So as part of my survival kick I have planted a few veggies, bought a better way to store canned goods and have began to properly stock a pantry, gathered a few supplies for truck, and more. Let me tell you what I did last night. I ordered mushroom spores. Oh boy it is true I am going to grow some shrooms.

Just to be clear however, not “magik” mushrooms. Although it might be a good prep item to barter with if there is a major upheaval. But one, I am not willing to break the law now for something that might never happen. And two, I think that people would be more likely to want alcohol then “magik” mushrooms if there is a major issue. America loves to get their drink on.

So what did I order? Portobello and Crimini.

Portobello is that big mushroom that everyone is using to replace meat. I have found that I like taking a simple ground beef mixture (like a meat loaf or hamburger and blue cheese). Stuffing the cap with it. Grilling or baking the cap meat side up so the drippings flavor the cap. To be good eats. At the store Portobellos are about 2$ may be a little more depending on the time of the year. The spores cost me 10$ with tax and shipping. So as long as I get 5-6 good sized caps out of the deal I win. But I expect a lot more then that.

Crimini is a lot like a white cap, but brown and has a little bit more of a flavor. I mostly use them in a simple chicken broth soup or salad. But they are great grilled up on a burger, alone or any place you might use a white cap but want to add a little extra kick to the dish. I understand they are 5-6$ a pound.

The cool thing about shrooms is they just keep going. There is no seeds to replant, although they will use up all their food and then you have to “reseed” them. By taking part of the base of the plant and sticking it into new food. Should be a simple thing to do.

So after watching God only knows how many Youtube videos on growing shrooms. A lot of them about the “magik” kind I think I know how I am going to try to handle them. But there are a few things to remember.

One they are fungi. Meaning other fungi are bad news. So sterilization is a must. The grow pot, grow medium, everything must be super clean. A lot of people use a presser cooker to prep everything. But those were people growing in glasses to avoid unwanted attention. Me I will try using super hot water and maybe put things that can take it, in the oven for a few minutes.

So how am I going to do this? In a big plastic tote (good and sterile) I will add a potting mix base. Then I think I will get some hamster bedding, the big wood chips kind. Making sure it is good a soaked but not dripping wet. I will put my spores into this wet bedding as the growing medium. Put a few air holes in the side of the tote, put the top on it, maybe add a dark trash bag loosely to the top and put in a dark place. Like in the spare bath room in the basement that doesn’t really get used all that much. This room would also be were I do any home brewing…. Doing that would involve some one getting me a home brewing kit however. Some time later shroom.

I also saw some videos where people drilled holes into a log sealed the holes and end of the log with wax and then rolled it into the shade. But that takes a long time to produce. I also saw people pack there growing medium in to a basket and put the basket into a tote and that worked well. I might do that if I can get a basket I think would work well. I also saw where you used cardboard cut to fit into a tote and soak for a few hours to get it good and moist as well as easy to separate And then added bit of shroom cut right off the stem between the layers of cardboard.

So there are lots of ways to get started. I am going to try growing them I hope you might too.

❤