These are some of the most delicious and nutritious mushrooms one can cultivate. Native to East Asia, they have been used medicinally for centuries. We cultivate them on oak logs, felled here on the property, by drilling holes and then filling them with shiitake sawdust spawn. The holes and log ends are then waxed over to retain moisture. The shiitake mycelium take 12-18 months to fully colonize the log, at which point mushrooms may begin fruiting.

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For us, the best part of growing mushrooms is the opportunity to tromp around the forest in late winter, play with our chainsaws, and haul the logs out on sleds all while improving our forest lands.

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Forests need to be thinned from time to time in order to improve their health--it's not so different from pruning an individual tree or thinning out a vegetable garden. It allows more light and nutrients to reach the remaining trees and allows the next generation of trees to take root. In an forest primarily comprised of oak, the remaining oaks produce a much greater crop of acorns, benefiting deer, turkey, and a host of other wildlife. As a byproduct, we obtain substrate for our shiitake, lots of firewood, and create recreational trails.