Mushroom growing can be both lucrative and fun. It all depends on how well you can manage to grow them, and on the amount of space you have available. And of course it depends on the quantity you wish to grow. If you're just getting started and would like to study the process, I would suggest that you buy one of the mushroom starter kits. These mushroom starter kits usually provide you with a container to grow the mushrooms in, a growth medium, and, of course with the mushroom spores or spawn. Generally speaking, growing mushrooms from such a kit is extremely easy.
All you have to do is place the growth medium inside the box and place the spawn in it. Then you just keep the box closed in a room in your house which is safe from draughts, and the mushrooms just grow. It's really just that easy. You have to water the mushrooms, of course. This involves misting them with a water spray. You wait for the mushrooms to grow sufficiently, and then harvest them. After you harvest them, you keep misting the growth medium again until the next batch grows.

You can sometimes get a good many mushrooms from a single batch of growth medium and spawn, and they can provide some very nutritious and tasty meals for your family. So a mushroom growing kit is a great idea if you like mushrooms, or even if you want to learn the basics of growing them. But if you want to grow them on a larger scale, you're going to need more space. Of course they don't take up too much space, but you still need the bare minimum. I would suggest the garden shed as the best possible place to grow them, or a greenhouse should you have one available.

Bear in mind, though, that mushrooms will never stand the excess of light available in most greenhouses, and you'll have to find a wayMushroom growing can be both lucrative and fun. It all depends on how well you can manage to grow them, and on the amount of space you have available. And of course it depends on the quantity you wish to grow. If you're just getting started and would like to study the process, I would suggest that you buy one of the mushroom starter kits. These mushroom starter kits usually provide you with a container to grow the mushrooms in, a growth medium, and, of course with the mushroom spores or spawn. Generally speaking, growing mushrooms from such a kit is extremely easy.

All you have to do is place the growth medium inside the box and place the spawn in it. Then you just keep the box closed in a room in your house which is safe from draughts, and the mushrooms just grow. It's really just that easy. You have to water the mushrooms, of course. This involves misting them with a water spray. You wait for the mushrooms to grow sufficiently, and then harvest them. After you harvest them, you keep misting the growth medium again until the next batch grows.

Well after a MANY successful grows, I decided, "hey, why not try to cut some time off this?" BAD idea. For the most part I followed every step of the grow guide (seen on the right):

2/1 ratio of vermiculite and brown rice flower
1/1 ratio of brown rice flower to water
sterilize the bowl
always wear gloves while handling materials and sterilize your hands, mixing bowl, and mason jars.

After placing the mixture in your mason jars, you're supposed to pressure cook to jars to sterilize them further. On this occasion I chose not to to see what difference it would make. I'll let the pictures the pictures do the talking, but this is contamination in the worst way imaginable.

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If you always liked mushrooms, mushroom growing is a great way to assure your family of a regular supply of this excellent food. Many people think that growing mushrooms takes some special kind of skill, or at least extremely specialized growing conditions. But this is absolutely not true. In reality, mushrooms are as easy to grow as anything else, and can be a good deal easier to grow than many kinds of food.They often need less care and require growing conditions that potentially allow even a person in a city to grow them. Did you know, for example, that mushrooms can be grown in your own flat? I know of city residents who have grown mushrooms in a box in their homes. Of course, if you live in the countryside you have the option of growing mushrooms on a far larger scale, simply because you have so much more space available. But even if you live in the city, and have a garden shed, you could grow your mushrooms in it.

Now, all mushroom growing takes is some growth medium and some mushroom spores or spawn, as they are also called. Yes, that's all that it takes to grow mushrooms. Now, while mushrooms may not take too much space, and may not require too much care, the ambiance you provide them with can be all important.

Mushrooms do not like light, so make sure you keep light away from them. If you're growing them inside your house, you can grow them in a closed box that will keep the light out, and the temperature inside the box stable. If you are growing them in a shed or in your green house, you will need to ensure that there is a very minimum of light falling on them, and also that you exclude draughts. You will also need to maintain a stable temperature range, because mushrooms are very susceptible to changes in temperature. If you do not maintain a stable temperature range, and it varies beyond around fifty to sixty degrees on the Fahrenheit scale, your mushrooms are in trouble.

On the other hand that's all that it really takes to grow mushrooms. You just need spawn and the growing medium. Place the spawn in the growing medium and place it in a dark, moist place. Water it regularly every day, and pretty soon your mushrooms will be ready for harvest. There really isn't all that much to mushroom growing.

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How you go about mushroom growing can directly impact how successful (or not) you are at growing them, of course. If you go into this without sufficient information, you may end up with a lot of wasted effort. On the other hand, if you do a little research (something that's so easy to do with the internet as available as it is) you can easily make it a vast success. Because the simple fact of the matter is that it's extremely easy to grow mushrooms. You just have to do things right. To start with, it's best not to use mushroom spores directly.While it's possible to buy mushroom spores, these spores are actually so tiny that they're microscopic. This means that they can be quite difficult to handle, at least until you get used to things. You can also harvest spores from mature mushrooms, simply by cutting the cap off and placing it on a large sheet of paper or on a sheet of glass. However, I would advise against using spores, not only because they are inconvenient to handle (a single breath of wind will scatter them all over the house or yard), but also because they're vulnerable to contamination, and if they contaminated with spores from wild, poisonous mushrooms, the consequences could be disastrous.

Preventing contamination is also the reason why it is recommended that you always go in for mushroom growing indoors. Indoor growing greatly reduces the chances that a few wild spores might come to rest in your mushroom beds, and grow up among your safe mushrooms. If the mushrooms that grow from the wild spores turn out to be poisonous, it could cause serious problems for anyone who eats them. And that's just one reason why you shouldn't grow mushrooms outdoors.

Another reason is that the growth medium is so rich that a lot of germs and unhealthy algae and fungi can start to grow in it if it's left in an open environment. In a closed environment, things are more controlled, and this means that your mushrooms can be relied upon to not only not be poisonous, but also not to carry any disease producing pathogens. Of course, you will wash the mushrooms before cooking them, but considering the growth medium that mushrooms grow in, it's better to be safe than sorry. These are just a few tips that you can use to help you with your mushroom growing.

​This article will tell you about all the different things you'll need if you want to go in for mushroom growing on a large scale. This will take a little trouble, but if you do it right, will ensure that your family always have fresh, organically grown mushrooms, a food both nutritious and exceedingly high in protein. I can see that you're already interested, so let's just cut to the chase. Now mushrooms can take a week or two to grow, or sometimes even more, depending on the richness (or otherwise) of the growth medium.As such, you'll want to ensure that you have the most mushrooms growing at once, because this means that you'll have a regular supply for your loved ones, or to distribute among acquaintances, or even to put up for sale. You'd be surprised at the amount of people who are interested in buying fresh, organically grown mushrooms. Now the first thing you need to arrange is a room in which to do your growing. Don't put this right in your home if you're going to do some large scale growing, though the basement might be an acceptable place if you can maintain the temperature.

At this stage of mushroom growing, you need to make sure that the temperature remains within ten degrees of fifty five degrees Fahrenheit, so if your basement gets much colder than that, you'd have problems growing mushrooms there. If you can maintain the temperature, however, it might be an ideal place to grow mushrooms. If you have an outhouse, garage, or barn, they might also be nice places in which to grow mushrooms. There's one more thing that's needed besides a stable temperature range, and that is an absence of light. Mushrooms don't like light, period, so if you choose a place that you can keep completely dark, they'll be more likely to grow successfully.

Lastly, you need to keep the wind out - mushrooms don't like winds either, especially if they carry any chill along with them, and if you put them in windy places, don't be surprised to find your mushrooms dying after a draught. However, you can just put them in closed boxes with removable lids, and if you do this, they should be fine so long as you maintain the temperature and humidity. Mushrooms in the early stages of growing love lots of water, though once they sprout you'll need to push back on the humidity a little. Spores, growth medium and even trays to plant mushrooms in are available everywhere, and mushroom growing is very much easier than most people think.

Typically there are three ecological roles that fungi may play in an ecosystem: parasitic, mycorrhizal and saprophytic.

1. Saprophytes are organisms that consume dead material. These fungi are what eat wood, leaves, manure, corpses. These are the fungi that link death to life, that continue the cycle of nutrient flow on earth. Saprophytes are the typical mushroom cultivated by people. It is much easier to provide a mushroom with dead material and ideal conditions for growth and fruiting than doing the same on a living host. Things like logs and sawdust and wheat bran are very easy to store, handle, and manipulate to create favorable conditions for mushroom growth. Cordyceps militaris is a fungus that can be both parasitic and saprophytic making it possible to grow mushroom fruiting bodies even though a living host is not present.  
2. Mycorrhizal fungi are a type of fungus that creates a symbiotic relationship with plant roots, “myco” meaning fungi and “rhizal” meaning roots. Simply a fungus associated with roots! These fungi are on over 90% of plant species. Most of the trees we look at in our daily lives have fungi attached to their root system. These fungi play multiple roles in assisting plant health, nutrient access, and communication across individuals. Amazing studies have been done to illustrate how connected ecosystems really are. These mycorrhizal networks literally connect individuals of the same and different species to each other. Mycorrhizae allow the exchange of nutrients, flowing from sick and healthy trees as well as old and young trees. Through these mycorrhizal networks, information is passed regarding different stressors like pests that may be invading an ecosystem. On an individual level mycorrhizal fungi also expand the root system of plants and help access nutrients that are locked in the soil like phosphorus and pockets of water. Mycorrhizal filaments are much smaller than roots so can penetrate tiny rocks and cracks that are otherwise inaccessible by the plant. In exchange for these nutrients and water plants trade sugars developed during photosynthesis.
3. Parasitic fungi are fungi that attack a living organism. These fungi give the entire fungal kingdom a bad rap because of their perceived negative impact on human systems. Fungal parasites have a huge impact on crop loss in our agricultural systems. The continued use of monocultures and farming techniques that grow weak plants creates breeding grounds for fungal diseases. These diseases spread rapidly during wet periods and easily travel up the entire country over the course of a growing season. Many of these fungi do not create a mushroom but exist simply in the mycelial and spore stages of the fungal life cycle. Many of these fungi have asexual reproduction cycles where they can rapidly create genetically identical spores for further dissemination. There are some mushroom-forming parasites as well. Honey mushroom, an edible which grows abundantly throughout the U.S., chaga, and cordyceps are all examples of this. One network of honey mushrooms, covering a stretch of forest in Oregon that expands 2000 acres in a continuous mycelial mat has been described as the largest organism in the world. Human perception is typically that parasites are a bad thing, but when the largest organism in the world is a parasite, it gives us something to consider, it must be doing something right. Chaga is currently an extremely popular parasitic mushroom which grows on birch trees. Chaga is thought to have a variety of compounds that positively impact the human immune system. Cordyceps is a parasite not of plants or trees but of insects. Cordyceps attack a living insect larvae or pupae, consume it, and then fruit from the dead body of the insect. Some species of Cordyceps can cross over to being saprophytic allowing humans to produce fruiting bodies without the presence of insects.
   
   

All mushrooms are located in the kingdom fungi. There are three factors that characterize a fungus:

• One, the cell walls are made of Chitin.
• Two, the mode of digestion is absorption.
• And three, they are heterotrophic.

Let’s pull these apart one by one to understand the kingdom fungi better.
Chitin is a complex, rigid molecule which also comprises lobster and insect shells. Most human stomachs cannot digest Chitin. Since chitin is primarily indigestible when mushrooms are consumed raw, a majority of the nutritional benefits are locked away behind this chitin and unavailable. This is not to say one can eat poisonous mushrooms raw safely! Some compounds in the mushroom are available to our human system without breaking the chitin down but most require the degradation of the chitin before consumption. Chitin can be broken down simply by heat in the process of cooking or making tea or by alcohol in the case of making tinctures.
The second determining factor of a fungus is their mode of digestion. Fungi are unique from most animals because they do not have stomachs. Fungi secrete enzymes outside of their body, breaking down whatever they are growing in and absorbing the nutrients back into their body. The enzymes that are secreted by fungi are strong compounds that not only break down the food source but also protect the fungus. These enzymes are a cocktail of different antifungals, antibacterials, and probiotics which guide the microbial growth around the mycelial network.
Some mushroom species, such as wine cap, require the presence of certain bacteria in order to fruit. The enzymes that are produced can be signals or food sources for certain bacteria to proliferate. One radically different consequence of this method of nutrition is that fungi need to grow on or in their food source. Fungi cannot survive in the mycelial state separate from their food source.

Lastly, fungi are heterotrophic, meaning they rely on an external food source. Fungi are not capable of photosynthesizing. Unlike plants they cannot transform the sun’s energy into matter. Fungi are the recyclers, the magicians throughout the cycle of life, that transform death into the possibility of life. Decomposition is not the only ecological role fungi play though. Let’s go through three of the most common ecological roles fungi play.

Turkey tail mushroom (also known as Trametes Versicolor) is one of the most highly researched mushroom species. Its medicinal properties are somewhat of a miraculous wonder given all the remarkable effects it has on the human immune system.
It was popularly used in ancient Chinese medicine, where formulations of turkey tail were used to reduce inflammation, boost immune system function, and promote general health and wellbeing.
This post explores some of the top turkey tail mushroom benefits and how you can incorporate them into your daily diet.



Turkey Tail Mushrooms – Nutritional Information
One of the most well-known benefits of turkey tail mushrooms is the critical role they play in the treatment of cancer patients. This can be attributed to the fact that they contain high concentrations of selenium, vitamin B3, and D, which are all widely accepted immune boosters.
They also contain a type of polysaccharides within their fungal walls known as β-glucans, which, when consumed, provide receptors in the small intestines that work to activate the host immune response.
Turkey tail mushrooms also contain herbal compounds known as adaptogens that work to stimulate energy levels, combat stress factors, and provide critical support to the body’s immune system.
They also have compacted mycelium.  Mycelium is the solid part of the fungus, and it is nutrient-rich in compounds like proteins, minerals, vitamins, and polysaccharides.

Benefits:

Assists in the Treatment of HPV
These mushrooms may help to heal the oral lesions that result from Human Papillomavirus (HPV). In one study, 61 HPV-positive patients who had varying severities of gingivitis (gum disease) received treatment using reishi, turkey tail, and chicken-of-the-woods (Laetiporus Sulphureus) mushrooms.
Researchers separated them into two groups, where 20 of the patients in the first group were given chicken mushrooms for two months, while the remaining 41 patients in the second group were given a combination of reishi and turkey tail mushrooms also for two months.
Only 5% of the patients in the first group showed positive results once the two-month period elapsed. On the other hand, a whopping 88% of the patients in the second group showed improvement after a similar period.
From the results of this study, it is evident that turkey tail mushrooms show promise in the treatment of oral HPV.

Aids in Digestion
Many people often take for granted how vital healthy digestion is. The gut is responsible for 70% of the immune system function. When compromised, it increases the risk of autoimmune diseases, overgrowth of bacteria, allergies, cancer, colds and flu, and several other ailments.
The state of your digestive system also plays a critical role in your mental health. There have been several studies that reveal a strong correlation between brain function and gastroenterology.



Turkey tail mushrooms are rich in mycelium. This compound works to support not only the immune system but also maintain a healthy balance of the microbiome in favor of the good gut bacteria, resulting in better digestion and a healthier gut.

Helps Patients With HIV/Aids
Research shows that turkey tail mushrooms, when used in conjunction with other wild medicinal mushrooms, are hugely beneficial in the treatment of Kaposi’s sarcoma. This is a type of skin cancer that’s prevalent among individuals with HIV/AIDS.
The mushrooms have an antiviral agent known as polysaccharide peptide (PSP). It has been shown to encumber the replication of HIV. It also has antioxidant and antibacterial properties, which all act to boost the immune system among immuno-deficient individuals.

Helps to Combat Cancer
According to a review done by the National Cancer Institute, the polysaccharide-K (PSK, Krestin) Japan has approved the use of extract from turkey tail mushrooms as an adjuvant treatment in cancer patients to suppress the development of secondary tumors.
The fungi have powerful disease-fighting and immune-enhancing properties that are useful in anticancer treatments. Several studies have also shown it to be highly effective as an adjunctive treatment among patients with various types of cancer, including breast, lung, colorectal, and gastric cancer.

Is a Great Treatment for the Common Cold and Flu
Turkey tail mushrooms are widely touted for their ability to stave off various infections, including those that are associated with the common cold and flu. It strengthens the immune system making it more resilient against disease-causing microbes like germs, bacteria, and viruses.


So supplementing this delicious fungus into your daily diet will go a long way in keeping the colds and flu at bay.

Offers Support to Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy treatments use powerful drug chemicals to target and kill fast-growing cells in the body. Cancer cells grow and multiply faster than any other of the body’s cells.
However, there are several other fast-growing non-cancerous cells in the body. These include those in the blood, mouth, nose, nails, hair, intestinal tract, and bone marrow. So chemotherapy has adverse effects on them as well.
Since the treatment damages the bone marrow, it becomes harder for it to produce platelets as well as red and white blood cells. The result? Fewer white blood cells in the body equate to a weakened immune system. This makes your body vulnerable to infection.
Turkey tail mushrooms among cancer patients help to build up their immune system. This helps to better handle the damaging effects chemo has on their immunity. A stronger immune system empowers the body to fight cancer cells, making these mushrooms a potent cancer-fighting remedy.

How to Use Turkey Tail Mushroom – the Nutritional Powerhouse
Turkey tail grows on stumps and logs in forests throughout the world. It is a very common mushroom.  Run your foraged turkey tail by a friend who knows mushrooms before consuming it.

Also, be aware that this is not a good mushroom to eat raw.  It doesn’t taste good and can cause diarrhea.

Fresh Turkey Tail
The best way to consume this healthy fungus fresh is by chopping up two handfuls of it and brewing the chunks in a large pot of water for about an hour. Turn off the stove and let it cool a little before straining the mixture.

Pour yourself a cup of the liquid, and add two teaspoons of turmeric, half a teaspoon of honey, and a bit of lemon essential oil, and you’re ready to roll!

Make it a staple in your daily diet to reap all the turkey tail mushroom benefits the fungus has to offer. Your future self will thank you.

Turkey Tail Extract Powder
A convenient way to take advantage of the medicinal effects of turkey tail is to add extract powder to your favorite dishes or drinks.
Micro Ingredients makes an excellent turkey tail extract powder, that is concentrated 50:1.

Host Defence makes an excellent turkey tail tincture.  Adding a few drops to a smoothie is a great way to get your daily dose.

Turkey tail capsulesHost Defence also makes turkey tale capsules.  If you are traveling, turkey tail capsules are an excellent way to get your turkey tail fix.

Conclusion
We’ve covered the many amazing health benefits of the Turkey tail mushroom.  Try adding some of this fantastic mushroom to your diet today!

So supplementing this delicious fungus into your daily diet will go a long way in keeping the colds and flu at bay.

Offers Support to Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy treatments use powerful drug chemicals to target and kill fast-growing cells in the body. Cancer cells grow and multiply faster than any other of the body’s cells.
However, there are several other fast-growing non-cancerous cells in the body. These include those in the blood, mouth, nose, nails, hair, intestinal tract, and bone marrow. So chemotherapy has adverse effects on them as well.
Since the treatment damages the bone marrow, it becomes harder for it to produce platelets as well as red and white blood cells. The result? Fewer white blood cells in the body equate to a weakened immune system. This makes your body vulnerable to infection.
Turkey tail mushrooms among cancer patients help to build up their immune system. This helps to better handle the damaging effects chemo has on their immunity. A stronger immune system empowers the body to fight cancer cells, making these mushrooms a potent cancer-fighting remedy.

How to Use Turkey Tail Mushroom – the Nutritional Powerhouse

Turkey tail grows on stumps and logs in forests throughout the world. It is a very common mushroom.  Run your foraged turkey tail by a friend who knows mushrooms before consuming it.

So supplementing this delicious fungus into your daily diet will go a long way in keeping the colds and flu at bay.

Offers Support to Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy treatments use powerful drug chemicals to target and kill fast-growing cells in the body. Cancer cells grow and multiply faster than any other of the body’s cells.
However, there are several other fast-growing non-cancerous cells in the body. These include those in the blood, mouth, nose, nails, hair, intestinal tract, and bone marrow. So chemotherapy has adverse effects on them as well.
Since the treatment damages the bone marrow, it becomes harder for it to produce platelets as well as red and white blood cells. The result? Fewer white blood cells in the body equate to a weakened immune system. This makes your body vulnerable to infection.
Turkey tail mushrooms among cancer patients help to build up their immune system. This helps to better handle the damaging effects chemo has on their immunity. A stronger immune system empowers the body to fight cancer cells, making these mushrooms a potent cancer-fighting remedy.

​How to Use Turkey Tail Mushroom – the Nutritional Powerhouse
Turkey tail grows on stumps and logs in forests throughout the world. It is a very common mushroom.  Run your foraged turkey tail by a friend who knows mushrooms before consuming it.