JEFFERSON CO., N.Y. — On Saturday January 16th at 10 am, the horticulture team at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County (CCEJC) will conduct a webinar on growing oyster mushrooms. For $20, CCEJC will provide participants a kit that includes most everything needed to grow oyster mushrooms. Intended as an introduction to the fascinating world of mycoculture, this fun and easy project is family friendly, educational, and potentially profitable. Participants will learn simple methods to cultivate oyster mushrooms indoors and out in organic materials such as straw, sawdust, cardboard, corn stalks, and even coffee grounds.
CCEJC Horticulture Staff, Mike Nuckols and Sue Gwise, spent the summer attending specialty mushroom training for educators offered by Cornell University staff. The training program is part of a larger effort to develop a specialty mushroom industry in New York State. As part of this experience, both grew oyster mushrooms.
Oyster mushrooms are a great choice for beginners interested in growing mushrooms. Full of rich umami flavor and meaty textures, oyster mushrooms can be used in a variety of dishes, ranging from pasta to stir fry. In addition to being a satisfying addition to vegetarian dishes, they are low in calories and rich in nutrients.
Oyster mushrooms can be cultivated in a wide range of conditions and temperatures. Though oyster mushrooms prefer to grow in straw and hardwood sawdust, they will grow on many different sources of lignin to include waste products. Examples include coffee grounds, brown cardboard, corn stalks, or even chopped up weeds. Hardwood pellets used for heating are another easy option.
With the right conditions, oyster mushrooms can be harvested in about 6-weeks from inoculation of the substrate. Indoors or out, they can be grown in any number of containers, from plastic bags to buckets. Outdoors, they can be grown in containers and even on logs, particularly those of less-desirable species such as balsam poplar.
For home gardeners, oyster mushrooms can be a fun project that results in delicious outcomes. For market gardeners, they can be a welcome addition to CSA bags or farmer’s market offerings. Furthermore, they can be grown at times of the year when other vegetable crops are unavailable, such as winter or early spring. Mushroom cultivation offers great business potential, with oyster mushrooms selling for approximately $5 for four to six ounces.
Participants can pay for and pick up their kits at the CCEJC office during the week of January 11th during normal business hours. The webinar will be held via Zoom at 10 am on Saturday, January 16th. After the webinar is concluded, both Mike and Sue will provide continued support to participants and other individuals interested in growing mushrooms. For more information or to register, please go to the following website: https://reg.cce.cornell.edu/OysterMushrooms_222
–CCE Jefferson County
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