DIY Mushroom Cultivation

Willoughby Arevalo is a mycologist, artist, kitchen wizard, father, and educator who made friends with mushrooms as a young child and has been showing people how to work with fungi for the last decade. He’s been a presenter and co-organizer of the Radical Mycology Convergences of 2012, 2014, and 2016, taught at The Art and Science of Mycorenewal, Recomposing Life and Walking the Mycelial Web intensive mycology courses, and has led workshops and forays at the New Moon Mycology Summit, Telluride Mushroom Festival, and Sunshine Coast Mushroom Festival. Willoughby regularly teaches community workshops locally and internationally on mushroom cultivation, ecology, identification, foraging, and cooking, and serves on the Education Committee of the Vancouver Mycological Society. He works on an organic vegetable farm, makes art in relation with fungi, and grows mushrooms at his home in Vancouver, BC.

• AcknowledgmentsIntroductionMushrooms and Humans: Past, Present, and Future A Bit about Me and My Approach to Mushroom Cultivation 1 Mushroom Basics What Are Mushrooms? Mushrooms in Ecosystems What Mushrooms Need to Survive and Thrive 2 Overview of the Cultivation Process Cultivation Flow Preparation 3 Workspaces, Tools, and Equipment Lab Infrastructure and Aseptic Transfer Spaces: Flow Hoods, Still Air Boxes, and More The Lab Environment and Tools Where to Inoculate Bulk Substrates Where to Incubate Growing Mycelium Fruiting Space: Factors to Consider Options for Home-Scale Fruiting Chambers Environmental Control in Fruiting Spaces Other Spaces 4 Sanitation and Techniques to Avoid Contamination Vectors of Contamination and Management Strategies Common Contaminants: Recognition and Management 5 Starting and Maintaining Cultures Get Cultured Liquid Culture Agar Culture Long-Term Culture Storage Methods 6 Making and Using Grain Spawn Making Grain Spawn Using Grain Spawn 7 Fruiting Substrate Formulation and Preparation Containers for Mycelial Growth and Fruiting The Substrates Substrate Treatments Sterilization Pasteurization and Alternatives 8 Outdoor Growing and Mushroom Gardening Growing Mushrooms on Logs and Stumps Mushroom Beds Next-Level Applications 9 Harvest, Processing, and Use When and How to Harvest Basic Cooking Techniques Preservation Methods Mushrooms and Mycelium for Medicine In Conclusion: Substrate for Thought—Toward Further Applications Mycopermaculture Mycoremediation on a Home Scale Mycoarts and Fungi as Functional Materials Community-Based Cultivation Efforts Appendix 1: Species Profiles Agrocybe aegerita— Pioppino Coprinus comatus—Shaggy Mane Cordyceps militaris—Caterpillar Fungus Flammulina velutipes and allies—Enoki Ganoderma lucidum and allies—Reishi Hericium species—Lion's Mane and allies Hypsizygus tessulatus—Shimeji H. ulmarius—Elm Oysters Lentinula edodes—Shiitake Pholiota nameko and allies—Nameko Pleurotus species—Oyster Mushrooms Stropharia rugoso-annulata—Wine Cap Trametes versicolor—Turkey TailAppendix 2: Resources General Annual Mycology Gatherings Bibliography Index About the Author and Illustrator A note about the publisher