Day 12: Mushrooms
Dear Student,
Mushrooms are the spore-bearing, fruiting body of a fungus. They are quite different from other farm plants, because they contain no chlorophyll and don’t require light to grow. Instead, they consume dead organic matter, making them an essential part of any ecosystem.
Foraged since the dawn of man for food, medicinal purposes, and the powerful psychoactive effects of some specific “magic” mushrooms sought by shamans for spiritual rituals and recreational users alike, mushrooms are an essential part of human history.
Mushrooms fall into several categories, but for the purposes of a self-sufficient homestead we’ll focus on edible mushrooms…
Mushrooms are a great crop to farm on a homestead of any size, because…
- They don’t require land to undertake.
- Small-scale production requires low capital investment.
- They recycle organic farm wastes.
- Their substrates can be used as compost when finished.
- Fresh mushrooms are 90% water and can be dried for preservation or to intensify flavors.
- They can provide food security.
- They can provide income security.
- They can be farmed by those with disabilities.
And they’re highly nutritious…
- They are loaded with vitamins and minerals, notably vitamins B, C, and D, niacin, thiamine, and folate.
- They are a good source of high-quality protein, with 19% to 36% protein content by dry weight. (Therefore a viable meat substitute.)
- They’re low in fat.
- They’ve got no carbohydrates.
- They are immune system boosters and are used extensively in Asian medicines to treat a host of ailments.
- They add great flavor and texture to food.
The 11 most commonly farmed mushrooms, include:
- Common Mushroom
- Shiitake
- Oyster
- Straw
- Pom Pom
- Ear
- Ganoderma
- Maitake
- Winter
- Nameko
- Shaggy Mane