You all probably already know that we make our own bacon, and that our veggies in season come from a CSA. We also got our Thanksgiving turkey from a local farm, and grow a lot of our own herbs.

Our newest venture is…growing our own mushrooms!  Intrepid Assistant Innkeeper Paul Roehl helped me (once I ordered the spawn, then promptly felt completely overwhelmed).  After reading an article from one of my favorite blogs (A Way to Garden) about growing mushrooms, I decided to give it a try.

I did a bit of research and purchased some spawn (I know, it sounds like it comes from a horror movie) of three different types of mushrooms –Oyster, red brick, and mitaki–from Smugtown Mushrooms.  Why there?  Well, they aren’t very far away–Rochester NY, so I thought the climate would be about the same.

Each type of mushrooms grows best in a certain type of wood.  Here’s where Paul came in.
You had to pick the type of wood the mushroom grows in best, then drill holes for the spawn. Insert the spawn in the holes, then plug them up with wax.

And wait 6 – 9 months (just like a baby)!   We will see how they do over the winter!

Innkeeper
Grape Arbor Bed & Breakfast