Note: “Fresh” logs are only available for local pickup. This should allow you to check out, and then we will contact you to confirm we’ve reserved your logs and schedule a pickup time at our home here in Colchester, CT. If you’re local, buying a bunch, and would like delivery, contact us for a quote first. 

Grow your own gourmet mushrooms at home in your backyard!

All you need is a shady spot and some patience. These make a unique and diverse addition to your home garden and landscape. They can be arranged in artistic arrangements. They can be stacked link-n-log style, stood up on end, or just lay it down on the ground. 

Shiitakes are a staple mushroom in our house. They are dependable, delicious, versatile, and long-lived. The log fruits in the fall and spring for 2-4+ years. I just had a 10-year-old log fruit again! These are the only mushrooms you can force to fruit on logs. That means in their summer dormancy, you can make the logs fruit in just about a week! If you get a bundle of 6 or more logs, it means you can have a constant supply as you rotate each week through your logs. 

Check out our Care Guide after you purchase some logs. 

Check out our Forcing Guide to see how easy it is.

https://youtu.be/d0f1XlByk5w?si=2iInhVP8e33UJecD

What is a mushroom log?

Fungi are one of nature's decomposers. They break down materials and some form a visible mushroom as part of this process (fruiting). It takes shiitakes weeks to months to decompose enough material to fruit. We are selling a limited number of 3"-8" diameter locally sourced oak logs that we have inoculated with sawdust spawn. Presently, we buy our certified organic spawn from Field and Forrest Products. There is a chart at the bottom to help you compare each strain. When you buy logs from us, we give you the strains we currently have in stock (wide range strains). 

Proven Logs: These are premium logs. These logs have "proven" to be fruitful. They are young and have had one flush of mushrooms. We have added the value of protecting them from the elements, watering them, and ensuring the shiitake spawn has successfully colonized the log. We sell our proven logs for $30 each. As well, we offer discounts on purchases of 6 or more proven logs. 

Most people order these logs in multiples, or they choose to get 6 or more. In getting more logs, you can learn how to force them to fruit in the summer months and have fresh mushrooms every week! Basically, in the summer months, you can soak logs for 12-24 hours in a bucket/barrow/pond, take them out the next day, and hit them with a sledgehammer. Then in 7 days, you have mushrooms ready to harvest. Each week, you do the same with new logs, letting fruited logs rest for 6+ weeks in between soak & strike...and you have fresh mushrooms every week!

Fresh Logs: You can also buy or pre-buy fresh logs. The logs we inoculated this spring are considered "FRESH". These are made in the months of March through May and are available all year unless they sell out. They will need to complete their spawn run at your home for 6 to 18 months before their first fruiting. When you pick them up, we can show you the signs to look for before they fruit and tell you how to care for them. They require barely any maintenance. Your main concerns will be to keep them in a shady spot and watered to ensure they don't dry out. We suggest you cover your logs with a porous material/cloth like burlap or an old sheet if you are getting fresh logs. (This will allow water to soak into the log, but protect it from birds. We've had birds peck out the spawn, causing them to fail.) They will fruit for 3-5 years, until the mushroom mycelium has consumed all it can from the logs. At which point, you can toss it in your compost pile. Freshly inoculated logs are "unproven" meaning the customer takes on the labor involved to help the spawn colonize the log

Fresh logs are usually produced in the spring of each year. If they are sold out, it means we are waiting for the next season for a new batch. Feel free to contact us if you’d like a custom order to pre-purchase and reserve fresh logs from our next spring batch

How do I order?

1. Select your quantity, add to cart, repeat with other varieties/products, and check out online. 
2. We will then contact you to arrange a pick-up window. We can either meet you at the farm in person and give you a tour and mini lesson, or we can leave your order in a designated location on our farm to be picked up. 
3. Special Bulk Pricing is available for orders of 6+ logs.