Subject: Re: straw culture (Paul Stewart)

From: [email-masked] (Warren Rekow)
Date: 4 Apr 1995 09:51:33 -0700

>         1.  How does one cut the straw into the desired lengths without
> expensive farm machinery?  ....

One can get good growth of Oysters on straw without cutting or shredding.
The innoculated straw should be tightly packed to increase the density.

>         2.  I plan to dump the pasteurized straw on bleach-cleaned
> plastic sheeting, inoculate with grain spawn, roll the sheet into a tube,
> tie the ends with wire, and hang the tube in a plastic-partitioned grow
> room in the loft of my garage/barn. Will this work? I just don't have the
> cash for "space bags" right now. How cold can such a mixture be and still 
> grow?

That would probably work fine, though just packing the straw into new
unused garbage bags of whatever size might be an easier approach. In either
case be sure to poke many holes into the container soon after filling.
Temperature requirements vary with the strain or species, but the high 60s
to low 70s would probably be good.  See Stamets' books.

> 4... Is there anything I can supplement the barley/oat straw with to 
> bring it up to scratch?

You should be able to get fruiting without supplementing the straw.
Oysters can grow on many cellulosic substrates.

> 5.  The grain I am using is also barley/oats. ....

If the grain is real clean with a low spore count as evidenced by few or
no contaminated jars, and if the grain kernels do not get gummed together
after autoclaving, then it should work.  Some people use wheat or millet.
If the white spots are contamination you will probably soon know by
observing non-white growths, places devoid of mycelia, or an unpleasant
odor. A good procedure is to soak the grain overnight prior to autoclaving.
This both hydrates the grain, and gives contaminant spores a chance to
germinate so that they will be more susceptible to kill by autoclaving.

> 6.  I drilled holes in the mason cover, and put a piece of filter 
> paper (Whatman #42 Ashless) over it ....
> Will this filter paper be sufficient to keep te interior sterile?

Per above, you will soon know.  It seems like Oyster or other mycelia
would be able to degrade the paper.  Fungi Perfecti sells filter disks
and plastic jar lids which work well and endure a long time.
-- 
Warren Rekow ([email-masked])
HC 79, Box 104, Melba  ID  83641
Phone or fax: 208-896-4908