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A lovely group of 20 mushroom enthusiasts and those curious about mushrooms gathered on the sunny afternoon of May 30th for a tour of Mr. Mercy’s Mushrooms. The tour was hosted by the delightful Robin Mercy at his farm in Kalso, BC, situated on the unceded and traditional territory of the Ktunaxa, Sinixt, and Syilx Nations.
Founded by Robin in 2017, Mr. Mercy’s Mushrooms is a certified organic mushroom spawn supplier and fresh mushroom farm.
The tour commenced outside the lab, where Robin showcased the equipment used to sterilize the wood-based substrate used for cultivating mushrooms. All mushrooms grown at Mr. Mercy’s Mushrooms are wood-loving varieties.
Sterilized wood substrate.
Next stop at the lab, attendees delved into the intricacies of spawning science, discovering the importance of maintaining a sterile environment to prevent contamination. Robin demonstrated this by passing around petri dishes containing samples of healthy mycelium, contrasting them with a dish showing mold contamination.
Bags filled with innoculated substrate line the growing shelves.
Inside the fruiting chamber, Robin Mercy displays mushrooms in various stages of develoment, with Chestnut mushrooms in the foreground. These outdoor, greenhouse-like structures are controlled for temperature and humidity. The mushroom growing season at this location spans from February to November. Event attendees had the opportunity to view the diverse range of mushroom varieties cultivated in the farm’s multiple fruiting chambers.
Exploring Mr. Mercy’s mushroom forest, the group discovered Shiitake and other mushroom varieties grown on logs inoculated with dowels and wedges. These are sealed into the logs using beeswax and covered with burlap to preserve moisture and minimize light exposure.
King Stropharia mushrooms thrive under the leaf mulch throughout Mr. Mercy’s vegetable gardens. Robin provides spawn and cultivation advice for home gardeners interested in integrating mushrooms like King Stropharia and Shaggy Mane into their garden ecosystems.
Robin also demonstrates methods for layering and constructing borders around garden beds to create optimal growing conditions for mushrooms within the garden environment.
The tour concluded with an exceptional spread of food that showcased the gardens and culinary skills of the attendees. These incredible dishes included a delicious soup featuring Mr. Mercy’s Mushrooms and freshly made frybread from a traditional Métis family recipe contributed by one of the event participants.
A heartfelt thank you goes to Robin Mercy for an intresting and enjoyable farm tour, and to all the attendees who joined from both near and far.
Check out Mr. Mercy’s Mushrooms online:
Website: https://www.mrmercysmushrooms.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrmercysmushrooms/?hl=en
UPCOMING COLUMBIA BASIN EVENTS
- JULY 14, 2024: SALMO, BC – Salmo Tour de Farm Stand
- AUG 25, 2024: KRESTOVA, BC – Seed Saving Farm Tour at Winnow Seeds (save the date)
- Go to Young Agrarians Events for up to date information and registration.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- Join our Young Agrarians Columbia Basin Facebook group to stay up to date with all events.
- Sign up for our e-newsletter to get events and opportunities for your region delivered straight to your inbox.
GOT LAND? WANT LAND?
Through the B.C. Land Matching Program, Young Agrarians offers support to farmers looking for land for their farm business, and landholders looking for farmers to farm their land. Send a message to the Columbia Basin/Kootenay Land Matcher nyree@youngagrarians.org for more information.
THANK YOU!
The Columbia Basin event series is made possible with funding from Columbia Basin Trust.