Those are Poplar logs Mike. Yup. I buy the spawn in sawdust and pack it between the two logs and under the bottom log and on top of the top log. The bottom log is sitting inside a 45 gallon black trash bag which gets pulled up over the top log and twisted shut and zip tied. The logs are soaked for two days prior to the bagging process. These "totems" undisturbed in the bags for 4 months, then opened and the fruiting starts not long afterward. Next spring I'll soak the logs again and re-stack them and we'll have fresh mushrooms again that summer and fall. I might get a third season out of the logs.
The Shitaki and other Oyster in the narrow 4 foot logs are done using peg spawn...dowels that are inoculated with active spawn and pounded into holes drilled every four inches up and down and all around the logs. These four are all oak and will last for maybe six to 8 years. There's a million ways to grow your own mushrooms and just as many mediums for growing them....logs, sawdust, wood chips, toilet paper rolls, hay and straw bales. There are a ton of various strains of mushrooms too so a person can be pretty flexible. Get the spawn put where it needs to be and cover as recommended and walk away for the time suggested, then keep whatever wet. You'll be eating like royalty.
Farmer's markets locally sell these greys for about $6.00/pound. Shitakis can get upwards of $18.00/pound. You can get peg spawn for Shitakis to do 30 4 foot oak logs for about 25 bucks. Those 30 logs will yield a ton of mushrooms for the next 5, 6, maybe 8 years. I have some junk oak logs that I thought were worn out stacked where it'll get burned in the fire pit and every time it rains good, like what we're seeing here now, and I will find six or eight late bloomers to pick. Plus its a fun hobby.
