You saw it before,when we were checking this area under the hemlocks. It seemed perfect for growing Shiitake mushrooms. Shaded by the hemlock trees and protected from winds coming from the hay fields, this space will keep the mushrooms from drying out.
And now you see the area after Dan cleared stumps and branches on the ground. In this photo there are over 600 logs stacked and waiting for good weather. Then the crew will inoculate the logs with mushroom spawn.
All of us at the farm have been thankful for a REAL winter this year. We can reach the trees without creating ruts, because the ground is solidly frozen. We also expect any problem insects to get off to a very slow start because of the cold.
We never use toxins on the farm, so cold is a wonderfully natural and “organic” way to discourage trouble.
It seems that a few deer like this spot also, so we might have to ask them to hang out somewhere else, in case they decide that Shiitake mushrooms are tasty.