|
And
waste
there
is
--
given
the
world's
penchant
for
coffee,
waste
from
depulping
coffee cherries is
considerable
and
piles
up
around
the
world
by
the
TONS.
Coffee
pulp
can
be
used
for
animal
silage,
compost
and
the
best
of
all:
to
grow
protein-rich
mushrooms.
This
is
great
news
as
incomes
based
on
coffee
farming
puts
undue
burdens
on
families:
farmers
receive
few
payments
[mostly
at
harvest
time]
that
are
to
stretch
until
the
next
harvest,
and
coffee
as
a
commodity
is
notoriously
unstable.
It's
not
unheard
of
farmers
selling
crops
for
less
than
the
cost
to
grow
them.
Worst
yet,
coffee
communities
the
world
over
have
'lean'
months
where
food
shortages,
poor
nutrition
and
hunger
are
the
norm.
Equator
Coffees
and
Teas
with
Sustainable
Harvest
launched
Pulp
to
Protein
in
East
Africa
where
women
learn
about
growing
mushrooms
on
coffee
waste
for
these
reasons:
pulp
is
generated
by
the
TONS
and
sits
as
waste
mushrooms are
protein
rich,
offer
valuable
nutrients
mushrooms
convert
pulp
into
a
livestock
feed
rich
in
fiber
extra
income
is
generated
when
sold
at
the
market
they're
empowering/there's
less
of
a
need
for
external
sources
of
food
they
provide
jobs
for
neglected
women
But
growing
mushrooms
on
coffee
waste
isn't
as
easy
as
you'd
think.
Plus,
although
there
are
basic
practices
--
there's
lots
of
personal
variety.
Brooke
McDonnell
and
Helen
Russell,
co-founders
of
Equator
Estate
Coffee
and
Teas,
sent
Molly
Nicaise,
from
Singing
Rooster
Haitian
coffee
to
Nicaragua
to
learn
about
growing
mushrooms
on
coffee
waste.
Here's
the
method
used
at
Selva
Negra,
an
exotic
coffee
plantation
near
Matagalpa.
First,
coffee
pulp
is
pasteurized
/
sterilized
with
lime
--
either
boiled
for
an
hour
or
soaked
for
48.
Next,
the
pulp
dries
to
a
specific
dampness
[no
drips
when
squeezed].
The
damp
pulp/substrate
is
mix
with
spores.
For
each
25kg
of
substrate,
you
need
500g
of
spores.
Then,
the
substrate
&
spores
are
packed
TIGHTLY
into
plastic
bags
roughly
the
size
of
a
bread
bag
and
sealed.
[Coffee
grinds
also
make
a
fine
substrate
when
mixed
with
straw.] |
Mushroom
Specialist
Edwardo
Selva
Negra,
Nicaragua
|
The
bag
is
placed
in
a
dark
room;
after
three
weeks,
a
white
growth,
referred
to
as
mycelium,
fills
the
bag.
If
there
are
any
other
colors
present
[green,
red
or
black],
the
bag
is
contaminated
and
is
thrown
away
without
opening
it.
The
bag
is
punctured
10
-
15
times
with
a
sterilized
nail
to
allow
air
penetration.
The
nail
is
sterilized
with
bleach
or
alcohol
before
puncturing
each
bag.
Mushrooms
grow
out
of
these
holes.
 |
The
bags
are
moved
to
a
room
with
indirect
light
that
has
GREAT
air
circulation.
Mushrooms
need
a
constant
air
flow
to
prevent
the
build
up
of
carbon
dioxide.
Carbon
dioxide
will
bring
your
mushroom
production
to
a
screeching
halt.
The
mushroom
racks
are
misted
daily
with
a
spray
bottle.
Humidity
is
necessary
for
mushrooms
to
develop
and
grow.
If
you
want
to
get
fancy,
you
can
use
a
humidifier.
|
Mushrooms
are
harvested
when
the
veil
that
attaches
the
cap
to
the
stem
begins
to
tear
-
after
2
weeks.
This
can
happen
when
mushrooms
are
the
size
of
a
pea
or
the
size
of
a
baseball.
Blocks/bags
are
inspected
daily
for
harvestable
mushrooms.
Mushrooms are
not
cut
from
the
block,
instead,
they are twisted
and
gently
pulled.
Partial
stems
left
on
the
block
will
rot
which
is
fine.
Mushrooms
are
delicious
to
mice
and
insects
-
so
protect
them
wisely.
Awesome
recipe
for
oyster
mushrooms.
|
Pleurotus
ostreatus
/
Oyster
Mushroom
/
Hao
Jun
/
Hiratake
An
excellent
source
of
nutrition:
high
levels
of
protein,
iron
and
fiber.
The
oyster
mushroom
has
excellent
anti-aging
properties,
helps
maintain
healthy
cholesterol
levels,
and
increases
the
activity
of
catalase,
superoxide
dismutase
and
glutathione
peroxidase.
They
taste
good
too.
|
About
mushroom
spores:
Most
people
buy
spores,
but
you
can
harvest
your
own
with
these
materials:
*
Mushroom
print
*
Isopropyl
alcohol
*
Paper
towels
*
Scalpel
or
other
tool
to
remove
spores
*
Empty
sterile
syringes
*
Lighter
*
Capped
beaker
filled
w/
sterilized
water
|
Molly
and
Jorge
Harvesting
Spores
Selva
Negra,
Nicaragua |
1.
Make
a
spore
print.
Harvest
a
relatively
mature
mushroom
cap
by
slicing
it
off
with
a
knife.
Place
the
spore-producing
surface
of
the
mushroom
(gills)
flat
on
a
sheet
of
paper
or
on
a
glass
slide.
Cover
with
a
jar
or
plastic
container.
Leave
the
mushroom
for
several
hours.
Remove
the
mushroom
from
the
paper
or
slide.
The
mushroom
spores
should
be
visible.
2.
Clean
the
surface
you
will
be
working
on
with
alcohol
to
avoid
contaminants.
Mushroom
spores
must
be
harvested
in
a
clean
environment.
3.
Sterilize
the
scalpel
or
other
tool
you
will
be
using
to
remove
the
mushroom
spores.
Do
this
by
holding
it
over
a
flame
until
red-hot,
and
then
allow
it
to
cool.
4.
Scrape
the
mushroom
spores
from
the
paper
or
slide
into
the
beaker.
There
should
be
enough
spores
to
be
visible
in
the
water.
5.
Use
the
syringes
to
collect
the
mushroom
spore
suspension.
The
syringes
can
be
capped
and
kept
in
the
refrigerator
for
several
months.
Tip:
Some
mushrooms
have
tiny
spore
jets
that
forcibly
eject
spores;
these
can
be
harvested
by
placing
the
cap
in
a
jar
and
waiting
about
24
hours.
Warning:
Keep
contaminants
and
air
currents
away
from
your
work
area
when
harvesting
mushroom
spores.
Irene
Maldonado
has
been
growing
mushrooms
successfully
in
Guatemala
for
8
years.
The
best
advice
she
gave
Molly
Nicaise
of
Singing
Rooster?
Have
fun
serving
mushrooms
-
prepare
them
as
you
would
meat.
Tell
people
AFTER
what
they've
eaten.
|
|
|
