Shitake mushrooms grown at Far West Fungi
Kale sautee dinosaur kale
Shitake mushrooms
onions
sauteed in olive oil with salt and pepper
Hi Winnie and Steve,
Hi Winnie and Steve,
I was remembering an experience we had together once when you visited us, and we toured together our neighbor's flower growing operation. We were all so taken with the enormous effort and complexity of growing flowers successfully. I was remembering this tour we did together years ago because last week I had the chance to tour a mushroom farm -- Far West Fungi. This company grows organic mushrooms on the edge of Monterey Bay near Moss Landing. The owners were very generous with their time to describe their operation.
I guess mushrooms are mysterious to most of us since we don't grow them. Yet, I love mushrooms and use them whenever I can buy them at farmer's market. I'm especially fond of the Shitake mushroom. One thing that surprised me on the tour is that it takes 3 months to grow a Shitake! The Shitake must grow on hard wood sawdust -- they use hard red oak. The damp saw dust is inoculated with the spores. One great thing about the Shitake is that even as it ages a bit and dries (keep it in a paper bag), it is still wonderful.
I'm filled with inspiration having just returned from the EcoFarm Conference. Can you imagine, 1,500 farmers and growers all together listening to presentations, eating meals together, sharing experiences and stories? While I never knew him since he died long ago, Alan Chadwick is one of the colorful and charismatic figures that brought organic farming and gardening to so many in our area. He started the gardens at UC Santa Cruz, and students would often go to help Alan in the garden instead of going to their classes. It's obvious that people were inspired by his teachings. I think you guys would be interested in one of his quotes which is thought provoking and probably resonates with the Zen philosophy you bring to your life.
"The garden makes the gardener."
Thinking of you. Donna
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