We usually inoculate at least 5 lbs of sawdust spawn every March. This year we will be inoculating Lion’s Mane mushroom spawn into tulip poplar, sweet gum, and beech logs. We will also be inoculating Shiitake mushroom spawn into red oak logs. We have harvested about 35 logs and cut them to be between 36 and 40 inches long, and they vary from 3-8 inches in diameter. They will ‘rest’ for 2 weeks on these sawhorses before inoculating. The Lion’s Mane is mostly for Sarah’s tinctures, but we enjoy eating them fresh too. The Shiitakes are the best tasting mushrooms we’ve grown. Fortunately for us, they grow well on our property. We have a renewable supply of small red oaks that can be thinned to help nearby older trees grow quicker and compete less for nutrients and sunlight.
We did a step by step post years ago that goes through the inoculation process, here: https://maitrihomestead.com/?p=219
