Mushroom Farming

[ray23]

Another Thai Myth destroyed can;t have Khon Kao and Nong Faa in the same house, We are doing just that in one house adn everyhting is fine. In cool weather I would agree. But, with 40 degree temps, makes no difference at all.

Well we have 11,000 in now. Going to to take a heck of a lot more then that to hit 50 Kilos a day, Some are new so production isn't in full swing. But, I'm betting on 20 kilos day at best.

With the kind of numbers we are running now, starting to look like agood idea to make our own. Current numbers at today prices 88K baht, three times a year.

So we will be researching that now. Have a lead on used equipment. Dontl know if it will pan out or not, But, that will just be the beginning. Then it's learning how to do it and do sourving the material needed, Timing might be right. The guy who was doing them in Udon, retired.

[ray23]

Just read through the thread again, we came a long ways in one year, five houses 11,000 bottles.

Learned a lot from others on here. We are still selling within three klms of the farm and sold 24 kilos today.

Right now we have mix of 3,000 Nong Faa and 8,000 Khon Kao.

The Nong faa works well in cool and rainy weather.

Khon Kao the hotter it gets the better it likes it. Requires lots of water. We are now using city water and I can't tell a bit of difference in production, or qaulity. When the rains fill the fish pond again, we will go back to pond water. Just cheaper

Water and the weather are the keys, just takes practice to know how much to use.

i noticed in one of the comments a person saying the mushrooms are having a hard time pushing out. The answewr cut the plastic off around the top leaving the front of the bag exposed. You will need a little more water. But, they will come out much easier.

Another thing we have learned is the fronts of the mushroom packets can harden making it difficult for them to get out. If you see them growing out the side that is what your a dealing with. This sounds odd but it works, take a hammer hammer and wack them a few times, lossens everything up. The take a sharp knife, nick a small area the of the front I mean a little. What this does is gives the mushrooms an easier place to come out and allows water inside where you want it.

We will replace all the packets with Nong Faa about November.

We now have a full time worker at our place. If i can figure out how to make my own bags it will pay for him easily.

I have no idea how much we will grow next year, but this one has been great.

Now to catch one of the farm shows and learn how to make the bags. Hopefully I can find one somewhere around Korat, Khan Kean and if I'm real lucky around Udon

How'a every one else been doing?

[chillem]

Everything well here

We have about 16000 bottles of Khon Khao now. 4000 bottles of Naang Faa and another 4000 of Paw Her. But now this time a year it's Khon Khao that makes the best profit.

Ray, about making your own bottles, my brother in law he can explain you the whole process, but he asks about 5000 - 6000 baht per person. The farm is located in Pakchong, Khao Yai.

I can also tell you that the investment for startup is about 150 000 baht roughly.

sterilization oven (including steel baskets): 40 000 baht ( depends on how many bottles)

mixing machine: 30 000-35000 baht

pushing machine: 20 000 baht

saw dust (full truck): 25000 baht

than some other things like the ingredients for mix with the saw dust, plastic bags, the plastic rings, some weighing scales.

Some other things to invest maybe is shelves to let the bottles rest until the fungus is fully spread. Some farms they let the bottles rest in the houses already, but my brother in law says it's better to let them stand vertically, so the fungus grows better.

Anyway always welcome to come and have a look. Our way of building the houses is also different. We use steel instead of wood.

[ray23]

Actually the class cost seems resaonable to me. How long does it take?

Can he line us up with suppliers?

I will ill lo0k up the town. I woud really like to see it.

[ray23]

Forgot we did really well on Nong Faa last week. Gets below 25 degrees a night they seem to be happy, that won't last much longer though.

With the 8,000 KHon Kao I beleive that is where the money will come from for months to come.

I'm thinking terms of switching to Nong Faa about November. I think we would have to make those a few months in advance.

I have seen pictures of them standing upright wondered what that was about.

I wa thinking I would need to go a more permaneant structure for this aspect. Growing they seem real happy doing on the cheao, so I probably woudnlt change that

[ray23]

A bit of distance is there a place the Brothe in Law could stay while he is learning?

[chillem]

A bit of distance is there a place the Brothe in Law could stay while he is learning?

There are some resorts around here, Khao Yai is quite popular for Thai tourists. I don't know what you have in mind for your budget, but I think we can figure something out, across the farm there are also some bungalows for rent. I have to ask him how long it normally takes to learn everything.

[chillem]

Here is his number, maybe you can let your wife or brother in law call him. Might be easier to explain

0840442926

edit: He says 1 or 2 days it will take, depends how fast he picks it up

Edited April 14, 2013 by chillem

[ray23]

Here is his number, maybe you can let your wife or brother in law call him. Might be easier to explain

0840442926

edit: He says 1 or 2 days it will take, depends how fast he picks it up

Thanks two days I'll get the wife to call him

[IsaanAussie]

Hi Ray,

Check out the Milky mushroom thread. Col Packdee has a farm stay on his mushroom farm and training is free for guests of the resort. Big plus the Colonel has good English skills. Just a thought.

IsaanAussie

[ray23]

Hi Ray,

Check out the Milky mushroom thread. Col Packdee has a farm stay on his mushroom farm and training is free for guests of the resort. Big plus the Colonel has good English skills. Just a thought.

IsaanAussie

That is a good thought for me especially. I have been hands on from the beginning to understand the process. Now that I'm a Gentlemen Farmer. doesn't change the fact that I need to know what is going on.

Thanks

[IsaanAussie]

The gentleman farmer must understand the technology but more importantly control the funds. As a suggestion? Make it a family holiday so you stay in the loop. If you wish to discuss things with the man himself, I have his email address if you want it, or of course as he is a member you could PM him.

[ray23]

Ya that is a lesson learned early on. Expensive as well.

I would like his e-mail.

Thanks

Ray

[IsaanAussie]

OK can I ask you to request it directly? Yes it was included in the Milky Mushroom thread but was deleted under the rules. If you were to PM him it would be more appropriate. I will PM you with my reasoning.

[ray23]

OK can I ask you to request it directly? Yes it was included in the Milky Mushroom thread but was deleted under the rules. If you were to PM him it would be more appropriate. I will PM you with my reasoning.

More then happy to do that, what is his name on T.V.

[ray23]

Noticed somwething I hadn't seen before on a few of our Khon Kao, a pinkish tint anything to worry about?

[chillem]

Noticed somwething I hadn't seen before on a few of our Khon Kao, a pinkish tint anything to worry about?

Could you upload a picture from it? Maybe my brother in law can answer your question

[ray23]

You can see the color in the center of the sprourt I'm holding with my finger

Just noticed today, the closest thing I could find was lipstick mold, or to much water? It's not wide spread.

Edited April 16, 2013 by ray23

[chillem]

You can see the color in the center of the sprourt I'm holding with my finger

100_7005_1.jpg

100_7004_1.jpg

Just noticed today, the closest thing I could find was lipstick mold, or to much water? It's not wide spread.

ok thanks for the pictures, I will show it to him tomorrow.

How old are these bottles?

How do you clean your fronts of bottles after you've cut the mushrooms?

I don't know how you do it, but here we use a spoon (the one for eating noodlesoup) and scrape it off, about 3 days after we've cut it . But not after the first round of mushrooms, because those are more thicker, so we just use a knife for that.

Another usefull tip is when you think your bottles are almost running out, throw them all on the floor and restack them. So they shake up a bit. After 2-3 days you will see the result already.

[ray23]

You can see the color in the center of the sprourt I'm holding with my finger

100_7005_1.jpg

100_7004_1.jpg

Just noticed today, the closest thing I could find was lipstick mold, or to much water? It's not wide spread.

ok thanks for the pictures, I will show it to him tomorrow.

How old are these bottles?

How do you clean your fronts of bottles after you've cut the mushrooms?

I don't know how you do it, but here we use a spoon (the one for eating noodlesoup) and scrape it off, about 3 days after we've cut it . But not after the first round of mushrooms, because those are more thicker, so we just use a knife for that.

Another usefull tip is when you think your bottles are almost running out, throw them all on the floor and restack them. So they shake up a bit. After 2-3 days you will see the result already.

About two months old.

We don't clean them as you describe.

To loosen things up the distributor to us to hit the end ( Gently ) with the wooden hammer. Not hard just get things moving adn cuta small notch to give the mushrooms an easy way to grow out.

On my research the only thing that I could find was lipstick mold. How reliable that was I have no idea, they were talking about growing them in jars. Obviuosly small amounts. The other thing that I ran across was to much water. That is possible as we do water very heavy. (Khon Kao only)

At the moment we just ge rid of the ones with the pinkish color on them. Not, that many so no real loss involved.

[chillem]

My brother in law said that the pinkish color is no problem, but he did tell me you should cut more out of the plastic , so the plastic is equally cut with the front of the bottle. And he also said the water you gave, it can't get into the bottle because of too much plastic still in the fronts. Also giving a lot of water is no problem for Khon Khao, but like I told you before, you should clean your fronts, after 3 days the small pieces that stay on your bottle it should come off easily by scraping it with a spoon.

[chillem]

Big surprise today, the Kon Khao are pushing through already and we haven't removed the wadding yet. So that will happen tomorrow, hope it is a sign of what is to come

I just read this... are you pulling out all of the wadding (samrii in Thai) ? For us we just leave it or pull it out a bit, not totally, the part that keeps stuck into the bottle, it will come of eventually after watering. After the first round most of it should be taken out.

I will tell our process of new bottles:

1. ones the bottles are full of the fungus, we will move it to the houses.

2. leave the bottles in the house for 2-3 days. Don't do anything yet.

3. at this time the fronts of your bottles should become more white already, time to get out of the paper and rings. Don't cut the plastic yet, but just open the plastic wider.

4. ones you finished that it's time for opening your sprinklers, just spray on top of the bottles, not spray inside yet, because the water will be stuck into the plastic.

5. Follow up your bottles, some of them will have the white start popping up about 1cm, when you see this cut out the plastic, as close to the front of the bottles, also make sure the water can't be stuck in the front of the plastic.

6. Don't cut out all of the plastic at same time, because when the white didn't pop up yet, it means it's not ready yet, still need to wait longer. Normally after a few days this process should be done.

7. start cutting your mushrooms, don't let the first round stay too long, because the longer you wait, the more rubbery they get.

Edited April 17, 2013 by chillem

[ray23]

My brother in law said that the pinkish color is no problem, but he did tell me you should cut more out of the plastic , so the plastic is equally cut with the front of the bottle. And he also said the water you gave, it can't get into the bottle because of too much plastic still in the fronts. Also giving a lot of water is no problem for Khon Khao, but like I told you before, you should clean your fronts, after 3 days the small pieces that stay on your bottle it should come off easily by scraping it with a spoon.

Boy that is good news, Agree they need to trimmed better. These are

producing now, so not sure about scraping I will try a few and see how

it goes. Good information for the next time around.

It's funny I only water and I noticed the color, the Thai picking didn't. Even you hvae workers I think it best to keep close contact with what is going on.

I got a lead on some equipment so I went to the place today. Turns out he doesn't sale equipment. But he will sale and deliver for 6 baht a bottle. His is a small operation and he has huge area under roof and on concrete. Like your brother he stands his up at first. I dn't think the equipment is cost prohibitive. But, that storage area isn't going to be cheap.

Not sure it would be worth while for 2 baht difference. I so I have the thinking cap on again. Lot to learn in this and sometimes the paths of learning can tell you, think a little deeper.

Thanks

[chillem]

6 baht per bottle is cheap, if the quality is good from these bottles, then I wouldn't bother making them by myself. Maybe with the money that you save out, you could invest in improving your mushroom houses in a way.

If you are going to make them by yourself, the start will be much harder, because everything will be a learning process, and you might make mistakes like everyone does. So not all your bottles will be perfect from the start, with this you loose money as well.

[ray23]

Yes it is, qaulity only way to find out. So I will sit up a place for a few thousand and give his a try. Then I will know. The option is still open.

[chillem]

Just went to check on our Khon Khao , it is very quiet inthere. It has been raining the last 2 days here, so the weather has been cooling down a lot.

Nevertheless, our Paw Her is popping out again. Just when I was thinking to throw those bottles away. Last few weeks almost no mushrooms in that house. So I thought better throw away and use the space for new ones. Looks like the cooler weather is much better for them.

Grtz

[ray23]

We haven't gotten much rain in Udon at all. But we did get sprinkle today. The Nioong Faa has done much better then I was expecting, the cool weather they realyy lie, as long as it ges down to 24 at night, they seem to be producing. Seesm to slow the Khon Kao down.

Last year I was ready to dump the Nong Faa and the the rain started and they got busy

[ray23]

Col Packdee, is an excellent source. Must have realized just how dumb I was. Recommended buying a pre mix instead of saw dust. Illiminates a lot of room for errors. Makes 80- bottles cost is 250 baht a bag.

about 3.125 per bottle.

Wife started getting excited and found a source for the machinery. One run of 13,000 and the machinery is almost paid for.

The one hang up I have now is how much room do I need under roof and on concrete, to do those 13,000 any guesses?

I don't see us doing this for anything more then our own. Otherwise we are getting into pickups ect. I would rather keep that down line. if ever. Baby steps

Ready mixed substrate. is the product he recommended. Not sure if I will need a mixer with that.

Edited April 18, 2013 by ray23

[Packdee]

Ray, the ready mixed substrate need this type of mixer, powered by two hands.

A 200-liter drum with lid and clamp (500 baths) can pasteurize 85 bags.
The second drum with holes on bottom can be stacked on the top of the first one.

I have an industrial type autoclave. But my wife's never allowed me to use it because she have to pay for LPG.

[BKKdreaming]

This is great , so much information shared

I wish I had a farm