Introduction to Totem Grown Mushrooms

Steve Gabriel, Agroforestry Extension Specialist for Cornell Small Farms, introduces the practice of totem inoculation for forest farming mushrooms. Oyster mushrooms and lion's mane can be grown on various hardwood species beneath the shade of the forest's canopy as they are typically found in nature. Lion's mane prefers to grow on sugar maple and American Beech while oyster mushrooms will colonize a variety of hardwoods including cottonwood, box elder, and tulip poplar, to name a few. Stropharia prefers growing in a bed of wood chips and saw dust where they can make contact with the duff layer and draw moisture from the soil.

[TheTexasTakebyMissVikie]

Love these videos ✨🤗✨
Thanks for sharing...
🕊💖🕊

[mybasics]

Excellent variety lions mane Mushroom

[bevlev]

Thanks for your presentation at 2017 Maple Convention - great video series and info - we are definitely going to try cultivating some in our woodlot!

[nanaznaturalz]

Yay!! I’m so happy to find you!
I have so many questions as I am new to growing mushrooms.
I want to start with Lions mane, Reishi and such.
How new/old do you the wood to be?
What date do you do this?

[jolIyjoeker]

Is the totem method the best way to grow lions mane? Or will the method of drilling holes and fill with sawdust spawn, and then wax over hole work just as good?

[rickdavey-mu]

Can you use a spent lion's mane block. On logs to make. totems?

[thomfraleigh]

Yellow/Golden oyster is not native to North America. It is introduced from Europe.

[Allyourbase]

How do these grow outside with no contamination, but I grow them inside on a block while wiping everything down with alcohol and I can’t get past the first flush lol

[michaelkmiotek]

How do I inoculate the stump? I have a lot of poplar that the DNR told be to cut down.

[danielmiller]

how long are the leaf bags left covering the totems? Thanks

[TheLordbal]

Bout to start a few lionsmane totems myself, wish me luck :)

[mikey_mike]

Thanks for the video. Definitely gonna be growing some lions mane. Delicious and great medicinal properties. How many years do your totems produce? Also, do you water them?

[gloriayoung]

what kind of wood is those logs?Can U use any log?