Edible Wood

Shiitake logs and oyster mushroom logs are ready-to-grow logs that have been inoculated with the most suitable sort of mushroom. They are ready to produce mushrooms. The trigger is a combination of the right temperature and moisture conditions. The chosen logs are from freshly felled healthy trees (no fungus) that are usually part of a forest thinning and have been prepared under supervision of Groene Takken. By turning these poor quality trees into Edible wood, these trees have value added to them and become part of our food system for a short while. Once no longer in production they can continue to slowly break down and feed the soil.

Shiitake

Shiitake originates from Asia. It is a strong tasting mushroom that is expecially suitable for growing on oak logs. Patience is needed because the mycelium needs 1,5 – 2 years to fully colonize the log. The production season is from May to October / November. Shiitake logs can be activated by completely immersing them in cold water for a couple of days which will trigger production within the following two weeks. After harvesting the logs must have six weeks of recovery time and can then be soaked again. Shiitake logs can produce a “flush” of mushrooms 3 – 4 times a year for 4 – 5 years. Two sorts are available: “summer” and “winter” shiitake logs.

Oyster mushroom

Pearl oyster mushroom prefers cold weather, Branching oyster mushroom likes warmer temperatures and the Phoenix (or summer) oyster mushroom is visible when the temperature is mild, usually at the end of summer – beginning of autumn. Oyster mushrooms can be found in nature on old and/or troubled younger trees. Edible oyster mushroom logs are made from freshly felled healthy hardwood trees, usually poplar, willow and birch. They can produce mushrooms the same year for a couple of seasons but the quantity depends on the weather conditions.