Make Money With a Marvelous Mushroom Farm

By John Boeschen
Published on September 1, 1979
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A bumper crop from a one-man mushroom farm. Plenty to eat, and a lot left over to sell at $3.00 a pound!
A bumper crop from a one-man mushroom farm. Plenty to eat, and a lot left over to sell at $3.00 a pound!
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This cage
This cage "tames" the wild mushroom. 
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It's harvest time!
It's harvest time!
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Stewing the rice straw helps pasteurize the substrate.
Stewing the rice straw helps pasteurize the substrate.
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The propagation shed is a simple 8' by 12' wooden structure, insulated against cold and made vermin-proof.  
The propagation shed is a simple 8' by 12' wooden structure, insulated against cold and made vermin-proof.  
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Straw in storage for future mushroom crops
Straw in storage for future mushroom crops
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Secure paired trays with a latch to hold the straw in place. After harvesting, undo the latch to open and clean the trays.
Secure paired trays with a latch to hold the straw in place. After harvesting, undo the latch to open and clean the trays.
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Dr. Kurtzman uses a halved 50-gallon drum to steam-wash the
Dr. Kurtzman uses a halved 50-gallon drum to steam-wash the "mushroom mulch."

How do you like your mushrooms served? Perhaps mixed in with a green salad and vegetables? Or how about pan-fried, then sprinkled over a favorite hot dish? If you’re like me, the mere mention of the delicious one-legged edibles–prepared in just about any way imaginable–starts your taste buds to cravin’ a fungi feast!

Unfortunately, such a meal used to put a serious dent in my budget. Then I encountered Dr. Ralph H. Kurtzman, Jr.–biochemist and plant pathologist with the Department of Agriculture’s Western Regional Laboratory–and his amazing mushroom farm. This scientist’s operation is especially impressive because–although there are lots of big businesses that spend thousands of dollars to get those tasty little fungi on your kitchen table–Ralph grows ’em in his urban Berkeley, California back yard with a setup that cost him less than $100!

You see, Dr. Kurtzman’s entire venture–including both his “mushroom house” and his growing medium–is based on the use of recycled materials. And the oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) that Kurtzman cultivates doesn’t even require a messy manure compost: Plain ol’ rice or wheat straw provides all the nutrients that this particular species needs.

A Mushroom Mansion

Admittedly, mushrooms demand a special environment, and an outdoor climate will not support most varieties for more than a few weeks each year. The hardy oyster type is an exception, however, that can generally be found on the forest floor from May to October. And with a suitable enclosure, you can extend even this long growing season to a full 12 months!

Caves, abandoned mines, or root cellars often have the desired temperature and humidity for mushroom cultivation (although such places may require additional ventilation). Unfortunately, these ideal mushroom “dens” just aren’t available to most folks. To overcome this scarcity, a variety of man-made structures are used for mushroom propagation, and–though Ralph put his together from scratch–you can easily adapt the following concepts to most ready-made sheds.

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