Mushroom Matter is very proud to have mushroom professionals blogging for our platform. We have bloggers from all over the world; in the United States, the Netherlands and Russia. Normally they are traveling the world and visiting and supporting their customers with the mushroom growing process. As everyone knows, travel restrictions due to Corona have impacted everyone, but also the work of our bloggers. A switch to online support is made and in some cases travel within their own countries is again possible!
As we have gained many more followers and readers over the last years on our platform, we would like to introduce again our bloggers to you. This week we place Erik de Groot in the spotlights.

Erik de Groot has been blogging for Mushroom Matter for two years now and writes articles on the mushroom growing process, like harvesting, casing soil, climate control and much more. He lives in California in the US and has his own consultancy company called GLAGS. He supports customers around the globe, like China, Russia, Australia and Europe. When he was a teenager, he was already working with mushrooms as a picker, cleaner and whatever had to be done. At a later stage in life he rented his own farm before deciding to go to work for bigger farms. With several years of experience in the Netherlands, he got involved in consultancy work and started to travel around the world. He writes for several magazins and brings a wide experience and knowledge level to the table, therefore we are happy to have him on board.

Click here to view his blogs.

Mushrooms we like to eat them, but there are also mushrooms that are eaten for their hallucinogenic effect. These types of mushrooms influence consciousness and are classified as tripping agents. The mushrooms are also known as Psilocybin or ‘Magic Mushrooms’. You can use it in different ways, but most make it into a dish because of the bad taste. The trip effect is caused by the psilocybin and psilocin and the effect usually starts after 15 minutes to an hour. You can also make tea so you can notice the effect earlier. The substances in the mushrooms are not physically dependent, so that means that you cannot become addicted to them. Examples of hallucinogenic mushrooms are Psilocybe cubensis, Psilocybe semilanceata, Psilocybe tampanensis and truffles. Hallucinogenic mushrooms are illegal. But because truffles are legally not covered by mushrooms, due to the fact that they grow underground, they are legally available.

More and more articles are appearing that the use of psilocin can help in the treatment of depression, anxiety, addiction or PTSD. But in many drug laws there is still much uncertainty about the legal status. In California, Georgia and Idaho they are prohibited and in Oregan during the elections, voters voted for legalization. It’s the first state where the psilocin is used for mental health treatments. Also Hawaii considers ‘Magic Mushrooms’ as medicine.

The next edition of the Mushroom Days will probably be held in the spring of 2022.

The Mushroom Days Foundation announced this in a letter to their exhibitors. The event is scheduled for Wednesday March 30, Thursday March 31 and Friday April 1 in the Brabanthallen in Den Bosch in the Netherlands. That still seems a long way ahead, but the Mushroom Days Foundation is looking forward with great optimism and therefore wants to start with the preparations. But because of the Covid-19 pandemic there will be a slight difference. For this edition of the Mushroom Days there is unfortunately a limited set-up time due to a prior mega event. The desired hall is therefore only available on Monday around noon. This entails a different method than the exhibitors are used to.
A tightly controlled structure will require a clear on time final participation, the size of the stand and all desired facilities. Unfortunately it will not be possible to organize meetings for exhibitors to present their plans, nor for questions and room for discussion. The exhibitors were invited by letter to indicate whether they are positive about the intention to hold the 36th edition in the spring of 2022.

The Mushroom Days Foundation is once again looking forward to making it a success and inviting visitors with a warm welcome.

If a consultant is visiting a farm there are always many things to discuss in detail.

Shall we give more or less water and are we able to water over the mushrooms?

Do we need a slower or faster fructification?

Is the amount of pins sufficient or do we need more and how do we then get a decent stagger?

Even discussions about compost although many growers do not really know the details. But they know about structure, moisture and smell. Because this is what they discuss at filling.

The same about casing soil. Is it heavy this time or just fine? Wet or dry?

But talking about supplement one finds out that most of the growers have absolutely no idea how it works, what it really is and the choices they can make. Generally the price is the main buying point.

And this is strange to me. Because compost and casing are always changing during the year. This is mainly due to the seasonal effect on the raw materials. Straw is maturing in the storage, chicken manure will change in nitrogen level and peat is changing moisture depending on the season of the year. Manufacturing companies will react to that but smaller changes are inevitable.

To keep production at the same level or to enhance it, the supplement however can be changed to your liking. Most of the growers only know that there is a slow or normal release product. But it is possible to customise the supplement to the situation of that moment. Not just slow or fast but even pinpointed to a certain phase of the growing. To give an example: one of the farms I work on now wanted more activity in second flushes and a longer shelflife. In cooperation with the compost supplier and the supplement supplier they have now “composed” a supplement that can do that. Be aware though that it also needs adapting of the growing. You are putting more proteins into the compost so the activity changes too. This means that also the watering and the picking have to change.

But this way many combinations are possible.

There are different raw materials to mix and several processes to make the release time fitting your schedule.

A few remarks though have to be made.

It only works well in cooperation with the compost supplier. The ingredients of the supplement have to be an addition to the nutrients in the compost. So it has to fit the analyses of the compost.

The best way to use it if it can be mixed in at the compost yard. And this is only profitable with bigger quantities of compost. Mixing it in at filling is not as efficient as on the compost yard.

Do not just look at protein levels. Because some proteins are not available to the mushrooms and will still be in the compost at the moment of emptying the room.

So look at effective protein. This often is a matter of price. Good proteins come with a price.

And remember: good supplement makes good compost better. But good supplement makes bad compost worse.

The consumer demand for residue-free food is increasing, and chemical alternatives in mushroom cultivation are becoming less and less available.

E-nema GmbH supports this change. It is the world market leader and has decades of experience in the production of useful nematodes.

Useful nematodes are natural opponents of many pests in ornamental plant breeding, on strawberry, blueberry and apple orchards as well as in maize cultivation. They are also increasingly being used, successfully within the mushroom cultures, in the fight against sciarids.

Nematodes are barely visible to the naked eye, but they are very effective. They are sent all over the world to be used in biological crop protection.

The main sales markets are currently in Europe and North America, but countries such as New Zealand and Africa are also increasingly relying on biological alternatives to chemical crop protection.

E-nema maintains close contact with its customers and will in future, be at the side of the mushroom grower as a partner with scientific expertise and an effective biological product against sciarids.

Despite the pandemic, sales of the north German company e-nema GmbH rose by more than 30% last year.

The company will continue to invest in modern systems and in the qualifications and motivation of its employees. Their number is expected to increase from currently 60 to 100 in the coming years and a doubling of sales from 10 million in 2019 to 20 million by 2024 is also planned.

In these huge bioreactors, e-nema GmbH produces useful nematodes for biological crop protection
Photo: k-film, Michael Kottmeier

Mushrooms are delicious to eat, they contribute to our health, but did you know that there are a number of species that have a medicinal effect?

Medicinal mushrooms contain polysaccharides, glucans and many minerals and B vitamins. These can make an important contribution to the treatment of many diseases and conditions. This includes chronic conditions, autoimmune diseases, cancer, skin conditions and allergies. Many studies have now proven the medicinal effect of these types of mushrooms.

Some examples of medicinal mushrooms are: Chaga, Lion's Mane, Cordyceps, Reishi, Shiitake and Maitake. Medicinal mushrooms do not cause a change in consciousness. So it doesn't get you high or stoned. Scientific studies have shown that the risk of side effects is also small. So it is safe to use these types of supplements. But if you are taking other medications? Always do this in consultation with a specialist.

In Asian countries, such as China, Japan and Korea, the use of medicinal mushrooms is one of the normal therapeutic treatments. And now medicinal mushrooms are also increasingly used in other countries of the world to fight diseases.

While it’s easy to decipher between shapes and colors, it’s not as easy to see the nutritional differences between mushrooms. Mushrooms are a nutrient powerhouse with each type offering beneficial nutrients such as vitamin D, selenium and B vitamins.

Health Benefits of Mushroom Varieties
This March, during National Nutrition Month,“Put Your Best Fork Forward” and dive deeper into the leading health benefits[1] behind four common mushroom varieties.

Low-Calorie
Opt for white buttons: Boasting just 18.5 calories per serving[2], white button mushrooms contain the lowest calories of all mushroom varieties. Additionally, white buttons provide 15 percent of the daily recommended intake of the vitamin B3, niacin. Niacin may promote healthy skin and digestive health.

Bone Health
Say hello to shiitakes: One serving of shiitake mushrooms is an excellent source of copper, offering 40 percent of the recommended daily intake. Copper helps keep bones and nerves healthy.

Immunity
Choose crimini: One serving of crimini mushrooms is an excellent source of selenium, containing 31 percent of the recommended daily intake. Selenium may help the immune system function properly.

Vitamin D
Make room for maitake: One serving of maitake mushrooms contains a whopping 236 percent of the daily recommended intake of vitamin D. Vitamin D may help build and maintain strong bones by helping the body absorb calcium. Additionally, it may support cell growth, neuromuscular and immune function, and help reduce inflammation.

For the full article, click here
Source: Mushroom Council