Grow one of the most famous edible mushrooms at home - the shiitake mushroom - with a class on shiitake mushroom log inoculation. Cultivation of shiitake mushrooms on logs dates back more than 1,000 years. Learn the simple techniques of this long-standing tradition at an inoculation workshop at the Refuge Food Forest pavilion.
University of Illinois Extension Local Foods Systems & Small Farms Educator, Nick Frillman will host a Shiitake Mushroom Log Inoculation class on Tuesday, May 21st, from 4:30 – 6:30 PM, at the Refuge Food Forest (701 E Lincoln St, Normal IL, 61761). The class will also feature Jeff Hake of Funks Grove Heritage Fruits and Grains and the staff of Totally Normal Fungus. Participants will walk away knowing how to source mushroom logs, what trees provide the best wood for this purpose, how to source inoculation equipment, and how to actually do the task itself.
Learn the steps to inoculating a log "bolt" with mushroom spawn. Practice the technique while inoculating logs that will fruit for the community - a collection of the bolts will be kept at The Refuge Food Forest for future community harvests.
The cost of the program is $10, which will help us cover the cost of supplies needed to be purchased for this event.