• 🇳🇿 🇲🇲 🇯🇵 🇨🇳 🇦🇺 🇦🇶 🇮🇳
    Australian & Asian
    Drug Discussion


    Welcome Guest!
    Posting Rules Bluelight Rules
  • AADD Moderators: swilow | Vagabond696

Magic Mushroom Honey

Samson

Bluelighter
Joined
Mar 21, 2000
Messages
163
Stumbled accross a method of consuming mushrooms that you may be interested in.
When mushrooms are stored in honey, the psilocybin (the active ingredient in psychedelic mushrooms) is drawn out and into the honey turning it purple. The honey can then be eaten to "trip." Just submerge the 'shrooms in the honey completely, seal the container, and store in a cool, dark place.
SEE http://bluehoney.org for more information
------------------
5 days a week my body is a temple. The other 2 it's an amusement park.
[This message has been edited by Samson (edited 30 August 2000).]
 
YAY... more mushies info... thanks dooder. Also thanks to matzuber who also started a post about mushies... trippin honey... hehehe.
------------------
The Strange Guy with the Faded Tiger Striped Strange Hair
 
Honey also acts to preserve them. All for free! Man if you smelt magic mushies after you've unsuccessfully tried to store them... phhwwoooooffff. Nasty
Sproing its been raining a bit yesterday. Today could be ok. Tommorrow will be not worth the trip down there unless it rains today.
But I think you're chances of finding any are getting very slim.
 
Honey is great for storing those little buggers, I tried it a few years ago after being given a big baggie.
They soaked for 2 days, and after consumption of the shrooms the honey had sepatrated with a thin, purple-tinged runnier solution on top of the honey.
Had this stuff on toast 2 weeks later and was as good as the shrooms themselves
smile.gif

...Keep up the good woik bluelighters...
 
how do you tell the GOOD shrooms from the BAD shrooms when you are picking them?
[This message has been edited by rikidozan (edited 02 September 2000).]
 
There's no good or bad in the magic mushrooms. Just have to make sure that what you're picking is the right mushie. Thats what you mean yeah?
They look bell shaped (upside down). Big ones have golden tops. They grow in patches, sometimes you get them few here, few there. Depends on the rain coverage maybe.
Check out piccies on erowid etc and remember; it will take you ages to find your first ones, then once you know what you're looking for, you'll find heaps.
smile.gif
You need a good location tho, else you could search around Ballingup all day and not find none.
 
Great site samson!
Worth a bump...
so..
*BUMP*
------------------
I've lived a thousand lifetimes, I existed many times before - why then, is everything so new to me?
 
Um, how long do they need to be stored for? 2 days? Weeks?
Sounds more yummy than getting them stuck in your teeth...
wink.gif
 
Does anyone know when the mushrooms are in season in Victoria... I went picking successfully for the first time about 3 - 4 months ago... and whenever I thought the conditions were right (early morning.. just rained) I went looking again (in different places though) but I couldn't find any..
Is it only a Autumn thing... cos I couldn't find any in Winter... (but I'm hoping that that Spring might be a different story... might have to start visiting nature reserves again)
thanks....
 
Mothers Day!!!!!!!!!!! Please don't tell me I have to wait till next year
frown.gif
.
If anyone has any trouble eating mushies because of the taste of them, then try putting them in a blender and then mix them with pineapple juice.
It still doesn't taste that great, but it's bearable
smile.gif
. Just make sure the mushies are blended really well.
 
Perth season finished a few weeks ago. Next year it is I'm afraid.
Here's someting I found about home cultivation. Something I deemed a laughable concept until... I read some of this.
I did just spend about a half hour doing this up real nice, then explorer decided to play funny buggers, and i lost it all. silly me.
So here's the dodgy version of how to cultivate mushrooms, and a little info on storage and usage. Its farken huge, I haven't read it all, but if you're interested in this, its certainly worth a read, from what I can tell.
I was going to post a link but its from a rather private forum.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PF SUBSTRATE FORMULA (for half pint jar)
INOCULATION OF THE PF SUBSTRATE JARS
INCUBATION OF INOCULATED JARS
REMOVING THE FUNGUS CAKE FROM THE JAR
THE DUAL CHAMBERED TERRARIUM
HEATLESS DESICCATION (drying) OF MUSHROOMS
SPORE SYRINGE MAKING
PF SUBSTRATE FORMULA (for half pint jar)
Jars and glasses to be used with this technique are half pint capacity (8 ounces). They
must have tapered sides and no shoulders, otherwise the fungus cakes won't easily come
out of the jars.
Appropriate jars; (source - super markets and hardware stores)
KERR wide mouth half pint canning jar.
BALL regular mouth half pint canning jar.
BALL half pint jelly jar.
NOTE: Even though the regular mouth BALL half pint and the regular mouth KERR half pint
look similar, the KERR is not tapered.
1/4 cup of brown rice powder (Health food stores and co-ops)
1/2 cup of horticultural vermiculite (fine grade) (garden centers and hardware)
60 cc's water
To make your own brown rice powder, place some regular brown rice in a small canister
type coffee bean grinder and grind it to fine flakes. Freshly ground brown rice is
recommended over prepackaged type. The freshness sometimes makes a big difference.
Not all vermiculite is the same. The coarseness varies quite considerably among different
brands. The coarser type will hold less water than the finer type which will alter the
water holding capacity. If your formulation (water content) results in a really wet or
sloppy PF substrate, just use less water. Keep notes on your formulas so that you can
replicate the PF substrate formula that works the best.
Prepare the canning lid by placing it with the rubber sealing edge upwards on a
supporting surface and with a sharpened 3 penny nail (held with pliers), punch 4 holes
inside the periphery of the rubber sealing edge.
SUBSTRATE JAR PREPARATION
Step 1. Place 1/2 cup of vermiculite into a mixing bowl. Place the brown rice powder on
top of the vermiculite. Slowly add the water directly onto the brown rice powder, wetting
it first. Thoroughly mix the ingredients. The mixture should feel damp and cohesive. More
water (or less) can be used if experimenting to improve the fruiting. Mix Each jars
substrate individually for loading to insure accurate formula rendering.
Step 2. Load the 1/2 pint jar and level the top. With one hand, cover the mouth of the
jar and grasp the top. Lightly slam the bottom of the jar on your other palm a couple of
times to lower the level of the mixture. Leave a 1/2 to 3/4 inch space at the top. With a
tissue or your fingertip, wipe the insides of the jar down to the substrate. Fill the top of
the jar with plain dry vermiculite and level it off at the top. This upper layer will protect
the wet substrate from air borne contaminants. It acts as a contaminant barrier. This is a
Psylocybe Fanaticus original discovery. What this dry vermiculite layer does is protect
the wet substrate from airborne contaminants and also absorbs and regulates moisture
transpiration and condensation.
Step 3. Place the lid on the jar with the rubberized edge up (jagged edges of the needle
holes down). Screw the lid band on. Place pieces of "professional" grade masking tape
(holds on during steaming) over the needle holes. This is to protect the needle holes from
contaminant entry.
There are two choices with the lids during incubation - tight or loose. With a very high
moisture content (good for fruiting), a tight lid can cause water to collect in the bottom
of the jar. This is to be avoided. If it happens, the lid should be kept on loose during
incubation. If the substrate is on the dry side, a tight lid will preserve the moisture
content. It is all a matter of the balance between the water needs of the mycelium, the
size of the jar, the available air space in the jar and the type of vermiculite used. Only by
simple experimenting and comparison can the right balance be found for a given set of
conditions. Take notes and go with what fruits the best.
Steam sterilizing PF substrate jars with regular cookware is possible because there is no
grain to cook up and the substrate is airy. Other regular jars (other than canning type) or
small drinking glasses (with tin foil covering) can be substituted for these canning jars.
To insure similar results, make sure the jars or glasses are tapered sided with no shoulder
of any kind, and that they have a 1/2 pint (8 ounce) capacity. It is important to note,
that jars somewhat larger than 1/2 pint are unreliable for the PF TEK and fail easily. The
low form KERR 1/2 pint canning jar is the most versatile (fits into tight spaces et).
A 3 piece vegetable steamer (pot, basket insert & lid) is perfect for this technique. Also,
the stainless steel vegetable steamers that fold out and stand on the bottom of the pot
are good. Anything is good as long as it keeps the jar bottoms off the pot bottom where
the high temperature will crack the glass.
Step 4. Heat the pot of water to a boil. Put the jars into the pot with the lid bands loose
so that the steam can penetrate the jars quickly. Turn the heat down and GENTLY steam
the jars at the lowest possible boil for an hour in a TIGHTLY covered pot (gas stoves are
the easiest to control). A good tight fitting pot lid is essential for successful steaming. Be
careful to not overheat the jars, this dries the substrate. Drying is evidenced by
o.k.spore germination and halted growth. The fungus will spread but stop at a certain
point depending on how dry the PF substrate has become. Generally, any halted growth
(with no contamination) is a sign of dried substrate. This is an important concept that
will enable you to diagnose and easily correct any problems you might experience with
drying. The remedy is to increase the water content of the PF substrate formula you are
using.
The jars can sit in water but just make sure boiling water can't slosh into the jars. After
the jars have cooled, tighten the lids and store them in a cool draft free place until ready
to inoculate them. Make sure that the jars are COOL to the touch before proceeding. If
they are still warm, the spores can easily be killed.
INOCULATION OF THE PF SUBSTRATE JARS
Make sure the lid is tight. Shake the syringe well and remove the tape from the syringe
needle guard. This shaking of the syringe is important as to redistribute the spores in the
water. Take off the tape covering the needle holes. Remove the needle guard and insert
the needle through the lid hole. Tilt the syringe body back towards the center of the lid
with the needle tip touching the glass. This distributes the spore water down the side of
the jar, giving a good inoculation down the side of the substrate cake. Inoculate a few
drops down each needle hole. As you press on the syringe plunger, observe the needle
tip against the inside of the glass. As soon as you see water appearing around the needle
tip, release your finger pressure. In between each hole inoculation, shake the syringe a
little to keep the spores distributed. Use 1 cc per jar. This will allow the syringe to
inoculate 10 jars. You can actually use more spore solution per jar (speeds colonization)
but then you won't get as many jars per syringe. If the syringe needle plugs up as you
insert it into the PF substrate, just draw the needle back a little and it will unplug.
If you touch the needle, flame the needle with a cigarette lighter to resterilize it and let
it cool a minute. An alcohol flame is a better flame because it does not leave behind any
soot on the needle. If you have spore solution left, just replace the needle guard and
store the syringe for later use. Be sure and resterilize the needle immediately before
re-use. Store the syringe in a dark, cool place.
INOCULATION OF PF JARS WITHOUT THE LIDS
You can inoculate the jar without using a lid with holes punched. Before you do this
technique, inoculate with the punched lid first. That will show you how it works without
any problems (almost fail proof).
The only precaution to observe is to disturb the dry top vermiculite layer as little as
possible, especially when removing the needle after the inoculation. The underlying PF
substrate must not be exposed to the air. Move any disturbed vermiculite back into place
with your fingertip. If using a drinking glass or alternate container, cover the mouth with
tin foil. Replace the tin foil cover after inoculation.
INCUBATION OF INOCULATED JARS
After inoculation of the jars, tighten the lid bands and retape the needle holes. Place the
jars in a safe place out of direct sunlight. Indirect light is all that is required. If the
temperature is kept around 70 degrees, germination will begin within 3 to 5 days.
Germinating spores appear as small white fuzzy spots, quickly growing and spreading with
cottony white growth and strandy "rhizomorphs". Any room temperature is O.K. If it gets
cold indoors, over head light shinning down on the tops of the jars is a perfect heating
technique for this culturing stage. A clamping type light with a reflector works well for
this. If this is done, keep the temperature around 70 degrees (don't overheat the jars -
monitor the temperature with a thermometer). A warm overall house temperature is fine.
If you can stand the heat, the fungus will have no problem But in the overall view, cool
temperatures are never a problem. The rule is to not overheat. The fungus cake will be
ready to come out of the jar about a week or two after the substrate completely turns
white with the fungus.
If any contaminant invaders appear, their color will be other than white. They are red,
blue-green, black, or yellow (most any color). If they appear, the culture is doomed.
Bacteria contamination is smellable through the dry vermiculite layer as a sour - foul odor
within 2 days of inoculation and no spore germination. It is safe to remove the cap in
order to detect odors. If it is contaminated, sterilize the contents of the jar with rubbing
alcohol. Bacteria can be dangerous. The aroma should be hardly noticeable, a vague
pleasant grainy smell at most. Just make sure that the vermiculite layer remains intact.
After the substrate turns white with the mycelium (2 or 3 weeks after inoculation), The
jars are left to sit in indirect light. The mycelium will continue to infiltrate the substrate
until it gets enough food to trigger the fruiting cycle. In less than a week to a few weeks
after surface colonization of the cake, tiny white "pin" like structures begin to appear.
This is called pinning. This is the beginning of the fruiting cycle. Soon after that, within
the week, small round fungus growths appear that soon begin to turn yellow.
Lastly, "primordia" start to grow. These are tiny worm like structures with tiny dark
reddish heads. These are the first mushrooms.
REMOVING THE FUNGUS CAKE FROM THE JAR
The best time to remove the fungus cake from the jar is when you see the small round
fungus growths that soon begin to turn yellow. They can be picked off the cake with a
clean needle if desired, otherwise don't be concerned about them. If the primordia (tiny
worm like structures with dark reddish heads) appear on the cake while still in the jar,
just be careful not to damage them in handling. The rule is to handle with care.
Remove the lid. With your finger tips or a clean fork, scrape away the majority of the dry
top vermiculite layer. There will probably be seen some wispy mycelium here and there in
the top layer. Don't worry about this. This is a good sign showing aggressive growth.
Place an old jar lid over the jar mouth and turn the jar upside down. Lightly slam the jar
down on a table cushioned with a magazine. The fungus cake will slide out onto the old
jar cap (BIRTHDAY). The jar cap functions as a base for the cake. When handling the
fungus cake, be careful as not to squeeze and bruise it. Bruising results in a bluish mark.
This fungus is resilient and can tolerate a certain amount of handling, but handle it as
least as possible. The aroma is distinctly mushroomy, very pleasant.
As soon as the fungus cake comes out of the jar, daub the cake with a piece of loose
tissue paper to soak up any water droplets that may have deposited on the cake as it
comes out of the jar.
Some of the first mushrooms to form are "abhorts" (convoluted caps, gnarly stems and
stunted growth), and ironically they are primo in magic alkaloids. They are even more
powerful in magic than the stately beauties that will soon dominate the cake. The tiny
"baby mushroom" abhorts are likewise good. After witnessing the growth of the fungus,
you will be able to instantly recognize and harvest these abhorts. As long as they are
healthy and pure, they are primo. Also, another form of mutants will manifest. These are
just big blobs of fungus with little or no cap, also good for harvesting. And along with
these mutants, appear the perfect specimens, the sporocarps.
TIME SCALE OF THE MUSHROOMS
Spore inoculation to spore germination - within a week, at 70 degrees fahrenheit.
Spore germination to complete colonization of the cake - about 2 to 3 weeks.
Colonization to fruiting cycle start - within 2 weeks.
The fruiting cycle lasts about 2 weeks. The mycelium begins to turn blue and no more
mushrooms form. If you thorougly clean the cake after the initial fruiting, sometimes
secondary fruit bodies form, but they are usually sparse and small, if at all.
All in all the process takes from 4 - 6 weeks from spore inoculation to fruiting.
THE DUAL CHAMBERED TERRARIUM
THE AIRTIGHT AQUARIUM LID (TOP)
(For a standard 10 gallon aquarium)
24" X 14 1/2" outside dimensions
21 1/4" x 12" inside dimensions (dimensions variable).
The frame can be made of flat (unwarped) 1/4" thick board or 4 wood strips connected
by screws.
The wooden lid frames' inner rectangular cutout must be LARGER than the top of the
aquarium. Clear polythelene plastic film is tacked to the underside (or upper side) of the
frame so that the frame holds it tightly onto the aquarium top. The frame essentially
hangs by the plastic film. A simpler alternative is to cover the aquarium top with saran
wrap or something similar.
THE SPRAY SHIELD/CHAMBER PARTITION (shaded area)
(for a standard 10 gallon aquarium)
Use 1/8" thick clear acrylic (plexiglass) window insulation available at most hardware
stores. Have it cut around 15" x 18" (dimensions may vary - check the aquarium first). A
tight fit is good.
The mushrooms get water from 2 sources; the substrate they grow on and the air that
surrounds them. The surrounding air must be highly humidified. The fungus needs to
bathe in a shroud of floating water molecules. 100% humidity is where there is the
maximum number of water molecules floating amongst the air atoms. The dual chambered
terrarium easily achieves these conditions.
It all starts with the spray from the hand sprayer. The first rule is to never directly spray
the fungus. This initial spray is comprised of water droplets that are giant ponds of water
in relation to the fine mycelial networks of the fungal threads. In culture, the droplet of
water will drown the micro world of the fungal structures and thereby inhibit or
contaminate growth. But the airborne molecularized water floats into the fine structures
and gives the fungus humidity as needed. Molecularized water is another way of
describing water that has evaborated into the air.
The spray that comes out of the spray bottle must be molecularized for the fungus. The
spray shield and the primary chamber accomplish this. The primary chamber receives the
initial spraying. As the spray strikes the shield, it is broken down into a finer mist which
flows around the sides of the spray shield into the secondary chamber where the fungus
is bathed in the fine humidity safely away from water droplets. In a matter of time, this
humidity will condense out onto surfaces inside the terrarium and drip down. The spray
shield is slanted and therefore acts as a drip shield and roof, so the more condensation
the better.
SPRAYING PROCEDURE
First, before placing the cakes into the terrarium, spray all the inside surfaces of the
terrarium, including the spray shield and lid. Insert the fungus cakes and put the spray
shield and lid in place. Then, slightly lift up the lid and insert the nozzle of the water
spray bottle in between the lid and the top of the aquarium and vigorously spray
downwards into the middle of the shield. After about 5 seconds of spraying, immediately
withdraw the sprayer nozzle and let down the lid to seal the swirling mist inside the
terrarium. You can come back after a few minutes and give it another spraying if desired
and a third if you are off to work and won't be back until the evening. To maintain a high
humidity try to spray at least 2 times a day, and the more the better. You can
compensate for a lack of spraying during the day by spraying several times in the
evening. Make sure that all the inside surfaces of the terrarium are foggy or dripping with
water. This in itself helps generate humidity.
It has been seen that mushrooms will grow in a properly set up dual chambered terrarium,
with only one good spraying a day - and even less than that!
Each time the terrarium is sprayed, the fungus should be ventilated. To ventilate, take
off the lid, and while holding the spray shield vertically, fan the chamber with a piece of
cardboard, and then spray as above. Also, the water that collects in the bottom of the
terrarium must be siphoned out (prevents bacteria buildup). This can be easily done using
a rubber bulb battery filler (auto parts store) or a rubber bulb type enema bottle.
Expose the terrarium to normal room light (indirect sunlight). A small low wattage
flourescent plant light will make the phototropic mushrooms grow upwards. Leave it on all
the time if you want.
HEATING
The main rule is to not heat the dual chambered terrarium. Any direct heating works
against the humidification and adds a drying influence. Do not use heating cables, heat
pads or blankets. Don't shine light directly down into the terrarium. Keep any plant grow
light (low wattage only) a safe distance from the terrarium. These fungi grow well at 60
degrees fahrenheit. PF has even seen them growing valiantly cooler than 60 degrees.
They grow slowly when they are cool. When warm or at heated room temperature, they
grow very fast. Strive for a growing temperature between 65 and the upper 80's. A too
hot terrarium will result in lots of spreading mycelium, but no fruiting.
SYMPTOMS OF LOW HUMIDITY
When the humidity is a bit low, but not low enough to stop fruiting, the mushrooms can
have fuzzy white mycelium growing on the tops of the caps. When this occurs, the cap
looks like it has a crown of white hair. This is not contamination. This white fuzzy
mycelium is perfectly good and does not detract from the mushrooms quality.
Dry looking cakes (they should be fuzzy) and withering, discoloring mushrooms and
primordia mean low humidity. For the best growth, the humidity has to be very high.
HEATLESS DESICCATION (drying) OF MUSHROOMS
The immature specimens are the best in quality, digestibility and chemical constituency.
They are characterized as being very light in color with white stems and light colored
caps. The cap will spread out after the veil breaks. Just after the veil breaks is a good
time to harvest. The gills on the underside of the cap will be light in color. The
mushrooms will be conical shaped and sporulation hasn't really begun yet. These are the
mushrooms that are the best for harvesting.
The easiest way to dry the fungi is to place them on a wire screen with air available to
all sides. Never dry them in an oven. The heat leaches the chemical constituents and
reduces their quality.
Sun drying is very nice. Place the fungi on a wire screen so that air comes from all sides.
Put them behind a window in direct sunlight. Dry them hard. But it has been seen by
mycologists that UV exposed psilocybes lose potency.
Freeze drying is the state of the art, but then freeze dryers are very expensive. Using a
frost free (dehumidifying) refrigerator works but it is time consuming and then everyone
doesn't have a frost free fridge. Using an oven degrades the mushrooms power. Never
use hot air dryers. The heat causes loss of valuable chemical constituents (psilocybin).
Using desiccant to dry mushrooms is overall, the best drying technique.
MATERIALS NEEDED - Desiccant - Wire screen - Plastic tub or container - Plastic bag
with tie off.
DESICCANT SOURCES
Anhydrous calcium sulfate (ca so4). This is sold by chemical and science supply retailers
and it goes by the name "DRIERITE". It is the universal lab desiccant.
A much cheaper but equally effective anhydrous calcium sulfate can be found at some
good hardware stores. Ask the salesperson for dehumidifying agents. If they have got it,
they can show you where it is. It looks like kitty litter (beige colored "clay" bits). PF uses
this (called "Damp Gone"). It is used to dry the air in damp places like closets etc.
Note: These products might have toxicity warnings - (don't breathe dust or get on skin
ect.). Follow those rules, but know that desiccant in an airtight box and under a screen
will do nothing to the fungi except dry them. It is completely safe for this use.
What desiccant does, is absorb moisture out of the air. As the fungi transpires moisture,
the moisture is immediately absorbed back into the desiccant, drying the fungi. Desiccant
can be reused and lasts indefinitely. After use, the desiccant is heated, dried and stored
for future use. Store it in an air tight container so that it stays dry and ready for use.
Heat the desiccant in an oven as instructed by the manufacturer.
In drying a medium sized mushroom such as Psilocybe Cubensis, use a 1 inch layer of
desiccant on the bottom of the container, under the mushrooms. Place the mushrooms
on a wire screen and lay them on the desiccant that is in the container. Put the
container with the shrooms and desiccant into a plastic bag. A garbage bag type wire tie
is sufficient to close the bag. If you can find a clear plastic bag, use that so you can
observe the drying process. After 24 hours, you should notice a little shriveling of the
shrooms. About 4 or 5 days later, the shrooms will be dried rock hard.
Pre drying the mushrooms in the air on a wire screen works very well if your room
humidity is not high. After a couple of days, the shriveling fungus can be quickly and
completely dried in the desiccant box.
Mushrooms dried in this way lose hardly any chemical constituents and their truly
desiccated state preserves them in their prime for months. When the stems snap when
bent, the shrooms are completely desiccated and ready for storage. Store them by
sealing them in plastic bags or keep them in canning jars with the rubber edged canning
lid on tight.
It has been reported that Psilocybe Cubensis is a "weak" mushroom. PF and others have
seen this to be not so. It all depends on how it is grown, on what medium and how it is
harvested and preserved. All in all, this mushroom is the best one because it is the
easiest to grow. The temperature range is wide and forgiving (60 degrees fahrenheit to
sweltering - natural habitat).
Grow them on brown rice, harvest them when they are young and dry them with
desiccant. When this is done, they are an entheogen of the highest order.
SPORE PRINTING AND SPORE SYRINGE PREPARATION
The mature specimens are good for spore production, but are not as good for
consumption. They are characterised as becoming darker, with dark bluish colors
appearing on the caps and stems. The cap upturns and reveals gills darkening a deep
brown color. The mushroom will look like an umbrella that has turned up edges. On the
stem can be seen the purple deposits of the dropping spores. Mature adult mushrooms
release spores by the millions. In the area around the mushrooms can be seen a
deepening color of purple. As the spores fall and collect they will color deep purple. This
is the signal that the mushroom has matured and is now in its sporulation cycle. This is
the time to take their spores.
SPORE PRINTING EQUIPMENT
KERR 1/2 PINT WIDE MOUTH (LOW FORM) CANNING JAR. (ANY SUITABLE JAR IS OK)
FINGER NAIL CUTICLE SCISSOR - (cosmetics - drug stores)
Presterilize the jar and regular metal lid (rubber edge up) in a small toaster oven at
around 300 degrees fahrenheit for around a half hour. Keep the lid loose during the
sterilization cycle. When the jar has cooled down, tighten the lid until it is time to use
the jar for a spore print. The rubberized edge will be a bit melted, but that won't be any
problem in this technque.
Note: What follows is a sterile technique. The first rule that must be allways followed is
to wash your hands prior to sterile work. Hands are a prime source for bacteria and
microspore contaminants. Sterilize all the work surfaces with rubbing alcohol. Minimize
drafts. Try for a still air environment. Don't breathe on your work. You can run a small
home appliance style HEPA air cleaner (99.97% rated efficiency - available at drug and
deparment stores) for a few hours in a closed room to clean the air before you do the
work.
Flame sterilize the scissors and snip off the mushroom cap. Cut the top of the stem as
far up into the cap as you can so that the gills of the mushroom will sit flat on the
surface of the jar bottom. With quick and sure movements, place the cap into the jar and
place the lid on loosely. Pierce the top of the cap with a straight pin to pick it up and
handle it.
Leave the jar with a loose cap for a couple of days in a draft free area away from direct
sunlight. After the print is taken, quickly and with as little air disturbance as possible,
remove the jar cap and extract the mushroom cap from the jar. With a loose jar cap, let
the jar sit in a draft free place to dehumidify for a few days before sealing it up (with
tape) because there will be some residual moisture left behind on the spores and glass.
Store the spore print jar at room temperatures in a dark place away from sunlight. Don't
store it in a refrigerator.
Psilocybe Cubensis spores begin to degrade a few months after they are taken. After
approximately 1 1/2 years, spore germination will be greatly reduced or won't occur at all.
Germination is massive and quick when the spores are fresh.
MAKING A SPORE SYRINGE
Use a plastic (disposable) syringe with an 18 gauge 1 1/2 inch needle. You can blunt the
needle to make it safe by simply sniping the tip of the needle with a wire cutter. You can
resterilze the syringe and needle (wraped in tin foil) by boiling it for an hour.
Prepare a small bottle of sterilized water. Place the bottle and cap into the pot with a
tight lid and boil for one hour. Then with a forceps or tong, get the cap loosely back on
the bottle (while under the surface) and remove it. After cooling, tighten the bottle cap.
When ready, pour a little of this sterile water into the spore print jar and with a sterile
knife blade, scrape the spores into the water. The water will become thick with purple
specks. Swirl the water and load the syringes. Do the operation quickly and smoothly.
Expose the jar opening as little as possible. Don't breathe on it. This syringe is good for
several months. The spores fare well in their watery environment.
You can improve the sterile process by using the long needle technique. With a needle
hole in the lid, water and spore solution can be loaded and unloaded from the jar with
little air contact. Spores can be scraped into solution through the hole in the lid with a
sterilized long blunted needle or implement, improving isolation and sterility. Extra long
syringe needles (heavy gauge 3 1/2 inch - science supply) have their use here. The
needles have to be blunted to work correctly at scraping spores off the bottom of a jar.
Blunt them with a large wire cutter and finish the tip with a file. These type of needles
can be bought, but finding them is the task. If questioned by the seller on what the use
will be, just tell them the truth. Mycology is OK . Try your local veterinarian or science
catalog retailer. The needle techniques are very versatile and can be employed in many
ways good for spore solution preparation without the usual lab setups.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Notes
on the PF TEK
This info has to do with growing procedure. It is a compliment to the pf tek. This
information has been communicated to me several times by the mushrooms themselves.
It seems that the mushrooms do not like an atmosphere that is too stuffy, both while in
the mycelial proliferation stage, and the fruiting phase. I have found that the perilite
humidification technique is best and easiest for fruiting, complimented by occaisional light
misting- about 2,3 times per day. This method also allows for a slight modification of the
incubation/ mycelial run stage, as follows:
Rather than incubating the spore-solution inoculated jarwith the lids tightly affixed, the
jars can be incubated inside the humidified grow chamber without lids. Instead of lids, i
reccomend a not -too-thick sheet of clean cloth material, say cotton, kept in place by
tying with string, a rubber band, baggie ties,etc. This technique can be used in
conjunction with occaisional- say once or twice per day- venting of the chamber to
release Carbon dioxide and let in fresh air.
The humidity of the chamber will help to keep the cakes from drying out and the cotton
cloth will filter out contaminants, while allowing the mushrooms to breathe more easy,
and we can all appreciate the value of that. And oh yea, I also reccomend using a
slightly more-deep -than-usual top vermiculite layer to also aid in keeping out
contaminants with this method. I also reccomend using a thin layer of dry vermiculite on
the bottom of the jars placed against the glass before putting in the rice-pudding. This
will prevent bottom-clumping and increase ventilation down there. Rinse or sterilize the
perilite and replace it after the incubation period, before the fruiting phase, and clean out
the chamber- I prefer small, clear shroomarariums that hold two cakes each, placed
directly onto the perilite.
In summary the message is this. Do not neglect the mycelium or mushrooms try to take
time to just sit with them, communicate with them, and take super excellent care of
them. they are very very sensitive and will find ways of telling you what they like and
what they need. Like all life they like to be handled gently and treated with respect.
Using these principles the mushrooms will yeild to you more fruitfully and with much kinder
fruits.
The mushrooms have also given me other information that is interesting and important.
For one they DO NOT like being put into electric machines like blenders and grinders at
all. This is true both fresh and dried. The buzz and loud grind disorients, hurts, and
annoys their sensitive bodies and genetic materials and will give unpleasant vibes to our
experiences as well when we eat them. They do not mind being genty broken apart with
the hands-not nails- while wet, being made into tea with a gentle simmer, being
respectfully ground with mortar and pestle, cut gently while dry with scissors, or against
a file into a dish. If we filter their bodies out after heating, they like to be put to rest
respectfully, outside, on the ground, in a flower bed,etc. The small insects and animals
that eat them will thank you too. The yucky trash, or worse yet-the grinding sink
garbage disposal is improper resting place for our sacred companions.
Believe it or not- the tissues of the mushroom retain consciousness even after drying and
boiling.
Also, the caps of the mushrooms are not intended for consumption. Our friend the
mushroom puts most of its concentration and energy into producing the spore-seeds and
the protective cap-case that will carry and distribute them. It is therefore wasteful to
eat the spores-which contain practically no active ingedients, and then flush them down
the toilet later. the mushroom mush prefers us to eat the fat, highly active stems, take
the caps off after drying, and toss them into a shady moist area where they can do their
work. But try to place them away from where lawn-mowers, weed whackers, and such
will get to them- they DREAD these too. They told me that such machinnes needlessly kill
millions of living entities for the sake of foolish vanity.
The wise ones can also communicate with you better, and vibe with you on a deeper
level if there are no dead bodies in your system, so I reccomend fasting from such for a
couple of days before eating them. If you do not the mushrooms will try to purify you and
most of your experience and energy will be geared toward this purpose. Of course, the
mushrooms are vegetarians
 
Didn't read all of the instructions above (it's a headfull) but I'm pretty sure that you still need one vital ingredient--
--- The spore syringe
Has anyone ordered one? I know where to order them from.. but I was wondering if anyone had actually ordered one and grew some mushies from it.....
.... mmmmmm Mushies all year round.....
>drrooooolllll... ag.. choke<
Or do you need the syringe at all? can you just grow them???? What if I could find one mushroom? Would I be able to grow some from that?
arggg.... I'm grasping at straws here..
Anyway....
so if anyone heres grown mushies speak up now or forvever hold your peace
smile.gif
 
Theoretically you could. If you spore that one mushroom, then you could grow many many mushroom.
But as some cobber said: Theoretically there is no difference between theory and practice, but in practise there is.
 
There are a few ways you can start to grow mushies: spore syringes, spore prints or myco-cultures.
Alot of the receipes that you see on the net are written in the states, they have easy access to spore syringes over there so many of these teks are based on using spore syringes. I dont know of any spore-syringe suppliers in Australia and your chances of getting a spore syringe through customs is not too good, but spore prints should not be a problem.
Locally you can get myco-cultures which are the isolated mushroom plant. These are great for beginners because they are free of contamination and also speed up the process but they do cost a bit more than the spore prints.
If you found a mushroom which had just broken its veil then you could take the cap off it and leave it on a bit of paper for a couple days, and there's your spore print.
Growing mushrooms is a labour of love, you may just have more fun growing them than consuming them!
------------------
"Curiouser and curiouser!"
 
...just one last thing....
these myco-cultures (???) you said were available locally... do you mean... at the local garden shop locally or order over the internet locally?
thanks....
 
Myco cultures at the local garden shop!
I don't think so.
Shrooms take a lot of work, setting up will cost at least a few hunderd dollars and conditions must be relatively sterile.
Email me if you are interested in more info.
 
Top