Since my last post about the Shiitake logs I have moved the logs to the farm. Now I've got better access to them and can manage the mushroom production better. Truthfully, I've not done much with them but this didn't stop the Shiitakes from going through a significant fruiting cycle. I think what happened with them is that they were "shocked" on the road trip from the sugarbush to the farm and that, along with a significant amount of rain, resulted in another, bigger, mushroom harvest.
Most of these shiitake's were too big to sell, had major squirrel damage, or had become moldy, which was rather unfortunate. The good ones though were harvested, dried slightly and brought to our local food co-op, The True North Community Co-op. I was really happy to have this outlet ready and available with such a glut of mushrooms on hand. We also added our syrup to their shelves.
These mushrooms were delicious and full, though somewhat overgrown. There has been great interest in the community about the shiitake's so I'm happy it has finally worked out. At $15/lb retail these could help us eke out a bit of profit from the farm. More realistically, any money made will help pay for feed and supplies, but that's okay with us! It's been a fun project thus far and though I gave up on the idea a while back I'm pleased to now find myself interested in mushroom cultivation again and seeing the fruits of past labours. Good things come to those who wait indeed.
