This is Roy Peterson. Roy owns Gullywash Gardens with his wife and will be at the beginning portion of the Excelsior Farmers’ Market opening May 3. Roy grows a variety of vegetables, as well as shiitake mushrooms at their farm in Belle Plaine. Peterson says they do it because they love it, and will do it as long as they can.
The shiitakes bloom when exposed to water. A good rain or a 24-hour soak Peterson says can make them fruit.
Holes are drilled into live oak logs, dead would allow for other mushroom growth, and then a mushroom mix and sawdust is put at certain depth. It is sealed with hot wax to keep from drying out. The logs then must be stacked and wait for a year to let the mycelium grow inside.
The logs are laid up wright and will allow for maximum mushroom growth.