I have written an article about
sterilizing mushroom substrate that may be of interest to permies growing or considering growing mushrooms.
In addition to the usual methods like pasteurisation and pressure canners, it also covers a couple of techniques that work well for those off-grid like:
- Fermentation (only requires water)
- Hydrated lime method (sometimes called cold pasteurisation ) water & hydrated lime
- A Microwave oven technique, for smaller growers or people starting out
There is also a comprehensive guide to using pressure canners/cookers with a lot of tips specific to mushroom growers.
I have a small-scale commercial mushroom growing business on a 6-acre
permaculture farm in NZ. Growing mainly Oyster mushrooms and Shiitake sold at local farmers' markets.
If you have any feedback on the article or questions please let me know.
Brent
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