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Log-grown shiitake — viability for small farms

Shiitake mushrooms (Photo provided — Cornell Small Farms)

If you go …

What: “Log-Grown Shiitake: Viability for Small Farms” workshop

When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 29

Where: Paul Smith’s College VIC

How much: $30/person (includes lunch and handout materials)

Register/more info: www.cornellmushrooms.org/viability, Steve Gabriel; agroforestry Extension specialist, Cornell Small Farms Program at sfg53@cornell.edu.

The Cornell Small Farms Program is offering a one-day workshop, “Log-Grown Shiitake: Viability for Small Farms,” co-sponsored by Franklin County Cooperative Extension. The workshop will cover all the aspects of production from harvest to market. Participants should be versed in the basics of log-grown shiitake mushroom production prior to attending.

Free online resources can be viewed at: blogs.cornell.edu/mushrooms/factsheets.

I absolutely love mushrooms. Each variety offers its own unique, often nutty flavor. And they’re packed full of nutrients; things like B-vitamins, including riboflavin (an essential dietary nutrient which plays a major role in red blood cell formation and energy production, and strengthens the immune system), niacin (a digestive aid that can help maintain good blood circulation, healthy skin condition, and brain function), and pantothenic acid (one of the most versatile and flexible vitamins).

Mushrooms can add real zest and excitement to all sorts of recipes. I’ve been cooking with them all of my adult life. They’re the perfect choice for hearty, intensely satisfying, really-good-for-you, low-calorie meals. Great if you’re watching your waistline!

And shiitakes are, perhaps, my favorite mushroom. They have a marvelous, robust texture; a stimulating yet mild, heady flavor (the Japanese have a word for it; umami – translation: pleasant savory taste), and they’re perfect, in many instances, as a meat substitute.

Besides being rich in B-vitamins shiitakes are also very high in vitamin-D, which enhances metabolism and absorption of calcium and phosphorus (essential for strong, healthy bones and teeth). We receive Vitamin-D from sunlight, but in winter, it’s helpful to supplement our intake through food sources.

Note too, that lentinan, a water-soluble polysaccharide extracted from shiitake, is approved as an anti-cancer drug, in Japan.

Shiitake mushrooms are native to East Asia. They’re treasured in China, Japan, and Korea. The name is from the Japanese ‘shii’, which is the species of tree upon which they were first documented as growing, and ‘take’, which means mushroom. The Chinese call them Xiang-gu (Shiang-gu), fragrant mushrooms. The scientific name is Lentinula edodes.

Cultivation appears to date back nearly 1000 years; to Zhejiang Province, in China. Yet, the first book on shiitake cultivation wasn’t published until 1796; written by Japanese horticulturist, Sato Churyo. And it wasn’t until 1914 that the practice of inoculating logs with shiitake mycelial-culture was developed (by Japanese mycologist, Dr. Shozaburo Minura).

In recent decades, shiitake cultivation has become a global industry. Japan and China are the two largest producers, consumers, and exporters. Production is on the rise across Latin America, with Brazil leading the charge. Many European nations have embraced it. And the same can be said for Australia and New Zealand.

In the United States, however, where the market for fresh, specialty gourmet mushrooms is still rather new, potential growers have not been as enthusiastic about adopting shiitake forest-farming practices. As such, much of the U.S. market is still supplied by Japan. Nonetheless, demand is growing. And fresh shiitake, by many accounts, is now the leading specialty mushroom grown and sold by Americans to American markets. The potential for woodland owners in the northeast to benefit from a shiitake mushroom enterprise continues to increase.

Across the North Country, it’s common to see woodlots being used for production of both maple syrup and firewood.

Small-diameter cull-trees (3 to 8 inches in diameter) are often removed for firewood when cleaning up a sugar bush, to keep access roads open and improve timber stands. Those same hardwood trees, and branch-wood from larger trees, are ideal for shiitake production. In fact, shiitake mushrooms are shaping up to be a new value-added, non-timber forest-commodity that can provide favorable economic return, while sustainably utilizing low-timber-value, small-diameter wood.

Forest landowners who are currently growing commercially, starting up, or even just considering commercial forest- production of shiitake mushrooms should take advantage of the upcoming opportunity to attend the viability workshop being offered in nearby Paul Smiths, on January 29. The workshop will cover post-production aspects including safety, sanitation, marketing, and regulations.

Current and prospective shiitake farmers who attend will then be able to schedule free one-on-one consultations with Extension educators on Monday, January 30, to review their goals and resources and discuss challenges and opportunities specific to their individual mushroom-growing operations.

I hope to see you there.

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