Our instructors from Change Food For Good taught us some rudiments of raising fungi, and supplied kits which will yield a few harvests of edible Lion's Mane fungi if tended properly. With their guidance and the utilities at Collective Focus, we readied these kits and took them home.

Though our class supplied us for this go, I'd like to know how much materials to repeat it would cost. A shallow search suggests that kits may be available for $28-32 (prior to shipping and tax.) I still want to compare the total price of individual trustworthy components (bags, substrate, pellets, and mushroom spawn.) Our hydroponic farm system project taught us that purchasing components alone can sometimes be more economical despite the greater preparation time.

At Collective Focus, we abided by procedure to fill our filter bags with substrate, pellets, and grain spawn, then pasteurized and inoculated them to grow at home.

The fungi colonized their container quite thoroughly by day 20, but I waited until day 22 to cut it open in case it wanted to spread even further. The sporocarp (or fruiting body--the part of a mature fungus that scatters spores) has been apparent and growing steadily since day 24.
Since cutting the bag open, I relocated it to a tall box to keep sunlight out. I've also started to mist it with water from a spray bottle daily. But I ponder:

>Is there an optimal time of day to mist it?
>>How many times should it be done daily?

Day 0 (October 11, 2024)

Kit received and prepared for colonization

Day 20

Subtrate thoroughly colonized!

Day 22

Filter bag relocated and cut open; begin misting the fungi at least once daily

Day 24

Fruiting bodies apparent; began misting at least twice daily

Day 25-32

Fruiting bodies grow rapidly

Day 35 (November 15, 2024)

Harvest of first flush of mushrooms

Day 38

First flush eaten

Day 45-48

Development of a second flush

Day 50 (November 30, 2024)

Second flush harvested

There have thankfully been few notable impediments to this project.

While the materials were already gathered for us, we didn't have enough time at Collective Focus to pasteurize the mixture as well as we would have liked.

At home, the initial challenge was safe storage because of limited space, but the culture fit neatly atop a tall shelf in a curtained closet.

I had to relocate to another building just as the Lion's Mane was fruiting, but I was still able to take it with me and water it. I also harvested it a few days later than I would have liked, and fear that may hinder its next flushes of growth.

Here is a visual log of the mushrooms' gradual colonization of the substrate and subsequent fruiting. Initially, I took a photo roughly every 2-3 days, but began to do so more frequently (twice or thrice daily) once fruiting bodies began to form. They developed swiftly at that phase!

I also considering measuring the mushrooms as they grew, but decided against it. In a calmer situation, I definitely would, though.

Developmental Progress

Colonization

Pinning and Fruiting

On day, 22, I cut small "X"s (or +s) into the broadest sides of the bag. I made the one in back smaller.
I also untied the bag, rolled it up, and pinned the ends. After that, I placed the fungus in a cardboard box with flaps, so I had some way to shelter it from incoming sunlight.

Fruiting Bodies Mature

Once cut open, the fruiting bodies developed rapidly. I misted them when a spray bottle once to thrice a day.
The smaller mushrooms in back never grew as large or swiftly as the other.

First Flush Harvest

On Day 35, I harvested the mushrooms. They were beginning to brown, indicating maturity. I wrapped the removed mushrooms in paper towel, then refigerated them. It'd have been better to use small paper bags as well (just as I see mushrooms stored and sold at farmers markets,) but I had none.

Second Flush

A second flush became prominent from about November 25th to 30th. It didn't become nearly as large as the first, however. They didn't seem to continue growing, so I harvested them on November 30th.
Day 45
Day 48
Day 50

The results were uniquely tasty. Some sites and studies I've seen report that Lion's Mane contains various vitamins and nutrients that support brain and immune health. I'd also like to know if Lion's Mane has any dangerous likenesses, or can be hazardous for those with certain conditions to eat. It can be consumed cooked or raw, powdered, or even used in smoothies. I found it chewy and a bit dry, so I opted to use it in stir fry meals or soups. I'd certainly welcome it in more meals. It tastes vaguely like seafood.

As of this update (Jan 2, 2025,) there seems to be a third flush, again fairly small. My camera is in need of repair, so photos will be slow to add. Even so, I wonder if there's something more I can do to improve what vigor this block of fungi may have left. Could exposing a section of the bag which no mushrooms have yet grown from help?

This project has yet to end; I haven't yet ascertained whether or not the mushrooms will redevelop. However, I will amass a list of ideas and considerations that may improve this process or lead to future experiments.

Improving my procedure; curiosity and additional considerations

• I should have placed a tag on the top of the filter bag (not obstructing the filter,) upon which I'd tally each day the fungus has been developing. I could also have marked the side of the box I placed it all in.
• In future efforts, I may cover the box I set the filter bag in with a small section of screen, curtain, or net. It would make monitoring the colony slightly more laborious, but also keep curious arthropods out.
• I'd experiment with different numbers, sizes, and locations of bag cuts, since they influence how the fruiting bodies leave the bag. Perhaps I'd roll the bag on its back, cut the wide face that it now turned upward, and widen that cut every other day.

Next, I'd like to try raising one of the two other species we were offered, but I'd also welcome raising more Lion's Mane with revised technique to compare results.

There is no integration yet, but I would like to add fungus and insect APIs to this website. I so often photograph such lifeforms outdoors, yet don't always have means to identify them. It could also give a preliminary diagnosis of any plant/fungus health issues. If and once I add them, they may be an extension of the existing plant identifier page, and the process will be detailed here. But it's safe to presume that I'll be using kindwise.com for these APIs, just as with the plant identifier on this site.

In no order of priority:

• Cleaner and less taxing image incorporation
• Better navigation between sections, especially the longer ones... perhaps as sticky elements
• More responsive page design
• Presentation of comparative edible mushroom prices at a local farmstand, with some research on why the most costly are more valued
• thematic imagery for this page, hopefully from my own photos or imagination