Who else eats me mushrooms?
I love mushrooms! I wouldn’t use them to decorate a waffle or anything, but I use them in other ways: pizza, pasta, soup, sandwich, salad, quesadilla, omelette, etc.
Recently, I met a mushroom grower while visiting a farmer’s market in the Tri-Cities region. He convinced me if we have mushroom growers in our component of the country.
After making some calls, I referred to Schofield Farm in Ford, Dinwiddie County.
Paul and Katie Schofield, married business partners, were more than satisfied that I visited their farm to be more informed about how they produce mushrooms and, since my two adult children are fungal fans, I invited them to enjoy an emotion.
Forrest loves mushrooms and ate them on the way to the farm. Jenna, who appreciates the appearance of fungi, let a fungus pass through her lips. Matrix, so far.
I didn’t know what to expect and I was quite surprised at how edible toads are produced.
What is a fungus?
According to Wikipedia, a fungus or fungus is the fleshy and sporulated fruit framework of a fungus, produced on the floor, on the floor or in its food source.
What do the Schofields do when they don’t get mushrooms or raise their four-year-old son Asher and their one-year-old daughter June?
Paul maintains a demonstration farm at Virginia State University’s Center for Sustainable Urban Agriculture, and Katie is the group leader at Dinwiddie High School for 8 years.
When did the Schofields put into effect Paul’s concept of adapting to mushroom growers?
“We performed this total procedure about seven years ago, but we promoted about five years ago,” Katie said. “We spent the first two years with small rounds of bottle and bucket education while collecting appliances to produce our own de-ove in our garage. “
What is mushroom relief?
According to the Mushroom Appreciation website, fungal development is any substance that has been inoculated with mycelium, the vegetative expansion of a fungus. Mycelium, a collection of filiform cells, is found in a fungus like an apple tree in an apple tree.
What encouraged Paul to make mushrooms?
“I see fungi as a key to solving various primary disorders that humanity will face in the coming years. Growing environmental pressures are forcing us all to adopt agricultural practices that paint in line with nature,” Paul said. “Fungal cultivation is one of many tactics to achieve this goal, perhaps now largely explained as regenerative agriculture.
Paul explained how fungi grow in agricultural by-products and, where appropriate, Array. . sawd sawdy and soybean shells.
“From this material, we are produced by high quality proteins rich in short-chain amino acids [so easily digestible], polysaccharides with identified physical benefits, fiber masses, B vitamins, selenium and vitamin D,” Paul said. this with about one-fifth of the water that would be needed to produce an equivalent amount of meat protein. Seen from this perspective, it is clear that developing fungi can be a very ecological feeding approach.
For Paul, mushroom cultivation has been an extension of his defense of regenerative agriculture.
“Fungal cultivation is successful within a moderate time frame, partly because of its inherent efficiency, and partly because of the immediate time to execute planting until harvest,” Paul said. “It also has low barriers to entry, which is especially useful for a young farmer. However, on any small and rich farm, diversity is essential”.
Paul and Katie hope to start developing other superfoods like ginger and garlic.
How was Paul informed to grow mushrooms?
“I’ve been working in a microbiology lab to check the nutritional quality of samples from various plants and fungi in my senior year in college,” Paul said. “We use our lab to grow small amounts of mushrooms and fungal mycelium to verify. “
Paul fell in love with aesthetics and began developing small-scale microbiological skills in his own home that he perfected for countless hours in the lab.
“From there, genuine classes have begun because scaling these paintings to a financially sustainable production point requires a whole new set of skills, fundamental logistics and marketing,” Paul added.
What about the mushrooms they grow on the farm?
“Oysters, lion’s mane and shiitake mushrooms are our number one crop all year round,” Katie said. “Sometimes we check bee or chestnut mushroom slices, but if they produce, they only weigh about five pounds every 3 or 4 months.
How is agriculture distributed?
“We do almost all the paintings the same way, ” said Katie. “Or we shovel to combine the substrate, pack the bags and inoculate them. We also take turns harvesting and homework. “
According to Katie, they discover responsibilities through the game of rock-paper-scissors.
“I participate in the paper paint facet of the farm, social media posts, marketing and make sure I meet all the right food protection guidelines,” Katie said. “Paul plays a role in intense lab paintings, such as spawn production. “
Are mushrooms harvested all year round or seasonally?
“We grow annual circulars with sawdy blocks [indoors],” Katie said. “Shiitake logs are seasonal and are held in the cool, humid climate of spring and autumn [outdoors]. “
“Our growing rooms are essentially greenhouses for fungi where we maintain high degrees of humidity, temperatures in the 70s and pump a fairly large amount of new air,” Katie said. “We installed two insulated shipping boxes, heating/cooling and a moisture mist device.
Schofields themselves in the mold.
“If the development rooms are developing a lot, it is difficult to breathe. There are a lot of spores in the air and the mask prevents our lungs from sending all the waste,” Katie said. “Most of the time, it is undeniable. The surgical mask is enough to help him breathe. “
Are schofields for mushrooms?
“We harvest for our own consumption, but that’s only when we can locate the moment,” Katie said. “Fortunately, we have about 50 acres of wooded land next door that have many batter dishes, plus we have some wooden bird stains on our own property.
Katie’s recommendation on mushrooms.
“All the mushrooms are delicious sautéed in butter and garlic,” Katie said. “And one smart thing for oysters is ripArray . . . do not slice with a knifeArray . . . Bread.
The Schofields presented mushrooms with lion’s mane as a crab replacement in crab fritters and ramen and sautéed shiitakes.
“Oysters can be used on anything, ” said Katie. “Some of our vegan/vegetarian consumers turn them into barbecues, and can be breaded and fried to flavor fried chicken. “
Where are the Schofields mushrooms located?
Paul and Katie are distributors at the following farmers markets: River Street Market in Petersburg, Colonial Heights Farmers Market, south of James Farmers Market in Richmond and Chesterfield County Farmers Market.
The Schofields serve two companies: The Brickhouse Run in Petersburg and Sen – Organic Small Plate in Richmond.
“We’d love to take our mushrooms to the other five restaurants we buy regularly, but we can’t physically grow enough mushrooms,” Katie said. “There is not enough time in the day, and only my husband and I are running on the farm.
How do I make mushrooms?
“All fungi should be stored in the refrigerator, ” said Paul. “Shiitakes last longer, about two to 3 weeks, depending on when they are harvested, and oysters and lion’s mane are smart for about a week. “
The Schofields have expanded since their inception.
“Despite everything, we have all the infrastructure in place, thanks to our local FSA office, to develop more, but we don’t have time anymore,” Katie said. “I would love to be able to find all the restaurants, markets and grocery outlets that have ordered our products, but we can no longer do it alone.
“We can’t pay up to two months of pay checks until we see the benefit of what we plant,” Katie said. “That’s what helps us prevent us from adding workers and adapting this operation to the duration it may have.
“Not many of us are mushroom growers in Virginia,” Paul added. “We could make a call for ourselves and be a wonderful thing for the local food network if we had a little more help. “
A new company was born.
“We plan to sell a crispy fried potato with mushrooms infused with a blend of spices for health,” Paul said. “We have formed a separate commercial entity for this purpose. “
I bought shiitakes, a lion’s mane and oyster mushrooms to the percentage with my children, and cooked with them in a delicious way.
Jenna climbed shiitakes into bird’s tortellini soup, Forrest blew the lion’s mane and oysters in olive oil with salt, pepper and oregano, placed them on Ezekiel bread with tomato slices and then roasted the sandwich open to the grill. The 3 I jumped with olive oil, Italian sausage and onions to raise them to my stuffed pepper filling.
Visit www. progress-index. com to see a video and gallery where I captured the tour.
For more information, please email schofiefarm@gmail. com or (804) 896-1328.
Kristi K. Higgins, also known as The Social Butterfly, can be contacted at khiggins@progress-index. com. On Twitter: @KristiHigginsPI
Want to read more stories through The Progress-Index, but still reach the limit of your article?Click here for a local subscription and journalism.