vegetative part of a mushroom) is injected into the substrate. Afterwards the substrate is inserted into bags of polyethylene by means of a machine and the bags are perforated with thumb-sized holes through which the mushrooms can pass when they are growing, resulting in a prism-shaped block weighing about 25 kg.

    Blocks with mushrooms

    The blocks are transported to the village of Csíkbánkfalva/Bancu where Péter and the other employees put them inside any of the large buildings where they are protected from the sun and maintained at a constant temperature and humidity by means of large fans which draw out hot air. At the same time air passes a panel filled with cold water which cools the building and increases the humidity at the same time. In case of cold weather, the air passes warm water instead such that it is heated.

    After some time, the blocks must be replaced, and they are used as compost.

    Production of these mushrooms can’t be automated. Both Péter and the other employees live near the production halls, and they can control the state of the mushrooms at any time. This company has an app which can control humidity and temperature inside the production halls. In fact, Péter used his phone to turn on and off drizzle inside the hall.

    Some small-scale producers come to this company seeking help. They tell them that they must control the mushrooms manually, not just trust the measuring instruments. They also tell them that cultivated mushroom production can be automated, but not production of king oyster mushrooms.

    Racks with blocks containing mushrooms
    Racks with blocks containing mushrooms

    Some companies make the mushrooms grow faster by increasing the level of carbon dioxide, giving less taste and more soggy consistency, but at this company, they are only allowed to grow slowly, to give more taste.

    I have also visited a king oyster mushroom producer in Sardinia.

  • Gourmet mushroom

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    Elisabeth Maarud is producing King Oyster Mushrooms organically, a quality product which more and more people are asking for and getting to appreciate.

    Barely an hour’s drive north of Oslo, the farm called Dystlandhaugen is located like a gem in the cultural landscape. We were met by the pleasant Mrs Elisabeth Maarud, who showed us around the farm.

    I started growing mushrooms by coincidence in 2005, Elisabeth told us. An article in a newspaper caught her attention and then an appointment was made. She quit her job as a teacher and here I am today, the enthusiastic small scale producer says.

    King Oyster Mushroom occur naturally in Southern Europe, North Africa, Central Asia and around the Black Sea. It has a firm consistency and the taste is like porcini.

    I get the mushrooms in bags from a company called Den Blinde Ku (The Blind Cow), which retains all rights regarding the mushroom. After having ordered mushrooms spores, Elisabeth receives plastic bags containing the mushroom spores lying in a mixture of sawdust, spelt and wheat bran. All the bags are transported inside to rooms where the atmospheric conditions are like in autumn, that is, cool and humid. Naturally, temperature and humidity is controlled electronically. After having grown for 7-8 weeks, the mushrooms are ready for harvesting. After having packed the mushrooms, a driver brings them to her customers, which consist mainly of restaurants and select supermarkets.

    Like the other small scale producers we have visited, Mrs Maarud is surprised at how much time and effort which is required for marketing, distribution and sales. Instead, she would like to spend more time on creating new products.

    Organically grown King Oyster Mushroom was awarded the prize “The year’s best raw material for the counties of Oslo and Akershus” at the food market called Matstreif 2008 in Oslo.

    King Oyster Mushroom can be pickled, frozen and dried, and it keeps its consistency and flavour for 4-6 months. As fresh produce, the mushroom has a shelf life of 7-10 days provided that is stored at about 4o degrees C.

    We hope that you as a consumer will select locally, organically grown food since the taste is delicious. Then, you will contribute to an increased selection in the supermarkets, an improved environment, a neat cultural landscape and tasteful meals. Besides, you will contribute to good, clean and fair food.