Mushroom Farming

[ray23]

Heres a new one on me Col. Wife was talking to the guy who dlivered today about Hormones. He said not use them just use milk with water?

Everyone seeems to have some vey different idea with the people who supply the mushrooms, not one has ever agreed on how to sit the houses up. So pretty kust do what I want and don't listen to that anymore.

This guy wanted to take the Thatch off the roofs and just use the plastic cover. That's not going to happen. But. in thinking about it that might be a great way to grow Khon Khao in the winter. Basically it would make a hot house. Don't know how that would be in summer temps.

Think it woud be to hot?

More then likley the pastic would have to be replaced every year, noyt that expensive and not hard to do.

Any Thoughts?

[tingtong]

do you have any way to check humidity, or it is just watering as much as you think right?

there is very cheap humidity meters, about 200thb, can be ordered from the net, delivered.

we bought 2, wife first still didnt understand until i came home and explained again everything in person.

now we dont have 37%, or 41%, or 50% humidity...watered as much as needed to keep the number between 70-90% throughout the day.

i think it helps not to just depend on your feel, but get a confirmation of it too.

all i know, that this time we do very well on the production, and i dont have any hormone treatment ( maybe some point i would like to learn about it though ).

Can you give us a link where to order the humidity meters. Thanks!

send you a PM.

[tingtong]

The guy gave us 200 Nong Hun Gry. I;m sure how it is spelled but that is what it sounds like. I saw them in

let me volunteer...Hungary

not sure if you heard of the country before, the one and same spelling, since the strain originate there. else kind of Nong Rong.

[Packdee]

Ray & tingtong

I tried to translate this article for you.

The great features of Hungary oyster mushroom.

1 . Tolerate cold (originally from Hungary) while the other mushrooms dormancy. Hungary but a mushroom can bloom well during cold season. And the most beautiful colors (blue) in this season.

2. During the summer, other mushrooms have problem leaf curl due to the interference of insects. The small caps of Hungary are no dried and kink , weighs more than other mushrooms .

3. During the rainy season, other flowering well. Hungary is still flowering well. Giving a big bunch and pure white. We just have to reduce watering to prevent blossom rot easily because too moist .

4. The bunch of Hungarians is large, and tight bunch , with more than 20 to 30 mushrooms. It tastes sweet. Hungary mushroom starts to become more and more popular among consumers . The mushroom can be stored in the refrigerator as long as other oyster mushrooms . Withstand transport because sticky texture not bruise easily.

5. Mycelium fully colonizes substrate bag only 25-30 days. The mycelium corset period is only 5-6 more days (this period the mycelium accunulates more nutrient to give better fruit body)

[tingtong]

thanks Colonel.

I believe our Nang Rong is a spin off from the Hungarian speciment, or so was told in Udon, and pretty much all the points you listed seem to be valid...the bigger bunch of flowers, the heavier weight, the colour ( though it is bluish only for the very young, one dont imagine it as a per se blue mushroom, like blue corn)

I happen to be Hungarian, so, kind a know the original too a bit.

[ray23]

Blue might interesting trying to sale that

Getting locals to try somthing new is ot easy.

Col what do you think of the hot house Idea?

[Packdee]

Ray,
A Khon Khao grower here uses UV plastic to cover the top and uses slam to protect direct sunlight.
Inside the mushroom house is hot and humid

[Packdee]

Inside the house.

[ray23]

Im going to build one more house like that. the plan is to put clear platic on the roof and walls then cover it with black netting. I will use bamboo netting to reinforce the walls I;m on the right track ?

The problem I have been experiencing on Friday we had 8 grams of Nong Faa. Lunch time I took over the watering on Friday. Monday we had 22 Kilos.

The other side of the coin most came from the section I had opened 19 days ago I believe. I think I have the water problem solved still not sure about the mushroom, the closed ones are not active. If I don't see mopte acyivitu from the closed ones by Wenesday, I will open another section. As I have said I really don't like doing that. But, I need production, the brothers wages keep going no matter what kind of production I get. Today we hit 1,000 baht goal.

It was odd they have special market night in Nong Sai. the area we sale in. Saw a few Nomg Faa on a table, asked how much they were 100 baht a kilo. But, trust me she didnlt havre any buyers for them. But, this caused me to qusetion my little sales staff again. The normal price at the market is 80 Baht so they are making somewhere around a 40% profit. I will give some thought to raising my price to 55 Baht. That would seem a fair profit for the vendor. I doubt they will gte them any cheaper.

If we can get to the pint we can run 120 kilos day we would have no problem selling Nong Faa at 55 baht a Kilo. Khon Khao at 75 Baht a kilo.

I noted that one the guys did something that I thought was smart. Broke then down to half kilos Using Khon Kao a example price at 1/2 kilo at 40 baht and 85 baht a kilo. Doing the same sort of thing with Nong Faa, this would be hpuse to house.

Doesn't sound like much but that would add up in a year. Probabaly easier to get 40 baht out of w someone, it will require more work.

I have to be careful I want to keep sales active but I don't want to undercut the market either. I don't want a bum nch of angry Thai mushroom farmers to deal with, Thus far we have not intrudered into their market. We have probably 5,000 homes in our arae. So should not have problems, if we just stay in that area.

[tingtong]

Ray,

i think you should go out often...to the market, and the neighborhood, that is

i am trying to write you a lot about selling, and prices, and yet it took month to hit you it seems, and that is after this weekend market trip?

sad, if i couldnt raise your attention before...guess it isnt only that the young ones dont like to listen to the older...it also seem to work the other way around

good luck to the selling. i am pretty sure that 55thb is achieveble without a hickup ( if your selling already not going at that price behind you ), and if you door to door sell then even 70-80thhb/kg is normal.

told before, here market sellers buy for 60thb nang fa, and 80thb khon kao....and sell about 80 and 100 respectively, a 25-30% profit.

if brother-in-law on the retain, so, let he cover some of this selling maybe, for say also =10% of the intake....you get 70/kg, pay him 7...your total still is 63/kg vs the current 50....+13/kg, or 26%. for you zero extra work, for b-i-l maybe 1-2 hours a day more work? getting on the bicycle and have a round of the neighborhood...i am sure that avarage 10kg/day can be easily sold like this, with 5000ppl/house around probably a whole lot more.

this is the arrangement my son has, of course he has no monthly salary, and happy with this pocket money. you can obviously offer even more per kg extra for b-i-l, say 10thb/kg, and still book 60thb/kg for yourself, a whopping 20% extra vs. the existing sale set up you have.

we make sale easier, khon kao 200gram (2 kiit) bags =20thb...nang rong is more, about 280gram= 20thb.

you can also do larger like half kilo, but we found that ppl part 20 thb a lot easier for something than say 40-50.

[ray23]

No I wasn't ingnoring you, this is a family business. I have the final say with the books and the cash. We do a 10% commission. with my brother and the housekeeper.

I brought up the five baht. The housekeeper you have been selling at that for three years ago, why would you raise the price?. The same person who enjoyed the minimum raise to 300 baht a day, from whom I sit up college funds for her children. I asked her if she still paid the same for gasoline and electricity as she did three years ago? Now the truth is she is selling to her friends and wants to be the hero. I have found her cutting prices. She started sellin Khon Khao at 50 baht. I told her I would feed it to the fish rather then sale for that. It stopped.

The wife we will lose all our customers. Now the truth is she simply doesn't want to do anything, On her family end if it succeeds it will be her brother. Biggest cheap charlie I have ever seen But, man he likes money. So that could be the motivator

The brother, I will try.

Never forget I can't and don't own this.

The 100 baht at that market had a lot more to do with my blue eyes then the real price.

I plan on checking out the other markets. Nong Bua is the prime one that is closest to our area.

Now that is what I deal with when I speak of raising the price 5 baht

I have little doubt we will be under the market in Udon at that price. But I have never dealt with people who totaly believe any effort on their part will result in failure. You can't blame the Issan People for this, they have had it beaten into them for centuries.

Every now and then you will run across a real go getter and they succeed.

First I have to have the product. I wish that was all I have to deal with. if there is going to be a savior in this it will be the brother.

Now I have fought this from the beginning and I'm weary from the fight. If things don't change this is my last year.

I call it the white hat syndrom, you know that something is going to help someone you give it to them, to only find out they don't want it. If you got to far with it. eventually you will resent them. So I have sit my cut off point. It's their future not mine, if they don't care why should I.

Now what did I get from this man, I have learned a lot and stayed busy made contact with great people. You can't put a number value on that. I'm lucky I have a great retirement and I don't need the money. But, I will give this 110% for one more year, in the hopes the light will go on.

So when I deal with a Thai the attitude is he doesn't need the money and they are right. But, that's not why I did it. I'm trying t provide for my families future.

I think that many times what I just wrote is not unusual. But, we don't factor it in when embark on these things.

I will try. But, in all honesty Im more concerned about the motivation of the family, then I am about five baht.

I've already started investing again got to keep the mind busy. For the first time I have a brand new 700CC Honda sitting out here and I really love touring Thailand. So I'm making steps for my future which is now. Next June I will hand this off to the brother then he will make it or he will fail. I can look myself in the mirror say hey you did your best.

[tingtong]

before i add anything...

just will wait till you check a few more markets for prices. though i am sure you will be surprised that price has little to do your blue eyes, or my greens. if i were wrong, we would not be able to sell Khon Kao for 100thb/kg. and believe me, when i say we are. wish i have more, but then it is late in the season and i wont expand on khon kao before next spring.

you are in a very fortunate situation of having good pension, and lot of freedom to do hobbies, vs. business. i wish i would, but since not one will set up a collage fund for my son, we have to. thus lots of little makes a big difference.

been thru a few business already, so, i only want you to make sure you know that there is substantial difference between you take your motorbike for a ride vs. someone takes you for a ride.

[ray23]

I will and we will see if I can convience to at least open up a new area. Oh I believe it, that is not where the problem is.

I making one of my existing houses into a hot house and keep trying with Khon Khao

I said I would give it a 110% and I will. That pension money stops when I die. So I don't really have a problem they do.

I'm a retired Southen California cop beleive me I earned my money. They never saw that and don't have a clue what it took to get it.

[tingtong]

Ray,

being a cop (retired) should just make you a lot easier to investigate market prices, and alternative selling channels

[ray23]

Easy for me not where the problem is

[ray23]

Ok did the search the Night Market and Nong Bua Market. Only the night Market had Nong Faa and Khon Khao, she sold both at 60 baht. On lady sold her Nong Faa for fifty baht. I went by myself so I know I got accurate information. That being said our price is right in line for our area.

I found some not, Nong Faa but similiar shape much darker though sold a 200 baht a kilo, she wasn't seeling much though

She told me what it was but I will be darned if I cluld understand her. So bought 20 baht worth I took photo of it and I will post the picture later.

So maybe it was my baby blues

[tingtong]

i still have enough of your baby blues, so, if not lazy tomorrow make a few shots of the nang rong growth stages...but dont take this a definitive promise!

just took 9 little piglets today, so, new toys

[ray23]

Well I promissed a report. some of it was watering But mostly just bad packets. So if the guy ha pickup in Sukinakorn I will be happy to pay the 8 Baht. The oens I bought locally seven weeks now adn still not producing unless I cut them open. The 1,000 I bouhgt last week from the othre guy were pucsing there way out before we even iopened them in a week..

We will be lucky to break even on the first four thousand

[tingtong]

Not sure where you buy your mushroom in Udon.

All i can say, out mushroom is from Udon as well, and believe me, i wouldnt want to make trip if i would think it wont worth it (180km one way!)

both our Nang Rong and Khon Kao broke even in 30 days this time, and we just had another 1000 to add, should start to produce in this weekend.

Dont have any bags cut but the khon kao as much as supposed to be, no hormones neither.

The Nang Rong is in fact about 1.5 month running now, and is at about +50%. so, i am happy!

Of course, we market things different, as i said before, thus that 75thb or 100thb/kg price give a lot better bottom line, however definately also more work involved.

mainly for wife on bicycle.

as a bonus, she keeps in better shape, and me being youngish, that is important factor too

[ray23]

The mushrooms I'm having problems were from Nong Wa Sau. going on eigth weeks still nothing to speak of.

The ones I bought in Sunknonaron, produced in seven days, that is the norm I'm used to. He charges 8 baht and has a prickup again. The price includes deliever to Udon.

This not the first time I had problem with this grower. I would have bought from the other guy had he had a pickup.

Yo shouldn't have to wait 30 days, the grower is supposed to hold them till they are ready.

Everyone makes mistakes. But, this has become to consistent.

I have worker I pay everyday I don't have product I lose money.

I believe in supporting local business. But, seven weeks is 13.300 baht in lost wages, not to mention the cost of product. I won't stay in business long doing that.

If I can't get them from Sokunakorn time to make my own.

There is a new grower here that will be able to start production in Novemenr I will give her a try, cost is the same. Prodcution is the key.

If yuor happy with what you have then stay with it.

[ray23]

The mushrooms I'm having problems were from Nong Wa Sau. going on eigth weeks still nothing to speak of.

The ones I bought in Sunknonaron, produced in seven days, that is the norm I'm used to. He charges 8 baht and has a prickup again. The price includes deliever to Udon.

This not the first time I had problem with this grower. I would have bought from the other guy had he had a pickup.

Yo shouldn't have to wait 30 days, the grower is supposed to hold them till they are ready.

Everyone makes mistakes. But, this has become to consistent.

I have worker I pay everyday I don't have product I lose money.

I believe in supporting local business. But, seven weeks is 13.300 baht in lost wages, not to mention the cost of product. I won't stay in business long doing that.

If I can't get them from Sokunakorn time to make my own.

There is a new grower here that will be able to start production in Novemenr I will give her a try, cost is the same. Prodcution is the key.

If yuor happy with what you have then stay with it.

[tingtong]

Ray,

a few days ago i promised you some photos...

the nang rong/baby blues, while the pictures not high tech, i hope you can see why it called baby blue

[ray23]

Sweet, I owe some as well. We converted three mushrooms houses to hot houses. Got one more to go.

I'm back to watering again. It really isnt something you can explain to some one. It just takes experience to get it right. Can be to much. But, has to be enough. I can see it the worker can not yet.

So production is back up, we have a standing order now for ten Kilos a day, new business, just got to get the production up.

We have 2,500 new Nong Faa coming next month, Since changed the house I will more then likley add 2,000 new Khon Khao.

One more buy after that and we are done for a few months.

We busted tail getting thoses houses done and then cauught some fish for dinner. Ain't all bad

We should start selling fish in November that will help the bottom line

[Packdee]

Ray,

This is he first flush of Phutan (Nang Fhaa) Mushroom when using SuperMix.

.

[ray23]

Thanks Col that is eaxcatly what I want, we will order some.

[ray23]

This is the mushroom they asked 200 baht a kilo for

[ray23]

The conversion of mushroom house to hot house, Because of the way ours was set up, we did dfour at once. Most dificult part, was getting the old roof off, We did it on a windy day not recommeneded I assure you it does make it hotter inside and more humid.

We have existing plants in these, production wnet up quickly. It is now time to rotate 2,000 they are on order.

We are stacking them against the wall again and will kust leve them alone except for op picking for whatever reason they keep producing for a few more months and you get little more product out of the deal. Or in my case worm an fish food.

[IsaanAussie]

The wife harvested a joined bunch of three milkys this morning, total weight just over 3 kgs .

[ray23]

These are some Khon Kao that we have pulled out of the house and stacked against the wall. They will continue to produce and all you have to do is pick them If nothing ellse good worm food adn fish food. But, thay are just a good as those picjked in the house. Sort of geting the last n bang for yuor buck.

The last step will be to take the plastic off and use it for compose in the garden, Currently growing a buch if corn. This is our first year of trying that. But, the ground is so darn hard they make working the soil much easier to work if nothing else. One thing I worry about is insects in this soil. Guess I will deal with that when I get to it.

They also make great worm beds because the worms can not only live it they can eat it.

I will soon be removing the worms from there enclosure and gettign worm casting for compost and fertilizer. This is all for my own use,

If you live close enough to Bangkok where the big worm farms all they will buy the used bags 5 satang each. I don't know if they would come to Udon or not. Maybe of we saved them for a year, that would be about 29,000 bags annually.

We do save the rings and give them to our suppliers

Now If I can find a way to give the plastic bags away for recycling I would miuch rather that then burn them.

Yuo can also burn the contents of the bags, till they are just a black ash. But I think we have enough air polution already. The framers around here don't burn of the rice fields. So we don't get the Chiang Mai smoke

[tingtong]

If you live close enough to Bangkok where the big worm farms all they will buy the used bags 5 satang each. I don't know if they would come to Udon or not. Maybe of we saved them for a year, that would be about 29,000 bags annually.

i doubt that anyone would make the drive from Bkk, even for 29.000 bags....

5 satang each would only mean 1450 thb total, and Bkk-Udon -Bkk, no way a 10 ton truck would cover it from that much!

even 50 satang, that wouldnt be much a deal...