FOR-79: Shiitake Production: Log Selection and Preparation

Deborah Hill | Mar. 12, 2013 (New)

Shiitake mushrooms grow well on many species of hardwood tree. The Shii tree, native to Japan where these mushrooms originate, is in the same family as our oak trees, so all kinds of oaks are useful for shiitake production.

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FOR-90: Shiitake Production: Production Options

Deborah Hill | Mar. 12, 2013 (New)

This series of publications emphasizes growing shiitake mushrooms on natural hardwood logs. The denser hardwoods (oaks, hickories, chestnut) seem to produce better over the long run, and other hardwoods (maples, sweetgum) may begin to produce more quickly but will exhaust more quickly also.

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AEC-99: The Kentucky Agricultural Economic Outlook for 2013

Alison Davis, Will Snell, Jeff Stringer, Billy Thomas, Tim Woods | Dec. 5, 2012 (New)

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ID-191: Climate Change: A Brief Summary for Kentucky Extension Agents

Tom Barnes, Ric Bessin, Jeffrey Bewley, Roy Burris, Tim Coolong, Lee Meyer, Joe Taraba, Paul Vincelli, George Wagner | Sep. 20, 2011 (New)

Nearly all climate science experts agree that global warming is occurring and that it is caused primarily by human activity. Regardless of what you may read on blogs or in the media, there is no meaningful scientific controversy on these points. The future impacts of global warming are difficult to predict, but the changes caused by greenhouse gases are expected to increasingly affect Kentucky agriculture.

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ID-187: Woodland Winter Feeding of Cattle: Water Quality Best Management Practices

Steve Higgins, Jeff Stringer, Sarah Wightman | May. 5, 2011 (New)

Cattle maintain their body temperature in winter by burning more calories, which requires them to consume more feed. Livestock producers use wooded areas to provide protection for cattle from wind and low temperatures. That protection enables the cattle to conserve energy and eat less. Using wooded areas for winter feeding makes practical sense, but producers need to consider several environmental issues when planning for it.

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FOR-120: Site Preparation for Natural Regeneration of Hardwoods

Jeff Stringer | Apr. 7, 2011 (New)

One aspect of forest sustainability is regenerating the stand to desired species once the stand is harvested. Usually the species present in the overstory are more desirable than those in the understory and midstory. If management is not performed to adjust the regenerating species composition prior to the harvest, these understory and midstory species likely will be the composition of the future stand.

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FOR-119: Uneven-aged Management in Mixed Species, Southern Hardwoods: Is it Feasible and Sustainable?

Jeff Stringer | Apr. 7, 2011 (New)

For uneven-age stands to develop, both young and old trees need to be developing in the same stand, where younger trees are naturally smaller in diameter than older trees. Thus, guidelines and graphs used by foresters to help establish uneven-age stands use diameter as a surrogate for age and assume that age and diameter are related.

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FOR-81: Kentucky Shiitake Production Workbook: Inoculation

Deborah Hill | Mar. 23, 2011 (Minor Revision)

To begin the process of shiitake mushroom production, you must "sow the seed" just as you would with any other agronomic crop. For shiitake, the "seed" is called spawn and consists of the mushroom spores mixed with sawdust (for sawdust spawn) or wood (for dowel spawn) and a little grain to add a higher level of carbohydrate for the organism to feed on.

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FOR-85: Shiitake Production: Harvesting

Deborah Hill | Mar. 23, 2011 (Minor Revision)

If you started with live spawn from a reputable supplier and freshly cut logs from living hardwood trees, your logs should be ready to produce shiitake mushrooms after 6 to 18 months of incubation.

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FOR-82: Shiitake Production: Monitoring Moisture Content of Logs

Deborah Hill | Feb. 3, 2011 (Minor Revision)

Shiitake spawn cannot survive in logs that have a moisture content of less than 23%. Ideal moisture conditions for shiitake growth are log moisture content of 35% or more. If logs are left in the open air and are not monitored for moisture content, and climatic conditions are dry, the moisture content of the logs can fall to 20% to 25%.