I have been fascinated by fungi of all kinds since I was a little kid. I would go into a forest and watch the lichens on the logs and the mushrooms growing on the underbrush. Sometimes, if I was lucky, I would even see them all shoot out spores, in a sudden explosion of mist. My parents did not want me to grow mushrooms. In our neighborhood, you see, there was a big drug abuse problems. I was a teenager, and they were afraid that I would grow magic mushrooms instead of the edible kind. No matter how much I convinced them that I was only interested in growing shiitake mushrooms, they would not believe me.
As soon as I went to college, however, I invested in a growing mushroom kit. Apparently, shiitake mushrooms were very difficult ones for beginners to grow. I had always thought that growing mushrooms would be easy. After all, mushrooms grew in a damp, dank environment. How much could it take to grow mushrooms? Apparently, a lot. Growing mushroom is actually one of the most difficult occupations I have tried. The mushrooms are extremely temperamental, and will often react negatively to the slightest change in temperature, soil composition, or moisture. Even opening the door effects the way the mushrooms grow.
Nevertheless, it was worth it. After my second or third try at growing mushroom, I finally got a good crop of edible fungus. It was absolutely delicious. I had always heard people talk about how much better it is to grow your own food, but I had never really witnessed it before. When I would buy mushrooms at the store, they would be good, but when I was growing mushroom they were better. I could get them fresh, dry them myself, and then eat them at my leisure. I could even have my friends over to partake in my wondrous feast. It sure was a lot of fun.
If you have ever thought about growing mushroom, I highly suggest that you give it a try. Don't get discouraged by the people who tell you that growing mushrooms is difficult. Yes it is difficult, but it is also extremely rewarding. It is not anything that an averagely intelligent person with some dedication and persistence can't do, either. Best of all, you will have valuable high-quality ingredients to cook with anytime you want. You can't get better than cooking with mushrooms that you grew yourself! It even impresses the girls!
Summary:
Growing mushrooms is almost an art form. They are very finicky plants and they require extreme care in order to grow properly and taste good. They react to small changes poorly like temperature, dampness, and light intake. Try a mushroom growing kit if you have never experimented with growing mushrooms before.
