culturing :)

I've been culturing!

I got the spring buzz a few weeks ago and started growing out some of my cultures that had been in storage for 2 1/2 years....
It was great because it coincided with the UW Farm starting a "fungi on the farm" committee, which I joined, of course.
*I grew these on a medium of oatmeal agar and Bacto agar (an antibacterial).
Here are a few photos:
Pleurotus pulmonarus, the Phoenix Oyster

Hericium erinaceus, the Lion's Mane

and Pleurotus ostreatus, the Oyster, or Tree Oyster

Once the cultures were healthy and strong, I mixed sawdust and spent beer grains about 50/50 and added water.

I sterilized this mixture in autoclavable bags, and allowed to cool. This took longer than expected.

Then, I set in small chunks of the mycelium, cut directly from their dish and zip-tied the bags closed.

I had a helper :)

Now, we wait.