Image provided by: The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs; Warm Springs, OR
About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 23, 1992)
. Mr-ppr p,.igl- ing - i -) gi p p , jr--mr-i1 p-uw , SpilyayTymoo Warm Springs, Orkcon December 23, 1992 PACT. 5 Students begin market research, growing of shitake mushrooms A unique forest product has caught the interest of students at Madras I ligh School and you can eat it. This new industry is the growing and harvesting of Japanese shitake (shi-ta'-ke) mushrooms. The growing of shitake mushrooms takes advantage of woodland resources not usually used commercially such as the under-utilized species of white oak with small diameters from three to six inches. In addition, the mushrooms can be grown in one area and return on the initial investment occurs much sooner than conven tional forest products. The gourmet mushroom originated centuries ago in Japan and is highly favored for its flavor. Worldwide demand for the mushroom increased in the 1 94()'s with a market second only to the white mushroom found in grocery stores. In 1985, Japan exported mushrooms toiallina 2 billion dollars in retail sales, much or this going to the United Suites. In the last 10 years many U.S. woodlot owners have turned to shitake mushrooms as a reliable income with over 2.1 million pounds produced in 1986. Madras High School Forestry students began their small-scale business operation with the introduction to shitake mushrooms by warm Springs soil scientist Chris Gannon. Gannon researched the industry and provides direction to the students along with Madras High school f-orcsiry instructor Bill Wysham. warm springs I nbal Council provides support for the project wim approved lunuing tor tnc project because ol tnc educational benefits for students and to determine feasibility of such an enterprise for the Warm Springs community. The business of shitake mushroom grow ing begins wun tnc cutting oi wnitc oak togs into 4-loot lengths. With care to prevent damage to the bark, the logs arc inoculated with a strain of mushroom spore that is most suitable lor the area. Inoculation of the logs takes place by drilling three-eighths inch holes throughout the log, lining tnc notes wun a sawdustspore mixture and then scaling trie hole wun wax. The logs arc kept moist and stored at a temperature of approximately 77F for four to six months while the mycelium spores of the shitake spreads throughout the logs in what is called the "spawn run." The log docs not produce mushrooms until it is completely colonized by spores, which is the benefit to using small logs. Prior to fruiting, the logs arc well soaked and set on cnd.Logs will produce shortly after soaking and can be forced to produce a crop of mushrooms every six to eight weeks during spring and fall. Logs can last up to six years. After the flush of mushrooms appear, they arc picked and put in cardboard boxes and refrigerated. They should be shipped to market within five days. Lower quality mushrooms can be dried and packaged. MHS Forestry students will study the market for mushroom sales and distribution in preparation for harvest next spring. They arc also keeping careful records to determine which of the two strains of mushrooms they are using is more successful and noting any differences in production due to variations during preparation of logs. It's a slightly unusual approach to forest products, but if the shitake mushroom industry proves as suc cessful for Forestry students as it has for many small woodlot owners, it may also be the beginning of a new enterprise for Warm Springs. Fruiting stage of Shitake mushrooms takes place six to eight months after innoculation. " W ' 1 in.imioiini I 1 i rwi:""""- f D, ipii ii.iih , 11.11111 1 "T-'Pt t V d I) I JIL , , ! 1 II u m 11 2 v u : MM : -'J i. x ' 4 J I !i lkUf I L v yt ( . mk S'rf-V r-7 r, Charles Hudson injects Shitake mushroom culture into logs. i it I V in-tqp 1 Jay Scott records data which includes mushroom strain, team, and date of innoculation. lfj'W .,-.., 4l, I JS.' . . t x mil i I mm i n n . . ... . . r. ,-:Ji Innoculated logs are stacked in cribs for the "spawn " run. Wb "j-1 ....II: '"J V.. !!' ."" I.'W"I" '" . " V f- ii o I - i V - 't. ; ' L ---- L Warm Springs soil scientist Chris Gannon soaks logs, necessary to increase moisture before fruiting. r t f T5 ' .: ' """ Wr'1f' v cja7 8 , T -- ,n V'' . M.M l 1 ', rf' - V - 4 White oak loes are cut into short lenpthx following I . ------ o o I HA I P C. J l