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CapitalPress.com
Friday, June 25, 2021
People & Places
Shedding light on mushrooms
By JULIA HOLLISTER
For the Capital Press
EMPOWERING PRODUCERS OF FOOD & FIBER
Established 1928
MOSS LANDING, Calif. — Far
West Fungi production manager Kyle
Garrone wants to clear up a couple of
misconceptions the public has about
exotic mushrooms.
First, they do not grow on a
manure-based substrate.
Second, they do not grow in total
darkness.
The mushrooms Garrone and his
crew produce grow on a wood-based
substrate and require some light.
“The mushrooms we grow are pri-
mary decomposers that grow on logs
and require a small amount of light
compared to the compost decompos-
ers that need darkness,” he said.
Far West Fungi, founded by the
Garrone family 35 years ago, grows
more than 12 varieties — Shiitake;
Pink, Yellow and Blue Tree Oyster;
King Trumpet; Lion’s Mane; Woo-
dear; Pioppini; Cinnamon Cap; and
Reishi mushrooms.
The family grows the crop in
80,000 square feet of indoor mush-
room houses on 8 acres near Moss
Landing in California’s Monterey
County.
The
growing
process
is
complicated.
The mushrooms are wood decom-
posers, so the farm has large piles of
hardwood sawdust that is mixed with
other ingredients such as rice bran,
milo and small amounts of calcium.
This is mixed with water and the mix-
ture is put in special bags.
The bags are put on carts and
placed into an autoclave, where it is
cooked at 250 degrees to sterilize the
growing medium. The bags are then
moved to a clean room where the
substrate is inoculated with myce-
lium of the specific species of mush-
room. Mycelium is the vegetative
part of a fungus.
Garrone said the inoculated sub-
strate is placed in “grow rooms”
Capital Press Managers
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Entire contents copyright © 2021
KYLE GARRONE
Age: 36.
Occupation: Production Manag-
er, Far West Fungi.
Residence: Moss Landing, Calif.
Personal quote: “Our aim is to
produce high-quality, organic,
exotic mushrooms for our con-
sumers.”
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Far West Fungi
Kyle Garrone, production manager at Far West Fungi in Moss Landing,
Calif., says the 35-year-old company sells its mushrooms at farmers
markets around the state.
where the mycelium will spread
through the medium. When the myce-
lium has fully colonized the sub-
strate, the bags are moved to “fruit-
ing” rooms where they are opened so
that mushrooms can grow and later
be harvested.
The process takes 3-12 weeks for
most varieties, but some medicinal
varieties — particularly Reishi —
take 6 months or longer to incubate.
Many of the medicinal mushroom
varieties have been around a long
time. For thousands of years they
have been used to treat health con-
ditions and symptoms, from altitude
sickness and high cholesterol to colds
and flus.
Far West Fungi also sells “Mini
Farms” designed to be grown
indoors. A “farm” can produce about
1 1/2 pounds of mushrooms.
California is the second larg-
est mushroom-producing state after
Pennsylvania. There is an increased
interest in mushroom production so
more farms are popping up.
Each variety of mushroom grows
on different materials and has differ-
ent needs. They also vary greatly in
their taste and texture.
“The most popular mushroom we
grow is shiitake,” he said. “The hard-
est to grow is maitake.”
The rarest mushrooms are the for-
aged varieties like morel, porcini and
truffles, he said.
The biggest challenge in the
growth process is keeping the envi-
ronmental and sterilized conditions
consistent.
Foreign competition is a worry,
too. Garrone said that in spite of the
popularity and growth of California
mushroom farms, competing with
mushroom substrate imported from
China is a big problem. The product
is completely assembled in China,
meaning the substrate and mycelium
is all Chinese, but they are shipped to
the U.S., where they are fruited and
labeled a product of the U.S.
Despite the China situation,
Garrone says the market is, well,
mushrooming.
“We’re glad there is a growing
interest in mushroom production,” he
said. “It is exciting to see how many
more people are eating mushrooms
and getting involved in the process.”
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Designer
Deadly rabbit disease spreads to wild
By GEORGE PLAVEN
Capital Press
CHRISTMAS VALLEY,
Ore. — A wild black-tailed
jackrabbit collected near
Christmas Valley, Ore., has
tested positive for Rabbit
Hemorrhagic Disease Virus
2, or RHDV2, raising con-
cern among state wildlife
officials trying to curb the
disease’s spread.
While not harmful to
humans, RHDV2 is highly
contagious and deadly to
rabbits and hares. It can
spread through contact
with other infected animals
or contaminated food and
water, causing sudden death.
The jackrabbit was one
of several found dead in the
area of south-central Ore-
gon with signs of the dis-
ease, according to the state
Department of Fish and
Wildlife.
ODFW collected the ani-
mal on May 20, sending it to
Washington State Dept. of Agriculture
The USDA Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Labora-
tory last week confirmed rabbit hemorrhagic disease
virus 2 in a wild black-tailed jackrabbit collected near
Christmas Valley, Ore.
the USDA Foreign Animal
Disease Diagnostic Labo-
ratory for testing. Results
came back positive for the
disease last week.
RHDV2 was also con-
firmed March 14 in eight
feral domestic rabbits in the
Portland metro area.
ODFW says it will con-
tinue to collect and sample
rabbits throughout the state
to keep the disease from
spreading to other wild rab-
bit populations. The pub-
lic should also report rabbit
mortalities to help the agency
track the virus.
Colin Gillin, ODFW state
wildlife veterinarian, said
hunters should take extra
precautions handling rabbits,
especially if they have pet or
domestic rabbits at home.
“If you have pet rabbits,
do not handle dead wild rab-
bits in the field and then go
home and handle your own
pet or domestic rabbits as you
may spread the disease,” Gil-
lin said. “Wear nitrile gloves
when handling, and then
shower and wash clothes
before getting near any other
rabbits.”
Disease symptoms may
include fever, lethargy, lack
of appetite, lack of coordi-
nation, excitement or ner-
vousness, difficulty breath-
ing, congested membranes
around the eyes or bloody,
frothy nasal discharge at
death.
There is no licensed vac-
cine for the disease in the
U.S., though there are two
vaccines licensed by the
European Union, Eravac
and Filavac, which may be
imported under a special
USDA permit in states with
confirmed cases.
A veterinarian can request
to use the unlicensed vac-
cines only for individually
identified rabbits, and only
with permission from the
state veterinarian. The USDA
says it has limited informa-
tion about the EU vaccines,
and no supporting data for
recommended usage.
Rabbit Hemorrhagic Dis-
ease was also discovered in
two wild jackrabbits in Ada
County, Idaho, earlier this
year. The disease was pre-
viously confirmed in a New
Mexico rabbit in March 2020,
and has since been spreading
in other states including Ari-
zona, California, Colorado,
Nevada and Texas.
To report dead rabbits
in Oregon, call 1-800-347-
7028 or visit www.oda.
direct/RHD.
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Koenig steps in as interim CAHNRS dean at WSU
By MATTHEW WEAVER
Capital Press
Rich Koenig will take over
as interim dean of Washing-
ton State University’s College
of Agricultural, Human and
Natural Resource Sciences on
July 1.
He replaces Andre-Denis
Wright, who resigned effec-
tive June 30 to be the new pro-
vost of the Norman campus
for the University of Okla-
homa. Wright joined WSU as
CAHNRS dean in 2018.
Koenig said Wright’s exit
was “a bit of a surprise.”
It was a whirlwind for the
long-time WSU soil researcher.
“I went from not even
thinking about this to being
named in the
position in
probably two
weeks,” he
said. “It hap-
pened very
quickly.”
Rich Koenig
K o e -
nig has held
various leadership posi-
tions throughout the college,
including interim horticul-
ture department chairman and
associate dean and director
of WSU Extension. He has
also served as chairman of the
department of crop and soil
sciences several times.
WSU will begin the search
for a new dean as soon as pos-
sible in the fall, Koenig said.
A new dean is slated to be in
the position by June 30, 2022.
Will Koenig apply for the
job?
“At this point, I’ll say I
don’t know,” he said. “I’m
going to see how the next
few months go in this interim
role.”
Koenig has bachelor’s and
master’s degrees from the
University of Alaska-Fair-
banks and earned his Ph.D. in
soil science at WSU in 1993.
He joined WSU in 2003.
Drew Lyon is filling in
for Koenig as interim chair-
man of the crop and soil sci-
ence department, beginning
June 16. Coming out of the
COVID-19 pandemic is a
challenging time but also an
opportunity for WSU and
CAHNRS, Koenig said.
“When we all went out, it
was really abrupt — we were
all sent home and there was
really no time to adjust,” he
said. “So now we have a bit
of an opportunity to plan for
the return to work. We’re all
looking forward to it, I think.”
Koenig expects that return
to be relatively quick once the
state reopens.
The university will require
proof of COVID-19 vaccina-
tion for all students engaging
in activities at a WSU campus
or location. Exemptions will
be allowed for medical, reli-
gious or personal reasons.
The college is reaching
out to returning and incoming
undergraduate students.
“We’re looking forward to
their return, we’re planning
to be open and face-to-face
to the maximum extent pos-
sible,” Koenig said. “We’re
really excited. We’ve all
missed the students here in
Pullman and the other cam-
pus locations.”
The demolition of John-
son Hall and the construction
of a new USDA Agricultural
Research Service building
will occur in the next year
during Koenig’s interim
term.
“That’s big, because it
impacts major departments
within the college and major
USDA ARS units that touch
every aspect of agriculture in
the state,” Koenig said.
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Index
Dairy .......................................................8
Livestock ...............................................10
Markets .................................................12
CALENDAR
duce Association and the Fresh Pro-
duce and Floral Council. Website:
https://www.unitedfresh.org/unit-
ed-fresh-convention-expo-2021/#
of Lands, as well as market updates.
An optional rafting trip is planned
for June 27. Website: www.idaho-
cattle.org
THROUGH
SATURDAY JUNE 26
MONDAY-TUESDAY
JUNE 28-29
United Fresh Convention
and Expo (in person and online):
Los Angeles Convention Center.
Whether online or in person, United
Fresh is your partner connecting
the global fresh produce industry.
Sponsored by the United Fresh Pro-
Idaho Cattle Association Sum-
mer Round-Up: Stagecoach Inn,
Salmon, Idaho. The conference will
include updates from the National
Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Idaho
Beef Council, Idaho Department of
Agriculture and Idaho Departments
WEDNESDAY-
THURSDAY
JUNE 30-JULY 1
Submit upcoming ag-related
events on www.capitalpress.com
or by email to newsroom@capital-
press.com.
Western Governors’ Associ-
ation 2021 Annual Meeting (vir-
tual): The event will feature gov-
ernors in roundtable discussions
on topics such as energy response,
public lands challenges, shared
stewardship, infrastructure and
workforce. Website: www.west-
gov.org
WEDNESDAY-
SUNDAY
JUNE 30-JULY 4
St. Paul Rodeo: 7:30 p.m.
nightly, with a 1:30 p.m. matinee
Sunday at the St. Paul, Ore., rodeo
grounds. Tickets are $16 to $26, not
including a convenience fee, and can
be purchased online at StPaulRodeo.
com. For more information, visit the
rodeo’s website or call 800-237-5920.
Covid guidelines will be in place
during the rodeo. Tickets purchased
earlier in the year will be honored.
FRIDAY-SATURDAY
JULY 9-10
100th Annual Idaho Ram
Sale: Gooding County Fairgrounds,
Gooding, Idaho. Lamb viewing and
a lamb barbecue dinner will start
at 6 p.m. July 9. The sale begins at
10:30 a.m. July 10. Website: www.
idahowoolgrowers.org
Opinion ...................................................6
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