Will You Help Answer These, Please?

[Ralph D. Arnold]

As moderator of FUNGUS, the almost-daily email newsletter on mushroom
cultivation, I have posted these questions, which unfortunately FUNGUS
readers haven't been able/willing to answer.  I'm appealing to you
bionet.mycology readers for help.  (I'll post any answers to an upcoming
FUNGUS emailing).  Thanks!   Ralph Arnold  (rarnold at teleport.com)

1.  Reed Retort Seal Problems?
2.  Contamination of Spawn?
3.  Mushrooms in Caves?
4.  Marketing Advise in Boston?

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Date: Wed, 8 Mar 1995 17:08:05 -0800
From: PEHLING at coopext.cahe.wsu.edu (Dave Pehling)
Subject: Reed Retort seal problems??

Hi Fungus Folk,

One of our mushroom-growers in the County is having trouble with the seal
sticking on her Reed retort.  Her instructions say that she should use a mix
of water and graphite on the seal to prevent this.  She has not been able to
find a source for this material.  Any suggestions? 

Thanks in advance for your help!

Cheers,
Dave Pehling
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
W.S.U. Cooperative Extension/Snohomish County 
600 - 128th St. SE                                                       
Everett, WA.  98208  U.S.A.                                       
phone -  (206) 338-2400
FAX   -   (206) 338-3994
email  -  PEHLING at coopext.cahe.wsu.edu
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From: "Buzz Bell" <BELL at zool.umd.edu>
Date:          Tue, 7 Mar 1995 16:01:21 +0500EST
Subject:  "Contamination of Spawn?"

    I have a bright red contaminant in some of my spawn(millet).  I 
frequently(weekly) use a dilute bleach solution on all of my work 
surfaces to disinfect them.  I soak all of my instruments in 100% 
IsOH until use, and flame them repeatedly when transferring, cloning, 
etc.  Contaminated spawn is immediately discarded, although it is a 
recurring problem.  Also, a blue-green contaminant which looks 
similar to the ends of a fruticose lichen grows in my compost, but I 
scoop this out with a flamed instrument.  Does anyone know what 
either of these contaminants are?   One more question.  When my 
compost is run through fully, or at least waiting a few more days 
shows very minimal additional growth, I applied casing soil(sphagnum 
peat, ph neuralized with lime).  It has been almost two weeks, and I 
do not see any pin-heads appearing yet.  I do see some mycelia 
coming up through the casing soil.  Any ideas on what's going on?
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From: leucim at ext.missouri.edu
Date: Mon, 06 Mar 95 13:28:57 cdt
Subject: mushrooms in caves?

     Hello,
     
     I have a client who is interested in information about growing 
     mushrooms in caves.  He works at Meramec State Park (Missouri) where 
     there are a lot of caves.  Supposedly around the turn of the century 
     there was a gentleman who was growing mushrooms in one of the caves 
     and selling the mushrooms to local restaurants.  What types of 
     mushrooms can be grown successfully in caves?  Are there presently any 
     commercial scale cave mushroom growers in the US?  Where can someone 
     find information on this specific topic?
     
     Thanks for your help.
     
     Debi Kelly
     Missouri Alternatives Center
     628 Clark Hall
     Columbia, MO 65211
     314-882-1905
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Date: Fri, 3 Mar 95 08:15:51 EST
From: okerholm_pau at us4rmc.pko.dec.com
Subject: Marketing Advise in Boston???

Hi,
        I'm back with more questions. I have quite an E-Mail dialog going with 
a grower from the West Coast so the net is working well for me. I had posted a 
question in another newsgroup and Ralph thought it might apply here as well. 
So I rephrased it a bit and here it is.
        I am hoping to sell Shiitake mushrooms to the food service market in 
the Boston area. Boston has a large produce market but I have no idea how to 
connect with it.
        Do you have to belong to a co-op or other organization? Do you have to 
deal through a broker? If so how do you make contact with them?
         My questions are about the East but I assume they are generic and 
would apply to any major metropolitan market.
        If anyone has experience in selling to a large metropolitan market, I'd
appreciate a reply.
Thanks,
Paul
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