Shiitake

Shiitake mushrooms grow all around us here. Mostly the farmers grow them in the traditional way but this morning we visited a shiitake factory owned by a neighbour. 

The Traditional Way

1. They collect the wood and stack it in the forest. 
2. The following year they drill little holes and insert the mushroom spore. 
3. The next year they pick the mushrooms. 

Mik picked some when we had our daily walk today. We had permission from the farmer to do so.

And then we grilled them and ate them.



The Factory Shiitake 

1. First they make the "host" block with mostly saw dust. It is heated to get rid of bacteria, then cooled. Then the spore are inserted. 
2. The blocks are put into racks in a shed of controlled temperature and humidity. 
3. They pick them as they come up.