Mushroom Farming

[sjefrie]

I reviewed the article I don't think I'm in real trouble yet. I;m only seeing them in the ones we are rotataing out. Then we will desinfect the houses.

Locals use lime on the dirt floors, is that helpful?

Read step 17 Trouble Shooting

Pests and insects.

Place lemongrass plants around mushroom house.

Spread lime on shelves, on poles and ground in the mushroom house.

Clean (and maintain clean) the mushroom house properly.

[IsaanAussie]

I reviewed the article I don't think I'm in real trouble yet. I;m only seeing them in the ones we are rotataing out. Then we will desinfect the houses.

Locals use lime on the dirt floors, is that helpful?

Read step 17 Trouble Shooting

Pests and insects.

Place lemongrass plants around mushroom house.

Spread lime on shelves, on poles and ground in the mushroom house.

Clean (and maintain clean) the mushroom house properly.

Lime will raise the pH and help stop moulds and fungus forming. Using EMA sprayed in the house morning and evening will push the pH lower and have a sterilising effect. It also it keep most flies and bugs away.

Lemongrass is a good repellent. If you havent got time to grow it you can make up an easy one by sticking lots of full cloves in any piece of citrus fruit. Dangle these on strings in the house.

[ray23]

I reviewed the article I don't think I'm in real trouble yet. I;m only seeing them in the ones we are rotataing out. Then we will desinfect the houses.

Locals use lime on the dirt floors, is that helpful?

Read step 17 Trouble Shooting

Pests and insects.

Place lemongrass plants around mushroom house.

Spread lime on shelves, on poles and ground in the mushroom house.

Clean (and maintain clean) the mushroom house properly.

Lime will raise the pH and help stop moulds and fungus forming. Using EMA sprayed in the house morning and evening will push the pH lower and have a sterilising effect. It also it keep most flies and bugs away.

Lemongrass is a good repellent. If you havent got time to grow it you can make up an easy one by sticking lots of full cloves in any piece of citrus fruit. Dangle these on strings in the house.

I have plenty of time, nothing critical yet. I was using lime. But, really didn't know why

Thanks Col, should be good enough for my worms then

[mo99]

Col. Packdee,

What color is the spore print of your garden mushroom? I have two similar looking species in my garden.

This may be useful to id the garden mushroom:

(I do not own this content! It is a page from the book: Edible and poisonous mushrooms of the world. -Fair use should apply)

[Packdee]

White spore print.

Edited June 21, 2013 by Packdee

[sjefrie]

Col. Packdee,

What color is the spore print of your garden mushroom? I have two similar looking species in my garden.

This may be useful to id the garden mushroom:

(I do not own this content! It is a page from the book: Edible and poisonous mushrooms of the world. -Fair use should apply)

the book: Edible and poisonous mushrooms of the world

can be found here but you need a decent internet connection

[sjefrie]

Other book about Small-scale mushroom cultivation

[ray23]

Well we are slowly evicting, the older Kohn Khao to replace then with 6,000 Nong Faa next month. Col do you keep Khon Khao in the cool season ?

[Packdee]

Well we are slowly evicting, the older Kohn Khao to replace then with 6,000 Nong Faa next month. Col do you keep Khon Khao in the cool season ?

Ray, in central part of the country is not much cool.

Some one keeps Khon Khao in cool season because higher price.

Nang Faa loves cool season because it is originally from Bhutan.

[ray23]

Life down on the farm:

We have been invited to two BBQ's won't make either one of them. To much work to get done. Pisses me off about 40% of the work the wifes brother did I have to re do. I guess I should be happy 60% might work. Its a real problem I pretty much doing all I can do. I can work about four hours, then pay for it the next 20 hours. Better living through modern chemistry. Last two days have been a bitch. the wife is down with Migrains, so not much help there. Really never is much of a help. Work doesn't bother her at all she can lay down in her hammock and watch me for days . Closest thing I have to help is the housekeeper and she about at the end of her rope so I don't push her, She didn't sign up for this, so I can't blame her.

We got in two thousand new mushrooms last week, the truck got stuck with all the rain things are pretty soft out there, We have six thousand more coming in about three weeks. So I put down five truck loads of rock, Dump truck got stuck as well. After the first load got put down he dumped the rest without getting stuck we made a pathway for him.

I manged to open about 30% of the mushrooms opened today. When I got to the shelving the brother put up and they had already crashed down. Of course when I started trying to clean up the rest and fix the shelving best I could. About 200 fell. So I got some cement blocks under where they go and had to re stack them all. That was at 1230 Hours. The way he built it I imagine I'm going to five months of a mess till we replace them and I can fix it properly. So after that one is finished, I have one more rack to go. I'm really dreading what I might run into. They are not quite ready to be opened yet. So I have a lots of other things to do before the six thousand come. With the rotation I have sit up, about 45 days we will be doing this until we have the 11,000 rotated to new plants. we may end with 13,000 depends on the room I have left I don't want to build another house this year. This is the hard part then it's down to watering and picking, pretty easy stuff takes about three hours a day done a little three times a day. We have tried to find help, no luck so far. Most people who want a job around these days already have one. So unless we find one I guess I will just have to stumble through it the best I can. Looking forward to the easy days again. Right now I have to rebuild the racks in the old houses, spray for insects and get some lime down to prevent fungus. There was a lot to learn in this at least it makes money

I noticed when we pulled the old mushrooms out, they were still making mushrooms without us doing anything. So I lined them up against the wall and they make great worm food. I imagine we have about four kilos of worms these days. So I'm all set up for fishing might sell a few got more then I can use that is for sure.

[zeichen]

Keeping building costs down by building quick and easy first time is nice but having to rebuild every year, always sucks. I am certain that you will get through this obstacle in style. I am very impressed how quickly you grew your business. 1k bags to 16k in under two years and getting a good price from your buyers without wholesaling to a middle man. Keep up the good work.

I was just at a farmers market fair (small) one shop selling mushrooms was also selling the spore bags. I almost choked, they wanted 24baht a bag but if you bought 1000 or more 10 baht a bag. If people actually bought at those prices, making the spore bags would give you more profit than the mushrooms. I really don't see how someone can make a good profit off them unless paying less than 8 baht a bag and ideally 5 if you make yourself. I myself am looking into a way to do more large scale pasturization about 1k bags a day, just to keep my running costs lower. Especially if people are trying to sell spawn bags for 10 baht each.

Thanks again Ray for keeping up on your journal. It is a great resource.

[ray23]

Well it's learn as you go we actually found a supplier at 6 baht, the Col. has been a lot of help.

We are two years into these sheds now, some of the bamboo backings for shelves need to be rebuilt. They cost 40 baht each so no big deal. We have replaced the lower portion wiht concrete block. Using wood the in the end it rots away and you got big mess.

I Suppose someday I will have to replace the thatch roofs. But not yet.

[ray23]

Well it's learn as you go we actually found a supplier at 6 baht, the Col. has been a lot of help.

We are two years into these sheds now, some of the bamboo backings for shelves need to be rebuilt. They cost 40 baht each so no big deal. We have replaced the lower portion wiht concrete block. Using wood the in the end it rots away and you got big mess.

I Suppose someday I will have to replace the thatch roofs. But not yet.

[ray23]

Well I think my timing wa off put in 2K of Kong Kao. Should have went with Nong Faa, with the weather as it is. We have 6k of Nong Faa coming at the end of this month. Right now production is not great at all, just not hot enough and the 3K of Nong Faa we have are very tired now.

I'll try to remember this next year. Live and learn

Edited July 10, 2013 by ray23

[IsaanAussie]

Hey Ray, you said you have been using the spent substrates to feed your worms. So I gave it a try. I had to re case some bags of Milkys and removed the thicken mycelium that had formed around the edges of the bags on the top of the substrate. I working the old casing and mycelium into the top of my worm beds and now have a healthy crop of mushrooms growing in the worm beds and lots of fast fattening worms. It will be interesting to see how big they get.

Edited July 23, 2013 by IsaanAussie

[ray23]

Yes I started that sometime ago, works fine. The col told me that worms growers in Bangkok pay 1/2 baht for them,. I supplement that with the cuttings from the mushrooms seems to be working just fine. Just sold my first worms a one baht each. They re reproducing very well.

My six baht mushrooms have not started producing much at all. Sine they are Khon Khao, the weather lately hasn't been hot lately in Udon, so that could be it. I have the huts wrapped as much a possible with plastic so the hot house effect if there. We have tried at least four different suppliers. The best Khon Khao we got was 8 baht We should be opening 2K new Nong Faa tomorrow and hopefully our production will get better, They have been the about ten days now. We will take delivery of 2 K nest week. To be followed up with more in about a month.

I would say price is not all that you have to consider. I may give the 6 baht guy a try with Nong Faa, we paid 7 baht for our current ones. But if I do it will just be a 1K so I can compare qaulity

[tingtong]

Ray,

i found that producion is rather up to luck, than the price.

however, with the cheaper ( if otherwise similar) at least one has a better fighting chance to make profit.

we have some 8 thb/bag Khon Kao (1000bag) from Manchakiri...well, the cycle is about to be over, and they didnt break even...in fact about -25% on that batch!

next month we give a small try for a Udon supplier, that charges 6.5thb/bag.

the transport cost isnt that different.

on another note, our Nong Faa/Nang Rong made decent profit ( 2000bag), about +40%.

of course this is pocket money, some spend on beer more in 2 days i guess. but wife is happy, and have an easy to do home based thingy, where she doesnt depend on outside workers, like with many other things, so, we are happy.

there is plan to expand a bit, but we arent near to any decent size town, and the locals now in the rainy season happy to forage around for the free stuff.

[ray23]

I understand what your saying. But, we run 14K packages. We have tried numerous suppliers now. One really stands out above the rest.

He is out of Korat and it's 8 baht a bag. I keep daily records. I have asked he Col to show me how to make my own packet, he will. Problem is physically I can't do it

Which leaves my Brother in Law his a nice guy and a hard worker. Problem he does not listen or my wife isn't translating properly. That ends up with me having to go back and redo his work. Or sit right on top of him. Make him redo everything the way I want it done. I have learned through the forum, primarily. But at least I'm not guessing.

So that would be the ideal way to go, don't do it right all you will do is lose money. We have made profit on mushrooms, lost our tail on fish. That may very well just go by the way side if we don't do better this year. One thing that I run into no matter how many times I point it out they just don't understand profit and loss. So in that aspect it is a up hill battle. The idea was to v create something that my wife can have an income. Everything we have is left to the Brother In Law in the end. So they all should have an interest in keeping this going.

I'm lucky I don't need the money. Last year was a building process this year I will hold at 14 K, figuring on rotating every five months. If i doesn't 10K a month this year. I'm just going to step aside and let them do whatever they want. But, I won't put in any of my personal funds, in the third year, unless I see a good turn around in learning and efforts to learn what you need to do in a business

For me I have enjoyed learning all this. But, I have other hobbies as well. Taking care of my wife's future I have done all that I can do. This is actually the second thing I have done, firs wa learning stocks. I stopped that because no matter what I did she spent the dividends instead of reinvesting.

So this may very well be my last year. You can make a reasonable profit in Mushrooms, no doubt about it. Everything we sale is within three klms of the farm. We have looked at going into Udon. But, what we have found is developing individual customers withing that range is the best way for us. everybody wants to sale in Udon, so it's a real dog eat dog game

[ray23]

Well I will finish it up here. If you are thinking about expanding to a larger area. I wouldn't even try the main markets stay on the fringes that no one cares about. I would start with people your wife knows in the area you want and start with her friends, word of mouth will take over form there. In our first year, we kept expanding as we because we could;t keep up with demand. We haven't even came close to utilizing our total market base. That being said going to take a pretty good year for me to keep going next year.

I'm having a difficult time in deciding on the 6 baht guy, we have been through this before. I think I see two problems. Khon Khao needs hot weather, were they delivered to soon, did he no do them properly. Now that last time we went through this, different supplier. We gave up on them and all of a sudden they got real busy. The answer might be a simple a I should have went with Nong Faa instead. That is the reason I may give a try at 1K packets.

But Khon Khao the guy from Korat it may have cost 8 Baht. But, I had production within a week.

I'm finding that even with the help here there is a learning period and I believe to be more then one year. So we will see how this year goes. Better then last year, might be worth expansion. But it really takes year to see where you make mistakes and correct that in the second year. same will continue to happen there will always be mistakes.

I keep annual spread sheets as I said on a daily basis. In looking at the one from last year. I can see mistakes in timing buys. at the level I'm at now, for Thailand there is some serious money invested. If you don't want to go that level. if you enjoy it as a hobby and your wife enjoys it. That has a lot of value in itself. I don't know about you. But if I don't keep myself busy at the level I can I get real cranky

[tingtong]

I keep annual spread sheets as I said on a daily basis. In looking at the one from last year. I can see mistakes in timing buys. at the level I'm at now, for Thailand there is some serious money invested. If you don't want to go that level. if you enjoy it as a hobby and your wife enjoys it. That has a lot of value in itself. I don't know about you. But if I don't keep myself busy at the level I can I get real cranky

hi Ray,

keeping spreadsheet helps, we do as well, include costs, and include daily sale, both weight and money wise ( as inevitable few kgs end up on our table or go to present for someone).

i dont know what you mean on serious money, but i dont think it really is, even in thai terms. you set up the whole 14k mushroom with houses probably from about 200k....whereas that is the cost of a 12-14 yrs old pickup, or 2-3 rai of agri land, maybe not even with year-round water ( i was offered some land now near to us for 80k/rai, no good access, too far from canal).

planning on having piglets soon again, say 15 this time, that also similar up front cost than 14k mushrooms, with worse cash flow, and more room for things to go wrong, as a single selling involved, and not continueos.

many thai seem to have more around here than we have, and i work hard to get ahead, dont have fancy house, or big pickup truck.

if i could have a wholesaler for a decent price, like you mentioned the 50kg/day, i would surely aim for that.

but our target for this year is around 3-4000 bags, and 2000-3000thb/month return from it. something i think we can still manage, not workwise, but selling it in our area.

it is peanut for making a living, but i think it is good to stand on more than 1 leg, as we dont have a niche, or any special expertise right now.

i know that catfish is a no go for the future for us, even though we can sell at retail price, 60thb, it is simple not that easy to have a few kgs out of the lake ( maybe we should have smaller lakes for such)

how much in the delivery cost of the Khorat mushroom?

8thb delivered, or 8+delivery?

i am around half way between Khorat and Udon...

[ray23]

Ok the farm is 3 klms from ring road in Udon.1 Rai at 350K is a good buy. If you are lucky enough to find it at that price. Most in that area are now selling for around 500K a rai. We actually have 1.26 rai, concrete wall all around it. Two small ponds, dirt raised a meter. We may someday build a small house there. I wouldn't take 1.5 Million for what I have now. So like said all the equipment bought Ect. serious money. So it really depends on where you are and how you build it. we have one Pla Duk pond very small.Breaking even would be great. We have a larger Pla Nin pond, we can run about 1 K Pla Nin. Holding tanks and more pumps and filters more then I care to think about. Water we can pump from the neighbors pond. The trade off I ran city water about 300 meters and I pay for their domestic water. I also so had to run power lines. Have a five horse power pump and about 300 meters of 4 inch pipe that can be moved to pump that water

We do have the advantage of having places to sale close. But, it didn't come cheap. Yes it can be done cheaper.But, not in this area and not the sit up I have. The idea was to create a real business, we will see how that works out. The potential is there if things are taken care of.

The guy on Korat 8 Baht no delivery charge. I will try to find his phone number if you want it. He ha told me if I could produce 50 kilos a day he would send a buyer to me. Talk is cheap and 50 kilos a day wouldn't be easy on a constant basis.

We did open the 2K Nong Faa today they were already op pushing their way, in just ten days. That is the kind of thing I like to see. We paid 7 baht each for those no delivery cost. The guy in Korat isn't cheap but the product is good.

[tingtong]

if Khorat guy doesnt charge for delivery to Udon! that is cheap indeed.

as i said we are kind a halfway between these 2 cities, and Udon delivery cost was told to come around 2500thb for about 3000 bags...so nearly 1 thb/bag delivery cost...

and yet we dont want to take/cant take all 3000 at once.

as you pointed out, production fluctuates, so, we try to scale in the thing, buying ( just as you do) some now, some later, striving to even out a bit the yield.

As for cost of business, i havent meant the land cost for the setting up something...since you compare the cost to a thai's budget, however most rural thai seem to own some land, one way or another, thus setup cost were only including bags and house for mushroom...which in turn not less than a 2nd hand pickup, what most thai seem to afford here without problem.

[ray23]

I tried to PM the number to you, no, luck so here it is hope it works well for you.

089-570-5879

[ray23]

I tried to PM the number to you, no, luck so here it is hope it works well for you.

089-570-5879

[tingtong]

Ray,

you know that PM actually worked

3 times!!!

just like your above message.

thank you, we will give them a call.

[ray23]

Sorry about that didn't show on my end. I think I may have mentioned this before. But, it's kind of interesting. We had Khon Khao that was just not producing much at all anymore. Needing worm food I didn't throw them away stack next to the perimeter fence. Doing nothing else darn things went back to producing. The product is just a good as the ones I had in the huts. Nice way top pick up a few baht extra. My guess after the rain stops they will be done.

We don't even use a pickup everything is so close in we just use our small bikes. Rent a tuk tuk for big items we need to take to the a farm.

[tingtong]

Ray,

talk the the Khorat ppl, now the price they told us is 7thb...however the guy told he sold his truck, so, no delivery.

i will do probably some side by side Khon Kao test with the Udon vs. Khorat....then around October should all be changed to Nong Fa and Nang Rong.

But then to be seen...one day at the time.

[ray23]

We have started on Nong Faa already and they are producing. No truck interesting. so i guess I won't be using him anymore

[ray23]

Just curious how are you guys doing with Nong Faa now?

We got production from our new ones, but so far have missed the normal explosion of product a few days out

[tingtong]

we have only old Nang Fa...around 6 months old, ready to go out...the production is minimal.