Magic Mushrooms_ The Psilocybin Mushroom B - Hank Bryant

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MAGIC MUSHROOMS A GUIDE TO CULTIVATION AND S AFE U SE

HANK BRYANT AND ISRAEL BOUSEMAN

Published by KPublishing Service © KPublishing Service, 2019 Editor: Jane Weston Author: Hank Bryant, Israel Bouseman Designer: Jennifer Lewis All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any mean, electronic or mechanical, including photocoying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing form. Reviwers may quote brief passages. This book contains information on growing psilocybin mushrooms: it has been written and published with the intention of offering information to the public. Psilocybin is an illegal substance throughout much of the world. The publisher does not advocate the practice of illegal activities and advises the reader to conduct their own research in order to gain a thorough understanding of the legal restrictions that may apply to them.

TABLE OF CONTENTS PART I BACKGROUND AND SAFE USE CHAPTER 1. WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH MAGIC MUSHROOMS? CHAPTER 2. THINGS YOU MIGHT LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT ‘SHROOMS CHAPTER 3. PHARMACOLOGY AND EFFECTS CHAPTER 4. COMMON PSILOCYBE SPECIES CHAPTER 5. PSILOCYBIN MUSHROOMS AND SAFE USE CHAPTER 6. PSILOCYBIN MUSHROOMS: THERAPEUTIC USE, PERSONAL GROWTH, AND MICRODOSING PART II BASIC CULTIVATION CHAPTER 7. CULTIVATING – THE BASICS CHAPTER 8. EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES, SUBSTRATE AND CASING MATERIALS CHAPTER 9. CULTIVATION – THE PROCESS IN DETAIL CHAPTER 10. BASIC GROWING TEKS – IDEAL FOR THE BEGINNER PART III ADVANCED CULTIVATION CHAPTER 11. ADVANCED TECHNIQUES –WORKING WITH AGAR CHAPTER 12. ADVANCED TECHNIQUES –WORKING WITH GRAIN CHAPTER 13. ADVANCED TECHNIQUES – FRUITING CONTAINERS CHAPTER 14. THE CASING LAYER CHAPTER 15. ADVANCED TECHNIQUES – OUTDOOR GROWING PART IV GENERAL INFORMATION CHAPTER 16. PROBLEMS AND PREVENTION CHAPTER 17. LEGALITY CHAPTER 18. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION



REASONS FOR WRITING THIS BOOK The use of psychedelics in many forms has been a part of human culture since the stone age. Psilocybin mushrooms and other hallucinogenic substances have been employed by shamans of many cultures to aid in journeying. In a number of cultures, the use of these substances formed an essential part of spiritual practice. In the modern era, though psilocybin mushrooms and other hallucinogens are still heavily regulated or downright illegal, altough the medical and scientific community is beginning to recognize the therapeutic benefits of the psychedelic experience. Recent research has suggested that psilocybin, one of the main psychedelic compounds in magic mushrooms, has been effective in treating cluster headaches, depression, mood and anxiety disorders, addiction, and obsessive compulsive disorder. And these are just a few of the potential therapeutic benefits. Current studies also suggest that psilocybin and other psychedelics have the potential to rewire the brain itself, facilitating positive, long-term personal transformation. One of the greatest things about this is that mushrooms are 100% natural and fairly easy to cultivate. With this in mind, one of my main motivations in writing this book is to spread knowledge about these techniques and bring cultivation within reach for anyone interested in journeying with psilocybin mushrooms. Not only are they safe, they are able to be grown by anyone who really wishes to do so. So, here is an in-depth exploration suitable for beginners and advanced cultivators alike. It is my opinion that psychedelics are some of the greatest learning tools we have ever encountered. Furthermore, I believe they should be treated with respect, with a full understanding of what they have to offer and how they can best be

used. Psilocybin mushrooms and other hallucinogenic plants are amazing teachers, if approached correctly. In writing this, I hope to spread awareness regarding the potential of the psychedelic experience and to help those interested in the subject to make more informed choices, specifically regarding the safe use and cultivation of these teachers.

WHAT THIS BOOK HAS TO OFFER This book is divided into three parts. The first part addresses background and safe use. The second part, beginning with chapter 7, focuses on basic cultivation techniques. In part three, beginning with chapter 11, we move into more advanced techniques and additional information. The reader can either read the book straight through or go directly to the part that they are interested in. If you’re just starting out with cultivation and wanting to set up your first flush, skip right to part two. If you have a bit of experience and you’re ready to refine your cultivation technique, jump right into part three. In Part 1, I provide a brief overview of psilocybin mushrooms, including an examination of their history, pharmacology, and effects. You’ll also find descriptions and pictures of some of the most common species of magic mushrooms. This section is intended to offer readers background knowledge of the subject, and to give those already familiar with magic mushrooms a stronger understanding of them on many levels. Next, you’ll find a section on use, including methods of consumption, dosage, set and setting, and safety considerations. The section on use discusses therapeutic benefits and the potential of psilocybin for personal growth. Microdosing is also discussed in detail, including benefits, dosage, and additional considerations. Essentially, the first half of this book is geared to beginners and dedicated to safe use and the basic navigation of the trip. In addition to a discussion of the history and potential of psilocybin mushrooms, the bulk of this book is dedicated to cultivation. You’ll find in these pages everything you need to know for basic cultivation methods for beginners, as well as a discussion of the more advanced methods. I explore indoor and outdoor cultivation, working with agar cultures, isolation of fruiting strains, and long-

term storage. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Whether you’re out to grow your first flush or are a seasoned cultivator, you’ll find loads of information to increase the success of your cultivation, explore different techniques, and expand your harvest. Beginning at Part II, I go into the process of cultivation. We’ll discuss the tolerances for light, temperature, and humidity, as well as sterile cultivation and tips for maintaining optimal growing conditions. Included in the latter half of the book are sections on indoor and outdoor cultivation, the best psilocybin species for indoor and outdoor cultivation and for beginner cultivators, special considerations for cultivation, tools and equipment, etc. Several cultivation techniques are offered with step-by-step instructions provided for each. These “teks” are offered in Chapter 10, and they’re a great place for a beginner to start. Beginning at Part III, I offer advanced techniques for the seasoned grower, or for the beginner wanting to step into something a bit more complex. I explore working with agar, the specifics of grain, and the intensive details of outdoor cultivation. The advanced techniques will provide all the technical details necessary to step up your cultivation and bring it to the highest level. The reader will be given an overview of everything from preparation to harvest and curing. You’ll also find techniques to make spore syringes for those who would like to reuse the spores from one batch to create additional batches. In short, this book provides novice cultivators with everything they need to know to grow and harvest a healthy batch of psilocybin mushrooms. Plus, you’ll find all of the information you need to begin a lifelong relationship with mushroom cultivation. Finally, the legality of psilocybin mushrooms will be discussed in a number of contexts, as this is something that cannot be overlooked. There are only a few states and countries in which cultivation is legal. In no way is this material intended to advocate illegal cultivation.

At the same time, even when cultivation and use is legal in your country or state, the greatest respect should be used when working with psilocybin and other psychedelic substances. These are not recreational drugs. However, when used correctly, with due caution and proper understanding, they can have amazing benefits. It is my hope that the information presented in this book will give the reader a better awareness of how to work with psilocybin mushrooms safely and therapeutically. In particular, I hope to help the reader better understand the psychedelic experience and how it can be constructively navigated.

PART I

BACKGROUND AND SAFE USE

CHAPTER 1. WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH MAGIC MUSHROOMS? MAGIC MUSHROOMS: AN OVERVIEW MAGIC MUSHROOMS: A HISTORY EARLY USE OF PSILOCYBIN PSILOCYBIN MUSHROOMS IN WESTERN SOCIETY

CHAPTER 1. WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH MAGIC MUSHROOMS?

MAGIC MUSHROOMS: AN OVERVIEW Magic mushrooms, also known as ‘shrooms, are any of several mushroom species which contain psychedelic (hallucinogenic) compounds. There are two main types of hallucinogenic mushrooms: amanita and psilocybin. However, this book will focus exclusively on the latter, as the amanita genus contains a number of extremely deadly species which can be difficult for the novice to distinguish from the purely psychedelic species. There are more than 180 species of psilocybin mushrooms. More than 100 of these species are in the genus Psilocybe. However, a number of species come from other genera including Pluteus, Pholiotina, Mycena, Inocybe, Galerina, Copelandia, Gymnopilus, and Conocybe. The structure and appearance of each species is distinct, and they appear in specific regions. Therefore, great care should be taken when attempting to identify mushrooms, especially in unfamiliar regions. All of these mushrooms are known as psilocybin mushrooms, as psilocybin is one of the main psychoactive compounds they contain. Two other psychoactive compounds have been identified in psilocybin mushrooms: psilocin and baeocystin. When ingested, these mushrooms induce a psychedelic experience. This experience brings about an altered state of consciousness alongside changes in sensory perception. Psilocybin mushrooms grow all over the world, with different species native to different regions. They can be found on all continents except Antarctica, though most species tend to prefer subtropical and tropical regions. These mushrooms have a long history of use in the tribes of Central and South America for religious and spiritual rituals. In modern times, they are one of the most commonly-used recreational hallucinogens in Europe and the United States.

MAGIC MUSHROOMS: A HISTORY One of the most compelling things about psilocybin mushrooms is that the history of their use goes back to the very dawn of humanity. As far back as we look, and in societies all across the globe, we can find signs of their use. There are even some compelling theories about their role in our evolution as a civilized species. While this is conjecture as yet, it’s fascinating to explore our historical relationship with this gentle and powerful organism.

EARLY USE OF PSILOCYBIN Though we don’t know when humans first discovered psychoactive mushrooms, archeological findings suggest that they have been known and used by early human tribes at least 9000 years ago. Some of the earliest evidence comes from stone-age art. Depictions of mushrooms can be found in cave paintings discovered near Villa del Homo, Spain and in the Tassili caves in southern Algeria. These have led archeologists to hypothesize that early humans used psychedelic mushrooms in religious rituals. One theory, posited by Terrence McKenna, is that psychedelic mushrooms were a central influence in human evolution. McKenna has posited that magic mushrooms helped to raise human consciousness to the level of self-reflection and abstract thought. This theory has been criticized by the scientific community as being lacking in evidence. However, current studies into the impact of psychedelics on brain function suggest that they have the capacity to reorganize neural connections and increase communication between different parts of the brain. To me, this suggests that there might be more to McKenna’s theory than the scientific community has yet recognized. To bring this to (relatively) more modern times, numerous stone carvings depicting mushrooms have been found in Central and South America. Many of these statues and murals date back more than 2000 years and have marked

similarity to specific Psilocybe species. The Mayan, Aztec, Mazatec, Nahua, Mixtec, and Zapatec tribes of Central America are all known to have used psychedelic mushrooms in their religious rituals. The Aztecs called one Psilocybe species teonanacatl, meaning “flesh of the gods.” Mazatec and Aztec names for psilocybin mushrooms can be translated to “wondrous mushrooms”, “divinatory mushrooms”, and “genius mushrooms”. The use of psilocybin mushrooms was prevalent amongst these tribes when the Spanish conquistadors arrived in the New World. However, the Spanish viewed their use with superstition, believing that they allowed users to communicate with devils. Therefore, the use of Psilocybes and other psychedelic substances was suppressed. Efforts to convert the tribes to Catholicism also resulted in the suppression of all religious and spiritual traditions of the tribes. However, tribal religious practices, including those which use entheogens (psychedelic substances), have persisted, often in secret, into the present day.

PSILOCYBIN MUSHROOMS IN WESTERN SOCIETY Western society has only encountered psychedelics relatively recently. This was largely due to Maria Sabina, a Mexican curandera, or native healer. Maria Sabina held healing rituals known as veladas. During these rituals, participants would ingest psilocybin mushrooms as a spiritual sacrament intended to purify and facilitate sacred communion. Sabina learned about the use of psilocybin mushrooms from her grandfather and great-grandfather, both shamans in the Mazatec tradition. Valentina Wasson and R. Gordon Wasson were a married couple who were permitted by Maria Sabina to attend the velada in 1955. Their experience was so profound that they sought to make the potential of psilocybin mushrooms known to the West. Wasson collected spores from the mushrooms ingested during the ceremony. He brought these spores to Robert Heim, who, in the following year, identified them as members of the genus Psilocybe. Subsequent fieldwork

allowed Heim to identify three species of Psilocybe used in the velada: Psilocybe mexicana, Psilocybe caerulescen, and Psilocybe zapotecorum. In 1957, the same year Albert Hoffman accidentally discovered LSD, Wasson published an article in Life Magazine entitled “Seeking the Magic Mushroom.” This made Wasson’s experience available, at least in printed form, to the West. By 1958, Hoffman had identified psilocybin and psilocin as psychoactive compounds in psilocybin mushrooms. In the process, Hoffman began to synthesize psilocybin, making it possible for the purified compound to be tested in Western psychological trials. Timothy Leary, after encountering Wasson’s article, visited Mexico to gain firsthand experience of the psychedelic effects of psilocybin mushrooms. Leary returned to Harvard in 1960 and partnered with Richard Alpert to begin the Harvard Psilocybin Project. This project was a forum for the study of psychedelic substances, both from a psychological and spiritual standpoint. Though it led to the dismissal of Alpert and Leary from Harvard by 1963, their work and that of other contemporary researchers exploded into the popular field. As Leary and Alpert continued to promote the psychedelic experience in 1960’s counterculture, interest grew. As it did, both the use of psilocybin mushrooms and research into them expanded. By the beginning of the next decade, several Psilocybe species had been identified throughout North America, Asia, and Europe. As these mushrooms are naturally occurring across the world, positive identification was followed by collection. During this period, a number of works were also published detailing how to cultivate Psilocybe cubensis. P. cubensis is a species of psilocybin mushroom which is extremely hardy and relatively easy to grow. This makes it a perfect specimen for cultivation by novices with limited materials. In the present day, psilocybin mushrooms are among the most widely-used psychedelic substances. They are readily available in nature and easy to cultivate. Furthermore, they have been described in the 2017 Global Drug

Survey as the safest recreational drug. Despite this, the active compounds of psilocybin mushrooms, psilocybin and psilocin, were declared in 1968 to be as illegal in their purified form as heroin and crack cocaine. Legality of the mushrooms themselves varies by country and will be discussed in greater detail in later sections.

CHAPTER 2. THINGS YOU MIGHT LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT ‘SHROOMS GENERAL INFORMATION FACTS AND STATISTICS

CHAPTER 2. THINGS YOU MIGHT LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT ‘SHROOMS As with anything, it helps to be informed. So, this section provides a bit of background information on psilocybin mushrooms, as well as some facts and figures associated with their use and the use of psychedelics in general.

GENERAL INFORMATION One of the first things you might like to know about psilocybin mushrooms is that they are neither toxic nor addictive. One common myth about ‘shrooms is that they are poisonous, and that it is the poison which creates the psychedelic experience. This could be considered to be true – but only if you categorize poisonous substances as compounds that create an “intoxicated” or altered state. In that case, this definition would include every single drug, including caffeine and marijuana, not to mention nicotine and alcohol. However, if your definition of poisonous is something that has a toxic effect on the body, then psilocybin mushrooms do not fall into this category. In fact, they have fewer toxic effects than any of the drugs mentioned above, aside from marijuana, which has no recorded toxic effects whatsoever. Magic mushrooms do not cause any known major health effects. They do not, as another myth suggests, cause bleeding of the brain or stomach. Nor do they cause kidney failure. A 1981 report found no complication of mushroom use in healthy individuals aside from dilated pupils and overly sensitive reflexes during the period of the trip. Furthermore, you are not likely to overdose, as the typical “heroic” or massive dose is about 5g of dried mushrooms. To even get close to your limit for overdosing, you’d have to consume about 1.7kg of dried mushrooms. Quickly. And have your body process the whole lot pretty much instantaneously. For the Americans out there, that’s about 3 ¾lb of dried mushrooms. Which, if you’re curious, comes to about 17kg or 37.5lb of fresh mushrooms. Bottom line – it’s not going to happen. (For the math geeks out there, this means that dried mushrooms are 10x more potent than fresh mushrooms by weight. Taken a step further, this means that 90% of the weight of fresh mushrooms comes from water.)

Despite being categorized amongst highly illegal drugs with no known therapeutic use and a high potential for abuse, psilocybin has very little potential for abuse. In fact, it has been shown to be helpful in the treatment of addiction. Furthermore, tolerance develops very quickly with psilocybin and other psychedelic substances, making it extremely difficult to abuse them chronically. And, should this elicit concern, this tolerance also drops within a couple of days after use. A rule of thumb with psychedelics is that, should you choose to trip two days in a row, on the second day, you will have to ingest double the amount of the first day to have the same effect. It makes a lot more sense just to space out your trips. The same applies to situations where you would like to extend the period of the trip. Often, taking more hallucinogens after you have peaked will produce a longer trip, but will not increase the intensity unless a much larger dose is ingested. Before you follow this rule blindly, remember that each person’s body chemistry is different. Plus, with psilocybin mushrooms, it is difficult to estimate the exact dose, so it is preferable to proceed with caution. Another common fear is that psilocybin mushrooms and other psychedelics will make you go insane. This is simply not the case. However, they do bring on an intensity of emotion and experience. When first exploring hallucinogens, it is of the utmost importance to have an experienced guide who can provide a touchstone during more intense moments. It is also important to begin with small doses until you know how your body – and your mind – will react to the experience. If you have never tripped before and you are considering the experience, first make sure that you choose to trip with people that you are comfortable with, those that you trust completely and feel safe around. Make sure that the setting is controlled, like a nice quiet, clean place inside where you can lay down if you feel like it, or a peaceful setting outside where you can be yourself and feel close

to nature. It might sound like a good idea to trip and go to a club or a party, but if you are inexperienced, these things are almost never quite as fun as you think they’ll be. Find out how it will affect you first. You’ll thank yourself later. When first delving into psilocybin or other hallucinogens, one thing that you will want to remember – and maybe have reminded to you – is that you are not crazy, and that you will not be like this for the rest of your life. The trip will come up, and it will come down, and you will feel normal again. In the meantime, just breathe. If you have things coming up, let them come up. Don’t resist. Look at what they have to show you and file them away for later. There’s no need to make major decisions while you are in that space. That’s for later. There are two major things that you might want to be cautious about when working with psilocybin mushrooms. The first is that you want to know for certain that the mushrooms you ingest are indeed psilocybin mushrooms and not some other look-alike species. This means that you don’t want to go out and gather mushrooms based on pictures that you found in a book or online. That includes this book or any other. If you do plan to gather wild mushrooms, it is essential to do so with an experienced person who has gathered – and ingested – mushrooms in the area that you are gathering. Experienced means not just once or twice, but enough times that you know they’re not just rolling the dice. The second thing is that, while mushrooms and other psychedelics are not toxic, if you take more than you’re accustomed to, you may decide to do something stupid, or something that makes perfect sense at the time, but which you would look at under other circumstances and feel that it may not have been a wise idea. Having a trusted guide or sitter can help to make sure that this doesn’t happen. Experience is also helpful in this regard, as is choosing your moment. For example, tripping while driving or operating heavy machinery is never a good idea. Neither is darting across lanes of traffic or seeing if you have suddenly developed the ability to fly or do backflips. Perhaps you have, but let yourself

come down before you test the notion. The trip itself will begin from 20 minutes to an hour after you have ingested the mushrooms. From that point, the experience will usually last between four and six hours. It is advisable to take a day prior to the experience to get clear about your intentions and reflect a bit about where you are in life. And, it’s equally advisable to give yourself a day afterwards to integrate what you have experienced. This also gives you time to get grounded before rushing into work or any other unpleasant necessities. Finally, you’ll often hear horror stories about “bad trips”. These are not a product of the substance itself. They are, rather, instances in which anxiety or other mental movements are enhanced and allowed to run wild. If you just relax and breathe, you’ll be fine. In fact, if you cultivate a habit of relaxing deeply into the trip and surrendering to the experiences and thoughts that come your way, you’ll likely never have a “bad trip” in your life, regardless of how many times that you have a psychedelic experience. This is, however, entirely up to you. One of the main ways that psychedelic substances teach us is by amplifying our own thoughts and feelings. If you can accept what’s going on within you, you’ll be fine. If you try to run from it, distract yourself, numb out, or generally escape yourself in any way, you will find that it just doesn’t work. We can never really get away from ourselves. Placing ourselves in these situations – in safe settings – can help us learn to sit with ourselves and cultivate a deep sense of self-acceptance. Safe use will be described in much greater detail in a following section.

FACTS AND STATISTICS Here are several psilocybin facts and statistics drawn from a wide range of studies: 1. In one recent study, 83% of people agreed that their experience of

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psilocybin mushrooms in the study was one of the five most significant experiences of their lives. In a survey, 94% of those who had taken psilocybin mushrooms stated that the experience was life-altering in a positive way. Psilocybin pilot studies at Johns Hopkins University have suggested that psilocybin therapy may be helpful in overcoming addiction to nicotine. 89% of those tested in yet another study rated high or moderate positive behavioral changes after an experience with psilocybin. These rates were consistent even after more than a year of follow-up study. A 2014 MRI study on the neural impact of psilocybin showed simultaneous activity in areas like the hippocampus and anterior cingulate cortex, areas of the brain for which activity is not coordinated in typical waking consciousness. A similar study found a “dramatic change” in brain organization, where different parts of the brain communicated and synchronized with one another beyond what can be observed in typical brain function. A 2011 study which measured the impact of psilocybin on the Big Five domains of personality (neuroticism, extroversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness) found that openness increased significantly after a high-dose session, and that this quality “remained significantly higher than baseline more than one year after the session.”

7. Many report that the experience of psilocybin causes a temporary dissolution of the ego. A 2017 study suggests that this temporary loss of ego could be helpful in constructively re-engineering our worldview. Furthermore, those who have gone through this experience retain a flexibility of subjective perspective beyond what is observed in those who have never had a psychedelic experience. 8. Another study showed that mice given psilocybin mushrooms were less likely to freeze up in fearful situations compared to the control group. As a result of these studies, researchers are considering the potential of psilocybin for the treatment of PTSD. 9. In a study of drug rehabilitation centers of West and Central Europe, hallucinogens were found to be the least frequently seen drug. They accounted for only 0.3% of treatment requests. 10. A 2016 study found that 84% of those who had taken psychedelic drugs within their lifetime did so to learn more about themselves, 60% took psychedelics to gain spiritual understanding, and 36% did so to help in dealing with emotional issues.

CHAPTER 3. PHARMACOLOGY AND EFFECTS PSILOCYBIN PHARMACOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY PSYCHEDELIC EFFECTS (INTERNAL EXPERIENCE) SENSORY PSYCHEDELIC EFFECTS EMOTIONAL PSYCHEDELIC EFFECTS MENTAL PSYCHEDELIC EFFECTS

CHAPTER 3. PHARMACOLOGY AND EFFECTS One of the things you’ll want to know about before delving into a psilocybin experience is what it will do to you, both on the chemical and pharmacological level, and on the level of internal experience. So, here’s a breakdown:

PSILOCYBIN PHARMACOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY Two of the main psychoactive compounds which have been identified in psilocybin mushrooms are, as mentioned above, psilocybin and psilocin. Considering the biochemistry aspect, psilocybin is indirectly responsible for the psychedelic experience, while psilocin is directly responsible. However, psilocin oxidizes quickly upon contact with the air, while psilocybin is a much more stable molecule. Furthermore, psilocybin is broken down in the body to form bioactive psilocin. If you have worked with fresh mushrooms, then you will be familiar with the tendency for the stalks to turn a bluish color after they have been picked. This is due to the oxidation of psilocin after the outer layer of the stem has been breached. The more it blues, the higher levels of psilocin and the greater potency. Psilocin also breaks down when the mushroom is dried or heated, making psilocybin the primary active molecule in dried or cooked mushrooms or in mushroom tea, prior to ingestion. The tendency of psilocin to oxidize as mushrooms dry is responsible for the bluish or dark-purplish color that dried mushrooms will pick up around the stems and the edges of the caps.

For the chemistry nuts out there, both psilocin and psilocybin are derived from the amino acid tryptophan. In the body, tryptophan is a precursor to serotonin, meaning that you need to have sufficient tryptophan levels for your body to create new serotonin molecules. When you ingest psilocybin, phosphatases in your digestive system cleave the phosphoryl ester

bond from psilocybin, replacing it with a hydroxyl group. The resulting compound is psilocin, which is a close chemical mimic of serotonin, a neurotransmitter also known as 5-HT or 5-hydroxytryptamine.

In biological terms, psilocin is known as a serotonin agonist. In plain terms, this means that psilocin triggers our serotonin receptors, producing the same effect as if the brain was flooded with serotonin. Cognitive effects of serotonin have been associated with learning, memory, and mood. Low serotonin levels have been linked to depression and anxiety. Happiness, human contact, and the detection of abundant resources are linked to high serotonin production. Higher levels of serotonin also stimulate dopamine, the body’s natural feel-good hormone. However, drugs that stimulate dopamine directly, like heroin and cocaine, are extremely addictive. Substances that stimulate serotonin tend to have more effective feedback mechanisms which prevent the formation of addictive pathways. To offer a bit more biochemical understanding, we can compare the effects of psilocybin and other serotonin agonists with those of SSRI’s or MDMA. Our neurons all speak to one another by releasing neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft, or the chemical space between neurons. These neurotransmitters trigger the receiving neurons, causing a minute electric charge to travel the length of the neuron to its delivery point, or the next neuron in the link. Both SSRI’s and MDMA interfere with the substances that break serotonin down after it’s done

its job. This means that more serotonin sticks around in the synaptic cleft and continues to trigger the receiving neuron. The downside of this is that when the brain chemistry normalizes or finds equilibrium after the active psychological influence of these drugs, it does so by making the receiving neurotransmitter less sensitive. This accounts for the depression or the period of “blah” that is often felt after a powerful MDMA experience. The serotonin is still there. It’s still doing its thing, but the neurons have had the volume turned down. With serotonin agonists, however, the receiving neuron is triggered to a higher degree while the agonist (like psilocin) is present, and the brain normalizes by breaking down the agonist. This leaves your neurotransmitters less compromised in the days and weeks that follow. Another implication of this is that serotonin agonists are not good to mix with SSRI’s or MDMA. The immediate result can be intense and sometimes even pleasurable. However, the long-term effects of mixing these substances can be extremely challenging, especially in the realm of maintaining positive mood and relief from anxiety.

PSYCHEDELIC EFFECTS (INTERNAL EXPERIENCE) Ok. I’ll preface this by saying that there’s nothing that I can say that will let someone who has never tripped before know what the trip will feel like. It’s like trying to describe the taste of an orange to someone who’s never tried one. No matter what you say, it won’t come close to the real thing. Furthermore, each trip is different, and the experience is highly dependent upon both internal state and external environment. However, there are certain aspects and common elements of the experience which can be described, so I’ll share them as best I can. When preparing for my first psychedelic experience, I remember asking some more experienced friends what the peak would be like. One friend told me to pay attention for the moment when “everything was happening at once.” In essence, the trip strips away the filters that selectively shut off our awareness of certain aspects of experience. This means that many things will catch your attention that might have previously gone unnoticed. This could be as simple as the particular texture or color of familiar objects, the sound of words or music, the meanings or usage of words, or even simple situational contexts. There are a range of other influences, which I will divide into sensory, emotional, and mental.

SENSORY PSYCHEDELIC EFFECTS The sensory effects can range from subtle to profound. Often, there will be a tendency to see colors more brightly and perceive a subtle motion in stationary objects. An individual experiencing psilocybin or other psychedelics may see walls or other surfaces ripple, shimmer, or breathe. There is a tendency to perceive patterns, both with eyes closed and open. Trails and haloes are common as well. Trails are the perception of an afterimage of moving objects, while haloes are an aura or image which surrounds objects,

especially light sources. In extreme instances, viewed objects may tend to melt or form into other images, often continuing to shift into yet another image. Fixed objects in a field, such as the components of facial features, may seem to be further or closer apart than normal, and may seem to move around slightly while being viewed. Often, both visual and auditory acuity will be enhanced. In addition to the visual shifts described above, sounds may seem unusually clear, presented with greater cadence and depth than under normal circumstances. This is one of the qualities which make music such a desirable experience during the trip. This same can be experienced with sounds heard in nature. You may also experience synesthesia, a mixing of the senses where sound can be seen, sight can be felt, etc. The effects are highly personal and subjective, and with experience, you may learn to elicit or diminish these sensory effects through intention and focus.

EMOTIONAL PSYCHEDELIC EFFECTS One of the principle effects of a trip, emotionally, is for the feelings to be enhanced and amplified. This can be a pleasurable experience or a challenging one, depending on the emotions that come up in any given moment. Memories that have been long suppressed may surface, and with them, emotions that have been experienced long ago present as intensely as when you first experienced them. A sense of euphoria or giddiness might arise, especially if you are in a good place when you entered the trip. Similarly, if you are in an anxious or depressed place, these feelings can be amplified to the level of panic or despair. This is one of the most potentially therapeutic aspects of a trip, whether it comes from the influence of psilocybin or other psychedelics. At the same time, it can be one of the most challenging aspects of the experience. Put simply, everything we experience comes from within us. It is something that we are carrying around. The trip just makes it louder and impossible to overlook. If we are prepared to feel the feeling, accept it, and move on, then we get the therapeutic

benefits. We are given an opportunity to move past trauma in a fraction of the time it might take under normal circumstances. If we fight it, then we are literally put through hell. And the thing is, it’s our choice, if we understand that we’ve bought the ticket, and we’re taking the ride. Once we’ve begun, the only way out is through. Under the most pleasant of circumstances, all you have to do is sit back and enjoy the ride. Make sure beforehand that there’s nothing you have to do, that you trust the people that you are with, and that you’re in a safe and comfortable place. The feelings can be amazingly intense and pleasurable. You may find yourself laughing at the most inane things or grinning from ear to ear. Or, you might find yourself simply enjoying the subtlest of feelings or thoughts in a quiet and completely fulfilling way. If challenging feelings come up, and if you have the space for it – and you can see and think straight enough for it in the moment – I’d recommend a bit of journaling. If the trip is still too intense for that, allow yourself some reflective time or lay back and journey. Let it come; let yourself feel whatever it has to show you, and let the decisions about what to do about these feelings come later. During the comedown, you can decide how you would like to approach life based on the emotions you have experienced.

MENTAL PSYCHEDELIC EFFECTS The mental effects are some of the most profound of the trip, though in other ways than the emotional. As mentioned above, the psychedelic experience can lead to a dissolution of the ego. But what does that really mean? The ego is our story about who we are. About what we like. How the world works for us. What is possible. What is not possible. What we want to do, and what we don’t want to do. Basically, our ego is the whole framework of our experience. And this is what the psychedelic experience can dissolve. Suddenly, you’re back to basics. Just to being a center-point of experience surrounded by a field of stimuli. And the meaning that you apply to this field of stimuli is much more flexible than under normal circumstances. It’s much easier to be abstract, as the familiar reference points have been stripped away. It’s also easier to come up with way-out-there connections, which should probably be reexamined under less altered circumstances. They may provide great insight. Or they may be leading you way out on a limb. Either way, it’s best to re-evaluate these insights when you can come from a more grounded space. It’s likely that, during your psilocybin experience, you come to realizations that are impossible to express, beautiful, blinding points of awareness that can change everything – only to have them fade with the trip. It’s equally likely for these points of realization to stay with you and change your entire approach to life. Most of the time, for the better. The key is to stay grounded. If you have to write a book for people to read before they can understand your perspective, it’s possible that your mental journey has been taken further than it needs to go. That’s all up to you, and entirely subjective. Once again, I’d recommend a bit of journaling. You may strike some absolute gold when in the journey, and you may come upon some things that you simply

can’t understand from a normal perspective. Sometimes, it will be both at once. From a biological point of view, the psychedelic experience allows more parts of your brain to communicate with one another. This means, potentially, that you will be able to draw in aspects of cognition and understanding which are difficult to access under normal conditions. It may also mean that the thinking process is a bit scrambled and connections are being made that have little validity. In all likelihood, a little of both is occurring. Save the pieces of gold and see if you can integrate them into your normal waking understanding. If you’ve never tripped before, you might think this an easy process. If you have, then you know it’s as simple as preserving that beautiful insight you got while dreaming. Not impossible, but not possible every time. One of the most powerful ways that the mental aspect of the trip can be used is to make your ego fluid and recrystallize it in a different form. To do this constructively first requires appropriate set and setting. These will be discussed further in the text. Second, you will want to listen to the powerful emotions or lessons that come up. These provide guidance. They are the “loose ends” that are suppressed under normal circumstances. Third, figure out how you would like to change your approach to life, people, and experience based upon what has been revealed to you in the journey. This is for the comedown phase. Finally, when integrating these lessons into your life, do so with concrete action. This will make the trip a transformative experience rather than just a powerful memory.

CHAPTER 4. COMMON PSILOCYBE SPECIES PSILOCYBE CUBENSIS PSILOCYBE CYANESCENS PSILOCYBE SEMILANCEATA PSILOCYBE MEXICANA PSILOCYBE AZURESCENS PSILOCYBE BAEOCYSTIS PSILOCYBE CYANOFIBRILLOSA PSILOCYBE PELLICULOSA PSILOCYBE SYLVATICA PSILOCYBE STUNTZII PSILOCYBE WEILII COMMON PSILOCYBE CHARACTERISTICS

CHAPTER 4. COMMON PSILOCYBE SPECIES Here comes some of the fun! These are some of the most common species of psilocybin mushroom, along with descriptions of their distinctive characteristics and the regions and environments where you are likely to find them. You’ll notice that many of the species described in this section are native to North America, specifically to the Pacific Northwest. Remember that the Western world only began to identify psilocybin species in earnest in the 1960’s. Furthermore, though about 10,000 species of fungus have been identified in North America alone, mycologists estimate that this is only a third to a fifth of the existing North American species. There is no doubt that there are numerous unidentified species of magic mushroom in North America alone, and probably many times that number across the globe. So, consider these common in that they have been positively identified in terms of habitat, region, and use. Please! Do not try to find or identify these species based upon the pictures and descriptions you see here, or any pictures and descriptions. It’s easy to get fooled by look-alike species. And, according to a Croatian proverb, “All [species of] mushrooms are edible; but some only once.”

PSILOCYBE CUBENSIS Psilocybin cubensis is the easiest psilocybin mushroom to grow indoors, making it the preferred strain for novice growers. In its natural habitat, it is a dungloving mushroom. This means that it grows in cow fields, among other places. P. cubensis can also be found growing naturally in all continents except for Europe, Africa, and Antarctica.

Regions where P. cubensis can be commonly found include Mexico, Cuba, and Central America, northern South America, and the southeast U.S. It also grows naturally in India, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and the Queensland region of Australia. P. cubensis fruits most heavily in the two months prior to the hottest portion of the year. In the northern hemisphere, this is usually May and June, though one can find them into January under some conditions. Though these are dung-loving mushrooms, they also grow on other substrates. Common names include “Golden Tops", “Cubies", "San Isidros", and "Hongos

Kentesh".

PSILOCYBE CYANESCENS P. cyanescens is native to the western coastal regions of North America, from California to the southern reaches of Alaska. It can also be found throughout the United Kingdom and much of Europe, including Spain, Germany, Italy, and Sweden. Common names include “Cyans”, “Blue Halos”, and “Wavy-Capped Psilocybe”.

P. cyanescens loves humus and decaying wood. You can find them in wood chips, amongst leaves and twigs, in sawdust, and in woody debris or debris fields rich with rotting wood. They can also be found in the mixed woods at the edge of lawns, in rose gardens, and in the beds of heavily mulched rhododendron.

PSILOCYBE SEMILANCEATA Although the Psilocybe semilanceata is the species spread most widely across the globe, it is one of the most difficult to cultivate. It is indigenous to much of Europe, including France, Norway, Switzerland, and Holland. It can also be found in northern India, Chile, South Africa, and the South Island of New Zealand. In the Americas, P. semilanceata occurs in the northern reaches, from British Columbia to west of the Cascade Mountains in northern California. P. semilanceata is another dung-loving mushroom and it can be found most readily in pastures and fields, especially those inhabited by cows or sheep. It appears most readily in damp areas around clumps of sedge grass or in the damper parts of fields. The best times to look for this mushroom are in the fall and early winter.

In the spring, it can be found in coastal Oregon and Washington, though it is rarer in these times and places than in those mentioned above. Common names for this mushroom include “Liberty Cap”, and “Witches Hat”.

PSILOCYBE MEXICANA Psilocybe mexicana, one of the species used by the Mazatec Indians and by Maria Sabina in her veladas, has been found only in Mexico, Costa Rica, and Guatemala. It is most commonly found singularly or in groups in the grassy areas that border deciduous forests, or in clumps of moss along roadsides, trails, cornfields, or humid meadows. It is rare at lower elevations, but common at elevations from 300-550m (980-1800ft). This species most commonly fruits between May and October in these regions.



PSILOCYBE AZURESCENS Psilocybe azurescens is primarily native to western North America. It can be found most prolifically along the northern coast of Oregon. This mushroom prefers dune grasses and can be found most easily in the areas where the dune grasses meet the beach. It is closely associated with the Ammophila maritime species of dune grass.

P. azurescens generates a very dense, tenacious, and extensive mycelial network. This mycelium often leeches surrounding wood, causing it to whiten. It fruits late in the season, often after the first frost. Fruiting bodies can be found into late December and early January. However, it is also extremely adaptable. It has been successfully cultivated outdoors in Ohio, Vermont, Wisconsin, and even New Mexico. Common names include "Blue Angels", "Blue Runners", “Indigo Psilocybe”, "Flying Saucer Mushroom", and "Astoriensis"



PSILOCYBE BAEOCYSTIS Psilocybe baeocystis is another species common to the northwest regions of North America. It can be found in British Columbia, Oregon, and Washington, as well as in surrounding coastal areas. This is a wood-loving mushroom, preferring lawns with high lignin content, wood mulch, or decaying conifer mulch. P. baeocystis can also be found growing on Douglas fir seed cones. P. baeocystis is another fungus with an extremely hardy mycelium, which means that it tolerates most conditions without the need to produce fruiting bodies. Because of this, the best times to search for it are during fall and early winter, when the mycelium is becoming stressed by the cold, but before it enters a hibernation period. It can occasionally be found in the spring or later, depending on climate conditions. Common names include "Baeos" and "Knobby Tops".



PSILOCYBE CYANOFIBRILLOSA Psilocybe cyanofibrillosa is another coastal Psilocybe species native to the Pacific Northwest. It can be found from British Columbia to Northern California. This species prefers to grow near bush lupines and along the flood plains of estuaries which empty into the Pacific Ocean. It also tends to grow in coastal rhododendron gardens and nurseries, which gives rise to one of its common names, the “Rhododendron Psilocybe”. Its other common name is “Blue-Haired Psilocybe”, due to the small hairs along the stem that turn bluish with age or when handled.

PSILOCYBE PELLICULOSA Psilocybe pelliculosa is another Psilocybe species indigenous to the Pacific Northwest and Northern California. This is a wood-loving species and grows in soils with high lignin content, as well as in mulch, along abandoned roads, on the decayed substratum of conifers, and along the paths of conifer forests.

PSILOCYBE SYLVATICA Psilocybe sylvatica has a relatively widespread distribution, appearing in Northern Europe and across the northern borders of the United States from New York to Michigan. It can also be found in Canada from Ontario to British Columbia. P. sylvatica is another wood-loving mushroom which tends to grow on wood chips, and wood debris. It also tends to appear in decaying conifer substratum. P. sylvatica can be found most easily in the fall.

PSILOCYBE STUNTZII Psilocybe stuntzii, as the species described above, prefers to grow on wood chips and the decaying substratum of conifer forests. It can be found in British Columbia, Oregon, and Washington, as well as throughout the Puget Sound region. The best times to look for this mushroom are from fall to early winter. Common names include "Blue Ringers", "Stuntz's Blue Legs", and "Stuntz's Psilocybe".

PSILOCYBE WEILII Psilocybe weilii has, to date, only been reported in a limited range in northern Georgia. Furthermore, it was only discovered after the region was affected by hurricane Opal in 1995. P. weilii is often found in red clay enriched by pine needles, especially beneath loblolly pines and sweetgum trees. It has also been found in Bermuda grass or fescue or in urban lawns and deep woods near decaying wood. In one historical instance, thousands of P. weilii were found in a clearing affected by a leaking sewage pipe. After the leak was fixed, this species was never again reported in the area.

P. weilii is most likely to appear from September to November. This species tolerates temperatures from 45 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit, though it appears most frequently when the temperatures range from 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

COMMON PSILOCYBE CHARACTERISTICS Though it should be evident from the images above that the different Psilocybe species vary widely in appearance, there are some characteristics which are traditionally used to identify psilocybin mushrooms. Most will have a golden color on the cap or in the center of the cap. Several have a purple ring around the upper portion of the stem, just below the cap. This is the result of a portion of the membrane remaining when the cap detaches from the stem during growth. Psilocybes will also tend to be wide-gilled mushrooms. In many species, the gills will have a greyish color, from light to dark grey. However, the gills of some species will be lighter in color, so this cannot be used as a marker for positive identification. The same can be said for the characteristics described above. Some Psilocybes do not display a purple ring, and some have either a darker cap or a pale color without any trace of the golden hue which characterizes some species.

There is one characteristic which is common to all Psilocybe species. This is the tendency for the stem and flesh to turn bluish when broken or bruised. This may appear as a slight darkening of the flesh, or it may change color so markedly as to appear black. If you pick mushrooms in the field, you will find that your fingers become stained dark by the juices of psilocybin mushrooms. As mentioned above, this is the result of oxidizing psilocin. The degree of bluing is a rough indication of the potency of the mushroom. However, though this is a definite indication of psilocin in the mushroom, there are hundreds of species which are known to contain psilocybin and very likely hundreds more which we have yet to identify. It is possible that some of these mushrooms contain toxic compounds in addition to psilocin and psilocybin. Therefore, the rule of thumb is: if you are not absolutely 100% certain of the species of the

mushroom, then don’t mess with it.

UNDERSTANDING THE MUSHROOM Remember that mushrooms are the fruiting body of the fungus. That means that they are just the sexual organs. The real body of the fungus is a network of underground fibers called a mycelium. The mycelium only sends up mushrooms, or “fruiting bodies”, when the conditions are stressful. Stressful conditions often include lots of rain that makes the soil wet and dilutes the digestive enzymes of the mycelium. They can also include excessive heat or cold which interferes with the growth and survival of the vegetative mycelial body. Or, these conditions may be periods of dryness which separate the soil from contact with the mycelial fibers. What does all this mean in simple terms? When you’re looking for a particular strain of mushroom, you’ll want to know when and where to look for it. For example, when looking for Psilocybe cubensis in the American southeast, you’ll want to look in the hot summer months after a rain when the humidity is around 80% and when the temperature has been around 80 degrees Fahrenheit or 25 degrees Celsius. You’ll also want to look in cow fields, as this is a dung-loving mushroom. That’s not all. If you’re gathering in the night or early morning, you can find these mushrooms in the open field. However, mushrooms can spring up, grow, and wither in the heat of the sun in a single day. So, if you’re mushroom hunting in the afternoon, you’ll want to explore around the tree lines where shade will protect them from drying out. Furthermore, when you find one, stop and look a bit further. If there’s tall grass, move the grass aside. Remember that they grow from underground mycelial networks, so when you encounter one, there’s often a ring or patch to be found. Sounds like quite a few details, yeah? It is. When learning to gather mushrooms, you must understand their habitat, their habits, the places they like

to grow, the times they like to grow, and the conditions that spur the mycelia to produce fruiting bodies. You must also understand the subtle characteristics that identify a single species and distinguish it from the many other species with similar appearances. Mushroom hunting is an art. If you can find someone to teach you this art, then take advantage of it. One final tip, and this is perhaps the most important. If you find yourself hunting mushrooms in the wild, remember that their spores are stored in the gills. If you are visiting a field, you’ll want this field to produce on later visits. So, thump the top of the shroom before picking it. This will send a cloud of spores down into the medium that allowed the initial growth of the mycelial network. Equally important is to avoid damaging the mycelial network when picking the fruiting body. So, pinch the stem and break it off gently rather than pulling it out of the soil. This will make sure that the mycelium remains strong and healthy for future visits, and that it can easily produce fruiting bodies when conditions spur it to do so.

CHAPTER 5. PSILOCYBIN MUSHROOMS AND SAFE USE

SETTING SUBSTANCE SITTER SESSION STAGE 1: INGESTING THE PSYCHEDELIC STAGE 2: INITIAL ONSET STAGE 3: OPENING AND LETTING GO STAGE 4: PLATEAU STAGE 5: GENTLE GLIDE STAGE 6: END OF THE FORMAL SESSION FINAL NOTES ABOUT SESSION SITUATION

CHAPTER 5. PSILOCYBIN MUSHROOMS AND SAFE USE Most people who have done a bit of study into the psychedelic experience will have encountered two of the conditions for safe use: set and setting. Set refers to the mindset you hold when entering and navigating the trip. Setting addresses the physical location in which you enter the psychedelic experience. However, there are four other conditions which are of equal importance. These are: substance, sitter, session, and situation. Taken together, they form the six S’s which help to prime an individual to use the trip constructively. In this chapter, I’ll go through all of these conditions in detail, explaining how you can approach the situation to provide the best possible experience. These conditions are important to consider whether you enter into a psychedelic experience with the aid of psilocybin or any other entheogens. In fact, the substance itself is one of the six S’s, so I’ll provide the details of this condition with psilocybin mushrooms in mind.

SET As mentioned above, “set” refers to mindset. When ingesting psilocybin or any other hallucinogen, the thoughts and emotions you carry into the trip will be amplified. Because of this, preparation is extremely important. This holds true whether you are a novice or you have tripped thousands of times. The main difference between an inexperienced individual and an experienced one is that experience will tend to make the preparation phase reflexive. Your mental preparation will have a huge impact on your personal experience during the trip. One thing that is important to remember is that the preparation phase is equally important for both the voyager and the guide. It is not a small thing to act as a guide or sitter for an individual experiencing a trip, especially if they are tripping for the first time or are relatively inexperienced. If you are the guide, then the voyager is placing a huge amount of trust in you. They are relying upon you to provide an anchor when feelings and thoughts become intense. More than that, they are placing themselves in one of the most psychologically vulnerable states a human being can experience. During the trip, it is important for the guide to remain watchful while giving the voyager space to have their experience. Pay attention to where they go, to how they are feeling, but do not interfere unless necessary. The voyager is the most important thing during the trip. Make sure there is nothing else you have to do, and that you can be there for them fully during the experience. If they become lost and encounter difficulty, it is your responsibility to call them back to presence with calm and gentleness. Facilitating a trip is an art, and should only be done by those who have extensive tripping experience. For the voyager, remember that the trip is not a recreational experience. It is a transformative and healing journey, one in which your mind and being are opened to new aspects of experience. The trip offers a powerful opportunity to

heal buried trauma, to learn new things, and to reshape the way you approach the world. You can use this time to heal old wounds, let go of unhealthy habits, or tap into deep and profound levels of insight. You can frame the experience to help you work through any challenges you may be facing in life. But, in order to do this, then you must face the trip as a sacred experience rather than as a simple drug trip. With this in mind, try to schedule enough time to truly honor the experience. One of the best approaches is to give yourself three days. The first day is for preparation and clarification. The second is for the psilocybin experience. The third is for grounding and integration of what you have learned and the experiences you have had. You may also wish to use the third day to record any insights you have received or discoveries you have made. During the first day, try to remain calm and unhurried. It’s best if you can wrap up any loose ends before this day, but if there is anything which needs to be addressed, take care of it so there’s nothing weighing on your mind. It’s best if you are able to spend some of the day in nature. Try to set aside a bit of time for self-reflection. Especially if you are inexperienced, it is helpful to do a bit of focused journaling on the first day. Ask yourself a few questions: Do you have any preconceptions regarding the psilocybin experience? Do you have any expectations from the trip? Is there anything you hope to learn from the trip? To experience? To understand? To resolve? Do you have any particular goals? Psychological? Social? Spiritual? As your guide should be experienced with psychedelics, they will be able to address any concerns you might have and help you approach the trip from a calm and collected place. Your guide should also be able to answer any questions you have regarding the experience, to the extent that questions can be answered. Remember that the trip is a personal experience, and there is no way to know

where you will take it – or it will take you – before you begin. A final note regarding set: while it is helpful to clarify your expectations and intentions, it is equally important to surrender them prior to the trip. Trips don’t follow our expectations. Whatever you have to address will come up during your experience. It may be what you intend, or it may be what really needs attention regardless of your intentions. Furthermore, if you have done a great deal of study prior to the trip, you may have high expectations of what the experience will bring you. Remember that what we get hardly ever looks the way we expect it to. Just allow it to be, and it will bring you where you need to go.

SETTING Setting relates to your external environment and surroundings. During a psilocybin experience, you will be far more sensitive to sights, sounds, emotions, and thoughts than you might normally be. It is important to set the space for your session and choose the environment wisely. As mentioned above, it is unwise for an inexperienced person to go into an uncontrolled setting during their first trip. That means that clubs and parties aren’t great settings for your first psychedelic experience. You’ll want to choose a place where you can be you, no matter what comes up, and where you can behave however you wish without being judged or needing to maintain an image. If you choose to trip indoors, then you will want the room to be uncluttered and comfortable. You will also want a bed or couch available so that you can lie down if the mood strikes you. Make sure that you have soft pillows and blankets. You’ll also want access to a toilet and plenty of water. Another good tip is to have a stereo or other sound system ready to go with smooth, mellow music. Basically, you want to prepare the space so that everything you might want is easily accessible. The space should be arranged so that it brings you a sense of peace. The second option is to trip in an outdoor setting. If you choose to go this route, you’ll want a familiar place where you are comfortable and where you can do what you want without observation or censorship. The outdoor experience is more extroverted and will likely bring a strong sense of connection with nature. Even when tripping outdoors, though, you will want to make sure you can lie down comfortably. It’s also an excellent idea to bring along a blanket and music. You may wish to alternate between outside and inside. If this is the case, then it’s best to find an easily accessible outdoor space. You won’t want to be

driving from one place to the next. The psychedelic experience is often more intense when internalized, when in an indoor space. Conversely, while outside, the senses are pulled outward into nature. You may wish to begin inside and go outside to explore nature when things get intense, or start outside and let things build slowly before taking things indoors and allowing the trip to rise to a strong peak. While in the experience, you will often feel powerful and unexpected impulses. It’s best to listen to them, so long as you can do so safely. The sensory enhancement of the psilocybin experience makes music extremely enjoyable and powerful. In fact, most tribal cultures that employ entheogens in their spiritual ceremonies also include music as an essential element of the process. Music serves as a sensory guide to lead the consciousness from one level of awareness to another. It also provides a stream of sensory stimuli which can focus and direct the consciousness. In the psychedelic experience, music is extremely effective in eliciting emotions and guiding awareness down certain channels. It can provide the voyager with a feeling of safety and a sense of nonverbal support during their experience. One thing that you may want to keep in mind is that your tastes may change under the influence of psilocybin and other psychedelics. If you normally enjoy loud, wild music, you may find that this music is grating and uncomfortable. Music with words may be distracting, especially once the experience peaks. You may wish to opt for soft, instrumental pieces that provide a smooth feeling. Tribal rhythms, chanting, and drumming may also be extremely pleasurable. You will actually feel the music as it carries you through the melody. The feeling of the music will intensify when you close your eyes, use an eyeshade, or listen to it in the dark. You may also wish to make sure that you have access to drawing or writing materials. When the trip is extremely intense, these may lay by the wayside, but in the come up and come down, they can be beautiful allies. The same goes for

musical instruments, if you play them regularly. You may not want them at all, but it’s nice to have them at hand if the feeling strikes. The main thing is that you want to set things up so that you don’t have to go anywhere or do anything complex. I’ve even found times where blankets were ridiculously complex in the thick of the trip, believe it or not. So, the simpler, the better.

SUBSTANCE The third “S” is related to substance, but really a better word for it is dosage. Regardless of the psychedelic substance you take, the dosage has a powerful influence on the experience. One of the challenges with psilocybin mushrooms is that the level of psilocybin varies from one strain to the next and from one mushroom to the next within a single strain. Furthermore, each person’s body chemistry is different so some people will have higher natural tolerances than others. However, here are some guidelines regarding amount and intensity: Intensity

Avg (dried)

Wt. Avg (fresh)

Wt.

Threshold

.25g

2.5g

Light

.25-1g

2.5-10g

Medium

1-2.5g

10-25g

Strong

2.5-5g

25-50g

“Heroic”

Above 5g

Above 50g

The threshold amount for psychedelics is the minimum amount needed to feel an alteration in consciousness. For dried Psilocybe cubensis, the threshold amount for the average person is .25g. A voyager will typically experience a light trip after ingesting between .25g and 1g. Medium trips often result from the ingestion of between 1g and 2.5g. A strong dose for the average person is considered between 2.5g and 5g. Anything over 5g is considered a “heroic” dose, meaning that this dose can be expected to provide an extremely powerful alteration in consciousness. Typically, the potency of fresh mushrooms is considered to be 1/10 of the dried amount by weight. This means that you can consider the threshold amount of

fresh Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms to be 2.5g. A light dose is between 2.5g and 10g. A medium dose is between 10g and 25g. A strong dose is between 25g and 50g. A “heroic” dose of fresh mushrooms is considered to be anything over 50g. At threshold doses, a voyager can expect colors to seem somewhat brighter and mood to be elevated. Music will seem “wider”, and the voyager may experience some short-term memory anomalies. The threshold experience leaves the journeyer feeling slightly stoned during the course of the trip. At light doses, the voyager can expect a significant brightening of colors as well as visual effects like trails, halos, and perceived movement of stationary objects. When the eyes are closed, the voyager may experience dimensional patterns. Creativity is vastly increased and memory alterations become more profound. The voyager may also experience confused or distractive thought patterns and reminiscent thoughts may begin to arise. Medium dosages will result in obvious visuals. Things will tend to look curved and warped. The voyager will see kaleidoscopic patterns on viewed objects such as walls and faces. At this dosage, the voyager will experience mild hallucinations such as “mother of pearl” surfaces and flowing rivers within wood grains. Low levels of synesthesia will begin to occur. Sights and sounds can be felt, etc. When the eyes are closed, the visuals will tend to take on a threedimensional quality. At a medium dose, the voyager’s sense of time will stretch and distort, giving them a sense that the moment is lasting forever. At high doses, things start to get interesting. The hallucinations become very strong and the voyager may see objects melting or morphing into other objects. It is at this point that the ego begins to dissolve or split. With a splitting of the ego, the voyager may experience internal conversations, or they may be externalized as perceived elements of experience begin talking to them. They may also begin to feel contradictory things at the same time. At this point, both

time and reality tend to lose meaning. Synesthesia becomes pronounced, and the voyager may experience both ESP-type experiences and out-of-body phenomena. However, by this point, it is almost impossible to describe the personal experience, as it moves into a point beyond words. The trip, when experienced, may feel completely dissimilar to what is described, because it is moving beyond what is impossible to describe. At heroic doses, sensory experiences become so profoundly altered that they bear little similarity to normal reality. The ego is entirely dissolved, and the voyager may tend to merge with other objects, space, and the universe itself. The experience itself cannot be described. Perceptual and thought patterns are altered so profoundly that they pick up on things beyond anything that can be put into words or sensible concepts. For experienced trippers, the heroic dose can be used to engage with reality in truly transcendent ways. This dose is not recommended for those with little experience, as it may simply be too intense. Go this far and you are entering freak-out level. It can still be therapeutic, as the complete dissolution of the ego can allow a constructive shift in approach to life and others. This being said, most often a high dose will be sufficient for most journeying intents, and medium doses will work for emotional therapy. However, it can be extremely transformative for an individual to experience a heroic dose at least once in their tripping experience. A trip this intense is like a complete death of the ego, and after you experience that, there’s little left to fear.

SITTER The sitter or guide is extremely important for first-time users. In some instances, the guide is termed a facilitator. The responsibility of the facilitator is to create a healthy, calm space for the voyager. As mentioned above, this facilitator should have extensive experience with hallucinogens. They need to understand where the voyager will be likely to go during the trip and meet them there when necessary. Furthermore, it is not sufficient for the guide to merely have experience with psilocybin themselves. Guides for first-time users should be experienced in guiding others through the trip. Some suggest that the guide or facilitator should be sober throughout the experience. This is a valid perspective; however, another alternative is to microdose through the experience. When the guide microdoses, they are able to stay in the same mental vibration as the voyager. However, the guide must be fully aware of how they will respond to psilocybin so that they can make sure that they will be in the appropriate place for the voyager. During the trip, the guide acts as an anchor for the voyager. They will take care of all the little details that come up, such as the need for water, food, music, and, if necessary, transportation. (If the guide is responsible for transportation by vehicle, complete sobriety is recommended.) The voyager is likely to experience moments of disorientation. The guide should act as a stable point during these disoriented times. In some instances, the voyager will become lost in their own thoughts and feelings. The guide should stay sufficiently aware of these mental movements that they know when it is right to leave the voyager to their journey, and when it is right to softly and gently bring them back to the present. This is something that cannot be explained. As mentioned above, it’s an art, and an extremely important one. Nothing more than extensive experience can prepare an individual to sit vigil for

a voyager. In no circumstance should an inexperienced person sit without a guide. However, this being said, there are some people who are naturally disposed to the psychedelic experience and others who find it more difficult to navigate a trip. If you are an individual who is naturally disposed to the psychedelic experience, then you may not need a guide. The problem is that there is no way to know this until you have tripped several times yourself. The key is to stay calm, breathe, and relax. Remember that the experience will end in its own time, and that you will be completely fine. When things get really challenging, all you have to do is wait it out. And, most of all Don’t Panic! If you can remember that in the trip, then everything will work out fine. But it can be more difficult to keep these things in mind while tripping than you might expect. So, please find someone who can guide you through your experience before choosing to take a psychedelic substance for the first time. At the very least, if an experienced person is unavailable, find a trusted friend who can watch out for you as you trip. Also, make sure that you carefully attend to set, setting, substance, session, and situation.

SESSION The fifth S, Session, is associated with the time taken for the journey and the stages involved. Each trip involves a series of six stages. These six stages are: ingesting the psychedelic, the initial onset, opening up and letting go, the plateau, the gentle glide, and the end of the formal session. Understanding the stages of the trip can be extremely helpful for first-time users, both in knowing what to expect and in being able to navigate the trip as they experience it. Knowing the stages can give a novice an understanding of the hour-by-hour progression of the session. The specific experience will differ from person to person and trip to trip, however the stages remain the same. Here is a description of each stage:

STAGE 1: INGESTING THE PSYCHEDELIC With regard to external experience, Stage 1 is pretty self-explanatory. With psilocybin mushrooms, this is the time that you eat the mushrooms or drink the mushroom tea. However, there are a few tips that will help you to navigate the experience from here on in. The first tip is to check the clock when ingesting the ‘shrooms. As soon as the psilocybin begins to kick in, your time sense will begin to become distorted. So, you’ll want to have a solid clock-check before things get going. Often, you’ll begin to feel the effects within about 20 minutes to a half hour. In some instances, it may take up to one hour. So, don’t worry if it takes a little while to kick in. It will happen, so long as you have taken the threshold amount for your personal body chemistry. And, when you’re inexperienced, it’s better to err on the side of caution than to take more because you have become impatient. The second invaluable tip for this stage is to RELAX. When you ingest the mushroom, or right before you do so, take a breath and let it out all the way. If you meditate, then now’s the time to enter the meditative state. Let go of

everything, and let this be the state from which you enter the trip. This will pay off more than you may imagine over the next several hours. If you are a first-time user and still have anxiety about the trip, you may wish to speak to your guide for last-minute reassurances. However, at this point, it’s best if you have those out of the way. You’ve bought the ticket. You’re taking the ride. All you can do is just let go and let the trip take you where it wants to take you.

STAGE 2: INITIAL ONSET As you begin to feel the effects, you may wish to lie down. Or not. If you’re outside, the effects can be amazing if you are walking around. There are no set rules. Just let the energy take you where it wants to take you. Essentially, the energy will rise up and your senses will begin to become crisper. Your sense of reality and time may begin to waver as the first effects of psilocybin begin to hit. Once again, breathe, meditate (if you’re the type of person that meditates), and make sure that you’re near where you want to be when it really hits. The breath is the key. Breath keeps us in tune with our bodies and with the moment. It is like the steady beat of a drum that can keep us focused and in rhythm. Your breath is your best friend, all the way through the trip. Use it to find a path to relaxation. Remember, relaxing and surrendering will make the trip the best experience it can be. During this time, you will begin to feel slightly inebriated. You may wish to start the music at this point, if you have chosen to include it in your experience, and if it is available. Observe all five senses. Tune in to what your body is experiencing right now. As the rushes of different impressions, thoughts, and images come in, allow them to wash over you. See them as an observer, watching everything without trying to control anything.

STAGE 3: OPENING AND LETTING GO

The initial build-up will lead to the peak, the point of opening up and letting go. This is the point where the trip peaks and you first begin feeling the full effects. Senses are heightened, time begins to become ever more slippery, and interesting thoughts come in. At this point, it’s important to remind yourself to let go of any expectations. What will happen, will happen. Just let it be. You don’t have to make any decisions during the peak. You don’t have anything to do other than to experience what the trip brings to you. This stage usually lasts about two to three hours, and it is the time that brings you fully into the consciousness of the trip. Thoughts and emotions are enhanced. Your sight begins to shift and flow. Your thoughts begin to depart from their typical path. And anything that is shown to you is part of this journey, whether pleasant or unpleasant. Try to simply allow whatever comes in. The more you are able to fully let go of control, the more you allow yourself to move into the heart of the experience. At this time, you may experience unusual thoughts or feelings. Some of them may be old baggage coming up to be seen. Other feelings may simply be unusual and without context, but they are all part of the journey. You may feel yourself an alien or outsider. Or, you may feel like you’re actually seeing what’s around you for the first time ever. Embrace whatever feeling you experience. If you are having a hard time with it, turn to your guide. They’ll help you along the way.

STAGE 4: PLATEAU After about two to three hours have passed, you’ve stepped fully into the trip. The new feelings that came in over the last few hours have normalized, and this is your new state of being. Remember, you will come down. You’ll be normal eventually. But this time is valuable. Thoughts about your life will continue to roll through, and now new insights will accompany them. Reality as you know it may seem inaccessible,

and you will feel the trip strongly. However, this is the time that can teach you the most. You can check in with your guide if you need to, but often, all you’ll need is a little time to put things into perspective. As you do, you will continue to make new discoveries about yourself. You will feel into what you have done before and whether it is right for you or wrong for you. And you will get a clear notion of what you should do in your movement forward. The plateau will last from one to two hours, though it may feel like a lifetime or three. Whatever lessons you receive in this time, respect them. See them for the blessings that they are, pleasant or not. These messages tell you how you truly want to move forward. In the process of receiving these aspects of yourself, do what you like. Listen to music. Journal. Play an instrument. Walk in nature. Do whatever you feel like doing. There’s no wrong or right way to experience this phase of the trip. Do whatever you feel is right.

STAGE 5: GENTLE GLIDE During the plateau stage, you will have become acclimatized to the trip. The next stage is when the comedown begins. You can think of it as a gentle glide back to a more normal frame of mind, a slow return to reality. Rational thought starts to come back into focus and the inebriation begins to fade. During the comedown period, your insights are still fresh, but you are better able to bring these insights into connection with normal waking consciousness. This is a time when journaling can be extremely helpful. By writing or reviewing your experience, you take steps towards integrating what you have learned into life. This is also helpful because the insights may tend to fade as rational thought reasserts itself. By preserving these thoughts in a journal, you’ll have better access to them at later times. Sometimes, instead of doing personal work and reviewing the experience, you’ll

just want to enjoy the comedown and soak everything in. This is a beautiful time for walking in nature or curling up with a nice cup of coffee or tea. It can also be beautiful to lay back with a warm blanket and listen to music as you ease into a sleepy, quiet energy. If you choose to experience nature in this time, it can leave you with a deep sense of presence and a vibrant aliveness, almost a sense of oneness and wonder with everything you see and feel.

STAGE 6: END OF THE FORMAL SESSION At this point, you have come down, for the most part, but you are left with new perspectives and a general sense of openness. If the trip has been particularly intense, you may feel intense gratitude to finally be “normal” again, or at least more normal that you were a few short hours before. The trip will often highlight people and connections in your life that you truly value, so during this period, you may feel greater love and acceptance for the people in your life. In general, you may feel a strong sense of the beauty and preciousness of every aspect of life. As with the comedown period, this is an excellent time to record your thoughts. If the trip has shown you things that you would like to approach differently, then this is an excellent time to make decisions about how you would like to do so. Any aspects of life that have been up for review or simply shown to you might bear a few words or thoughts. The trip involves a profound reorganization of neural patterns, and these patterns will provide new perspectives and realizations that remain with you even as your brain activity returns completely to normal. Right after the experience has ended you are best able to record or verbalize these perspectives and insights.

FINAL NOTES ABOUT SESSION Though these stages described above give a fair indication of the general course of experience, every single trip is different. Each person’s experience is

different. There is no way to accurately generalize the situation. Your experience will be absolutely unique, each and every time you enter into a psychedelic journey. The important thing here is not to be lulled into a false sense of confidence regarding what you will experience. Yes, it can help to understand the stages so that you can navigate them more effectively. But, in the moment, the trip is something so alive and present that all anyone can do is embrace the experience and dance with it.

SITUATION The final S, Situation, refers to the time after the trip. That means the days, weeks, and months after your experience. No part of life can be cut off and perceived in isolation. Every moment in our lives is connected to every other. This means that what the trip has offered you really begins, in a practical sense, in the period that follows. This is when you can bring this new awareness into your decision-making process on a day-to-day basis. Many who journey regularly describe this as the “unpacking” process. So much comes through so quickly during the trip that it may take some time to unpack all of the lessons and insights. To facilitate the unpacking process, a period of personal review is advisable. During this personal review, you may wish to ask yourself some questions: Have you had any revelations regarding thought process or perspectives, daily habits or routines? Are there people in your life that you would like to connect with more closely, or that you would like to show their value to you through your actions? Are there people that should be left behind so that you can continue to grow and thrive? Are there any goals you would like to move towards? Endeavors that you would like to dedicate your energy to? These are just a few guiding questions. You may find that others pop up for you based on what you have experienced. When making any shifts, remember to be gentle with yourself. It can take some time to reprogram your approach to life. Slow and steady makes it solid and sustainable. The psychedelic experience can be profound, and most will want to discuss it

with others. But remember that it is unique and personal. Others who have not tripped may be unable to understand what you share, especially on the feeling level. So, don’t get discouraged if it is challenging to express why you are making these shifts. What you have experienced is valid because you have experienced it. You don’t need any external validation for your insights. Finally, depending on your experience, you may either feel that you would never like to try psilocybin again, or you may wish to relive the experience. If you do wish to experience it again, it is often best to have some time between trips. This will help each experience to be as profound as possible. It will also give you some time to unpack each journey before you go on the next. As with everything else, this is a profoundly personal choice, with no right or wrong answers. Feel into it.

CHAPTER 6. PSILOCYBIN MUSHROOMS: THERAPEUTIC USE, PERSONAL GROWTH, AND MICRODOSING THERAPEUTIC USE PERSONAL GROWTH MICRODOSING

CHAPTER 6. PSILOCYBIN MUSHROOMS: THERAPEUTIC USE, PERSONAL GROWTH, AND MICRODOSING As this book is primarily focused on safe use and cultivation, the subjects of therapeutic use and microdosing will be discussed only briefly. The use of psychedelics for personal growth is discussed only tangentially as well. Each of these subjects is extensive enough to fill a volume of their own. If you’d like to explore the subject deeper, I recommend looking into some of my other books or the works of many other experienced psychonauts.

THERAPEUTIC USE In the material above, I’ve offered some details as to how psilocybin and psychedelics in general can be used therapeutically. Testing of psilocybin by the medical community is still in its infancy, as laws have only begun to allow limited investigation within the last decade. The medical community is currently exploring their medical uses for a number of conditions. These include depression, addiction, PTSD, cluster headaches and migraines, OCD, and mood and anxiety disorders. Results thus far have been promising in each of these areas. It’s worth mentioning that initial results suggest psilocybin is far more effective in the treatment of depression than anything currently accepted for medical use. Results come more quickly and tend to be longer lasting than other drugs on the market. In addition, unlike these other drugs, patients using psilocybin for treatment of depression do not need to be continuously medicated for the treatment to be effective. In addition, initial research into the use of psilocybin treatment for addiction is more promising by far than any form of treatment thus far discovered. Psilocybin also has great potential for emotional healing. PTSD and mood and anxiety disorder are just a few of the conditions which have been responsive to psilocybin therapy. Similar studies have shown that psilocybin has been effective at significantly reducing the emotional pain associated with social rejection. There is no doubt that further studies will show the profound benefits of psilocybin and other psychedelics for treating trauma and all forms of emotional healing. Given the deep impact of emotion on every aspect of our lives, this suggests that psychedelics may be the single most powerful healing tool available to us.

PERSONAL GROWTH While therapeutic benefits focus more on the use of psilocybin and other psychedelic compounds for healing, there may be huge benefits for healthy individuals as well. This is an exciting area of study, as it may provide a key for enhancing our capacity for healthy functioning on numerous levels. Therapeutic studies suggest that psilocybin can reduce the impact of negative states like social anxiety, distraction, and lack of motivation. At the same time, positive mental resources like creativity, cognitive function, and productivity have been enhanced through psilocybin use. On a biological level, psilocybin has been shown to stimulate the growth of new brain cells and facilitate learning. Psilocin, the bioactive metabolite of psilocybin, stimulates the 5-HT2A serotonin receptors in the prefrontal cortex. This has two immediate biological effects. The first is an increased production of Brain Derived Neurotropic Factor (BDNF). Essentially, this stimulates the growth of neurons and neural connections and the activity of these neurons. At the same time, the brain produces more glutamate, a neurotransmitter responsible for learning, memory, and cognition. With regard to global brain function, psilocybin dampens the activity of the Default Mode Network (DMN). This is a portion of the brain associated with a variety of mental activities including self-reflection, daydreaming, and thoughts of the past or future. When the activity of the DMN is dampened, it is easier for the brain to form new and different neural connections. This means learning new activities and information. To put this into perspective, consider the act of concentration. Effective concentration requires present moment awareness. Thoughts of the past or future, excessive self-reflection, and daydreaming are dilutions of present moment awareness. They are processes which interfere with present moment

awareness. Though these activities have their place, the DMN is often overactive, resulting in excessive self-analysis and counterproductive attention to memories or future possibilities. When the DMN has the volume turned down, the mind becomes more capable of focus and concentration, allowing us to be more productive and to learn new things more quickly and effectively. Psilocybin also increases global neural function. In typical waking states, many parts of the brain operate more or less independently from one another. Psilocybin causes these parts of the brain to synchronize with one another, allowing more of the brain to operate as a whole rather than a collection of parts. The communication between these various regions is strengthened, and the linkages formed during the trip tend to persist even after the psychedelic experience has ended. In the process, the brain is “rebooted”. It is reprogrammed and the neural activity is significantly reorganized. Despite the advances of medical science, we still know very little about the brain compared to what is left to be discovered. Because of this, we cannot conclusively determine the impact of this reorganization. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that it is linked to greater empathy and compassion, higher levels of creativity and innovative thought, and the capacity to overcome fearbased blockages. These are just a few of the most profound and oft-cited results that have been described in the bulk of those who have used psilocybin. As mentioned above, this is a subject that can be discussed extensively, and this book is dedicated more to safe use and psilocybin mushroom cultivation. However, before moving on, it is worthwhile to mention that moderate doses of psilocybin have been shown to shift the brain waves to the alpha rhythm, a state observed in both meditation and flow states. Higher doses have been linked to a dissolution of the ego, which, in turn, provides an opportunity to restructure our perception of ourselves and the world.



MICRODOSING The use of psilocybin mushrooms and other psychedelics has historically been linked to powerful hallucinogenic experiences. Early research focused on the potential of psychedelics to induce mind-expanding spiritual experiences. These experiences were based on the capacity of large doses of psychedelic compounds to elicit profound changes in the perception of reality. However, in recent years, the practice of microdosing has been gaining attention. This involves the use of psychedelics to gain cognitive benefits without entering a full-blown trip. Microdosing has, to some extent, increased the legitimacy of psychedelic use. One reason for this is that it is becoming popular among professionals in competitive industries such as those in Silicon Valley. By using small amount of psilocybin or other psychedelic compounds, professionals are able to gain a competitive edge. Microdosing can help a user to increase creativity and productivity while reducing the effects of anxiety and depression. Furthermore, this is a practice which can have lasting benefits, even after the regimen has been completed. Essentially, microdosing is exactly what it sounds like. When on a psilocybin mushroom microdosing regimen, a user will ingest a small, measured dose of psilocybin mushrooms. The effect is sub-perceptual, meaning that it is below the amount needed for a psychedelic experience. After ingestion, the user will then go about work or their regular routine just as they would under normal circumstances. Though the psychological effects are subtle, the benefits can still be profound. They include improved energy levels, problem-solving capacity, and focus. Anecdotal evidence also suggests that microdosing is helpful for breaking unhealthy habits and cultivating healthy ones, increasing connection with nature, improving diet, and improving relationships.

The process of microdosing psilocybin mushrooms is fairly simple. You’ll want to begin with a batch of dried mushrooms. Psilocybin content can vary widely from one strain to the next and even from one mushroom to another in the same strain. Because of this, it is helpful to powder the entire batch and mix it together to equalize the levels of psilocybin throughout the batch. If you begin with fresh mushrooms, it will be helpful to boil a measured amount into a tea. Measure the weight of fresh mushrooms that go into the tea, and divide the volume of the resulting tea so that each dosage corresponds to 1g of the starting mass. For most people, 0.1g of dried mushrooms or 1g of fresh mushrooms will be sufficient to gain the benefits of microdosing. You can use this as a starter dose and then adjust levels as necessary. The goal is to have enough so that you experience very little change in mood, mindset, or disposition, while still feeling extremely subtle effects. You may also need to “recalibrate” with each new batch. This is why it is helpful to have one of the microdosing days on the weekend. It’s best to have a bit of a buffer in case the new batch is more potent than the previous. Most of the time, it’s not all that fun to be full-on tripping at work. Another key to microdosing is to set up a schedule. Tolerance will increase quickly, so it is ideal to give yourself two days between each dose. If you want to set up a weekly schedule, for example, you may wish to dose on Wednesday and Sunday. By dosing twice per week, you will gain the full benefits of microdosing without increasing tolerance and needing to up the dosage. Alternately, you can simply dose every three days. For example, dose on day 1, take days 2 and 3 off, then dose again on day 4. Because microdosing is intended as a means of improving performance and generally enhancing life experience, it will help to keep a journal of the effects. You may wish to note the amount that you have ingested and any specific results

you have noticed throughout the course of the day or week. Since psilocybin causes a reorganization of neural activity, it is helpful to record any observations during the off-days as well. Plus, it is helpful to have records when experimenting with different dosages. You may wish to assess results in areas like productivity, creativity, anxiety, and focus. Different dosages will have different effects on each area, so keeping records will help you to find your “sweet spot” for different activities and effects. When first beginning your microdosing regimen, you may wish to do so on a day off work. This will help you to become accustomed to the feeling and to make sure the dosage is right for you. You may wish to follow the regimen for several weeks to a few months at first, and then take some time off. In the process, you will be able to observe and record the short-term and long-term effects, and see how these effects persist after the regimen has been completed. Remember that the goal is to integrate these benefits into your daily life without becoming dependent upon the psychedelic substance. With infrequent use, psilocybin can be leveraged as an occasional advantage. In addition, you’ll find that the benefits will remain with you even when you are not actively ingesting psilocybin mushrooms. They essentially lead the way to productive mental and emotional states. This can help you to access these states without assistance in the future. Finally, despite the numerous benefits of microdosing and of psychedelics in general, it is important to remember that these substances are not magical curealls. They can facilitate personal growth and healing, but it requires intention and focus to leverage these effects for lasting benefits. Plus, the key to the benefits provided by psilocybin and other psychedelics is awareness. Essentially, mindfulness. Psilocybin helps us to actively engage with our mental state. By becoming more aware of our internal states, our emotions, our

thoughts, and our focus, we constructively harness our attention and access more of our natural potential.

PART II

BASIC CULTIVATION

CHAPTER 7. CULTIVATING – THE BASICS A BRIEF HISTORY OF PSILOCYBIN MUSHROOM CULTIVATION BIOLOGY AND LIFE CYCLE OF THE MUSHROOM ABOUT THE MUSHROOM MUSHROOM STRUCTURE AND FUNGAL SEX AN OVERVIEW OF THE CULTIVATION PROCESS STAGES OF CULTIVATION DIY VS. READY-MADE CULTIVATION KITS STERILE CULTURE TECHNIQUE STERILIZATION: THE BASICS METHODS FOR STERILE CULTURE TECHNIQUE RECORD KEEPING OPTIMAL CONDITIONS

CHAPTER 7. CULTIVATING – THE BASICS Mushrooms are some of the most remarkable organisms on the planet, and some of the most poorly understood. Until relatively recently, they were seen as a variety of plant and included in the study of botany. However, in genetic terms, they are more similar to animals than plants. Plus, fungi are geniuses at creating biological compounds. There is so much that they have to offer, and our investigations into mycology are still in their infancy. Between edible mushrooms, medical mycology, and ethnomycology, they provide a rich ground for future study. Central to this study is the process of mushroom cultivation. In this chapter, you’ll find a brief overview of cultivation and the basics of the process.

A BRIEF HISTORY CULTIVATION

OF

PSILOCYBIN MUSHROOM

The history of mushroom cultivation goes back over a thousand years. In Asia, shiitake mushrooms have been cultivated for the last millennium by placing freshly-cut logs next to mushroom-bearing trees. Though low-tech, this is an effective inoculation method, a simple process for transferring mushrooms from the tree to the log. Cultivation in the West began much more recently. In the 17th Century in France, soil containing Agaricus bisporus, the white button mushroom, was collected from its natural habitat and placed in naturally climate-controlled caves containing rows of horse manure. This method is effective, but prone to contamination, as it uses an unpasteurized substrate. This method of Agaricus cultivation remained relatively unchanged for many decades. In the 18th Century, William Falconer published a book on mushroom cultivation which compiled the innovations thus far developed. This book included the “casing layer” method, a process of placing a thin layer of soil over the compost beds. This technique significantly increased mushroom yields and reduced contamination. Following Falconer’s publication, the US Department of Agriculture began to experiment with Agaricus cultivation. They found that most contamination issues could be eliminated by inoculating sterilized horse manure with Agaricus mycelium. This process created the first mushroom “spawn”. In 1930 James Swinden, a mycologist at Pennsylvania State College, discovered that sterilized whole grain served as a more effective substrate for Agaricus cultivation, producing healthier, more robust yields. Since then, sterilized whole grain has served as the choice medium for the cultivation of many mushroom species.

Psilocybin mushrooms were first cultivated by Robert Heim in the 1950’s. Heim had travelled with the Wassons to Mexico. He tested the spores from mushrooms used in the velada with a variety of mediums, finding that cased, sterilized horse dung provided the best fruitings. His writings were not translated into English for almost two decades, so these findings remained in obscurity until the 1970’s. During the 1960’s, counterculture interest in psilocybin mushroom use saw the creation of several underground pamphlets on cultivation. However, these were generally of low quality, rife with errors and offering techniques so complicated that they were nearly impossible for the beginner to duplicate. This changed in the late ‘70’s with two books on psilocybin cultivation: Psilocybin: Magic Mushroom Grower’s Guide, published by O.T. Oss and O.N. Oeric in 1976 and Magic Mushroom Cultivation, published by Dr. Steven Pollock in 1977. These books explored a variety of species, cultivation methods, and substrates, providing instructions simple enough for relatively inexperienced growers to follow. The first provided a simple cultivation method with quart canning jars, while the second explored the use of brown rice as a substrate. It was subsequently found that brown rice was one of the most effective substrates for producing abundant and potent “flushes” or batched fruitings. Outdoor cultivation techniques for psilocybin mushrooms saw a significant innovation in 1972 when students of the University of Washington found that the bark mulch around campus supported the growth of P. stuntzii. Not only were these “blue ringers” potent, their dispersal and fruiting could be promoted by transferring mycelium-impregnated mulch onto virgin bark. Since this discovery, outdoor cultivation techniques have been practiced widely and studied intensively. The next major innovation in psilocybin cultivation came in 1991 with a publication entitled The Psilocybe Fanaticus Technique. This manual described

a process of cultivation in half-pint Mason jars using a brown rice and vermiculite substrate. This method came to be known as PF Tek, and while it borrowed from previous innovations, it brought these techniques together in a simple and nearly foolproof method. With this method, cakes of myceliumimpregnated substrate were developed in Mason jars and then transferred to a growing chamber lined with perlite. Once the cakes were exposed to light, the fruiting process began. The PF Tek substrate itself was a stroke of genius. It provided an open, airy structure for rapid fungus growth and could be sterilized with no more than a boiling water bath. Plus, the jars of substrate were covered by a layer of dry vermiculite prior to inoculation. This reduced the likelihood of contamination during inoculation and incubation. This technique makes glove boxes or careful sterile techniques less necessary, though they can be used to nearly eliminate the chance of contamination. The simplicity and efficiency of the PF Tek method did away with many of the problems faced by novice growers and those with limited equipment. The next major innovation came in 1996 with a publication by amateur mycologist Rush Wayne entitled Growing Mushrooms the Easy Way: Home Mushroom Cultivation with Hydrogen Peroxide. Wayne found that hydrogen peroxide could be introduced to the substrate after the mycelium had begun to form. While it was harmless to the mycelium itself, the proper concentration would prevent contamination by bacteria or spores. The substrate still required initial sterilization. However, once the mycelium began to incubate, the use of hydrogen peroxide almost completely eliminated the risk of contamination. While PF Tek revolutionized P. cubensis cultivation, Wayne’s discovery of the use of hydrogen peroxide revolutionized the cultivation of all mushrooms. These innovations have made psilocybin mushroom cultivation possible and even relatively simple for novices without complicated equipment. So, it is with

a heartfelt thanks to these pioneers that we move forward into the practical details of psilocybin mushroom cultivation.

BIOLOGY AND LIFE CYCLE OF THE MUSHROOM The more you understand about mushrooms, the more effective your efforts at cultivation will be. So, let’s take a look at the biology and life cycle of the mushroom. Warning: unless you’re a fan of biology and mycology, you may have to suppress a yawn at the technical jargon that follows. However, it’s worth soaking up all the information you can about the mushroom, how it grows, and what’s going on at every level of the process. When you’re looking at a beautiful, healthy flush, you’ll know it’s been worth a bit of reading.

ABOUT THE MUSHROOM First, if you’ve been paying attention, you know that the mushroom itself is only a part of a larger organism. It is the sex organ, or scientifically the “aerial fruiting body”, of an organism that extends below ground in a system of tubular threads called hyphae. Collectively, this system of threads is known as a mycelium. Essentially, mycelia grow through their food. The hyphae release digestive enzymes at their tips and then absorb the nutrients of the digested substrate as they grow. Fungi can be saprotrophs, mycorrhizae, or parasites. Saprotrophs grow through and consume decaying matter, and all of the mushrooms described in this work fall into this category. Parasitic fungi grow within a host, often killing it in the process. Mycorrhizal fungi have a symbiotic relationship with the roots of plants, and without them, most plants would be unable to grow. In fact, nearly all fungi are benign. In their absence, life on the planet would be impossible. Fungi are not plants, nor do they have much similarity to plants other than the fact that they are sessile, or fixed in place. They specialize in using the creatures and environmental conditions surrounding them to propagate, and they have developed a number of ingenious techniques to do so. To better understand this, it will be helpful to have a more complete understanding of the structure of the

mushroom itself and the part it plays in fungal reproduction.

MUSHROOM STRUCTURE AND FUNGAL SEX Let’s talk about sex. In biological terms, sexual reproduction improves the potential for an organism’s survival by allowing them to subtly alter their genetic makeup. These genetic alterations result in physical alterations, some of which have advantages for survival under certain conditions. It’s a numbers game, but nature uses this to its advantage. Put enough creatures with different genetic makeups out there, and there is a great likelihood that at least a few of them will have genetic and structural advantages. Sexual reproduction is accomplished with gametes, cells that have half the normal compliment of genetic material. In humans, sperm and egg cells are the gametes. In macrofungi, or fungi that produce mushrooms, the gametes are the spores. Spores are housed on the pileus, or underside of the cap. Psilocybes are basidiomycetes. This means that the pileus is lined with gills which radiate symmetrically from the stem or stipe. These gills are lined with basidia, tiny structures shaped like baseball bats. Each basidium contains four horn-like structures called sterigma, and each sterigma holds one spore. The four spores housed on a single basidium are the product of a single event of meiosis, or sexual recombination. Spores are compact cells surrounded by a protective shielding. They are capable of surviving extremely harsh conditions. Spores will remain dormant until they find appropriate substrates and conditions, at which time they will germinate and begin to grow a primary mycelium. It is known as a primary mycelium because two compatible primary mycelia must find one another and join before they are capable of sexual reproduction. You can think of it as a sperm spore and an egg spore, each producing a mycelium until they encounter a suitable mate. Once they find suitable mates, they unite to form an “adult” mycelium capable, once it grows sufficiently, of producing aerial fruiting bodies.

One of the coolest things about this is that mushrooms have more “genders”, or mating types, than just male and female. In fact, there are thousands, and among these thousands, only certain types will be compatible for any given mating type. Though all of this is happening at a micro level, fungi are as particular about their mates as we are. And, once they unite, they remain in the process of foreplay until the aerial fruiting bodies produce spores. The genetic material of both gametes remains separated in the mycelial cells, each containing two nuclei until the process of meiosis creates spores. When the “adult” mycelium is formed (in scientific terms, they are called dikaryotic because each cell contains two nuclei with distinct genetic material), it will grow through the medium until triggered by an environmental event. At this point, the hyphae grow into knotted structures termed primordia. The primordia are also known as pins or pinheads, and the process is termed pinning. At this point, the hyphal cells begin to differentiate. On a cellular level, they make miniature mushrooms. Individual cells will differentiate into the structure of caps, gills, spores, stipes, etc. Dense white walls called septa collect around these structures, effectively dividing them from the surrounding mycelium. The primordium contains all of the cells which will be present in the fully-grown mushroom. All that remains is for them to absorb sufficient water and expand to full size. This process happens very quickly, which is why mushrooms seem to spring up overnight after a rain. As they grow, the primordia take on the characteristic qualities of the mushroom. The stipe then grows and the spherical cap begins to flatten. As it does so, it stretches the membrane which connects the cap to the stalk and contains the spores within a protective compartment. This membrane is known as a partial veil until the gills expand enough to break the veil away from the stipe. When the veil pulls away, it releases the spores and leaves a skirt known as an annulus

on the stem. In psilocybin mushrooms, the annulus tends to blue because of the psilocin content in the mushroom flesh. This produces the blue ring which is taken as a characteristic indicator of many psilocybin mushroom species. In nature, once the veil breaks and exposes the spores which line the gills, the pileus will begin to condense water on the sterigma. Once the water droplets get large enough, they will catapult the droplet and spore out of the gill where air flow can take it away from the fruiting body. At this point, the cycle starts again with a new spore.

AN OVERVIEW OF THE CULTIVATION PROCESS Whenever we cultivate an organism, we duplicate in a controlled setting all the conditions necessary for propagation and growth. So, having heard and understood all aspects of the mushroom life cycle in nature, it will be easier to understand the process of cultivation and the steps we take along the way. Nature plays a numbers game, creating so many spores that one or a few are bound to work out. However, when cultivating, we are able to create conditions which favor growth. The skilled cultivator can select the best specimens from one flush to use in later inoculations, refining the species one generation at a time. Let’s look at the basic stages of cultivation. This will help you to understand how to navigate these stages and apply them to your own cultivation process.

STAGES OF CULTIVATION Cultivation goes through a process of three stages: germination, expansion, and fruiting. Germination is the process where the spore finds suitable conditions and begins to grow a primary mycelium. Once compatible strains meet and mate, they enter the process of expansion. The adult (dikaryotic) mycelium then grows through the medium. Finally, the adult mycelium will fruit. For cultivators, the germination process can be preceded by isolation. The cultivator will identify a suitable strain from the healthy fruits of a colony. Spores can be collected from this fruit. Often, germination occurs on a semisolid agar medium. The cultivator can then select strains which show the desired characteristics and use this to propagate the medium on a substrate. One thing that’s really cool to understand is that mushrooms are essentially immortal. Cultures can be transferred from one plate to the next. You can colonize paper pellets and store them in cold storage, placing them in suspended

animation until you are ready to use them. Spores can also survive for very long periods if kept in airtight, cool, dry places. However, generations can tire out and become unviable after too many transfers, and even mycelia in cold storage should be warmed and grown out every couple of years, just to keep them healthy and viable. When you move on to the expansion stage, you transfer the culture which you have identified onto a suitable substrate. In many cases, this substrate is sterilized whole grain in quart- or pint-sized Mason jars. The purpose of the expansion phase is to give the mycelium time and space to grow to a volume sufficient for proper fruiting. A wedge of inoculated agar medium can be introduced to the grain and spread through it, creating a fungal spawn. In this stage, you’ll often need to shake the grain every few days to create space in the mixture and allow the mycelium to colonize it more effectively. The spawn can be transferred to larger Mason jars or plastic bags to expand the mycelial mass. Once you have generated sufficient spawn, it can be transferred to a final fruiting substrate, the medium used to promote growth of the mushrooms or fruiting bodies. The fruiting substrate will depend upon the mushroom strain. P. cubensis is one of the least particular strains and will fruit on anything from wheat straw to cow manure to grain. Wood-loving species will fruit only on beds of wood chips or other substrates with high lignin content. You’ll likely want to cover the fruiting substrate with a protective layer like peat moss or dry vermiculite. In addition, temperature, air exchange, light, and humidity must all be within the appropriate range to promote fruiting. If the proper conditions are met, the substrate will produce primordia, which then mature into mushrooms within a couple of weeks.

DIY VS. READY-MADE CULTIVATION KITS There are a variety of ready-made kits that you can find online. If you are a first-time cultivator or you plan to cultivate only a single batch, these kits may be the best way to go. They can also be suitable if you want to obtain a particular strain for spore syringes. Ready-made kits take most of the headache out of growing, as they have been prepared under sterile conditions and require no more than a bit of light, water, and attention. However, if you want to take your cultivation journey beyond a few flushes, then you’ll want to go the extra mile. There are some challenges involved, but the benefits are more than worth the effort. Another consideration is that all of your online activity is tracked. If you plan to do more than a little cultivation, then it’s helpful to have as small an online profile as possible. In these cases, it’s best to avoid buying ready-made kits or spore syringes online. While this isn’t an issue for a small batch, it can lead to problems if your cultivation journey expands to sizeable proportions. Feel into it, and decide what you’re comfortable with.

STERILE CULTURE TECHNIQUE This is perhaps the most important subject in the entire book. If you’d like to be a successful cultivator, then you will need to know about sterile culture technique. A single cubic centimeter of air typically holds about 100,000 particles. Many of these particles are bacteria and fungal spores. These are competitors for macrofungi like psilocybin mushrooms. If given the chance, they will colonize and contaminate the substrate. In the best of circumstances, they will force you to discard a single growing container. In the worst, they can spread to all of your containers and force to you start from scratch. So, you’ll want to take appropriate measures to eliminate contaminants. This is where sterile culture technique comes in.

STERILIZATION: THE BASICS First, you will want to thoroughly sterilize all materials. This will kill all mold spores and bacteria present in the substrate and other materials. Next, it is best to maintain sterile working conditions. This will prevent contaminants from entering the substrate and hijacking your mushroom culture. This means that the pressure cooker is one of the most important pieces of equipment for mushroom cultivation. It will allow you to sterilize or autoclave your equipment and substrate, eliminating all harmful contaminants. This is where most aspiring cultivators fail. If you neglect sterile culture techniques, you may still grow one or two mushrooms, but you are more likely to grow a dazzling array of brightly-colored mold and bacterial cultures. Keep your conditions sterile, and you will succeed where so many have failed. In the sections that follow, we’ll review some techniques to make this possible.

METHODS FOR STERILE CULTURE TECHNIQUE Step one: keep your area clean! You will want to dedicate a workspace to

mushroom cultivation. Clean the area completely. It will need to be close to the kitchen, as the sterilization procedures will occur there in most cases. There’s little point in creating a sterile room if you’re just going to take materials from the kitchen through a spore-infested area to the workroom. Your workroom should have a good-sized table to house your working materials, and this table should be covered with laminated plywood or thick vinyl so that it can be cleaned easily. You’ll also want to avoid carpets in the workroom, as they tend to house millions of spores. Make sure that the floors are easy to clean and that you can readily spot any dirt or other contaminants. The same will go for the walls of your workspace. You may even wish to give the walls a fresh coat of paint (latex is best) so that you can reduce the likelihood of initial contaminants and clean them regularly. Clean and disinfect the kitchen and workspace. If possible, use organic, orange-oil-based disinfectants. Try to keep the workspace free of drafts and random air movement. If necessary, close all windows and air conditioning ducts. Try to keep the door closed and let air settle before working with your cultures. You may wish to work with glove boxes or laminar flow hoods to reduce the likelihood of contamination from airborne bacteria and spores. (This is highly recommended!) Air filtration for your workspace is recommended as well. If using flow hoods or air filtration, you’ll want to use a HEPA rated filter. Keep the filter on low at all times, and run it on high for at least an hour before working on your cultures. You’ll also want to keep your workspace free of pets, potted plants, pet’s food bowls, litter boxes, or any other sources of organic contaminant. Personal hygiene is extremely important. There’s no point in maintaining a clean space if you’re just going to contaminate it with millions of mold spores from your clothing and body. Shower off before working on your culture. Dry

with a clean towel, and put on clean clothes just before attending to your cultures. Tie back long hair. Avoid loose-fitting clothing. Clean your hands and forearms with rubbing alcohol before beginning work, and use disposable surgical gloves (also cleaned with rubbing alcohol) to reduce the risk of contamination. Consider mental hygiene as well. You’ll want to use slow, steady movements that disturb the air as little as possible. Try to avoid urgency or distraction. Being focused, present, and unrushed will bring the best results. It’s best to avoid distraction. Keep people out of the room when you’re working at the least, and at all times if possible. If you like music when you’re working, go for soothing stuff that helps you to maintain focus and keep things steady. Remember, small mistakes can lead to contamination and make entire cultures unusable.

RECORD KEEPING This part is essential if you wish to take your cultivation journey past a few batches. In many cases, you will cultivate certain strains and fungal lines. Plus, you’ll want to know what conditions work best and any situations that lead to contamination or other challenges. You will want to mark the cultures so that you can easily identify the lines. This will also help you to monitor your progress. Note the strain, the substrate, the day of work, and the elapsed time for the batch. Over time, you’ll likely create codes that indicate the originating strain and number of the current experiment, as well as the conditions that favor or interfere with fruiting.

OPTIMAL CONDITIONS As you may have guessed from the descriptions of different mushroom species, the optimal conditions will depend heavily on what species you wish to grow. In general, mushrooms prefer high concentrations of water, but not so much that they are waterlogged and subject to rot. When fruiting, mushrooms will tend to grow towards light. It’s best to provide light cycles as close to natural conditions as possible. Light only stimulates their growth, rather than providing energy as it does for plants. This means you won’t need much light. About 8 hours of ambient light will do the trick, and compact fluorescent bulbs are more than sufficient for this purpose. Finally, your colonies will need to be able to breathe while still being protected from airborne contaminants. This is why filters, sterile culture techniques, and gas permeable films are so important. In fact, avoiding contaminants is the single most important factor in producing healthy colonies. The cultivation techniques offered for indoor growth and spawning are based primarily around this requirement. When growing outdoors, it is extremely important to inoculate your colony at the right time of the year. Most wood-loving species (those most suitable for outdoor cultivation) are tolerant to cold temperatures. It’s best to cultivate them in the early spring. This will allow the mycelia to take hold while reducing the likelihood of other contaminants. For P. cubensis, warmer temperatures promote incubation, though they don’t need such a degree of warmth when fruiting. To be specific, P, cubensis grows vegetatively at temperatures between 75-85 degrees Fahrenheit. However, it likes to fruit at slightly lower temperatures. Below 80 degrees is best, and they’ll fruit just fine at room temperature in most places. You’ll want to avoid letting your fruiting colony get too hot, as this will

cause it to revert to vegetative growth. In the sections that follow, we’ll go through specific conditions for different species and cultivation methods.

CHAPTER 8. EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES, SUBSTRATE AND CASING MATERIALS EQUIPMENT



PRESSURE COOKER PETRI DISHES MEDIA FLASKS MASON JARS AND LIDS FILTER DISCS SPAWN BAGS AND IMPULSE SEALERS ALCOHOL LAMP OR MINI TORCH BALANCE SCALPEL INOCULATION LOOPS SHARPIES FUNNELS MEASURING PIPETTE AND RUBBER BULB GRADUATED CYLINDERS, MEASURING SPOONS, AND MEASURING CUPS SYRINGES SUPPLIES HYDROGEN PEROXIDE AGAR ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL BLEACH PARAFILM SURGICAL GLOVES

SUBSTRATES AND CASING MATERIALS WHOLE GRAINS DRIED MALT EXTRACT YEAST EXTRACT CALCIUM CARBONATE (CACO3) CALCIUM SULFATE HARDWOOD SAWDUST AND WOOD CHIPS SAWDUST FUEL PELLETS SPIRAL-GROOVED DOWELS PAPER PELLET CAT LITTER PEAT MOSS VERMICULITE WATER CRYSTALS SPORES

CHAPTER 8. EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES, SUBSTRATE AND CASING MATERIALS Some of the cultivation techniques offered in the following chapters are designed for simplicity and require as few materials as possible. Others are quite a bit more complex, requiring a hefty shopping list. The materials described in this chapter should provide everything you need for any given method of cultivation. The list itself is quite extensive, but don’t be intimidated. If you choose to follow one of the beginner teks offered, look at the materials list for that tek, and then find the necessary equipment in this list if you need further information. If you are working with more advanced methods, plan out your method first, and then explore this chapter to learn more about the supplies that you need.

EQUIPMENT Ok. Get ready. This will be quite a shopping list, and some of the supplies can only be gotten from specific sources. I’ll start off with the most essential equipment, and give you details on where you can find all of it. Remember, this is an investment, and the payoff will be phenomenal if you follow the steps and give due diligence. When purchasing your equipment, remember to start small. Another pro tip: plan out your experiment completely before beginning. This will let you know what equipment is essential for your particular cultivation.

PRESSURE COOKER The pressure cooker is perhaps the most essential piece of equipment in your mushroom cultivation arsenal. This will allow you to sterilize substrates and equipment, eliminating spores and other contaminants. You’ll be sterilizing relatively large items, so it’s important to get one large enough for your needs. Try to find one that can hold at least seven quart-sized mason jars.

There are many brands of pressure cooker available. The one I recommend is the All American brand manufactured at the Wisconsin Aluminum Refinery. These pressure cookers are among the safest and most reliable of all brands. They are formed from heavy-

cast aluminum and contain no rubber seals or other parts that wear out over time. They also have a highly accurate dial gauge and are designed to hold a vacuum upon cooling. This will prevent the introduction of spore-laden air to your substrate or equipment after sterilization. Pressure cookers will either have a steam release valve or a weighted metal rocker. The sort with the rocker is best for canning. What you really want is the type that has a steam release valve. These are called “stopcocks” and the pressure cookers which contain them are known as sterilizers. You’ll need to pay plenty of attention to it, as it can explode if too much pressure builds up. At the same time, if you use a rocker-style pressure cooker, you’ll need to watch it to make sure the liquids don’t boil over and ruin your medium. In the long run, it’s more than worth it to just get the stopcock-style cooker. When using a pressure cooker, you’ll want to make sure that no steam escapes from the seals. If you are using a metal-on-metal cooker and steam is escaping from the seals, turn off heat, allow it to cool, and run a bead of Vaseline around the seal. Make sure that there is at least ½” water in the cooker when heating, and never place items directly on the bottom or against the walls. Most pressure cookers will have a rack to position contents as needed. Allow the cooker to heat slowly, and bring it to a full head of steam before closing the stopcock. Don’t leave it unattended, especially in the early stages of heating when the heat and pressure fluctuate erratically. You’ll want to check it every ten minutes or so. This will let you avoid over-pressurization and ensure that the proper temperature and pressure are maintained throughout the cycle so that the contents are fully sterilized. Don’t touch the cooker when it’s going if you want to avoid a nasty and painful burn. Also, allow the pressure cooker to cool slowly when the heating is finished. Don’t try to cool it more quickly with cold water. Uneven cooling can cause glass to break or the contents of the cooker to violently implode. Also,

watch the steam from the stopcock. It’s hot! Finally, to ensure sterile conditions, wrap the outlet of the stopcock with an alcohol-soaked cloth prior to opening the valve. This will ensure that no spores or other contaminants enter the cooker when you vent the steam. Pressure cookers can be found pretty much anywhere, from second-hand shops to grocery stores to scientific shops and mushroom supply stores.

PETRI DISHES Most cultivators will use petri dishes to germinate spores and isolate specific strains. Petri dishes are small transparent trays, glass or plastic, with a loosefitting cover. They are helpful for germinating spores and storing cultures. The ideal size has a 100ml diameter and 15ml height. Reusable glass or Pyrex can be sterilized with an autoclave, but it will cost you a bit. Polystyrene petri dishes come in a sleeve of 20 or 25. They are cheaper, but not the most environmentally-friendly.

Whether you use polystyrene or glass, you can sterilize it with hydrogen peroxide and a microwave. First, wash them with dishwashing detergent, and then pour a small amount of 3% hydrogen peroxide in the dish and swirl it around. Do the same with the cover. Place dish and cover (and any other dishes you are sterilizing) in the microwave and heat on medium until all peroxide has been evaporated. Either use the dishes immediately or store them in a fresh plastic bag. It’s best to do this immediately

prior to filling them with agar. You can find petri dishes at mushroom supply shops and scientific shops.

MEDIA FLASKS

Media flasks will be helpful for holding agar solution during sterilization and pouring it into petri dishes. You’ll want thickwalled glass that can be placed in an autoclave or pressure cooker. Narrow necks are helpful for pouring. In a pinch, you can use glass juice or sparkling water bottles with screw-top caps. These can be found in the supermarket, at scientific supply shops, or pretty much anywhere.

MASON JARS AND LIDS These are pretty important, as they are used to colonize the grain to create primary spawn. They’re also easy to find at supermarkets. Mason jars are sturdy and can be reused indefinitely. For the PF Tek method, go for half-pint jelly jars with straight sides. If you’re using them to expand spawn, hold them by the lid when shaking and shake up and down. Make sure the lid is secure, and, if the substrate is tightly packed and must be broken apart, don’t slap the jar against a naked hand. If a jar breaks unexpectedly, you could get a nasty cut. Knock it against a towel-wrapped pillow or a half-roll of duct tape. Also, heat the jars

slowly and evenly in a pressure cooker to avoid breakage.

As far as lids go, avoid the two-piece metal lids used for canning. You’ll want plastic lids that can be easily modified for gas exchange. You can use Ball “Storage Caps”. These can be autoclaved and they will seal your culture from outside contaminants. To modify them, cut or drill a 1-inch hole in the center. Then, fit the lid with a filter disk so air can enter, but harmful contaminants are blocked.

FILTER DISCS Filter discs are flat circles of synthetic fiber, several millimeters thick and heat resistant. They can be sterilized in an autoclave or pressure cooker and reused. You will want to cover holes in the lids of your Mason jars or in your growing chambers with them so that you can block out contaminants while allowing gas exchange. You can find them in the size which fits your jars from mushroom supply houses. They will discolor when in contact with substrate or mold spores. If this happens, then soak them in a quarter-strength bleach solution.

In a pinch, Tyvek can be used. It can be found in supply stores or for free from FedEx or the post office in the form of indestructible mailing envelopes. If you use Tyvek, cut it an inch wider than the mouth of the jar. Then use the metal screw portion of a typical lid to clamp the Tyvek over the mouth of the jar. You can sterilize it, but you should dispose of it after a few uses.

SPAWN BAGS AND IMPULSE SEALERS Spawn bags are clear plastic bags intended to hold large amounts of spawn. They contain small square filters on one side, so they are sometimes called filter patch bags. They can be loaded with substrate, sterilized, inoculated, and then sealed with an impulse sealer. Since they are clear and flexible, a grower can manipulate the contents and check for contaminants. Though the bags lose elasticity upon heating, they can be reused if they are in good condition. Both spawn bags and impulse sealers can be found in mushroom supply stores, though impulse sealers can be found on eBay as well. As an alternative, gallon or half-gallon Mason jars can be used to generate larger volumes of spawn. Another alternative is oven bags, though these are not ideal as they contain no filters. If using an oven bag, you’ll want to create a makeshift filter by filling the neck with cotton or Poly-fil and sealing it with a rubber

band. The contents cannot be shaken without knocking out the filter. However, they can be manipulated by hand.

ALCOHOL LAMP OR MINI TORCH Alcohol lamps are filled with rubbing alcohol and capped with a cotton wick and metal cap. They can be used to sterilize equipment like inoculation loops and scalpels. Mini torches can be used for the same purpose. Try to find a quality one with a base that keeps it upright on the table top. Alcohol lamps can be found at scientific or mushroom supply shops, but you should be able to find mini torches in kitchen supplies.

BALANCE Balances are used to weigh materials. Either electronic or mechanical will work, but you’ll want scales that weight up to at least 250g with a sensitivity of 0.5g. If you can find one that weighs at least a kg, it’ll be worth it. It’s also best to find scales that have large pans that can weigh sizeable items.

SCALPEL Scalpels are helpful for cutting tissue cultures or agar samples. They can also be used to scrape up a small section of spore print or prepare a cap to create a spore print. Thin-handled #10 scalpels are ideal, but X-acto knives can work in a pinch. X-acto knives can be found in hardware stores. Scalpels are easiest to find in scientific or mushroom supply shops.

INOCULATION LOOPS Inoculation loops are ideal for transferring spores or small amounts of mycelium to agar plates or spore syringes. You can find these at brewery or scientific supply stores, or they can be made from small dowels and thin, stiff sections of wire. If you use the “cardboard disk” method of spore transfer, you may not need an inoculation loop.

SHARPIES Sharpies are permanent markers that can be used to write on nearly any surface. They are helpful for labeling cultures.

FUNNELS Two styles of funnel will be helpful for your cultivation. Thin-necked funnels are helpful for filling containers with fine powders and liquids, while rounded, wide-mouth funnels are ideal for filling jars with larger particles.

MEASURING PIPETTE AND RUBBER BULB Pipettes are helpful if you intend to work with agar or hydrogen peroxide (Recommended!). They allow you to measure small volumes of liquid, from 1ml to 15ml. 10ml glass pipettes are best, as they can be autoclaved. An alternative is to use 10ml graduated cylinders and metal measuring spoons. If you go down this route, then you’ll need to take more care to avoid

contamination when handling your materials. These can all be found at scientific supply shops and at some brew stores.

GRADUATED CYLINDERS, MEASURING SPOONS, AND MEASURING CUPS Graduated cylinders are used to measure liquids. You’ll want ones that measure up to 10ml, 100ml, and 1L. If you are not overly concerned with accuracy, measuring spoons and cups can be used. The advantage is that you will be able to find these in kitchen supplies stores, while graduated cylinders are best found in scientific and mushroom supply shops.

SYRINGES Syringes are necessary for spore mass inoculation as per the PF Tek method. 10ml and 20ml syringes are ideal, and they will need wide-bore needles. 18gauge needles are best. These can be challenging to find, as their sale is regulated in the U.S. Surgical and veterinary supply shops are one possible location. Another option is to purchase preloaded spore syringes from online suppliers and then reuse them as necessary. They can be autoclaved and reused indefinitely.

SUPPLIES As with the equipment, you will not need all of these supplies for every method of cultivation. It’s best to plan out your desired method before going shopping. However, this will give you a good idea of all the supplies you might need as you experiment with different cultivation methods.

HYDROGEN PEROXIDE Hydrogen peroxide is one of the most helpful ingredients in the cultivation process. By adding small amounts of 3% solution to your substrate, you create conditions that better tolerate fungi but which destroy fungal spores and bacteria. This is especially valuable in the hydrogen Tek method, but quite helpful in a number of other cultivation methods as well. One of the really cool things about using hydrogen peroxide is that it releases oxygen as it breaks down. This means that, in addition to reducing the potential for contamination, it will also promote growth. However, avoid the temptation to use higher concentrations of peroxide (above 3%), as they can damage the mycelium. Plus, when using 3% peroxide, the other 97% is water. So, when using the higher volumes required for spawn bags, you will want to make sure that the substrate is as dry as possible to prevent excess moisture. It’s important to remember that while mycelia will grow happily in hydrogen peroxide, mushroom spores will die. So, if you are using tissue culture (cloning) methods, you can use substrates which contain hydrogen peroxide. If you use mass spore inoculation, however, you’ll need to avoid peroxide and make sure that your substrates are well-sterilized. It’s best, if you are using agar, to germinate spores on cardboard discs or agar plates without peroxide, and then transfer them to substrate or agar which contains peroxide once the mycelium has formed.

Hydrogen peroxide is readily available at pharmacies and grocery stores. You will want to choose 3% peroxide with a fresh date, so that it is neither too strong nor too weak. The bottle should be used soon after purchase. Between uses, you will want to wrap the neck with plastic wrap or parafilm, cap it, seal it in a Ziploc bag, and refrigerate it. Pipettes and graduated cylinders should be sterilized prior to contact with peroxide. Pressure cookers or boiling water baths are sufficient for this purpose.

AGAR If you are creating agar cultures, this is a necessary ingredient. Essentially, agar cultures are semisolid materials held in petri dishes that allow the development of spawn. You can use either spores or mycelial tissue to colonize agar, and they can then be used to inoculate grain as a primary spawn. In the following sections, we’ll explore how to create sterile agar solutions with agar, yeast extract, and malt extract to isolate and preserve cultures and to inoculate primary spawn.

ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL Isopropyl alcohol is essential as a disinfectant for containers, hands, and surfaces. It is also a fuel for alcohol lamps. It can be easily obtained at grocery stores or pharmacies in 70% or 91% concentration. Either concentration is suitable for cultivation purposes. When using it to sterilize tools, remember that it is extremely flammable. You’ll want to make sure that the alcohol has evaporated before exposing tools to flame.

BLEACH Detergent-free laundry bleach is excellent for cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and tools. ¼-strength is ideal for this purpose, while a 10% dilution in a spray form is best for disinfecting air and surfaces.

PARAFILM

Parafilm is excellent for sealing petri dishes. It is an elastic, paraffin-based film. It allows gas exchange, making it excellent for allowing air in while keeping out contaminants. You can find it in 1” strips in garden supply, called grafting tape. Clad wrap or other polyethylene film wrap can be used as an alternative. However, you’ll want to avoid Saran Wrap and other polyvinylchloride films, as they are not permeable to gas. These rolls can be cut into 1-2” strips with extremely sharp knives or scalpels.

SURGICAL GLOVES Surgical gloves help to keep contaminants from the hands away from your cultures. Wipe hands and forearms down with alcohol before putting them on, and then wipe the outside of the gloves with alcohol as well. Allow the alcohol to evaporate before coming near flame.

SUBSTRATES AND CASING MATERIALS Different substrates and casing materials will be useful for different cultivation methods. This list will give you an idea of how each material can best be used.

WHOLE GRAINS Whole grains are ideal for spawning for all mushroom types. Grains contain water, minerals, and nutrients within a fibrous husk that partially protects it from contamination. At the same time, it can be easily colonized by higher fungi. They can be separated from one another in the colonization process, and the grains are perfect as a means of inoculation for bulk substrates. White winter wheat is recommended, as it tends to produce excellent results and is often free of the contamination which is sometimes found on other grains. That being said, any grains will work. Smaller kernels like rice and millet tend to stick together once they have been cooked. Because of this, it’s best to use grains like corn, rye, or wheat, as they have larger kernels. Organic grains are preferable, as you can be certain they are free of fungicides.

DRIED MALT EXTRACT Malted grains have been sprouted to promote partial conversion of their starches to sugars. Malt extracts serve as a primary nutrient source in agar media. It can be found from brewing suppliers. Dark malts are unsuitable for cultivation, as they have been caramelized, and fungi will not grow on caramelized sugars. Light or tan malts will serve.

YEAST EXTRACT Yeast extracts contain protein, vitamins, and minerals. They can be added to agar media as an additional source of nutrition. Brewer’s yeast will work at a pinch, but it’s not as effective as yeast extract.

CALCIUM CARBONATE (CACO3) Calcium carbonate is known as lime. It can be found in chalk, limestone flour, oyster shell flour, and in the form of hydrated lime. Calcium carbonate is slightly alkaline, with a pH of 8. It can be used to increase the alkalinity of a medium, which is helpful as fungi prefer alkaline media while many other organisms do not. Therefore, CaCO3 both provides calcium to the growing fungi and discourages contamination. You’ll want to make sure that your calcium carbonate contains less than 1% magnesium, as high amounts of magnesium can interfere with fungal growth.

CALCIUM SULFATE Calcium sulfate is also known as gypsum. It is pH neutral and is often added to substrates to help them retain water. Calcium sulfate helps to ensure that the substrates do not become waterlogged and makes it easy to separate the grains while the substrate is being colonized.

HARDWOOD SAWDUST AND WOOD CHIPS Wood chips and sawdust make excellent substrates for wood-loving mushrooms. Hardwood is best, as it is more resistant to contamination than soft woods. Beech, birch, oak, cottonwood, and alder are ideal. These can be found from garden centers or barbecue suppliers. If you chip your own, it’s best to do it in winter or early spring, as the wood will be high in sugars and low in leafy material.

SAWDUST FUEL PELLETS Sawdust fuel pellets make an excellent source of sawdust for substrates. They can be found in hardware stores or purchased from home heating suppliers and hardware stores, as they are often used in special stoves for heating the home and for food smokers. They are sawdust that is pressed together under high heat,

which means that they are pre-sterilized, for the most part. Make sure to get pellets made only from hardwood sawdust.

SPIRAL-GROOVED DOWELS Spiral-grooved dowels are ideal for inoculating logs. They are ¼” to 5/16”-wide dowels, 1-2” long, often made from birch and spiraled to serve as furniture joiners. This means that you can easily find them in most hardware stores. The spiral groove is an ideal site for mycelium to colonize and also provides an excellent platform for mycelia to inoculate logs once they have been pounded into prepared holes.

PAPER PELLET CAT LITTER Paper pellet cat litter is excellent for storing cultures in small glass tubes. Its structure makes it ideal for maintaining many mushroom species. You’ll want to use unscented brands made of 100% recycled paper.

PEAT MOSS Peat moss can be found in any garden center, and it is excellent for casing soil. It holds water well, making sure that the fruiting bodies remain hydrated. However, if you use peat moss, you will need to buffer it with calcium carbonate as it is somewhat acidic.

VERMICULITE Vermiculite can also be used for casing soil. It can be found in garden centers. You’ll want to use the coarsest grain available. Its fluffy structure is excellent for holding water while still permitting gas exchange. However, it has a fine particulate structure that can irritate the lungs. When handling dry vermiculite, make sure to use a painter’s mask.

WATER CRYSTALS

Water crystals are an optional component of casing soil. They are synthetic crystals which can absorb a great deal of water and release it slowly to the surroundings. Water crystals can either be made of sodium or potassium. If you use them, be sure to use the potassium variety. High levels of sodium can interfere with fungal growth.

SPORES In a way, spores are the most important part of the cultivation process. Just like you can’t grow plants if you don’t have seeds, you can’t grow mushrooms without spores. The exception, in the case of mushroom cultivation, is if you use tissue samples to create mycelial agar cultures. In this case, you first need a mushroom to collect tissue, and petri dishes supplied with sterilized agar to grow the primary spawn. With spores, on the other hand, you can easily inoculate Mason jars, spore bags, or any number of other substrate containers. If psilocybin mushroom species grow naturally where you live, you can collect them from the wild and take spore prints. If you have a friend that grows mushrooms, you can ask for a spore print or spore syringe to start your process off. If neither of these are a possibility, then you may need to acquire spore syringes online. There are a number of sites which provide them, but you will wish to be circumspect if you live in a place where the spores are illegal. It’s best to pay in cash and work small. Also, do your research to find reputable dealers who operate with discretion.

CHAPTER 9. CULTIVATION – THE PROCESS IN DETAIL PREPARATION INOCULATION COLONIZATION EXPANDING SPAWN PREPARING THE GROW CHAMBER FRUITING HARVESTING DRYING, CURING, AND STORAGE SPORE PRINTS AND SPORE SYRINGES MAKING SPORE PRINTS MAKING SPORE SYRINGES

CHAPTER 9. CULTIVATION – THE PROCESS IN DETAIL All cultivation processes, whether they are indoors or outdoors, regardless of the method of cultivation used, follow the same steps in cultivation. We begin with spores or mycelial cultures. Next, we inoculate a substrate with these cultures, allowing them to colonize to create primary spawn. The primary spawn is intended to let the mycelium take hold. Often, it is then used as an inoculum to generate secondary spawn, a hardier substrate which can be expanded as far as required prior to fruiting. The next step in the cultivation process is to place a secondary spawn in conditions that promote fruiting. If indoors, we place it in lower temperature conditions with appropriate light. Often, this will require a growing chamber as well. Next, fruiting substrates will begin to produce flushes, or mushroom harvests. These are then harvested, most often before the cap detaches from the stipe. A single batch will often produce three to five flushes until it must be retired, unless it becomes contaminated prior to this. After the mushrooms are harvested, they are processed. Sometimes, the processing involves drying. Sometimes, they will be brewed into a tea. Alcohol infusions will work as well. Dried mushrooms and alcohol infusions can be stored for months, however a mushroom tea will only last for about a month, and even then, only if it is refrigerated. Finally, we come full circle back to the beginning. Harvested mushrooms can be used to create spore prints or spore syringes for later inoculations. Alternately, the mycelium from the stem of a prized specimen can be used to clone mycelial cultures.

The method of cultivation will have an impact on the steps of the process. For example, wood-loving mushrooms often use a sheet of cardboard to cover the secondary substrate during colonization. The cardboard often becomes inoculated with mycelium and can then be used to inoculate primary substrate. This can also be done by placing stems of wood-loving mushrooms between layers of cardboard and purposely colonizing them for later inoculations. Let’s take a detailed look at all the steps in the process.

PREPARATION The first step is to obtain a culture. For some methods, PF Tek in particular, the culture comes from spore syringes. Spore prints will work as well, for PF Tek and other methods. Alternate methods include inoculated paper pellets or cultures grown on agar medium. If you are beginning your first batch, you will likely either be using a spore print from a friend or a spore syringe provided either by a friend or a company that specializes in selling them online. If you are in an area where mushrooms grow in the wild and you know how to gather them, then you may be able to take a tissue sample and clone it onto an agar medium. Any of these sources will provide you with material to inoculate a primary substrate. Part of preparation is isolating a culture line. This is not a huge consideration for your first batch; however, it will become important as you continue on your cultivation journey. Essentially, you will want to make several samples of a mycelial culture for each generation, selecting each time for the healthiest, most robust, and fastest growing individuals. You will need to vary the medium in order to avoid senescence, or the overuse of the line. This will be discussed in greater detail in a later section.

INOCULATION Once you have your spores or mycelium culture, the next step is to introduce it to a sterilized primary substrate. Whole grains are ideal as a primary substrate. There are many options for primary substrate blends. One of the simplest and most reliable recipes is a blend of cooked and sterilized whole grains and vermiculite. Vermiculite will hold water for the growing fungus, while whole grains provide an ideal food source. The primary substrate must be carefully protected from contamination. Often, Mason jars are used to hold the grain and vermiculite. This should be covered with a material that permits gas exchange so that the fungus can get sufficient oxygen without being exposed to contaminants. An alternate is to use a cap with a filter. You will also want to cover the substrate with a casing material prior to covering. Vermiculite will serve, as will a mix of vermiculite and peat moss or water crystals.

COLONIZATION After your primary substrate has been inoculated, you will want to store it in a dark place with temperatures between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Colonization will occur with P. cubensis even at room temperature, though it will proceed more slowly. You will see the colonies begin to form within the substrate as networks of white fibers. Allow them to grow for a few days, and then shake the jar. This will separate the grains and spread the mycelium through the substrate. At this point, you can also add hydrogen peroxide to the primary substrate. You will want to use about 6ml of 3% hydrogen peroxide for every 2-3 cups of substrate. You can do this from the beginning if you inoculate your substrate with a mycelial culture. However, with spore inoculation, you must wait until the mycelium begins to form before adding the peroxide. Otherwise it will destroy your spores. Be cautious to avoid contamination. Shake the jar once more when it is about halfway colonized. Full colonization will usually occur within 1-2 weeks. In essence, you have created mycelial spawn at this point. When the mycelium completely covers the grains in the jar, you can either proceed to the fruiting stage or use this as spawn to inoculate further substrate.

EXPANDING SPAWN If you wish to expand your spawn before moving into the fruiting stage, you can mix the colonized grain with further substrate. This is often done with spawn bags. After filling the bags with a whole grain/vermiculite mix, blend 1-2 cups with each bag. Seal the bags with an impulse sealer, and then repeat the incubation process. You can do this as many times as you like until you have the desired amount of

substrate. At this point, it is considered secondary substrate. The fully colonized grain serves as a primary substrate with a well-established mycelium. You can mix hydrogen peroxide with all spawn bags in the same ratio as described above (About 80ml per spawn bag. Make sure the substrate is as dry as possible). If you are using a wood-loving mushroom, you can mix the primary substrate with a blend of wood chips and sawdust without sterilization. Wood-loving mushrooms are far more resistant to contamination than other species, so hydrogen peroxide is not absolutely necessary. However, it will still be useful to further reduce the risk of contamination. The spawn should be stored at temperatures between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit while incubating.

PREPARING THE GROW CHAMBER Depending on your growing method, the grow chamber is either filled with secondary substrate or lined with perlite. The PF Tek method, for example, uses only a layer of perlite. The inoculated cakes are placed on this layer directly from the jars without being broken apart. These growing chambers must be kept in sterile conditions to prevent contamination. If they are misted regularly and provided about 8 hours of light per day, they will begin to pin within a couple of weeks. Pinning is the process of creating primordia, or immature mushrooms. After this occurs, you should have your first flush within a week. Alternately, the fruiting substrate can be spread across the bottom of a sterilized growing chamber. You will want to cover the substrate with a layer of casing material to protect it from contaminants and mist it regularly to maintain moisture levels. Pinning and fruiting will occur within the same time frame, but it will be spread evenly across the growing chamber instead of collected around cakes. These methods are suitable for indoor growth, especially with P. cubensis, but also with other dung-loving mushrooms. It is extremely difficult to get woodloving mushrooms to fruit indoors.

FRUITING Fruiting occurs when the primordia mature into full mushrooms, often 3-6” in height. You will want to watch for the point where the veil stretches away from the stipe. The ideal time for harvesting is just before the veil breaks. Fruiting batches are termed flushes. A single growing tray will produce 3-5 flushes if you avoid contamination. In some instances, the mycelium will grow over the casing material. If this occurs, you will want to use a sterilized fork to scratch the surface down to the casing material so that the pins can break the surface. While you are tending your colony prior to fruiting, you will want to mist it regularly to keep the moisture levels up. Be careful not to overwater, though, as this can result in mold. Including water crystals in your casing material will reduce the likelihood of it drying out or becoming too wet.

HARVESTING As mentioned above, you will want to harvest your mushrooms right before the veil breaks away from the stem. If you allow the veil to break, the spores will be released, and this can be a bit messy. The only exception to this is if you choose to make spore prints. If so, then you will want to allow the mushroom to spread flat before harvesting it. Remember to choose the best specimens to create spore prints, as you will want to pass those genes on to the next generation. When harvesting your mushrooms, you will want to grasp the stalk and pull as much as possible out of the casing material and substrate. If you leave a portion of the stem above the casing material, it will be prone to contamination. Often, this will leave a hole in the casing material. You will want to fill this hole with casing material to protect the substrate beneath. If you disturb other small mushrooms when harvesting a mature one, remove them as well. Don’t worry about the small loss of material, as the fungus will just redistribute the energy to other mushrooms. After each flush, your colony will need more water to make up for what is lost. It will be better to mist it lightly and frequently rather than to add too much water at once. If at any point you see contamination, don’t try to save the colony. Get rid of it before it infects your other growing chambers. Mold spores can spread quickly throughout your entire growing space and contaminate it for days. One final thing: often there will be pieces of vermiculite stuck to the base of the stem when you harvest the mushroom. It’s much easier to remove these while the mushroom is fresh. You can simply scrape a knife downward against the bottom of the stipe to remove all excess vermiculite.

DRYING, CURING, AND STORAGE There are a number of ways to store mushrooms. Fresh mushrooms can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week. You will want to put them in a paper bag or in a plastic container lined with paper towels without the lid tightly fastened. This will prevent the mushrooms from sweating and becoming soggy. If you haven’t seen it before, it’s not fun. Soggy mushrooms can only really be saved by brewing them into tea, and if you leave them too long, they’ll mold. And that is a profound shame. Mushrooms can be stored for months or longer if you dry them completely. You can do this in a dehydrator, if you have one. Alternately, you can use a tray of rice. Place the mushrooms on top of the rice and store the tray in the refrigerator. If you have more mushrooms than a single layer, place paper towels on top of the first layer, line these with rice, and place the second layer. The rice will absorb the moisture, while the cool of the refrigerator will help to preserve the psilocin from oxygenation. Finally, you may choose to place them on a rack above a radiator. Avoid heating them overmuch, as this will break down the psilocin and reduce their potency. Dry your mushrooms until cracker-hard and then store them in zippered freezer bags or heat-sealed food storage bags. They can then be frozen to preserve them further. If they are handled in this manner, they can retain potency for years. Fresh mushrooms can be steeped into a mushroom tea as well. Simply place the mushrooms in a pot of water and steep for up to an hour, but be careful not to boil. This will not keep as long as dried mushrooms, but it can be a convenient way to store them for up to a week, so long as the tea is kept refrigerated. Another alternative is to make an alcohol tincture. To do this, place 25-50ml of high-proof alcohol per dose in a container with your mushrooms. Allow it to soak for three days and then strain. This tincture can be stored for several

months without a loss of potency.

SPORE PRINTS AND SPORE SYRINGES Now that we’ve explored the basics of the cultivation process, it’s time to look a bit further into our options for beginning the process. You have three major options for this with indoor cultivation: spore prints, spore syringes, and agar cultures. Let’s look into spore prints and syringes first.

MAKING SPORE PRINTS It’s relatively easy to make a spore print. Essentially, you simply place a cap face down on a surface and allow the spores to settle. However, there are a few important tips with regard to sterile culturing and storage. Here’s the step-bystep process: 1. The first step is to obtain a fully opened cap. You’ll want to allow the cap to flatten and the gills to open fully. Since you are collecting

spores for the next generation, pick only the best caps for prints. You’ll also want to make several prints of each cap you choose.

2. Cut off the stem directly beneath the cap with a sharp, sterilized knife. When you place the cap face-down, it should be raised only about a millimeter above the printing surface. You’ll want the cut to be as horizontal as possible so that the mushroom has a solid, clean base. If any traces of the veil remain, remove them carefully with the tip of the knife. Do not touch the gills in the process. 3. Suitable printing surfaces include aluminum foil, glass microscope slides, or paper. Glass and foil are preferable, as they can be sterilized with alcohol prior to use. Their smooth surfaces also allow easy removal of spores with an inoculation loop. Another option is a plastic petri dish, so long as the cap fits within it. Several prints can be placed on a single sheet of foil, while you may need several microscope slides for a single cap. 4. Wipe down the printing surface with alcohol to sterilize it and then allow it to dry. 5. After sterilizing the printing surface, place a cap face down on it and cover it with a (sterilized) inverted container. This will minimize air currents and maintain humid conditions.

6. The print will be deposited onto the surface after a few hours in most circumstances. If the specimen deposits slowly, it may need to be left overnight. (If the cap may have contamination, you can get rid of the first drop and allow collection of the next deposit). 7. Seal the print to minimize contamination. For paper and foil prints, you can simply fold up the print after cutting it out. Try not to press on the spores in the process. Fold the edges over to seal the print. With microscope slides, you can place a sterile slide on top and tape the edges shut. 8. After sealing the prints, place them in zipper bags. Mark the date and other relevant details about the sample. Store them at room temperature, away from moisture, light, and heat. Stored in this way, spore prints will be viable for years to come.



MAKING SPORE SYRINGES Once you have a spore print, one option is to make spore syringes. These are essential for the PF Tek method, and they can be used in some other methods as well. Here’s what you will need:

SPORE SYRINGE MATERIALS Spore print Sterilized syringes and needles ½ pint Mason jar with filter disc and lid Sterile water in a flask, sealed with foil (15 ml per syringe) Dishwashing rinse agent without vinegar or scents Alcohol lamp Inoculation loop Instructions 1. For each syringe you plan to prepare, place 25ml of sterile water in the Mason jar. Also include 2 drops of the detergent to prevent spores from clumping or sticking to the glass or syringe.

2. Seal the pint jar and sterilize it at 15 psi for half an hour. Allow the jar to cool completely. 3. It’s best to do the spore transfer in a glove box or beneath a flow hood. Be sure to wipe all surfaces down with 3% hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol. Allow them to dry. 4. Light the alcohol lamp. Heat the inoculation loop until it becomes red hot. 5. Unscrew the lid and lift it slightly from the jar. Cool the loop in the sterile water. 6. Replace the lid loosely and then use the loop to gather spores from the print. 7. Lift the lid and swirl the loop in the water. Then, quickly replace the lid. Do this twice or three times for each syringe. Individual spores are tiny. You probably won’t see them in the water. 8. Draw some liquid into the syringe. Gently fill and empty it two or three times to distribute the spores evenly. Then replace the needle cover. 9. Label the syringe with the strain and date. Place it in a clean Ziploc bag and store it in the refrigerator. Syringes will keep for a month or two, but it’s best to use them as soon as you can.

CHAPTER 10. BASIC GROWING TEKS – IDEAL FOR THE BEGINNER OVERVIEW OF DIFFERENT TEKS INDOOR VS. OUTDOOR PF TEK OVERVIEW OF THE METHOD MATERIALS PHASE I: STERILIZATION PHASE II: INOCULATION PHASE III: INCUBATION AND COLONIZATION PHASE IV: FRUITING HARVESTING TROUBLESHOOTING COSTS AND CONSIDERATIONS IMPROVED PF TEK MATERIALS PHASE 1: STERILIZATION PHASE 2: INOCULATION PHASE 3: INCUBATION PHASE 4: GERMINATION/COLONIZATION CONTAMINATION PHASE 5: FRUITING PREPARING THE JARS FOR FRUITING PHASE 6: HARVESTING

TROUBLESHOOTING COSTS AND CONSIDERATIONS FAST FOOD OF THE GODS METHOD MAKING MYCELIUM WATER MATERIALS PHASE I: STERILIZATION PHASE II: INOCULATION PHASE III: INCUBATION AND FRUITING PHASE IV: HARVESTING TROUBLESHOOTING COSTS AND CONSIDERATIONS PSILLY SIMON’S METHOD MATERIALS PHASE I: PREPARATION AND STERILIZATION PHASE II: INOCULATION PHASE III: INCUBATION AND COLONIZATION PHASE IV: FRUITING TROUBLESHOOTING COSTS AND CONSIDERATIONS INDOOR CULTIVATION: FINAL WORDS

CHAPTER 10. BASIC GROWING TEKS – IDEAL FOR THE BEGINNER In this chapter, I provide a few specific teks, or mushroom cultivation methods, to get you started. This chapter is ideal for beginner cultivators, as it is devoted to simple, low cost methods which can be done with limited materials and experience. Plus, after you have some experience with these methods, you’ll be much better prepared to move on to more complex techniques. In this chapter, I’ll focus mainly on indoor cultivation techniques. For novice growers, P. cubensis is the ideal species to work with for indoor cultivation. This is because it is the least particular with regard to growing conditions. It will produce well under a wide range of temperature and humidity conditions, and will fruit happily on several different substrates. Once you have worked with P. cubensis for a while, you may wish to explore other dung-loving mushrooms for indoor cultivation. Or, if you live in a cooler place, you can move on to outdoor cultivation of wood-loving species.

OVERVIEW OF DIFFERENT TEKS In this chapter, I provide four simple growing teks for the novice grower. The first is PF Tek, the method made popular by Psilocybe Fanaticus in 1991. This is one of the best teks if you are just starting out on your cultivation journey, though it is specific to P. cubensis. Next, I offer an improved PF Tek process, courtesy of L.G. Nicholas and Kerry Ogamé in their Psilocybin Mushroom Handbook. There are two more teks described in this section. One is known as the Fast Food of the Gods method, and it can be found in further detail on Erowid (https://erowid.org). Also on this site is a detailed description of the final tek in this section, a technique which can be found in Psilly Simon’s Mushroom Growing Guide. Each of these teks is relatively simple, and they are provided so that you can get going before you have gathered extensive materials and equipment. I also provide an estimate of the cost and relative complexity of each tek. While this chapter focuses primarily on indoor cultivation, I will explore the details of outdoor cultivation in the next chapter for those lucky enough to live in cooler areas. Let’s begin!

INDOOR VS. OUTDOOR The first thing you’ll want to consider when setting out on your cultivation journey is whether you’d prefer to do indoor or outdoor growing. If you live in a warm place, this is a no-brainer. Outdoor growing is best with wood-loving mushrooms, and they will only grow if your region drops below 45 degrees Fahrenheit for a few months each year. So, if you live in a warmer place, you will want to grow indoors. Indoor growing is more controlled, and the best species for beginners who want to grow indoors is P. cubensis. It’s hardy, sufficiently potent, and can grow on a variety of different mediums. P. cubensis is also really flexible about growing conditions. Hands-down, it’s the best strain for novice indoor growers. If you live in places where wood-loving Psilocybes grow naturally, you may wish to go for an extremely simple growing method. If you can find a healthy colony of wood-loving Psilocybes, you can simply transfer a portion of inoculated mycelium to a fresh substrate and then tend the bed. This is relatively easy. Just make sure it doesn’t dry out in the summer months. Make sure that you transfer enough mycelium to colonize the substrate, and try to do it in autumn or early winter. If you cannot transfer the bed by about January, wait until the heat of the summer has passed, and transfer it then. You may not get a flush that year, but if you tend it well, you’ll get a flush every couple of weeks when the temperature drops again. The mycelium will go dormant in the extreme cold, but it will come back next year if it has sufficient substrate material. Plus, the wood-loving Psilocybes are relatively potent, so if you establish a strong bed and dry what you don’t need, you’ll be supplied with mushrooms all year. More on that in the next chapter.

However, even if you live in a nice cool place, you’ll probably want to make your first batch indoors. The methods for creating primary spawn are exactly the same for both indoor and outdoor growing, and you’ll want to master them before you set out on more complicated methods.

PF TEK For most growers, the PF Tek method of cultivation is the first that they come into contact with, and it’s excellent for familiarizing you with the stages of the cultivation process. It is designed to simplify the process as much as possible and reduce the risk of contamination to almost nothing. At the same time, Psilocybe Fanaticus devised this method prior to Rush Wayne’s discovery of the benefits of hydrogen peroxide for mushroom cultivation. Therefore, I include some details which deviate from the traditional Tek and explore how to incorporate peroxide in the process. One of the innovations of the PF Tek method is to eliminate the use of the substrate layer altogether. Instead, it uses colonized cakes of substrate placed whole in a growing container lined with hydrated perlite. When the substrate is fully colonized, it becomes far more resistant to contamination. This method has no risk of overlay, as the cakes are not covered with casing material in the growing chamber. It produces a nice flush in about six weeks, and then delivers subsequent flushes about every two weeks until the substrate is exhausted. The PF Tek method is designed for use with spore syringes. It is not the only method which makes use of spore syringes, and it can be adapted to use agar cultures if desired. However, if you choose to go this route, you’ll need to be more careful with sterile culture technique. At the same time, if you use agar you can include hydrogen peroxide in the substrate from the beginning, which somewhat balances things out. Finally, this method is excellent for producing a pure fruiting strain, which can then be cultured on agar plates for use with other methods. The downsides of the PF Tek method include relatively low yields and the need for the use of spore syringes. The low yield is a result of the substrate. The traditional PF Tek makes use of a mixture of vermiculite and brown rice flour.

This has less nutritional value than an equal volume of other grains like wheat berries, so the colony will not fruit as abundantly as it might with a more nutrient-rich substrate. The use of spore syringes is a challenge if you purchase them online, as this always leaves a paper trail. Finally, this tek is unsuitable for any species but P. cubensis. It’s a great starting point, but you’ll want to evolve beyond it fairly early in your journey.

Without further ado, let’s get into it:

OVERVIEW OF THE METHOD With PF Tek, you begin by mixing 2/3 cup of vermiculite with ¼ cup of brown rice flour for each ½-pint Mason jar. About ¼ cup of water should be included per jar. This is covered with a thin layer of dry vermiculite, followed by a few layers of aluminum foil. The jars are then sterilized in a pressure cooker or

boiling water bath. Note: This tek and the Improved PF Tek described in the next section are the only methods which make use of the boiling water bath. In fact, this is one of the advantages of the PF Tek method. You can proceed even without a pressure cooker. However, you’ll improve your results if you use a pressure cooker, should you have one at hand. After the jars are sterilized and allowed to cool, a layer of aluminum foil is removed and they are inoculated with spore water at several points around the top of the jar. The layer of foil is then replaced, and the jars are allowed to incubate in a dark, draft-free place with a suitable temperature. The spores then germinate to produce a mycelium, which colonizes the jar. Since the mass spore method is used, multiple strains result from inoculation and compete to colonize the substrate. This early competition usually results in a hardy fruiting strain. Occasionally, two or more strains will colonize portions of the substrate resulting in a multi-strain colony. After colonization, the rice cakes are knocked from the Mason jars and placed in a growing tray lined with moistened perlite. You’ll want to use either a clear terrarium or a relatively shallow growing tray that can be placed into a clear plastic bag. This is because the cakes should receive light along their length as well as the top. The cake will fruit from all areas of exposed mycelium, top and sides. Make sure that the growing chamber receives at least a few hours of light per day (8 is best) and that it is kept well-ventilated and humid. Within a few weeks, primordia will form and then shoot up into mushrooms ready for harvest. After harvesting, you’ll want to mist more regularly to replace water lost from the harvested mushrooms. In another couple of weeks, you should have another flush. This should continue for another few flushes, so long as you can avoid

contamination.

MATERIALS ½-pint canning jars with lids (Either tapered, or with the mouth as wide as the body. Ball or Kerr ½-pint jars are ideal.) Brown rice flour (Without preservatives. This can be easily found at health food stores. For higher yields, you can grind your own flour from organic wheat berries.) Vermiculite (Coarse-grained works best.) Large boiling pot or pressure cooker Measuring cup Aluminum foil Hammer and small nail Measuring cups and mixing bowl Spore syringe (See Chapter 9 for information on creating or obtaining spore syringes.)

PHASE I: STERILIZATION 1. Decide how many jars you will use. You will need a terrarium for the jars (or a clear plastic chamber to cover the growing container, or a large clear plastic bag, both with holes in them). Make sure that you have enough space to hold all of the colonized cakes. At the same time, it’s worth it to prepare a few extra in the event of contamination. 2. Prepare the lids of the jars by punching four small holes in each with hammer and nail. The holes should be placed at north, east, south and west about 1cm inward from the edge of the lid. Punch the holes down from the top so that sharp edges are not in contact with aluminum foil in later steps. 3. Measure 2/3 cup of vermiculite and ¼ cup of brown rice flour in a

clean mixing bowl for each jar. Mix well, and add ¼ cup of water for each jar. Mix thoroughly until the substrate is uniformly moist. 4. Fill the jars up to ½” from the top. Do not pack down. The jars colonize more quickly and are less prone to contamination when the substrate is loose. If you find that you run out of substrate before filling all of the jars, either mix more substrate or discard the remainder. It is important for inoculation purposes that all jars are filled to ½” from the top. 5. Clean all substrate material from the top ½” of the jar. Use a finger first and follow with a clean, moistened paper towel. Dry with another clean paper towel. This helps to prevent contamination. 6. Fill the remainder of the jar with pure vermiculite to act as a casing layer. Make sure the vermiculite is level with the top of the jar. The casing layer protects the substrate from contaminants while allowing gas exchange. 7. Place the lids onto the jars. If you use two-piece metal lids with rubber seals, you can orient the rubber seal upward against the lid so that the seal is not too tight. However, with the holes, this is not absolutely necessary. Cover the tops of the jars with a sheet of aluminum foil and crumple it around the top of the jar. This will prevent water from entering the jar through the holes during heating. If you have punched the holes upward from the bottom of the lid, be careful to prevent the sharp edges from ripping through the foil. If necessary, a second or third sheet of foil can be added.

8. Sterilize the jars either in a pressure cooker for 30 minutes at 15 psi or in a boiling water bath. In either case, make sure that the jars do not rest directly on the bottom. If you use a boiling water bath, place a wash cloth on the bottom of the pan and fill it halfway with water. Place the jars on the washcloth so that they do not rest directly on the bottom of the pot. Cover the pot with a lid and bring the water to a boil for one hour. Make sure that the jars do not float in the water.

PHASE II: INOCULATION 1. Remove from heat and allow the jars to cool to room temperature in the covered pot. 2. Remove the top layer of foil and set it (facedown) to the side. Heat the needle of the syringe until red hot and then allow it to cool. Shake the syringe to distribute the spores throughout the water. Insert through a hole and into the substrate mixture and against the edge of the glass. Inject a small amount (about ¼ ml) of spore solution. 3. Repeat this process through the three remaining holes. Replace the foil. Each jar should receive about 1ml (1cc) of spore solution. Repeat with all jars, sterilizing and shaking the needle between each. If you use a bit less than 1cc for each, then a single 10ml spore syringe can inoculate a dozen jars.

PHASE III: INCUBATION AND COLONIZATION 1. Place inoculated jars in a dark, draft-free place with a temperature that ranges from 75-85 degrees Fahrenheit. 2. Wait for complete colonization, inspecting the jars from time to time to make sure there are no signs of contamination. Discard any contaminated substrate well away from the working area. It may take as long as a month for the jar to become colonized. You will see the white mycelium grow until it surrounds all substrate particles and the entire jar shows white. If you’d like to speed the process up, you can shake the substrate after the mycelium begins to show and again after the jar is halfway colonized.

PHASE IV: FRUITING 1. After a jar has been completely colonized, unscrew the lid and remove the vermiculite, making sure not to gouge into the substrate. This is only to keep the growing chamber tidy, so you can leave the bits that are stuck to the colonized rice cake. 2. Turn the jar upside down and knock it onto a tabletop to slide out the cake. Be as gentle as possible. Usually, the cake shrinks slightly during colonization, so not too much force should be necessary. If you can knock it directly into your perlite-lined terrarium, this is best. If

not, make sure your hands are clean and the tabletop is sterilized. Use gloves if possible, and handle the cake as little and as gently as possible.

3. Make sure that the cakes are exposed to light and receive sufficient ventilation. Even a few minutes will be sufficient to trigger fruiting and show the mushrooms where to grow, but it’s best to have at least a couple of hours. You’ll also want to moisten the cakes lightly with a 0.3% solution of hydrogen peroxide a couple of times a day. Watch the perlite to make sure that it doesn’t dry out, and make sure that you don’t overwater. Primordia will begin to form from a few days to a week after the cake has been placed in the growing chamber. They will appear first as small projections about the size of a pin. The heads will then turn dark brown, and they will grow to the size of marbles. Next, they will unfurl and become more slender as they develop into young fruiting bodies. If it takes longer than a week and a half, then the conditions are a bit off. Check temperature, humidity, and light to make sure they are on point.

HARVESTING If the conditions are right, the cakes will steadily produce mushrooms. If they come in a flush, you can expect about 4-6 average-sized mushrooms per cake. They may also produce mushrooms one at a time, usually one per week. You can expect the same yield overall, whether they are produced individually or in flushes. The mushrooms are ready for harvest right before the veil breaks away from the stem. Avoid the temptation to allow them to grow too large. This won’t add much psilocybin to it, and it uses a lot more of the substrate nutrient. When harvesting, you will want to remove the stem as close as possible to the cake without touching or gouging it. Keep an eye out for contamination. If you notice any signs, remove the cake (gently!) and discard away from the working area. Also discard the cake when the mushroom production significantly slows or comes to a stop.

TROUBLESHOOTING Mushrooms will fruit from 75-85 degrees Fahrenheit. Mushrooms will grow faster at higher temperatures, but make sure that the temperature does not rise above 85 degrees or the cake will revert to a vegetative state. Below about 75

degrees, fruiting will not be triggered. If primordia do not form, but the cakes develop lots of fluffy mycelium on the surface, then the humidity is too high. Lower humidity and/or increase ventilation. If the primordia form, but have fuzzy mycelium growing on top, then humidity is too low. Mist more frequently and make sure the perlite is sufficiently moistened.

COSTS AND CONSIDERATIONS The very first time you cultivate with PF Tek, you may have to buy the jars, construct a growing chamber, get lights, etc. If you have to supply all necessary materials, then you’re looking at maybe $100 of initial investment. For subsequent efforts, you can produce cakes for as little as a few dollars – no more than the cost of the substrate (and maybe the spores). You can keep costs down by saving the syringe and creating your own spore water from spore prints, though this will require careful sterile techniques. Now, let’s look at the improved PF Tek. This method is even cheaper. Plus, the process is even simpler, and the (already minimal) risk of contamination is lowered even further.

IMPROVED PF TEK The "improved" PF Tek differs from the original in that the substrate remains in the jars. There is no need for a growing tray and much of the substrate is protected from contaminants throughout both incubation and fruiting. Plus, the mushrooms will fruit only from the top of the jar. The casing material is retained throughout the fruiting process, and both jar and casing layer reduce the need for ambient humidity. You may still want to make use of a perforated bag as a makeshift growing tent to further reduce risk of contamination. However, this process can be successful even without a growing tent. One result of this method as compared to the traditional PF Tek is that the mushrooms tend to have more regular shapes. They fruit from the horizontal surface of the jar and are uniformly oriented upward, unlike the PF Tek process which sometimes forces primordia to shift orientation after they have formed. The stems will tend to grow straight and tall and the fruiting will be clustered in a smaller area. The use of the casing layer also makes this method more similar to the more complex techniques previously described. The yield will not be negatively impacted by the reduction of exposed surface area. In fact, this tends to cause the fruiting to be concentrated into healthier individual specimens. Plus, you are more likely to get several flushes from each jar. To top it off, more of the fruits will appear at once, rather than individually. This lowers upkeep and results in more mushrooms harvested in a single flush.

MATERIALS 55 ml (about ¼ cup) organic brown rice flour per jar 140 ml (about ½ cup) vermiculite per jar (make sure to have some extra for the casing layer) Water 1/2-pint (about 250 ml) ½-pint Mason jars

Aluminum foil Spore-water syringe(s) (one 10cc syringe will inoculate 5-12 ½-pint jars) Alcohol lamp or butane lighter Rubbing alcohol Paper towels or cotton balls Notes: Organic brown rice flour is available at health food stores. You can also grind your own from organic brown rice using a mini coffee grinder or spice mill. This is higher-quality nutrition source and will improve the yield. Make sure the jars are tapered or straightsided, with the mouth as large as or larger than the base. Finally, tap water will work, but you can use bottled or distilled water for best results. This is essential if your water source is in any way suspect of contamination.

PHASE 1: STERILIZATION Note: The improved PF Tek, like the traditional, gives you the option of using a boiling water bath instead of a pressure cooker. This will work, but you can reduce risk of contamination even further with the use of a cooker. 1. Decide how many jars you will inoculate. This will depend on how much space you have and how much spore solution is available. A conservative estimate is one jar per 2ml of spore solution. You can do it with 1ml per jar, and even with slightly less. A single 10cc (10ml) spore syringe can be stretched as far as 12 ½-pint Mason jars. Feel into it and consider how much space you can devote to fruiting jars. 2. Place vermiculite in a clean mixing bowl, about ½ cup per jar. Take 5% (about a twentieth) of this out of the bowl and set aside.

3. Add water to the vermiculite while mixing. Continue until you see a bit of free-flowing water. 4. Place the reserved vermiculite into the mixture and blend thoroughly. This brings the vermiculite to “field capacity”. This is the maximum of water that vermiculite can hold. 4. Mix in the appropriate amount of organic brown rice flower (about ¼ cup per jar). Mix thoroughly so that all vermiculite is coated with flour. 5. Load the mixture loosely into your jars with a clean spoon, leaving about ½” (1cm) from the top. Do not pack it down. Leaving it loose will help it to colonize more quickly. 6. Clean the exposed portion of the jar, making sure no substrate remains. Use a damp paper towel to clean the inner surface, rim, and sides of the jar. Dry off any remaining liquid with a clean, dry paper towel. 7. Fill the top ½” with pure, dry vermiculite. Level the vermiculite with the top of the jar. Remember to use a painter’s mask when handling dry vermiculite. The vermiculite acts as a casing layer, creating a barrier for contaminants while permitting gas exchange. 8. Cover the mouth of the jar with 2-3 5” square pieces of foil. Crimp around the mouth and screw the lids onto the jars. (If you use lids, make sure that you have punched holes in them, just as with the PF Tek method. If you sterilize jars sealed with lids without holes, they will likely explode during heating.) You can do this tek without the lid, but it offers more protection from contaminants. 9. Sterilize the jars. You can either load them into the pressure cooker

and heat them for 45 minutes at 15 psi or use the boiling water bath. If you use a pressure cooker, stack the jars and make sure that they do not touch the bottom or sides. If you use the boiling water bath, place a washcloth on the bottom of the pot to make sure that the jars don’t touch the bottom. Place water in the pot up to halfway of the depth of the jars. Bring the pot to a boil. Cover with a lid and allow it to boil for an hour and a half. Check from time to time to make sure the water level does not drop. Add water if/when necessary. Finally (and from the start), make sure that the jars are seated firmly on the bottom of the pan, rather than floating in the water. 11. Turn off heat.

PHASE 2: INOCULATION. 1. Allow the jars to cool to room temperature in the pot or cooker. After they have cooled, bring them to your workspace. Make sure that you also have a lit alcohol lamp and spore syringe. 2. Remove lids from all the jars and loosen the top layer of foil. 3. The syringe will come supplied with a plastic cover. Remove this cover, and then hold the needle in the alcohol flame. Allow it to become red hot, and then remove it from the flame and allow it to cool. Remember to keep the plastic part of the syringe away from the flame. 4. Work one jar at a time. Remove top layer of foil and set it to the side, face down in your work area. Shake the syringe and insert the needle through the foil to inject the spore solution into the substrate at four points around the inner wall of the jar. You’ll see the solution run down the sides of the jar. Try for about 1-1.5ml of solution per jar.

You can use as little as .8 ml, but you may have to discard unlucky jars. Or, they could all be lucky and you’ll have a fully-stocked incubation area. Replace the foil after injection. 5. Repeat step 4 until all jars have been inoculated. 6. Mark all jars with relevant details and set them aside to incubate. (Remember to place them in a dark, warm, draft-free place. Incubation temperature should range from 75-85 degrees Fahrenheit.)

PHASE 3: INCUBATION If you live in a place that has ambient temperatures between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit, then incubation is a no-brainer. Just place the jars in a dark, draftfree enclosure, and you’re good to go. Monitor them, shaking once when the mycelium first starts to appear and a second time once the jars have been halfway colonized. Discard any jars that show signs of contamination well away from your workspace. If the ambient temperatures in your area are below this range, then you may need to build an incubator to make sure these conditions are maintained during colonization. The incubator will make sure your jar is colonized quickly, in lower temperatures. It’s fairly easy to create, and requires few materials. Here’s how to create a simple incubator:

MATERIALS 25-50-gallon plastic or Styrofoam cooler (can be found in your local grocery store or department store) 8-watt reptile heating mat (found in the reptile section of your local pet store) Adjustable thermostat controller (look for this at a hardware store) Air temperature thermometer (can be found at hardware stores and in scientific supply shops)

MAKING YOUR INCUBATOR 1. Link the thermometer, thermostat controller, and heating pad. 2. Place the heating pad on one side of the cooler, and place the thermometer into the cooler. Put the controller on the lowest setting. 3. Let the cooler warm up to about 80 degrees Fahrenheit. 4. Place the jars on the side of the cooler opposite the heating pad, as far as possible from the source of heat. 5. Adjust the thermostat based on ambient temperatures to maintain a constant temperature within the 75-85-degree Fahrenheit range. 6. Do not let the temperature rise above 85 degrees! If this is a possibility, try to place the incubator in a cool room like the basement. If you can’t do this, and your temperature is regularly above 85 degrees, then you may wish to pause the cultivation process until ambient temperatures are more conducive. Consider this before colonizing your jars.

PHASE 4: GERMINATION/COLONIZATION From a few days to a week after inoculation, if the conditions are on-point, you’ll see the mycelium begin to grow near the points of inoculation. It will appear as small white, fuzzy spots near where you injected the solution into the substrate. These will grow spherically for a week and a half to three weeks, at which point they will unite. Once the mycelium has grown throughout the substrate, the jar is fully colonized. You should see the white mycelium lining every bit of the inner surface of the jar.

CONTAMINATION Pure white means mycelial growth. Any funky colors mean that your jar has

been contaminated. Dispose of the jar if you see any signs of this. The biggest challenge is mold spores, and you will be able to see them easily due to their high pigmentation. They will look black, green, pink, or blue. Bacteria will look like sticky, wet blobs on the inner surface of the jar or bubbles around the substrate or against the inner surface. You’ll notice an off smell, sour or like rotten apples, with bacterial contamination. Do not try to rescue the jar. Dispose of the contents well away from your workspace and clean the jar thoroughly before further use. Wash your clothing and shower well before entering your workspace again.

PHASE 5: FRUITING Fun time! After the jars are colonized, it’s time to begin fruiting. And it’s super easy in this method. Just remove the lids and foil and place the jars where they receive light. The light source is not specific. Fluorescents, incandescent light from ambient electric lighting, a south-facing window, pretty much anything will do. Mushrooms don’t need much light, just enough to trigger the fruiting process. Since the mycelium uses light to direct the fruiting, it’s best if the light is confined to (or received most heavily by) the upper area of the jars. To make this happen, you can wrap the jars up to the rim with opaque paper or aluminum foil. You can also place them inside of a short section of cardboard tubing cut to the level of the rim. PREPARING THE JARS FOR FRUITING 1. Take lids and foil off of the jars. 2. You may see a few fans of mycelium penetrating the casing layer of vermiculite. Whether you see them or not, scratch the casing layer with a clean, sterilized fork, loosening the entire casing layer without

disturbing the substrate. Do this with all jars, sterilizing the fork with an alcohol flame between jars. If mycelium has grown into or through the casing layer, break it up and distribute it evenly throughout the vermiculite. 3. Mist the scratched casing layer with 0.3% hydrogen peroxide (1 part 3% peroxide with 9 parts water). Stop when you begin to see freeflowing water. The vermiculite will darken slightly as you do this. Repeat with each jar.

4. Wrap all jars or place them in prepared cardboard tubes. Put them in perforated clear plastic bags or clear plastic storage tubs with holes provided for gas exchange. 5. If you use an electric light on a timer, set it for 8 hours on, 16 hours off. If not, you can either place the jars where they will receive the light of the sun, or manually ensure that they have about 8 hours of light and full darkness in the remaining hours.

6. Keep the temperature between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit (Remember, this is only for P. cubensis). This is a bit lower than what is necessary for colonization, but the developing fungus will create some heat as it grows. 7. Mist once or twice a day with 0.3% hydrogen peroxide solution. This will provide for water needs while simultaneously helping to prevent contamination. Do not overwater. Watch the casing material as you’re misting. Should water begin to collect on top, stop immediately.

Primordia will begin to form from a few days to two weeks after the fruiting cycle has begun. Often, the pinheads will form in the casing layer, and will not be visible until they begin to emerge. When they do emerge, they will be beautiful little mushrooms, only needing a bit of time and water to swell into gorgeous specimens. This can happen seemingly overnight, but it will take a hefty amount of water from the colony in the process. After a harvest, you will have to replenish the water in order to have subsequent flushes. Remember that it’s best to mist lightly and often. Heavy watering can pack down the casing layer and make it difficult for the pinheads to penetrate it.

PHASE 6: HARVESTING As with all indoor growing methods, the best time to harvest is right before the partial veil breaks (the veil that protects the spores and holds them until the mushroom is ready to deliver them to the environment). The mushroom should still look like a ball on a stick, just beginning to expand when you harvest it. It will have stopped growing and the cap will have begun to widen. If you let it go on past that point, the cap will flatten until the veil breaks and the cap releases a cloud of spores. This can make a bit of a mess in your growing chamber, so avoid it unless you wish to make a spore print.

TROUBLESHOOTING The beautiful thing about this method is that there is little troubleshooting involved. If you keep on-point with temperature, make sure that the jars receive light on top, and keep them from drying out or becoming oversaturated, you’re good to go. Obviously, you’ll want to watch out for contamination, but less so than for any other tek, except perhaps the “Fast Food of the Gods” method described in the following section.

COSTS AND CONSIDERATIONS As should be evident from the description, the Improved PF Tek costs less than the traditional, and usually produces slightly higher yields. The main difference in cost comes from the fact that you do not need to invest in a terrarium or growing tray. The cakes are contained within Mason jars throughout the fruiting cycle, so if you live in climates with ambient temperatures between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit (and not hotter than 85 degrees), then you’re good to go, especially if your area has a high ambient humidity. The cost should be around $50 for your first batch, and then only the few dollars required for substrate for subsequent generations. I would highly recommend making your own spore syringes from the first flush. This eliminates the need

for buying spore prints online where you can be tracked. At the same time, it requires sterile culture techniques, so you may wish to create a glove box for this purpose. Don’t worry; it will be immensely helpful for later projects. Syringes are another issue. See Chapter 9 about obtaining syringes or simply move on to agar after the first batch.

FAST FOOD OF THE GODS METHOD Alright aspiring cultivators! Welcome to the absolute simplest tek you can find. You may ask why I didn’t place it first. Well, the thing is that it has some warnings associated with it, so you have to be extremely careful. Another downside is that it takes quite a large amount of inoculum to grow; 5-15ml, as opposed to the 1-2ml required for a PF Tek jar. Plus, you’re not going to learn very much from growing this way. But, if you just want to create a single batch, this might be the way to go.

This tek uses a single container and microwave. It has the least steps of any cultivation method, and you can inoculate the substrate with either spore solution or mycelium water. I have not described mycelium water in the sections above, but it’s a useful trick to have on hand. So, let’s take a look at how to create it:

MAKING MYCELIUM WATER 1. Using a sterilized syringe and distilled water, squirt a bit more water in a colonized grain jar than you plan to use. 2. Shake the jar back and forth a bit.

3. Pull the water back into the syringe. 4. Use this as soon as possible. There you have it. Mycelium water can be used to inoculate substrate, just as you would use a spore solution. It is neither the most effective nor the least prone to contamination. More like a quick and dirty method, really. However, that suits this particular tek. You may wish to mix a bit of peroxide into the mycelium water and swish it around before you use it. It will not harm the mycelium. However, it will help to destroy any other contaminants that have made their way into the solution. You can use mycelium water to inoculate agar or grain, and one of the benefits is that it will work with mediums prepared with peroxide.

MATERIALS Rubbermaid container (with cover) that fits into your microwave Spatula Distilled Water Vermiculite ¼ cup organic brown rice flour ½ tsp oyster shell powder ½ tsp dextrose ½ tsp trace minerals (Think calcium. Gypsum will work, as it is pH neutral and this recipe includes no acidic ingredients.) 500mg glycine Mycelium water or spore water Note: Almost all of these materials are available at health food stores and grocery stores. Dextrose can also be found in brewery shops or obtained from diabetic suppliers. Previous sections have given you tips on how to

obtain or create the mycelium or spore water (Chapter 9 and this Chapter).

PHASE I: STERILIZATION 1. Place vermiculite in the microwaveable Rubbermaid container (usually about 2 cups). 2. Add water to bring it to field capacity (usually about 1 cup). Mix with clean spatula while adding water. 3. Add all remaining dry ingredients while mixing. Continue mixing until all vermiculite particles are coated with dry ingredients. 4. Spread mix evenly over the bottom of the container. 5. Cover the mix with ½” to 1” dry vermiculite. (Wear a painter’s mask when handling dry vermiculite). 6. Sprinkle a bit more water over the surface of the mixture, and then microwave on high for 8 minutes with the top slightly off of the container. Note!!!!!!!: Fire Hazard! Not all microwaves are the same. Some people have completely ruined their microwaves or even started fires with this method. You must be careful. Stop the heating process if you see dry sparks. You may also wish to use finer vermiculite, as some have found that coarse vermiculite is a greater fire hazard. Watch it!

PHASE II: INOCULATION 1. Allow the container to cool to room temperature in the microwave. 2. Remove it and inoculate with 5-15ml of spore water or mycelium water. Give it several squirts of solution around the edges and along the middle.

Notes: Make sure that you have sterilized the needle of the syringe in an alcohol or lighter flame and allowed it to cool before inoculation. Don’t forget to shake the needle before injecting the solution. This will help to ensure an even distribution of spores or mycelial tissue within the solution.

PHASE III: INCUBATION AND FRUITING 1. Wrap the outside of the container with aluminum foil, leaving the top open. 2. Place the container where it receives at least a bit of ambient light, and let it do its thing. 3. Mist lightly with sterilized water when the casing layer appears dry. After fruiting begins, you can switch to 0.3% hydrogen peroxide. (Optional: you can place the container inside a perforated clear plastic bag to act as a grow tent. This will reduce the potential for contamination.)

PHASE IV: HARVESTING Harvest mushrooms just before the veil breaks. Fill holes in the casing layer with fresh, dry vermiculite. You may wish to check the container regularly for dryness in the casing layer or signs of contamination. However, for the most part, it should take care of itself. The author of this particular tek claims that these containers can flush for months. They also advocate placing sterilized cow dung and water in the container when the substrate looks like it is becoming exhausted. This is a tek I haven’t tried myself, but I include it for those who want to spend as little time, money, and attention on the cultivation process as possible, while still having the potential to harvest mushrooms. Give it a go, and get back with me. I’d love to

hear about your results. And PLEASE be careful with your microwave!

TROUBLESHOOTING The whole point of this particular tek is that it sidesteps the complicated stuff. Initial costs are minimal. Almost nothing, if you have an appropriate container in your kitchen. You must have either mycelial water or spore syringes. And, you have to have vermiculite. Finally, it’s not going to work well if your ambient temperatures are above or below optimal (75-85 degrees Fahrenheit). Basically, if your ambient temperatures are within this range and you have plenty of mushroom stems to make mycelial water, there are few downsides to this method. It’s great if you are working with a limited budget and with less than sterile conditions. Mycelial water also allows you to introduce peroxide to the substrate from the beginning, which will vastly increase the success of this particular approach. If you do use mycelial water, any misting you do should be with 0.3% hydrogen peroxide solution (1 part 3% hydrogen peroxide with 9 parts distilled water).

COSTS AND CONSIDERATIONS Costs are minimal. If you have the mycelium, vermiculite, and brown rice flour, this tek will cost you nothing. If you’re not careful with your microwave, it can cost you a new one and potentially costly repairs after a kitchen fire. Please be careful! Under the best of conditions, if you have the spore syringe or a colonized cake to make the mycelium water, this tek may cost a couple of dollars’ worth of substrate. Several buckets created in this manner can give you high returns from an extremely low investment. They can also breed a ridiculous number of contaminants and produce absolutely nothing but trouble. It may be worth a try, but know the risks beforehand.

PSILLY SIMON’S METHOD Here’s another method designed to sidestep the need for sterile culture technique. As mentioned in the introduction to this chapter, it can be found described in detail in the mushroom cultivation section of Erowid (https://erowid.org). This is an innovative technique, and one a bit different from those described above. Plus, it makes use of a makeshift glovebox in one of the sections, so it may be useful to aspiring growers for this alone. You will not have to make a proper sterile glovebox, but this method does make use of a cooler and a pressure canner. Psilly Simon’s Method can be considered a medium-complexity, medium-cost tek. It requires no more than $100 if you have to buy a pressure cooker and jars, and significantly less for the second round (again, little more than the price of substrates). It is also designed for a higher yield, though you’ll need the space to incubate and fruit.

MATERIALS Pressure cooker (find one that can manage 15 psi and hold at least 4 quart-sized jars) 12 quart-sized canning jars (wide mouthed with 2-part metal lids) Spore print(s) 1200ml organic whole grain rye (easily found at a health food store) 1 bag of substrate mix (plenty of options here: perlite, peat moss, or vermiculite) Styrofoam cooler (large enough to contain the jars you plan to inoculate) Transparent plastic panel (easily found at a hardware store, and easily cut with scissors) Lysol Ziploc bags (sandwich size) Tweezers X-acto knife (to be used as a scraper for spore prints) Antibacterial soap 1 gal distilled water Spray bottle with mist setting Aluminum foil Saran wrap Alcohol lamp, lighter, or mini torch for sterilization

PHASE I: PREPARATION AND STERILIZATION 1. Wash out the jars with your antibacterial soap. Do the same with the Styrofoam cooler, spray bottle, tweezers, plastic panel, and pressure cooker. 2. Place 100ml rye grains and 175ml distilled water in three jars.

Place lids upside down over the mouth of the jar. 3. Moisten substrate mix to field capacity (see procedure for improved PF Tek), and loosely fill a fourth jar with it. Screw the lids on loosely (or leave lids aside and crimp aluminum foil over the top). If the jars cannot release air, then they will explode in the pressure cooker. 4. Place jars in pressure cooker. Sterilize at 15 psi for 1 hour. Let the steam build before closing the pressure valve. Remove from heat after 1 hour and allow the jars to cool to room temperature before removing the jars. 5. Tighten the lid of the substrate mix jar and set aside. Shake the rye jars to loosen the grains. Repeat for as many jars as you would like to process, ensuring that you have one substrate mix jar for every three of organic whole grain rye. 6. Make sure you are clean and your workspace is sterilized (with Lysol in this tek, though alcohol should do the trick just fine).

PHASE II: INOCULATION 1. Sterilize the scraper and the tips of the tweezers in the flame until they are red hot. Allow them to cool. 2. Use the tweezers to open the bag and hold it open and the scraper to carefully collect some spores from the print. 3. Crack a jar open (avoid standing over it when you do this) and immediately transfer the spores to the inside of the jar. Close the lid of the jar and screw on tightly. Repeat with all jars. Close the bag containing the spore print as soon as possible. Note: the spore print is never removed from the bag. 4. Shake all jars to evenly distribute the spores. Loosen the lids

slightly (Important! If lids are too tight it will prevent gas exchange and the mycelia will die).

PHASE III: INCUBATION AND COLONIZATION 1. Place all jars in the Styrofoam cooler to incubate. This will take from 1-2 weeks, so long as you are in a place with ambient temperatures near 75-85 degrees. Avoid placing the cooler near a heater or air conditioner. If your ambient temperature is outside of this range, check the temperature in the cooler and adjust accordingly. 2. Shake the jars at about 5% and 50% colonization. If you notice signs of contamination, discard the contents well away from the workspace. Do not try to rescue it. It’s not worth it. Plus, you should have more jars than you need with this preparation. 3. Once the jars have been colonized, it is time to place 1.5”-2” of sterile substrate material on top of the grain as a casing layer. You have a couple of options here: a) Turn the cooler sideways with the grain and substrate jars inside. Wash hands and spoon with antibacterial soap. Line the inside of the cooler with Saran wrap. Spray the inside of

the lined cooler with Lysol or 10% bleach solution and cover the opening with Saran wrap. Allow it to settle for about 5 minutes. Cut two holes in it to fit your hands through. This forms a makeshift glovebox. Using a clean spoon, load sterilized substrate material on top of the grain to the desired depth (1.5”-2”). Wash or sterilize the spoon between jars. b) Remove the rye jars from the cooler and screw the lids tight. Wash the outsides of the jars and sterilize with Lysol. Do the same with all sterilized substrate jars. Unscrew and remove the screw portion of the lids of both rye jar and substrate mix jar, leaving the dome portion in place. Place the substrate mix jar upside down on top of the rye jar, making sure that the mouths of the two jars line up. Slide the dome parts of both jars partially to one side, allowing a bit of substrate mix to fall into the rye jar. Be careful not to let too much fall into the rye jar. Slide both dome parts closed and screw the rye jar lightly closed. Repeat this process for all jars. 4. Wrap aluminum foil around the jars covering everything except for the mouth. Remove the lid and place a Ziploc bag over the mouth. Do not close or band the bags. They should be loose around the top so that gases can enter and leave freely, but nothing can settle directly on the mouth of the jar. Later, you will hydrate the jars by poking the nozzle of the spray bottle upward past the outer edge of the bag. You can also facilitate gas exchange and provide ventilation by slowly moving the bag up and down. 5. Cut the plastic panel to fit the top of the cooler. Wash it. Sterilize it

with Lysol.

PHASE IV: FRUITING 1. Place the jars in the upright cooler and cover it with the plastic panel. Make sure to space the jars as far apart as possible to reduce the risk of spreading contamination, should it occur. 2. Spray distilled water (or 0.3% hydrogen peroxide) into each jar daily. Be careful not to overwater, and only lift the bag far enough as is necessary to allow the water to enter. Also, aerate bags slowly to reduce the amount of contaminant pulled in by the movement of air. Give the jars from 8-13 hours of ambient light. Electric light is fine. Avoid direct sunlight, as this can cause overheating. If small bits of mycelium grow through the soil, spray them just a small bit to knock them back (be careful not to overwater the casing soil, as this will cause it to pack down). 3. Examine the jars daily and watch out for mold. Discard any jars that show signs of contaminant. If you do find a contaminated jar, carefully examine the adjacent jars. Remove all jars from the cooler, wash the outsides with antibacterial soap and spray with Lysol. Change the foil and wash out the cooler with antibacterial soap and Lysol before replacing the jars. Note: This tek provides the first flush at about 2-3 weeks after you have added the casing mixture. The jars will continue to fruit for 1.52 months. Once you notice a primordium, it should mature into a mushroom ready for harvest in about a week. Use caution when harvesting. Take the mushroom by the base of the stalk with sterilized tweezers and wiggle it out. Fill any holes with casing soil.

TROUBLESHOOTING

This tek is fairly self-explanatory when it comes to the problems you might encounter and how to deal with them. The only thing which is not addressed by the creator is the fact that some regions will not have an ambient temperature suitable for incubation. If you are using P. cubensis, this concern is minimized, but you may still need to adjust temperatures to fall within the 75-85-degree range. Aside from this, just make sure that you don’t screw the lids on tightly during incubation. This will prevent gas exchange and cause your mycelium to die. Finally, do not overwater! With this method, ventilation is at a minimum. This is great to keep the jars humid. However, if there is too much water, they will rot. Err on the side of caution. And do not forget to move the bag (slowly) up and down over the jar a few times every day. This is the only thing that allows sufficient ventilation to the jar. You may also wish to use a 0.3% hydrogen peroxide solution for all watering, just to provide an additional measure against risk of contamination.

COSTS AND CONSIDERATIONS After reading the previous chapters and teks, it will be evident to you that this is a low-tech and rather sloppy method. However, it will do the job, and it’s rather inexpensive. Even after buying the cooler, jars, substrate material, sheet of plastic, and spore print, the cost should only come to about $60. If you buy a pressure cooker for the purpose of this method, the cost will be raised to about $100. For subsequent batches, you will need to purchase only substrate material and spore print. In all honesty, a single spore print should be enough for at least two of these batches, and you can always make another from the first flush. Plus, if you have purchased the jars and pressure cooker for this batch, they will be helpful for a number of other methods as you continue your cultivation journey. So, really, if you choose to gather the materials for cultivation anyway, the cost

for experimenting with this tek along the way drops to close to nothing.

INDOOR CULTIVATION: FINAL WORDS There’s nothing quite like the feeling you get when you harvest the first flush of mushrooms that you have cultivated yourself. Just like gardening brings you closer to your plants, mushroom cultivation gives you a greater appreciation for the mushroom. Soon, you’ll want to expand your growing area and try out more complicated (and more efficient!) teks. After you’ve done one or two of these, you’ll be itching to innovate with some of the techniques described in previous chapters. Unfortunately, some mushrooms simply can’t be cultivated inside, at least with the techniques we have thus far discovered. Wood-loving Psilocybes are delightful creatures. They are extremely potent and a delight to work with. But they do not respond as well to indoor cultivation. And, if you are in a place that doesn’t drop below about 45 degrees Fahrenheit for at least a few months a year, they might not be an option for you at all. However, if you are in a cooler place, you can set up beds outdoors and let nature do most of the work for you. Chapter 15 will explore all the details you will need to create outdoor beds of potent wood-loving Psilocybes that produce flushes year after year. In the following chapters, we’ll explore advanced techniques for cultivation.

PART III

ADVANCED CULTIVATION

INTRODUCTION After exploring some of the basic growing teks, you’ll be familiar with the stages of the process, and you should be able to plan your own approach to cultivation. Regardless of the method, the steps remain the same: Sterilization and preparation of the growing chambers and materials, inoculation, incubation and colonization, growing, fruiting, and harvesting. Each of the following chapters deals with an aspect of advanced cultivation. Chapter 11 addresses working with agar, which is ideal for germinating spores, isolating culture lines, and storing culture lines for short periods. Chapter 11 also explores long-term cultivation with paper pellets. Chapter 12 reviews the details of colonization. Spawn is colonized substrate. It can be used either for fruiting or for colonizing further substrate to expand spawn volume. This will be done with grain, both for indoor growing and for the primary spawn used in outdoor growing. Once a sufficient volume of spawn is generated, it can be used as a fruiting substrate. For fruiting, all that’s required is to place the spawn in a growing chamber and cover it with a casing layer. Chapter 13 reviews the options for creating a fruiting chamber and tending your colony during the growth period. Chapter 14 explores the creation of a casing layer. Inoculation and the creation of spawn is the same for indoor and outdoor growing. Chapter 15 will explore all the adjustments necessary to adapt the generation of spawn and the fruiting process to outdoor cultivation. The final chapters of this part explore problems and prevention, the legality of cultivation, and additional resources which may be helpful in the cultivation journey. With the techniques offered here, you should be able to plan and carry out any

cultivation style you prefer, tailoring it to your needs and resources.

CHAPTER 11. ADVANCED TECHNIQUES – WORKING WITH AGAR PREPARING A MYA (MALT YEAST AGAR) MEDIUM INGREDIENTS PROCEDURE PREPARING A REVITALIZATION AGAR MEDIUM INGREDIENTS PROCEDURE TRANSFERS AND STORAGE FOR AGAR CULTURES AGAR SPORE GERMINATION CARDBOARD DISC SPORE GERMINATION MATERIALS PROCEDURE TISSUE TRANSFERS (CLONING) MATERIALS PROCEDURE SUBCULTURING (AGAR TO AGAR TRANSFERS) MATERIALS PROCEDURE CONTAMINATION LONG-TERM STRAIN STORAGE MATERIALS PROCEDURE

CHAPTER 11. ADVANCED TECHNIQUES –WORKING WITH AGAR Agar is a polysaccharide derived from algae. It comes in a semisolid form which liquefies as it is heated. This liquid can then be poured into a petri dish to cool, creating a semisolid layer. Agar contains no nutritional value, but nutrients can be mixed with it to support the culture. A common choice is a mixture of malt and yeast extracts. However, pretty much any nutritional source can be combined with agar medium. Agar medium is very versatile and can be stored for quite a while without a loss of viability. However, it demands excellent sterile culture technique. This culture method is best if you have a bit of experience, but there are a number of advantages to it. Because the agar medium is flat and relatively dense, the culture will spread out two-dimensionally. This makes it easy to identify any contaminants. In addition, agar cultures can be cloned from the mycelium of a parent mushroom with desired characteristics. This allows the grower to isolate a single culture line. It can even be transferred from one plate to another, creating successive generations. However, cultures will undergo senescence if transferred a number of times between plates with the same medium. Senescence is a loss of viability. In essence, the culture growth will slow down and stop altogether. Senescent cultures fruit poorly if at all. However, this can be avoided by varying the composition of the medium. This challenges the fungus to produce different sets of enzymes, essentially exercising it and encouraging it to stay healthy. The medium can be easily varied by adding small amounts of grain flour to each

plate, and rotating the type of flour added. From time to time, it will also be helpful to introduce an entirely different source of nutrition to your medium. This new nutrition source can be literally anything. Peanut butter, jam, soybeans, paper pellets, anything more complex than simple sugars. Go for cellulose, starches, and complex sugars. The culture may grow slowly under such unfamiliar conditions. However, their growth will then explode when transferred once again to a typical nutrition source. A recipe for the “revitalization” agar medium is provided below. Another method for avoiding senescence is to reduce the number of transfers made from one plate to the next. Therefore, it is best to culture several plates from a desired line and store extras until you are prepared to use them. This will allow you to preserve and make use of a line for quite some time. Plus, when your plates begin to run out, you can use them to grow a new monoculture batch and re-isolate the strain from the mycelium. Remember, batches grown from spores will be genetically different from the parent mushroom, while those grown from the mycelium will be clones.

PREPARING A MYA (MALT YEAST AGAR) MEDIUM The MYA medium is suitable for typical, healthy cultures. This recipe produces approximately 1L of agar medium, which is sufficient for 20-30 100mm standard petri dishes.

INGREDIENTS 1L tap water 22g agar 12g light malt extract 5g hardwood sawdust or wood fuel pellets 1g yeast extract ¼ tsp organic grain flour (rotate between millet, rye, cornmeal, oats, rice, amaranth, wheat, or any other starch or sugar) 8ml 3% Hydrogen Peroxide (Optional, to be used only for agar cultures intended for mycelial cultures. Reminder: Hydrogen peroxide will kill spore inoculations!)

PROCEDURE 1. Combine all dry ingredients in a bottle, followed by the water. The jar should be 1.5 to 2 times the volume of the medium. This will prevent it from boiling over. You will want to plug the mouth of the jar with cotton. Then, wrap the neck and opening with aluminum foil. (Do not add hydrogen peroxide at this stage. It will be broken down by heat.) 2. Place the bottle in the pressure cooker. If you intend to use peroxide, wrap a couple of pipettes in aluminum foil and place them in the pressure cooker as well. 3. Sterilize in the pressure cooker at 15psi for 30 minutes. This will

also liquefy the agar solution. Be careful not to allow the solution to heat for longer than 45 minutes. This will caramelize the sugars, making them unsuitable for fungal nutrition. 4. Let the pressure cooker cool and come to normal pressure. Remove the jar and pipettes carefully, bringing them to a glove box or flow hood. Be careful! It will be hot! You will want to use several paper towels as a potholder. 5. If you choose to add hydrogen peroxide, wait until the jar, though still quite warm, can be comfortably handled. Add the peroxide with a pipette. Swirl gentle a few times in one direction, then the other. Do not swirl too quickly, or you will create bubbles, which will then end up in your agar plates. 6. Open and remove the plastic sleeves of the petri dish stacks. Save the sleeves right side up on the working area. Work with stacks of ten at a time. Lift the lid of the bottom dish, and pour in it just as much medium as needed to cover the bottom completely. Replace the lid, and then lift the lid of the next one in the stack, repeating the process. Continue until they are all filled, and stack them. Pour gently to avoid bubbles, and leave any solid particles in the bottom of the flask. Do the same with any other sleeves you are preparing. 7. If the solution begins to harden as you pour, it will be helpful to keep the jar in a shallow pot of hot water when you are not pouring. 8. When all dishes are filled and stacked in columns, replace the columns in their sleeves. This will help the plates to cool evenly and prevent condensation, which could become a vector for contamination. 9. Let the plates cool overnight.

10. If you’re working with peroxide plates, you can leave them out in stacks of 2 or 3 beneath a sheet of clean waxed paper to allow all condensation to evaporate. Replace in their sleeves once they have cooled somewhat. 11. Tape the sleeves closed with clear packing tape, and store agar side up.

PREPARING A REVITALIZATION AGAR MEDIUM The revitalization agar medium is helpful for bringing cultures back from senescence after several plate-to-plate transfers.

INGREDIENTS 20g of any starch, sugar, or cellulose 22g agar 1L tap water 8ml 3% Hydrogen peroxide (This medium is for plate-to-plate mycelium transfers, so hydrogen peroxide is recommended. Add after sterilization and cooling.)

PROCEDURE 1. If necessary, grind material to a powder or puree material with water in a blender. 2. Follow the instructions above for the MYA agar.



TRANSFERS AND STORAGE FOR AGAR CULTURES When transferring mycelium from one plate to another, it’s best to use peroxide plates, as this will reduce the chance of contamination. Lift the lid for as short a time as possible, and hold it directly above the dish. You may also wish to do this in a glove box or beneath a hood. Give the new culture a day or two to grow onto the new plate. Then, turn them upside down and store at room temperature with agar side up. Wrap the edges with Parafilm, and keep away from excess heat or moisture. Cultures should be allowed to incubate in a draft-free area with temperatures from 75-85 degrees. If your home is not this temperature, you may wish to create an incubation box to maintain this temperature range.

AGAR SPORE GERMINATION To germinate spores on agar medium from spore prints, follow the same instructions as you would for creating spore syringes. The only difference is that the spore-laden inoculation loop is swiped through the agar instead of through water. You’ll need your spore print, alcohol flame for sterilization, inoculation loop, Parafilm (for sealing the dish), and a peroxide-free agar Petri dish. Remember, peroxide will kill your spores. Bring the materials under the glove box or hood after wiping your work area down with alcohol. Light the alcohol flame. Heat the inoculation loop until it is red hot. Open the Petri dish slightly and cool the loop in the agar. Then, dip the agar-coated loop to the spore print to collect some spores. Finally, streak the loop across the agar in an “s” shape. Close the dish and seal with parafilm. Store upside down. An alternative method is to use a spore syringe. Simply open the dish and inject the agar with about 1ml of spore solution at three or four points around the dish. Replace lid and allow the culture to develop for a day or two before storing upside down. The loop method is preferable, as it will not introduce water to your dish. Both methods are processes of mass spore inoculation, as they provide a large number of spores into your medium.

CARDBOARD DISC SPORE GERMINATION This is an elegant and highly effective method. It will also work with peroxide plates, as you are germinating spores onto small discs of cardboard before placing them in the Petri dish. Since the mycelium is already beginning to develop by this time, the peroxide is harmless to it.

MATERIALS Spore print(s) Screw-capped vials or test tubes (2 or 3 per spore print) Cardboard discs (3-5 per test tube. They should be the size of a holepunch, and the material from the back of notebooks will work just fine) ½-pint Mason jar and lid Malt-yeast solution (1tsp malt, tiny pinch of yeast, 100ml water) Alcohol lamp Tweezers Eyedropper or pipette Parafilm Peroxide agar plates

PROCEDURE 1. Place all cardboard discs in your ½-pt jar. Add 1-2ml water and seal. Place 5-10 drops of malt-yeast solution into each test tube and seal lightly. Place tubes and jar in pressure cooker and sterilize at 45psi for 15 minutes. Allow to cool. 2. Bring all materials into your glove box or under the flow hood. (After wiping it down with alcohol to sterilize it, of course.) Open the spore print.

3. Light the alcohol and heat the tweezers, then allow them to cool. 4. Open the jar. Remove one disc with the tweezers and cover the jar. 5. Touch the edge of the disc lightly to the spore print. You should see a few of the black spores sticking to the disc. 6. Open one test tube and drop the disc into the bottom. Repeat until each test tube contains 3-5 discs. Remember, you’ll want at least 2 tubes per spore print. 7. Seal the tubes with Parafilm and label them. Incubate at 75-85 degrees Fahrenheit until you see that the mycelium has colonized the discs. This may take a day or two. 8. Once the discs are colonized, transfer a few from each test tube to individual peroxide-containing agar plates. Incubate the plates in a draft-free space with temperatures from 75-85 degrees Fahrenheit until you are ready to use them.

TISSUE TRANSFERS (CLONING) Cloning is one of the most exciting things we can do with mushroom cultivation, and, given the versatility of fungi, it’s easier than you might imagine. All you have to do is place a small internal piece of a stipe on a peroxide agar plate. Literally. That’s it. Incubate the plate, and the stem will revert to mycelium and culture the plate. This is a straight tissue transfer from one fruiting body, and it’s called cloning because the resulting culture will be genetically identical with the parent mushroom. This is an incredibly simple way to isolate a culture line. All you have to do is find a particularly impressive fruiting body and follow this process. Next thing you know, you’ll have a single culture that you can use to colonize substrate and begin growing flushes. To find a desirable culture, look for specimens that fruit densely and early and that produce large fruits with a healthy appearance. This will increase the likelihood that the resulting culture provides consistent, abundant fruitings.

MATERIALS Alcohol Alcohol lamp Cotton balls or paper towel Mushroom(s) Petri dishes (with peroxide) Scalpel

PROCEDURE 1. Harvest the mushroom and remove any remaining casing material away from your workspace. If you are using mushrooms provided by others, this will not be necessary, but you should use them as soon as

possible. 2. Your glove box, hood, or working area should already be wiped down with alcohol. Bring the mushroom to your workspace and wipe the outer surface of the stem down with a cotton ball soaked with alcohol. 3. Sterilize the scalpel. Hold the mushroom at the base of the stem. Squeeze it slightly and either split it lengthwise along the centerline with pressure or use the scalpel to cut it open. Split it all the way through the cap if you can. Avoid touching the area you plan to use for culturing with the scalpel, as this may introduce contaminants from the mushroom’s surface. 4. Remember to sterilize the scalpel again after each use. 5. Prepare your Petri dishes. Cut a piece of mycelium 3-8mm square from the thickest part of the stem. Make sure that the scalpel does not penetrate all the way through the mushroom to the unsterilized outer surface. Stab it with the tip of the scalpel and place it into the center of the dish, then cover it. (If the portion of the mycelium sticks to the blade, slice through it into the agar. 6. Repeat this process until you have loaded all plates with pieces of mycelium. Try to make at least three plates per mushroom. 7. Seal the plates with Parafilm. Store them upright at temperatures from 75-85 degrees Fahrenheit. After a couple of days (once the mycelium has begun growing into the agar), turn the plates upside down for storage. Use an incubator if necessary. Growth will begin within a few days to a week. You’ll see the tissue sample become fuzzy at first. This happens when the cells begin to divide. Next, the

mycelium will fan out to colonize the plate. The original tissue may still hold contaminants, so you will want to subculture the plate once the colony has taken hold. This allows you to use clean mycelium from the new growth.

SUBCULTURING (AGAR TO AGAR TRANSFERS) Subculturing is useful to obtain a pure, healthy strain from a tissue sample and for creating successive generations from an agar culture. You simple cut out a healthy piece of mycelium and place it in the center of the new plate. When doing so, take pieces of the agar at least 1cm from the original tissue and the outer edge of the agar plate. Both the original tissue and the edge of the plate can harbor contaminants. Use peroxide plates and place the colonized agar section facedown. This will sandwich the mycelium between two layers of peroxide-impregnated agar and destroy any contaminants hiding on the mycelial surface. It will also promote rapid colonization of the fresh plate. In some instances, you will see two cultures growing on a single plate. This is called sectoring. You will want to select the healthiest-looking culture for transfer. Avoid wispy or slow-growing cultures, and choose those that appear dense, with thick rhizomorphic growth.

MATERIALS Agar cultures Alcohol lamp Parafilm Scalpel Sterile, peroxide agar plates

PROCEDURE 1. Wipe your workspace down with alcohol and bring your materials into the space. 2. Remove the Parafilm from the culture and the fresh Petri dish.

3. Heat the blade of the scalpel in the alcohol lamp, and then cool it in the sterile agar plate. 4. Lift the lid of the culture plate slightly and cut as many ½-1cm wedges or squares as needed. 5. Remove the lid of the culture plate, and lift and slide the lid of the clean plate to the side. Spear a portion of inoculated agar and place it face down on the center of the new plate. Replace the new lid. Repeat until all plates contain mycelium-impregnated agar. Replace the lid of the original culture. 6. Repeat with any other cultures you are transferring at this time. 7. Seal and mark all plates. Store upside down and incubate, either in an incubator or at room temperature (if your room temperature is between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit). The inoculated agar will stick to the fresh agar, so you don’t need to leave these plates face up prior to storage.

CONTAMINATION As is emphasized above, contamination is your greatest challenge in mushroom cultivation. You’ll come across it from time to time, no matter how careful you are. It’s easy to spot on agar plates. If you see it, dispose of the plate. If you absolutely must try to save the plate, then remove the culture and transfer it to a fresh plate instead of trying to cut away the contaminant. Because mold spores are hardy and abundant, you may have to do this several times before you have a clean culture. It helps, when you find contamination, to know where it’s coming from. If the plates become contaminated prior to inoculation, they have not been sterilized properly, the sterile technique in pouring the agar solution is lacking, or you haven’t included enough peroxide in the agar solution. If it happens at the edges of the plate, it’s likely that unsterile air has been pulled in while the plate cooled. Let the agar cool enough before pouring and place it immediately in the plastic sleeve. If the contamination comes from the inoculation point, then the culture, knife, or inoculation loop has introduced contaminants to the plate. Heat tools until they are red hot before using them, and examine the culture carefully before transfers. Finally, bacterial colonies will look slimy, shiny, and translucent. The colors will tend to be yellow, pink, or white. They thrive in moisture, so they are often introduced from the condensation on the lids during cooling. Let the agar cool enough before pouring, allow the dish to cool slowly, place it immediately in the plastic sleeve, and store agar-side down to reduce the likelihood of bacterial contamination.

LONG-TERM STRAIN STORAGE Agar cultures can die unexpectedly. So, if you want to store a strong line, you’ll want to create a master culture that you can keep in long-term cold storage. The best way to do this is to inoculate paper pellets in a small-capped glass vial. These can then be stored in a refrigerator in a Ziploc bag. The cold temperatures will send them into suspended animation. When you are ready to reanimate them, you can allow them to return to room temperature for 48 hours and then culture them onto a new plate. If you are storing for years, then culture them to a new plate every year or two, and then return them to paper pellets in a vial, Ziploc, and refrigerator.

MATERIALS Agar plates Funnel Paper pellet cat litter Tap water Test tubes or glass vials with screw top (½-pint Mason jars can be used if necessary)

PROCEDURE 1. Moisten paper pellets fully. 2. Load the moistened pellets into the tubes until they are about 1/3 to ½ full. Remove any medium from the outside of the tubes and seal them loosely. 3. Sterilize the tubes in a pressure cooker for 30 minutes at 15psi. Store tubes or vials in a rack. If using jars, they can be stacked. 4. Allow the cooker to cool and return to atmospheric pressure.

Transfer contents to sterilized glove box or hood. 5. With each vial, flame the mouth and place a small piece of colonized agar within. Hold the tube horizontally and place the wedge against the wall of the tube. Seal it, and then shake it down against the pellets. 6. Wrap tubes with Parafilm, mark appropriately, and incubate. 7. Once the vial is fully colonized, seal it in a Ziploc bag or Tupperware container and refrigerate.

RETRIEVING CULTURES FROM STORAGE Retrieval is simple. Just remove the container from the refrigerator and allow it to warm to room temperature for 48 hours or so. Place some of the inoculated pellets on a fresh agar plate under sterile conditions. A peroxide plate can be used for this.

CHAPTER 12. ADVANCED TECHNIQUES – WORKING WITH GRAIN GRAIN SPAWN PREPARATION GRAIN SPAWN RECIPES INGREDIENTS PER QUART OR LITER JAR INGREDIENTS PER GALLON OR 2 LITER JAR INGREDIENTS PER 8”X4” SPAWN BAG PROCEDURE AGAR-TO-GRAIN TRANSFERS MATERIALS PROCEDURE SYRINGE INOCULATION OF GRAIN INOCULATION INCUBATION SHAKING AND COLONIZATION CONTAMINATION ON GRAIN GRAIN-TO-GRAIN TRANSFERS BAGS AND OTHER LARGE SPAWN CONTAINERS LOADING AND STERILIZING GRAIN BAGS INOCULATING GRAIN BAGS

CHAPTER 12. ADVANCED TECHNIQUES –WORKING WITH GRAIN Whole grain is the universal substrate for all mushroom species. Whether you’re using dung-loving or wood-loving mushrooms, growing inside or outside, you’ll want to know how to work with grain to make sure that you can make your primary spawn. Primary spawn is easily-colonized substrate which can be used to inoculate the appropriate fruiting medium. So, here are the methods for working with grain primary and secondary substrate, in all the ways that you will need from the simplest to the most complex cultivation methods.

GRAIN SPAWN PREPARATION When it’s time to transfer your agar to grain, you’ll want to prepare a mix that can separate easily to allow the grain to colonize and quickly. You also want a buffered mix with the right pH to promote mycelial growth. You can get this by adding small amounts of calcium carbonate as a buffer and calcium sulfate to prevent the kernels from sticking together. Plus, these compounds will provide calcium to the growing mycelium. To prepare your grain, boil it briefly and then allow it to soak overnight in hot water. Drain it, load it in your containers, and then sterilize it in the pressure cooker. By soaking the grain, you will allow bacterial endospores to germinate prior to sterilization. This will make them vulnerable to sterilization. Remember to use large-kernelled grain to prevent the grains from sticking together. White winter wheat is recommended, as this often produces excellent results and tends to have few bacterial endospores. However, you can also use millet, corn, rye, and other varieties of wheat.

GRAIN SPAWN RECIPES The right mix of grain spawn is extremely helpful to ensure that you create a healthy substrate. Here are a few recipes for different volumes of grain:

INGREDIENTS PER QUART OR LITER JAR Dry grain – 1 cup/250ml (2.5 cups/750ml cooked) CaCO3 – 1/4tsp/1g Ca2SO4 – 1/4tsp/1g 3% H2O2 – 6ml 15 psi Sterilization Time – 90min

INGREDIENTS PER GALLON OR 2 LITER JAR Dry grain – 2.5 cups/375ml (6 cups/950ml cooked) CaCO3 – 1/2tsp/2g Ca2SO4 – 1/2tsp/2g 3% H2O2 – 12ml 15 psi Sterilization Time – 90min

INGREDIENTS PER 8”X4” SPAWN BAG Dry Grain – 7-10 cups/1.75-2.5L (7.5-25 cups/5-6L cooked) CaCO3 – 2tsp/8g Ca2SO4 – 2tsp/8g 3% H2O2 – 80ml 15 psi Sterilization Time – 2.5hr

PROCEDURE 1. The grain will be about 2-3 times the volume once it cooks, so make sure your pot is large enough. Fill with twice the volume of water as

the amount of cooked grain you wish. Bring the pot to a boil. Pour in dry grain. Bring pot to a rolling boil once again. 2. Turn off the burner after 10 minutes. Allow the pot to sit, covered, for 8-16 hours. The grain will be nearly double in volume. A grain should be soft on the inside when crushed between the fingers. 3. Drain the grain well. If it’s sticky, then rinse several times in cold water and drain well after completing the rinse stage. 4. Load grain into containers. Add calcium carbonate and calcium sulfate. Seal the containers and shake them well. Load them into the pressure cooker, leaving space between the containers. If you plan to add peroxide, place foil-wrapped pipettes in the pressure cooker as well. 5. Sterilize for the indicated time. 6. Allow jars to cool completely before using, overnight if necessary. Leave them inside the sealed pressure cooker until ready to inoculate.

AGAR-TO-GRAIN TRANSFERS You can use agar cultures to inoculate small quantities of grain. These can then either be fruited or used to inoculate larger containers of grain. As many as 6 jars can be inoculated with a single agar culture. You’ll want to add 6ml peroxide for every 2-3 cups of cooked grain.

MATERIALS 3% H202 Agar culture Alcohol lamp Sterile 10ml pipette or measuring spoon Sterilized grain jars Scalpel

PROCEDURE 1. Bring all jars from the pressure cooker to the glove box or flow hood. 2. Loosen the cap of each jar. Lifting the lid of each jar slightly, pipette or measure the indicated volume of H202 into it and replace the lid with your other hand. Seal jar tightly. Repeat with all jars. 3. Shake all jars to separate grains and distribute the peroxide. Then shake the grains to one side, leaving a steep slope. Loosen each lid fully but do not remove it. Replace each jar back on the work area without disturbing the grain. 5. Sterilize your knife and either cool it in a blank agar plate or allow it to cool gradually.

6. Open the culture plate. Cut the culture into wedges or squares, making sure that you have at least two for every jar. Avoid cutting into the original parent culture. 7. Place one wedge or square into each jar, closing the plate between transfers. Try to get the sample mycelium down at the bottom of the slope of grain. 8. After inoculating all jars, tighten the lids and knock them gently until the grain is level and the mycelium is completely covered. Don’t shake the jars until the mycelium has taken hold. 10. Label the jars and store them in an incubation chamber or at room temperature at 75-85 degrees Fahrenheit.

SYRINGE INOCULATION OF GRAIN PF-style spore water syringes can also be used to inoculate grain. If you plan to do this then you must omit hydrogen peroxide from the mixture. Here’s the process:

INOCULATION 1. Sterilized the jars and allow them to cool to room temperature. Transfer them to the glove box or flow hood. 2. Loosen the lid of each jar without removing. 3. Remove cover from the syringe. Wipe the needle with an alcoholsoaked cotton ball. Hold the tip of the needle in the flame of your lamp until it begins to glow red. Allow it to cool for a few seconds before you use it. 4. Open one jar at a time momentarily to inject a few ml of spore suspension. 5. Seal the jars. Shake them and incubate them.

INCUBATION As your jars are large and irregularly shaped, you may not have enough space for them all in an incubator. If room temperature is not between 65-80 degrees Fahrenheit, you may have to build a few incubators. The culture will grow a bit slower at lower temperatures, but it will grow so long as your area is draft-free and within this range. If you do build incubators, the goal should be to create these conditions. Mushroom mycelium will give off heat as it grows. In a quart jar, there’s often enough activity to raise the temperature several degrees, so it’s better to be on

the lower end of the temperature range. Don’t place the jars where they will be exposed to temperatures over 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

SHAKING AND COLONIZATION While your grain jars are incubating, they should be shaken a few times to help them to become colonized quickly and evenly. It should take from a few days to a week for the mycelium to begin colonizing the grain from the agar. It will spread in an expanding sphere. Once this reaches about an inch, the jar is ready to be shaken the first time. This breaks up the mycelium and spreads it around the jar, allowing it to grow from more points at once. Once the jar is about half colonized it should be shaken once more. Often, this means once in the first week of incubation and once in the second. As the mycelium colonizes the grain more fully, the grains will become more tightly bound together. Because of this, it might take a bit more force to shake the jar sufficiently to redistribute the mycelium. Be careful! Heating the jars for sterilization can produce invisible stress fractures. Jars may unexpectedly break when you strike them. To avoid injury, you can knock the jar against a partially used roll of duct tape placed on a table or a thick towel placed upon a pillow. Don’t worry if you can’t see any mycelium after the first time the jar is shaken. However, a day or two afterwards you’ll see colonization spreading from multiple points. When the mycelium has fully colonized the jar, it will be completely white. The mycelium will have surrounded all kernels of grain, leaving none exposed.

CONTAMINATION ON GRAIN You’ll want to keep an eye on your jars after you’ve shaken them. If the mycelium recovers slowly, or doesn’t recover at all, this is a sign of potential bacterial contamination. You may also see other signs of contaminants within a few to several days. Look for bubbles or wet spots on the inside of the jar or surrounding the grains. Watch out for sour, fermented odors or a rotten apple smell. You can detect this by sniffing the filter disc. Mold contaminants are easy to spot, as the spores tend to be highly pigmented. If you find a contaminated container, get it away from the other jars as soon as you can. Don’t open the jar in your workspace, as this can release a cloud of billions of mold spores. You might even go as far as pressure-cooking the jar before you dispose of the contaminated grain. Get rid of the grain and clean the jar in a remote location. Make sure that your clothing is laundered and you shower prior to returning to your workspace.

GRAIN-TO-GRAIN TRANSFERS The colonized grain should be used without delay, as viability can decrease after about a week. You can do this in one of two ways: fruit the substrate or use it to inoculate secondary spawn. The second option allows you to expand the spawn to a larger volume. A single quart jar can inoculate up to ten fresh jars of the same size or four large spawn bags. You can do the same with the next generation, though it is best to do so no more than three times to avoid senescence. Bear in mind that direct fruiting of the primary substrate works well for P. cubensis, but is not ideal for many other species. Choose the best specimens for your transfers. These will be the ones that show strong, fast growth without any hints of contaminants. Uncolonized grains or wet spots are caution signs, so avoid specimens with these indicators. Shake the jar one final time and give it one to two days to incubate. This will help you to spot hidden contaminants prior to transfer. Healthy cultures will have fully recovered within two days after shaking. Sterilize the fresh grain jars or spawn bags and add the appropriate volume of 3% hydrogen peroxide. (6ml per 2-3 cups of substrate.) Pour the colonized grain into the new jars, dividing it evenly between them. Then seal the jars and shake them. They can then be labeled and incubated.

BAGS AND OTHER LARGE SPAWN CONTAINERS Spawn bags are ideal for creating larger quantities of grain. These bags can be sterilized and reused. One standard-size spawn bag can hold nearly ten quarts of substrate. Plus, they fit more easily in a pressure cooker than large numbers of jars. Another benefit of a spawn bag is its flexibility. The contents can be broken up and examined by simply manipulating the bag. This makes it easy to redistribute the growing mycelium and check for contaminants. Your spawn bags will be more successful if you use a large amount of inoculum, or basically a good ratio of inoculated grain to fresh grain. This helps the substrate in the spawn bag to become colonized more quickly and lowers the likelihood of contamination. A good rule of thumb is to use at least a cup of colonized grain per bag. Do not use agar to inoculate a spawn bag, as it will not colonize the grain quickly enough to avoid contamination. You should use a glove box or hood when inoculating spawn bags. Peroxide should be used as well. This can be a tedious process if you use a glove box, as the large size of grain bags makes it difficult to work with more than one at a time. Flow hoods are ideal. After filling the bags, seal the mouths with an impulse sealer. Make two or three passes with 2-3mm between them. Excess moisture should be avoided in larger containers. The grain will not colonize quickly enough to absorb it, so it will lead to contamination. Because of this, large volumes of substrate require more gypsum and calcium carbonate. The proper amounts are given in the ingredients listed above for larger quantities of substrate. You should also avoid overcooking the grain. This is why soaking is recommended rather than boiling. Drain it completely before loading the bags. You’ll want the grain almost dry to the touch.

LOADING AND STERILIZING GRAIN BAGS

Once the bags have been filled, you will want to press out all remaining air. Then, fold the upper part of the bag under it when placing it into the pressure cooker. Leave the filter patch facing out and make sure that the bags do not touch the sides of the pressure cooker. Layer them so that the filters all remain exposed and so that you have as much space as possible between bags. Place a graduated cylinder (for the hydrogen peroxide) in the pressure cooker along with the bags. Put a good amount of water in the pressure cooker, and cook at 15 psi for 2.5 hours.

INOCULATING GRAIN BAGS 1. Allow the bags to cool in the pressure cooker, and then move them to the workspace. Measure out 80ml hydrogen peroxide. Open one bag, pour in the hydrogen peroxide, and fold it closed it once more. Shake up the bag to distribute the peroxide throughout the substrate, and then leave it closed on the workspace. Repeat with all bags. 2. Shake up the colonized jar to break up the mycelium. Open one bag, pour in the desired amount of cultured grain, and fold back the flap. Repeat with all bags. 3. Seal the mouth of each bag with an impulse sealer, using two to three passes with 2-3mm between them. 4. Shake each bag thoroughly and label it. Then, allow all bags to incubate. Remember that growing mycelial cultures generate heat. Larger containers can produce quite a bit of heat, so you’ll want to be careful not to allow the culture to overheat while it’s incubating. Keep the bags in a cooler space, in temperatures that range from 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure that the bags do not touch one another. Keep about 4” between them so that air can circulate. If necessary, you can use a fan to help dissipate heat.

CHAPTER 13. ADVANCED TECHNIQUES – FRUITING CONTAINERS FRUITING TRAYS HUMIDITY TENTS HUMIDITY LEVELS LIGHTING

CHAPTER 13. ADVANCED TECHNIQUES – FRUITING CONTAINERS While every part of the cultivation process is rewarding, fruiting is when it gets the most exciting. This is when you can finally start to taste the fruits of your labors. But first, the colony must be placed in a fruiting container and provided suitable fruiting conditions. These include the right levels of humidity, light, and gas exchange, as well as protection from contaminants.

FRUITING TRAYS There are plenty of options when it comes to the growing container. The ideal size will depend on the amount of substrate you’re working with. For smaller amounts, you’ll want to line the container with 2-3” of substrate. Larger volumes can require as much as 6” of depth. Look for a container no more than twice the depth of the substrate. If the container is taller, then it will require holes to permit effective gas exchange. If you use the container as the fruiting chamber it will require a translucent lid so that it can retain humidity and allow light in. The container should be opaque and dark-colored so that light only reaches the surface of the casing. This will promote fruiting upward through the casing layer. The container should also be rigid enough to hold the substrate in place. You can get excellent results from a shallow, opaque container placed inside a moist, well-lit fruiting chamber. The simplest chamber is a clear plastic bag with small holes for gas exchange. You can then place it near a window that gets sun through the day. A more complicated solution, but one which will support more colonies, is a sealed shelf unit supplied with a humidifier and fluorescent lights. Two easy solutions for growing trays are plastic dishwashing tubs and plastic bus bins. Standard plastic dishwashing tubs are 11.5”x13.5” and 5” deep. They will hold one standard spawn bag of grain or 4 8-quart jars and they are readily available at kitchen supply stores or hardware stores. Plastic bus bins are 15”x20” and 7” deep. They are excellent for larger volumes of spawn and can be found in restaurant supply warehouses.

HUMIDITY TENTS After a growing container has been lined with substrate and casing material, it must be kept in a humid environment. For most mushroom species, humidity must be kept between 90% and 100% to promote fruiting. P. cubensis is easier to work with in this regard, as it will happily fruit with humidity levels as low as 70%. The great part about this is that P. cubensis does not require a humidity tent. Just keep the growing container in a small enclosure and make sure that the casing layer is kept moist. To make a small humidity tent for a single growing container, simply place the container in a clear plastic bag with holes in the top and sides. Tie the mouth of the bag shut, and make sure there are 4-5 holes per square foot. Perforated bags for this purpose can be found at mushroom supply shops. You can also make your own easily. Remove the bag when misting. This will make sure that the colony receives enough oxygen and the carbon dioxide can dissipate. You’ll also want to make sure the bags are large enough for your mushrooms, which can grow to as much as 8” above the casing material. As an alternative, you can use a clear storage tub. Invert it over the growing container and drill holes in the sides. Another alternative is to use a four-tiered growing rack. Both of these methods are suitable for larger growing containers. These can be found online and in garden supply catalogues as grow racks. They contain either three or four tiers and include a clear plastic tent for retaining moisture. Many smaller containers or a single bus bin can fit on a shelf, and the tiers have plenty of space between them for your growing mushrooms. If you add lights and a timer, you’ve got a self-contained mushroom fruiting chamber.

HUMIDITY LEVELS One key to maintaining humidity levels is to match the size of the humidity chamber to the size of the growing chamber. So, small fruiting chambers should be kept in bags, while larger fruiting chambers are kept within larger bags or clear plastic tubs. If you have many large containers, enclosed grow racks are ideal. If the humidity chamber is not too large, you’ll only need to mist your colony once or twice a day. So long as the casing material is well-hydrated, it will deliver sufficient moisture to the air to support fruiting. However, if the air in your area is quite dry, it may be necessary to use a humidifier. Look for an impeller-style humidifier, as this doesn’t use heat and won’t raise the temperature of your growing chamber. They can be placed on a shelf if you use a grow rack, and you can find them easily at department stores and pharmacies. Make sure to place a large tray beneath the rack to collect any moisture that condenses onto the tent and falls to the floor. Make sure that the tray is emptied and cleaned often so that it does not become a source of mold.

LIGHTING Lights are necessary to promote fruiting, but mushrooms don’t need them in the same way that plants do. The light is a signal that it’s time to fruit and shows the fungus where to direct mushroom growth. What this means is that you won’t need expensive grow lights, or even a huge amount of light. Short daily periods will be enough, and if you have enough light to see well, then mushrooms will grow. For PF Tek jars, all you need is a south-facing window or regular electric lighting. This goes for a single tub as well. However, if you use a grow rack, then you’ll want to supply a lighting system. Make sure to mount it outside the chamber so you won’t raise the temperature. If the chamber is quite large, you may need to mount a few lights in different places so that all colonies receive light. 15-20 watt compact fluorescent bulbs work well. They produce little heat and are energy efficient. It’s also best to use timers set to provide light for eight hours a day.

CHAPTER 14. THE CASING LAYER CASING MATERIAL COMPONENTS MAKING YOUR CASING MATERIAL PURE VERMICULITE CASING MATERIAL PEAT MOSS CASING MATERIAL 50/50 MIX CASING MATERIAL PROCEDURE STERILIZING YOUR CASING MATERIAL OVERLAY SCRATCHING CASING CONTAMINATION

CHAPTER 14. THE CASING LAYER The casing layer is a layer of non-nutritive soil which is placed over the substrate. It is extremely important for mushroom cultivation. The casing soil holds water to help keep the colony hydrated and wicks humidity into the air around it, creating a humid microenvironment. It both absorbs and releases water, helping the substrate beneath it to maintain optimal conditions. This reduces the likelihood of both oversaturation and drying out. Another benefit is that you can determine the water level of the colony by examining the casing material, whereas the substrate itself can be harder to read. Finally, the casing layer provides the colonized substrate protection from contaminants. It is so vital to your mushroom cultivation that most species won’t fruit abundantly without it.

CASING MATERIAL COMPONENTS Often, casing soil is composed of peat moss, vermiculite, gypsum, and calcium carbonate. Peat moss and vermiculite are excellent at holding water, which is the primary function of the casing material. Gypsum helps to keep the casing layer loose, making it easier for gas exchange to occur and for mushrooms to break the surface. It also supplies calcium to the growing mushrooms. Calcium carbonate is used as a buffer to reduce acidity. This is important for three reasons: 1. Mushrooms grow best in slightly alkaline conditions. 2. Fungi release acidic compounds as they grow. 3. Bacteria tend to thrive in acidic conditions. Peat moss is acidic already, so if you include it in your casing material, keep this in mind and include slightly more calcium carbonate. Vermiculite tends to work better than peat moss. It’s created with a high-heat process and is inorganic. This makes it extremely resistant to contamination and clean enough to use without sterilization. Plus, its lack of nutritive value makes overlay unlikely. Overlay is a process where the mycelium overgrows the casing layer, and it is described in more detail below. Should you use vermiculite, be careful when handling it dry. It has very fine dust which can be harmful when inhaled. Use a painter’s dust mask when it is dry. When it is moistened, it no longer releases dust. Another common element in casing soil is “water crystals”. These aren’t absolutely necessary, but they are extremely effective at absorbing water and releasing it slowly into the substrate. Remember, when the mushrooms fruit and are harvested, quite a bit of water is being removed from the system. An extremely small amount of water crystals can help to prevent your colony from drying out after producing flushes. Water crystals come in two varieties: sodium-based and potassium-based. Make

sure to get the potassium-based crystals, as high levels of sodium are harmful for your colony. One final note – water crystals degrade when heated, so they must be added after sterilization or pasteurization, should you choose to do so.

MAKING YOUR CASING MATERIAL Here are three recipes for casing soil. They are all fairly simple and make use of things you have on hand for other aspects of the cultivation process. All of them are suitable for P. cubensis and for most mushrooms that you will cultivate indoors. Personally, though, I’d recommend the pure vermiculite mix. It’s simple, effective, and the particles are large enough to be easily cleaned from the stems of harvested mushrooms. It’s not necessary to be extremely precise with regard to the proportions, so long as the mix holds water well and covers the substrate completely. The recipes are given for parts by volume.

PURE VERMICULITE CASING MATERIAL 10 parts vermiculite (coarse) ½ part gypsum (Ca2S04) ½ part chalk (CaC03)

PEAT MOSS CASING MATERIAL 10 parts peat moss ½ part gypsum (Ca2S04) ½ part chalk (CaC03)

50/50 MIX CASING MATERIAL 5 parts peat moss 5 parts vermiculite (coarse) ½ part gypsum (Ca2S04) ½ part chalk (CaC03) Though it’s not absolutely necessary, ½ tsp of water crystals per quart or liter can be added to any of the recipes above. Remember that they must be added after heating. When processing the mix, make sure that your tools, containers, and workspace are as clean. Use gloves as well, just to take all possible measures to eliminate any chance of contamination.

PROCEDURE 1. Sterilize a container with alcohol. Place all ingredients in the container and mix thoroughly, keeping a tenth of the mixture in reserve. 2. Add water to the mixture until it reaches saturation. The mixture is ready when you first see unabsorbed water. 3. Add the reserved mixture to the container. Mix thoroughly once more. Test the mixture for hydration by squeezing a handful to see if only a few drops of water are released. This is “field capacity” for moisture. 4. Sterilize the casing material if desired. Allow it to cool, and then test to make sure it remains sufficiently hydrated. Add water if necessary. 5. If you choose to use water crystals, add them now.

6. Pour the casing layer over the substrate. Keep the layer even and don’t pack it down. The goal is to have a layer between ½-1” with an open, airy structure. After you’ve added the casing material, you’ll want to place the container under fruiting conditions without delay. Mist lightly with 0.3% hydrogen peroxide solution. (This can be made easily by mixing one part 3% hydrogen peroxide with nine parts water.) It’s best to use a hand sprayer set to mist as fine as possible. The colony won’t need much water during the casing phase (prior to emergence of the fruits.) Mist one or two times a day to make up for evaporation loss. Mist softly so that the casing layer is not disturbed, and make sure not to soak it too much at once, as this will cause the casing material to pack down. When the mycelium starts to poke through the layer, add a bit more casing material in those areas. This will help the fruiting to happen as evenly as possible. Remember to use a clean spoon when handling casing material.

STERILIZING YOUR CASING MATERIAL It is not absolutely necessary to sterilize the casing material if the materials are kept clean from the beginning. If you do choose to treat the material for contaminants prior to use, there are a few options. The first is to use the microwave. After preparing and moistening the material, place it in a large Ziploc bag or oven bag. Microwave it on high for 15 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, and then microwave on high again for another 15 minutes. Make sure that you leave the bag open so that it doesn’t burst when heated. The second option is to use a conventional oven. Simply bake the prepared material at 3500 degrees for two hours. Allow it to cool before use. Add a bit more water if necessary, to bring the moisture levels up to field capacity. The third option is to sterilize it in a pressure cooker at 15 psi for 45 minutes.

OVERLAY Overlay, as mentioned above, is when the mycelium overgrows the casing layer and begins to grow on top of it. This can seal the substrate and prevent it from getting oxygen and water. If it does, then it will cause the death of the mycelium beneath. Overlay happens if you wait too long before fruiting or if the air is too humid and warm. Fruiting is triggered when the mycelium senses light and a drop in moisture and temperature. With too much warmth and humidity in the growing space, the fruiting phase will not be triggered, and the vegetative growth will overtake the casing layer. To avoid overlay, place the container under lights immediately after placing the casing material. Mist it lightly and regularly, and make sure that it has plenty of ventilation. Most importantly, make sure that the growing area is not overheated. When working with P. cubensis, aim for about 75 degrees Fahrenheit (about 20 degrees Celsius). If your ambient temperatures are high, it can be helpful to use fans, both to dissipate heat and to remove excess humidity. And, if you have just a small amount of overlay, you can head it off by adding a bit more casing layer to the affected area. But you’ll want to watch out to make sure that the overlay doesn’t become so extensive as to seal off the lower mycelium.

SCRATCHING For the most part, you want to avoid touching or manipulating the casing layer. However, if overlay does occur, you can rescue the colony by scratching the surface. To do this, sterilize a clean metal fork with rubbing alcohol and use it to scratch the casing down to the substrate layer. Avoid touching the casing material with your hands. Scratch the entire surface of the casing material, loosening the whole layer. Mist the container and return it to the fruiting chamber. If you must repeat the process with another container, sterilize the fork between containers. This will reduce the risk of spreading potential contaminants. Scratching is most successful when it is done as soon as you notice signs of overlay. This ensures that there is as little as possible contamination-prone dead mycelial material in the casing material.

CASING CONTAMINATION The casing material is designed to have a very low risk of contamination. However, the risk cannot be eliminated completely. In addition, the mycelium itself is less resistant, so after a few flushes, the potential for contamination increases. If you notice signs early on, the problem probably lies in the substrate, so it’s best to discard the container. This lowers the risk of spreading it to other containers. Casing materials are prone to contamination from one particular source: Dactylium dendroides or cobweb mold. This mold looks like points of fine white fuzz and appears on top of the casing layer. If left unattended, it will cover over the entire layer. It can also spread easily to other containers, so you’ll want to discard any affected containers as soon as you notice it. When the mycelium first begins to poke through the casing layer, it can be mistaken for cobweb mold. However, the mycelium grows through the layer rather than growing on top of it. Plus, the mushroom mycelium thickens, while the cobweb mold remains wispy. The key to preventing cobweb mold is to make sure your container has adequate ventilation and to avoid excessive humidity. You can lower the risk further by sterilizing the casing material prior to placement.

CHAPTER 15. ADVANCED TECHNIQUES – OUTDOOR GROWING TEMPERATURE REQUIREMENTS ABOUT WOODY SUBSTRATES SPORE GERMINATION (SEE CHAPTER 11) CLONING (SEE CHAPTER 11) AGAR CULTURING/STRAIN SELECTION PF TEK ADAPTED FOR WOOD-LOVERS GRAIN SPAWN WOOD-BASED PRIMARY (STERILIZED) SPAWN WOOD CHIPS SPIRAL-GROOVED DOWELS SAWDUST TIMING SPAWN RATES PREPARING WOOD-BASED PRIMARY SPAWN PROCEDURE CONTAMINATION HYDROGEN PEROXIDE AND WOOD-LOVERS SECONDARY (NON-STERILIZED) SPAWN CREATING SECONDARY SPAWN BED LOCATION

CONTAINMENT AND SUBSTRATE DEPTH FRUITING SUBSTRATE CREATING THE BED INCUBATION CASING & COMPANION PLANTING FRUITING WINTER DORMANCY RESTORING DEPLETED BEDS OUTDOOR ("NATURALIZED") SPAWN TRANSFERS STEM-BUTT AND CARDBOARD SPAWN FINAL WORDS ON WOOD-LOVERS

CHAPTER 15. ADVANCED TECHNIQUES – OUTDOOR GROWING Hands down, outdoor cultivation is awesome. If you establish a healthy bed, it will produce every year until the substrate is exhausted. And, if you tend it well, you can add additional substrate to keep it healthy for pretty much forever. Plus, it’s all but invisible between flushes. People can walk by your mushroom bed most of the year and notice nothing more than a mulched or grassy area. If you plant your mushroom bed next to a shrub like a rhododendron, it looks exactly like the innocent mulch beds normally surrounding shrubs. Outdoor mushroom beds require hardly any maintenance aside from a little watering during the hottest months of the year. The preferred substrate for outdoor cultivation is woodchips. You can spread the bed by taking some of the inoculated substrate and using it as spawn for a new bed. Wood-loving ‘shrooms are also less prone to contamination, as only very specific molds and bacteria can colonize lignin-containing materials. For novice cultivators, the best species to work with is P. azurescens, unless there are other wood-lovers native to your area and readily available. The initial stages of outdoor cultivation are exactly the same as those for indoor cultivation. Inoculation and the creation of primary spawn follow the same steps, with the same substrates. It’s ideal to germinate the spores on cardboard disks, culture them on agar plates, and use sterile grain to create primary spawn. This spawn can then be used to inoculate wood-based secondary spawn. Outdoor beds often require a large amount of secondary spawn to create a sufficiently large bed. So, you may need to take a bit of time to expand the

secondary spawn to a sufficient volume. The difference is that you don’t really need to use peroxide in the process, and a sterile technique is not quite as important. This is because wood-based substrates are naturally much more resistant to contamination. However, peroxide can be included if you would like an extra measure of protection. The final detail is that you will want to choose your moments for planting the bed. Summer is not ideal, as mold and bacteria are most active when it’s warmer, and they will compete with the Psilocybe mycelium. You will want to plant in the early spring so that the substrate can become fully colonized and protect itself from competitors before winter dormancy sets in. You’ll also want to keep the bed well-hydrated during the summer months to prevent overheating and die-off.

TEMPERATURE REQUIREMENTS Fruiting for P. azurescens and other wood-loving species will only be triggered if the temperatures drop to the mid-40’s and remain there for two or three months a year. In the northern parts of the U.S., this happens from mid-October to early winter. You’ll then get a flush of potent wood-lovers once every couple of weeks. This means that you’ll want to be prepared for drying and curing during the winter months. When it becomes too cold, the mycelium will become dormant. However, it will come back to life as the temperatures rise again. The beautiful thing about this is that you are likely to get another flush or two in the late winter or early spring before the mycelium goes vegetative once more.

ABOUT WOODY SUBSTRATES One of the important details about wood substrates is that they should be composed of material derived primarily from hardwoods. Aromatic softwoods will work only if they have been processed so that their aromatic components are removed. This means that paper products will support wood-loving species for colonization and the creation of spawn. Colonization can also be successful on sterilized grain or a range of other woody and non-woody materials. These species are more particular when fruiting, and respond well only to hardwood, often in the form of a mixture of wood chips and sawdust. One of the really cool things about working with wood-based substrates is that they are far more resistant to bacteria and mold. Most of the time, you won’t even need to sterilize them prior to use. This is because wood contains high amounts of lignin, a molecule with highly stable bonds that can only be broken down by a few organisms. Only certain species of fungi can break lignin down, which means that wood-loving Psilocybes have relatively few competitors. These species are known as “lignicolous”, and the substrates which they can break down are considered “selective” for these organisms. While the selective quality of the medium makes contamination far less of an issue, wood-loving species have a downside as well. They pretty much need to be outside and exposed to wild conditions to be healthy. It is possible to create pure cultures. However, they are less hardy than those which are found in nature. Natural conditions exercise the organism, forcing it to develop the sets of enzymes that allow it to grow under a wide range of conditions. Isolated cultures from the lab will grow only under particular conditions. Those harvested from the wild fruit more abundantly, and actually survive better in challenging conditions surrounded by plenty of competitors. Despite this, if you are beginning your outdoor bed, you will often be working

with a culture you have established from a spore print. This means that you will move from spores to germination on cardboard disks to agar. Next, you’ll create primary spawn on grain and use it to inoculate sterilized wood. Finally, this will be used as spawn to inoculate larger volumes of secondary spawn until you are ready to establish the outdoor bed. If, however, you live in a place where you can find healthy natural beds of wood-loving ‘shrooms, you’re better off using the established wild mycelium to inoculate a new bed. This will also work if you have a friend who has already developed an outdoor bed. If this is the case, no sterile techniques are required. All you have to do is dig up a bit of the mycelium and transfer it to a bed you have prepared with hardwood chips. It will then do its thing pretty much naturally. This is described in further detail near the end of the chapter.

SPORE GERMINATION (SEE CHAPTER 11) The best choices for germinating wood-loving spores are the cardboard disc method and streaking spores on agar plates without peroxide. Once they have been germinated with either method, you will want to transfer them to peroxide agar plates. Portions of the cultured peroxide plates can then be used to inoculate spawn. If you intend to store them for long periods, they can be transferred to vials with paper pellets for cold storage.

CLONING (SEE CHAPTER 11) If you have access to fresh mushrooms, whether they have been cultivated or grown in the wild, then you can clone them onto peroxided agar plates. This allows you to select a healthy robust specimen and isolate a strong strain. A low-tech option for cloning is to sandwich the stems of fresh wood-loving mushrooms between moistened layers of cardboard. The mycelium will colonize the cardboard, and it can then be used to inoculate wood chips. This is another way to sidestep sterile techniques, and it is described more fully later in the chapter.

AGAR CULTURING/STRAIN SELECTION In many cases, you’ll need to start from spores. This means that you’ll need to create multi-strain cultures. These species are extremely difficult to fruit indoors, so it is difficult to isolate a single healthy strain unless you can obtain a healthy specimen from the outdoors and clone it. It is important to avoid transfers unless they are absolutely necessary, as each transfer will reduce the number of strains in a culture. To have as many strains as possible in your culture (and thus raise the chances that it includes a hardy strain), you’ll want to culture on agar soon after germination, and then transfer to grain as a primary substrate. Grain can be shaken easily, and this will help to redistribute the genetic contents and maintain diversity. The primary substrate can then be used to inoculate a woody secondary substrate.

PF TEK ADAPTED FOR WOOD-LOVERS Another option is available if you have spore syringes or create spore syringes from spore prints. The PF Tek method can be used to germinate wood-loving species exactly as you would P. cubensis. This produces a multi-strain culture. One ½-pint cake can then be used to inoculate a bag of prepared wood chips. After the grain jar is colonized, place the cakes in a bag of wood chips prepared as described in the section below on transferring cultures from grain to wood. Press out excess air and impulse-seal the bag. Then, break up the cake by manipulating it through the bag (Be careful not to puncture the bag). Shake it up to distribute the mycelium evenly. This is an excellent method for preserving the maximum number of healthy strains, as it basically eliminates culture transfers.

GRAIN SPAWN Wood-loving species can be used to create jars of grain spawn using the same methods described in Chapter 12 for P. cubensis.

WOOD-BASED PRIMARY (STERILIZED) SPAWN While the first step in generating wood-loving spawn uses grain, the faster you can transfer it to a wood-based substrate, the better success you will have with your outdoor cultivation. Remember, wood-based substrates are selective for lignicolous species, so your mycelium has less potential contamination as soon as you make the switch. This means that you should use your grain jars to inoculate jars or bags of wood as soon as they are colonized. In the Psilocybin Mushroom Handbook by Nicholas and Ogamé, they offer a useful distinction between primary spawn, secondary spawn and fruiting substrates which I will incorporate in this explanation. When a small amount of woody material is colonized from grain, it can be considered primary spawn. When this spawn is used to generate larger volumes of spawn, the resulting colonized substrate can be referred to as secondary spawn. Secondary spawn does not require sterilization because of the selectivity of woody materials. Finally, the fruiting substrate is exactly the same as the secondary spawn except that it is being used to fruit instead of generate more spawn.

WOOD CHIPS Not all woods are equally suitable for use as spawn or substrates. Deciduous trees are best. You may have success with conifers (pine, fir, etc.), but they are not ideal. Soft deciduous woods (e.g. poplar and alder) allow the fungus to colonize more rapidly, while hardwoods (e.g. maple and oak) take longer to colonize, but last longer and are more resistant to contamination. This means that soft woods are excellent for establishing a bed quickly, while hardwoods are ideal for providing long-lasting nutrients once a bed has been established. You can also use a mix of soft woods and hardwoods. This produces a blend that will colonize quickly and last for a long time with a minimum of maintenance.

Aside from those listed above, suitable woods include ash, yew, aspen, dogwood, hickory, beech, walnut, elm, cottonwood, birch, eucalyptus, and maple. This is not a comprehensive list, but you’ll want to test small amounts of other (untested) woods before you use them to create an entire bed. If the mycelium colonizes them readily, it’s a good bet that it will fruit on them as well. There are a number of ways to obtain wood chips for your cultivation. If you have a wood chipper and access to a wooded area with suitable trees, you can harvest medium-sized branches and chip them yourself. Remember to honor the area. You can use fallen branches, or, if necessary, cut off branches or even saplings. Let the larger trees do their thing. Wood for substrates is best harvested in late winter or early spring. The sugar content of the wood is highest at this time of year and the branches are often devoid of leaves. If there are leaves, you will need to strip them before chipping the wood to keep your substrate from rotting. You can harvest wood at other times, but it is less ideal and you have more leaves to eliminate before chipping. Freshly chipped wood can be obtained from parks or highway departments, often free. However, you’ll have less control over the species and whether or not the chips include leaves. If you can, let them know the deal and have them chip the wood after the leaves have fallen; this might work. Otherwise, hardwood chips for wood smokers and barbecues can be bought online or found in grocery stores, hardware stores, or grilling supply stores. If you buy online, you may need to do so in bulk and you’ll likely have to foot for shipping costs. If you work with freshly-cut chips from relatively green wood, they can be used after a brief soak. Dried wood chips must be soaked for longer prior to use. You’ll know that they are ready when they fall to the bottom of the container of water. This can take anywhere from 12 to 48 hours, depending on the size of the chips. Small amounts for primary spawn can be simmered in water until they

fall to the bottom of the pot, and then drained well before use.

SPIRAL-GROOVED DOWELS Spiral-grooved dowels are best used to create primary spawn. You’ll want to go for those that are 1”-2” long and ¼”-5/16” in diameter. Furniture-joining pegs will do the trick, and they can be found in hardware stores or from woodworking suppliers. They are most commonly made of birch. These are ideal for inoculating logs. If you choose to use them for this purpose, drill ¼” holes in the log about ½” deep and pound the colonized pegs into the holes. The mycelium will then inoculate the log.

SAWDUST Substrates composed of larger particles (more than ¼” in diameter) provide a longer-lasting source of nutrition for wood-loving Psilocybes and are more resistant to contamination. However, they take a while to colonize and can tend to dry out. Substrates formed only of smaller particles are easier and faster to colonize. However, they can become stuck together or waterlogged and are more prone to contamination. Primary spawn should be formed from wood chips or dowels alone, as it is produced in limited amounts and under controlled circumstances. Plus, the risk of contamination is lowered by using only harder and larger particles. However, one pro tip for creating a successful secondary substrate is to use a mix of different-sized particles. This ensures that the substrate lasts a long time, is colonized easily, and is permeable to both air and water. If you obtain your mix from a wood chipper, you’ll have a fair blend of large and small particles. If you buy the chips online or from a store, then they will tend to be uniformly larger. This means that they require the addition of finer materials. Sawdust is perfect for adding a fine material to larger wood chips, and it can be obtained in the form of hardwood pellet fuel. The pellets are

subjected to high heat during manufacture, effectively sterilizing them. Once you soak them in warm water, they will break down once again into sawdust form. Since sawdust is more prone to contaminants, you will want to choose varieties made from hardwoods. Sawdust is moistened to field capacity when it holds its shape when squeezed and releases only a few drops of water.

TIMING Wood-loving Psilocybes, as you may have noticed, work a bit differently than P. cubensis and other dung-lovers. They prefer temperatures between 40 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. So, it’s best to establish your bed in the early spring after you no longer have to be concerned about frosts. This lets the mycelium grow for a few months before it becomes hot enough to make it go dormant. While it grows, it can colonize the bed, reducing the risk of contamination. After the summer heat passes, it will come alive again and grow for another couple of months to prepare for fruiting season. The key is to have enough secondary spawn when the early spring comes. It will take up to two weeks to germinate the spores, one month to produce primary spawn, and up to two months to generate sufficient secondary spawn. This means that you will need 2 to 4 months to get ready to establish your bed, so you’ll want to begin germination in January. The next best option is to plant in the late summer after the hottest times have passed. The downside of this is that the bed may not have colonized completely enough prior to winter dormancy to fruit in the first year. If you plant during the summer when the temperatures climb above 75 degrees, the bed will not colonize fully before the mycelium goes dormant. This leaves it vulnerable to wood-loving contaminants, and many of these contaminants grow well in warmer conditions. So, beds planted in the summer often fail and are consumed by other organisms. However, you can store primary spawn for up to a year in the refrigerator. It will go dormant, but remain viable. It can then be used to create secondary spawn beginning in November, giving you plenty of time to generate sufficient secondary spawn for a January planting.

SPAWN RATES The spawn rate is the ratio of inoculated to fresh substrate. The higher the spawn rate, the quicker the fresh substrate will be colonized. You can have success with a spawn rate as low as 10%, but this leaves your bed vulnerable as the rate of colonization is low. It’s best to go for at least 20%. That’s 1 part of inoculant for 4 parts of fresh substrate. And the more, the better. Colonized substrate is less vulnerable to contaminants, so higher spawn rates equal greater chances of success.

PREPARING WOOD-BASED PRIMARY SPAWN While wood-based substrates are quite resistant to contamination, the same cannot be said of grain. So, when you are colonizing wood from grain, it’s best to sterilize the substrate first. This helps the mycelium to colonize the woody primary spawn with less competition. Once it is fully colonized and you are certain it is free of contamination, you can use it to colonize unsterilized woody substrate to create secondary spawn. This is especially important as the secondary spawn will not contain peroxide.

PROCEDURE Use 3 lbs. birch dowels or 3 lbs. dry wood chips (or 4 lbs. fresh) for 6 quart jars or one standard spawn bag. 1. Soak or simmer wood chips or dowels until they fall to the bottom of the container. This lets you know they are properly hydrated. Drain thoroughly. 2. Load the chips or dowels into jars or bags. You’ll often be dealing with sharp edges with wood chips, so be careful when handling bags so that the edges do not puncture the bag. 3. Load the jars or bags into your pressure cooker and sterilize at 15 psi for 90 minutes. 4. Allow chips or dowels to cool to room temperature. Place 1 cup of inoculated grain into each spawn bag or ¼ cup into each quart jar. 5. Seal the containers. Incubate them at room temperature. 6. The mycelium will begin to colonize the grain from a few days to a week after inoculation. Shake the containers once a week to promote colonization. Be careful not to pierce the bags.

7. When the containers have become fully colonized, either use them to inoculate secondary spawn or refrigerate them until you are ready to use them.

CONTAMINATION While woody substrates are less contamination-prone, they are still vulnerable to certain organisms. If you sterilize, these won’t be an issue on primary substrates. However, you will want to keep a careful eye on your secondary substrates and outdoor beds. Here’s what you’ll want to look out for: Trichoderma viride – This is the most common contaminant on woody substrates. It is a fast-growing mold with green-blue, powdery spores. It consumes and kills other fungus as well as consuming wood. If you observe signs of trichoderma, discard the substrate carefully. Brown Rot – There are several fungus species which are collectively referred to under this term. It is common in outdoor beds and will darken your woody cultures, making them soft and moist. Uncolonized portions of the bed are vulnerable to this brown rot. Avoid them by using a high spawn rate, using the layering method (described in the section on creating outdoor beds), and planting the bed with enough time before the summer dormancy period to colonize the entire bed.

HYDROGEN PEROXIDE AND WOOD-LOVERS Wood-loving species grow well in peroxided substrates. However, one of the main differences between indoor and outdoor cultivation is the size of the colony. Another is the selectivity of the substrate. The size of the colony means that, if you were to use hydrogen peroxide, you’d have to use quite a lot of it. The selectivity means that the colonies are less prone to contamination, so peroxide is not as necessary as it is for dung-loving species. It is extremely helpful when using colonized grain to inoculate a woody primary spawn. This will help to prevent any minute uncolonized portions of grain acting as vectors for contamination.

SECONDARY (NON-STERILIZED) SPAWN About 1-2 months prior to establishing your bed, you’ll want to begin generating secondary spawn. You’ll want to begin with fully colonized primary spawn. The more secondary spawn you generate, the higher your spawn rate and the greater chances of success for your bed. Aim for about 25%, or 1 part inoculum for 3 parts fresh substrate. This promotes rapid colonization and encourages a healthy bed. Since sterile techniques are not as essential for the creation of secondary spawn, and you will need containers with large volumes, you’ll want to use large opaque storage bins or tubs. Wash them with soap and water before use, and then wipe them down with alcohol. Line the bottom with cardboard and inoculated substrate (primary spawn plus fresh substrate). Cover the substrate with a piece of moistened cardboard. Weigh it down with something heavy like a brick. This speeds up colonization by compressing the substrate particles and bringing them closer together. Remember that the sawdust in the secondary spawn is a potential vector for contamination, so you’ll want to use hardwood sawdust to lower the risk. You can add hydrogen peroxide as well, though this is not necessary. However, you will definitely want to wash your hands well before handling the substrate. If you have gloves available (and you should have them for the creation of primary spawn), use them.

CREATING SECONDARY SPAWN Use 5 lbs. dried (or 10 lbs. fresh) wood chips and 2 lbs. hardwood sawdust or fuel pellets per container. 1. Soak wood chips for 12-48 hours until they fall to the bottom of the container, and then remove them from water to drain. Moisten

sawdust to field capacity. In a large container, thoroughly mix sawdust and wood chips so that the chips are fully coated with sawdust. 2. Place a piece of clean corrugated cardboard on the bottom of the spawn tub. 3. Crush the contents of the spawn bag by manipulating the outside of the bag. (Do not touch the spawn. Be careful not to pierce the bag if you wish to reuse it.) 4. Place about a quarter of the fresh sawdust/wood chip mixture into each container. 5. Top the fresh material with ¼ to 1 bag of the colonized material. The more you use, the higher the spawn rate and the faster the colonization. Mix thoroughly. Do the same with each container. 6. Place a piece of moistened cardboard (cut to fit the container) over the substrate. Cover with heavy weights. Do the same with each container. 7. Leave containers at room temperature to incubate. 8. Periodically moisten the cardboard with a spray bottle. Inspect once a week to check for growth. 9. The container should be about a third colonized after several weeks. At this point, (using gloves) peel back the cardboard and stir up the substrate. Replace the cardboard and leave to incubate. 10. Within a month or two, the substrate will be fully colonized. You should either use it to create more secondary substrate or establish an outdoor bed as soon as possible, as it will only remain viable for a month, and then only if kept in a cool place. Save the inoculated

cardboard, as this can be used to generate more spawn.

BED LOCATION It’s best to place the bed beneath a tree or large plant. This will create shade, protecting the bed from excess heat and evaporation. It will also offer a bit of disguise, as it will appear to be nothing more than a typical mulch bed. When the bed fruits, however, it will become more obvious. Because of this, it’s best to tuck the bed away in a private area where it won’t attract too much notice while fruiting. If you don’t have a private spot, you can establish it on public land. However, you’ll want to make sure it remains concealed and requires little to no maintenance if you go down this route. Some viable options are beneath a bush or the branches of an overhanging tree. You won’t want to have to water it either, otherwise your maintenance will attract attention. So, it’s best if it is in a landscaped area with sprinklers. You might choose a park or an office building.

CONTAINMENT AND SUBSTRATE DEPTH You don’t actually need to contain your bed. It will fruit if placed in a shallow depression. However, it will grow better when in a defined space. If the fungus senses boundaries, it tends to devote its energy to fruiting rather than continuing to spread out. Wooden boards, rocks, or bricks can contain it well, though if you use boards, you will want to seal them with a water-proof soy-based product. Also, make sure that the bed extends to 8”-10” below the surrounding ground.

FRUITING SUBSTRATE Use 20-40lbs. dry (30-60lbs. fresh) wood chips and 10-15lbs. hardwood sawdust per 10-20lb container of secondary spawn. Prepare your fruiting substrate following the same process used to create secondary spawn. There are three differences. First, the colonization happens in place in your outdoor bed. Second, you need a much larger volume. To create even a 4’x4’ bed 10” deep, you’ll want 40lbs. of substrate. If you’re working with limited amounts of material, make a smaller bed at first. Grow it when you can add additional inoculated substrate, so that you can work with the highest spawn rate possible. Lastly, the inoculum is not mixed with the fresh substrate. Instead, it is spread in a layer on top of it. This caps the fresh substrate and helps to protect it from fungal contaminants.

CREATING THE BED 1. Soak the wood chips for 12-48 hours until they fall to the bottom of the container. Moisten substrate to field capacity. 2. Thoroughly mix the wood chips and sawdust so that all chips are coated with sawdust. 3. Dig down the area for your bed, making it from 8-10” deep. Line with clean cardboard. Poke holes in the cardboard to provide drainage. 4. Fill the bed with fresh substrate. 5. Wearing clean gloves, break up a container of secondary spawn (gently) and lay it on top of the fresh substrate. Repeat with all containers. 6. Place a couple of layers of moistened cardboard over the fresh substrate so it is covered completely. Place heavy weights at the corners so that the cardboard is compressed against the substrate.

INCUBATION You’ll want to keep an eye on the cardboard to determine if the bed is sufficiently hydrated. When you see the cardboard begin to dry, it’s time to water the bed. Use a hose sprayer, but be gentle. If you spray the bed forcefully, you could damage the mycelial growth beneath the cardboard. Be diligent during the summer months, as the bed can dry out more quickly. When temperatures drop below 65, it’s time to take the cardboard off the bed (save to inoculate new substrate) and add a casing layer.

CASING & COMPANION PLANTING The casing layer allows mushrooms to fruit while helping to prevent the top surface of the bed from drying out. The upper layer of the bed is responsible for producing mushrooms. If it dries out, it will die off and your bed will not fruit. The casing layer retains moisture levels, protects the growing primordia, and provides beneficial microbes to the fruiting mycelium. Sphagnum peat moss is ideal for the casing layer. It should be moist and placed to a depth of ½-1”. When peat moss is moist, it is dark brown. When it dries out, it takes on an orange-brown cast. The color acts as an indicator of the moisture level of the bed. Mist it lightly when necessary. You can also add perennial grass seeds to the casing layer. While this is not necessary, wood-loving Psilocybes tend to grow beneath grasses in nature. The grasses help to keep the moisture levels up. They may also deliver nutrients to the Psilocybes and promote fruiting.

FRUITING As soon as temperatures drop below 45 degrees Fahrenheit for a few days, fruiting is triggered. The bed will continue to fruit until the frosts begin, producing a flush every couple of weeks. The only maintenance the bed requires in this period (aside from harvesting the flushes) is occasional watering. Keep an eye on the color of the peat moss to let you know when it needs water.

WINTER DORMANCY When the frosts set in, the mycelium will go dormant. P. azurescens and most other wood-loving ‘shrooms can survive temperatures below freezing. The mycelium goes into a state of suspended animation during harsh winters, and revives again when the temperatures begin to climb. However, the mycelium can be damaged if your area drops below zero for several months. In this case, you have two choices: 1. Insulate the bed with fabric shade cloth, straw, plastic, cardboard or leaves. This helps to retain moisture levels and keep the temperature from dropping so low that the mycelium dies. or 2. Dig up the bed and place it in covered tubs or trays, storing it indoors in a cool dark place. This is preferable if the winter is extremely harsh. The bed can be established outdoors again when the temperatures rise.

RESTORING DEPLETED BEDS If you maintain an outdoor bed (and if the winters are not ridiculously harsh), it can survive in place pretty much indefinitely. Without any maintenance other than watering, the bed will continue to fruit for two to three years. To keep it producing year after year, you will need to add a bit more substrate each year. It’s best to add new substrate in the spring, about a month after the last freeze. Dig down to the mycelium by hand to inspect it. If it is strong, the mycelium will be robust and white and the wood chips will be firm. You can scrape away the casing layer, add fresh, moist wood chips, and incubate as you originally incubated the bed. If you encounter a depleted or unhealthy mycelium when you dig down, you will want to dig up the healthy portions of the mycelium and use them to create a fresh bed. You can use a fresh location, or remove all old mycelium and reestablish the new bed in the same location.

OUTDOOR ("NATURALIZED") SPAWN TRANSFERS This is one of my favorite approaches. It’s low-tech, efficient, and uses the hardy mycelium grown under natural conditions. Plus, if you spend a bit of time with it (and have enough space), you can quadruple the size of your beds each year. Outdoor spawn transfers also allow you to create a cultivated bed from a wild one found in your area. The process is simple: collect healthy mycelium from an established bed, either natural or cultivated, and use it to inoculate fresh substrate in the desired location. First, dig carefully around the bed to extract healthy portions. They will appear whitish, firm, and moist, with the woodchips surrounded by mycelium. Avoid discolored, rotten, or dead portions of the mycelium, as well as those which are dry and brittle. If the mycelium is dry, it’s usually depleted and unviable. If this produces enough material to inoculate your new bed, you can follow the instructions above for creating a bed. Remember that you want a 25% spawn ratio, 1 part inoculum to 3 parts of fresh substrate. If you have not harvested enough for the desired size of the bed, then you can follow the instructions for creating secondary spawn to expand the inoculum prior to creating the bed.

STEM-BUTT AND CARDBOARD SPAWN Spawn can also be created from an established bed without having to dig up the mycelium. One way is to use the stem-butt method. After you have harvested a flush of fresh mushrooms, you can remove the stem-butts, the lower portion of the stem and any substrate which remains attached to it. You can then place stem-butts between moistened layers of cardboard and close them into a container to incubate. The stem-butts will initiate mycelial growth and spread throughout the cardboard, eventually joining one another and becoming a single sheet of mycelium. This method will require at least 5-10 stem-butts to produce a significant amount of spawn relatively quickly. Stem-butt cardboard or the cardboard which has been used to cover substrate as it colonizes can be placed over fresh substrate to inoculate it. Just peel the thin outer layers apart and layer them in the substrate. Remember to cover the substrate with weighted, moistened cardboard. As soon as the fresh substrate is colonized, it can be used as spawn.

FINAL WORDS ON WOOD-LOVERS In this section, I’ve spoken of outdoor cultivation exclusively in terms of woodloving ‘shrooms. There are some very good reasons for this. First, dung-loving ‘shrooms must be grown on grain, which is not selective for contaminants. Plus, strains germinated in the lab are much less resistant to contamination than the same strains germinated in the wild. They have not been exposed to the same adverse conditions and microbes, so they tend to be less robust and much more particular about the substrates that they will grow and fruit on. In biology terms, laboratory conditions do not force the strains to develop the same complement of enzymes present in wild mushrooms. These enzymes account for the robust health and resistance of natural strains. Put simply, laboratory-germinated and isolated dung-loving specimens are almost guaranteed to fail in outdoor conditions. Wood-loving ‘shrooms have a great advantage in this regard, as woody substrates are selective for a much lower complement of contaminants. Only a few fungal species can survive on lignin-containing substances, so your woodlovers have less competition and higher success rates. This makes them ideal for outdoor cultivation. But this is only half the story. The other thing is that it is extremely difficult to cultivate wood-lovers indoors. First, they require much lower temperatures to initiate fruiting. Second, even if you provide these lower temperatures, most wood-lovers will not fruit unless they have been exposed to the outdoors and allowed to collect natural microbes. It seems that either natural microbes or some other natural conditions are necessary to initiate fruiting. This is not well-understood, so much more research along these lines is necessary. There are a very few instances in which cultivators have been successful in

fruiting wood-lovers indoors after allowing the cultures to inoculate while exposed to natural conditions. However, even in these instances, the fruiting has been much less abundant than the results you get from outdoor beds. For all of these reasons, outdoor cultivation is pretty much synonymous with the cultivation of wood-lovers. If, however, you do have some success in this regard, please write and let me know about it. Wood-lovers are potent, and it would be a delight to have harvests of them year-round. Finally, I have not spoken in detail about the wood-loving species which are best for outdoor cultivation. This will depend heavily on where you live. When you live in a place with natural wood-loving species, take a cue from nature. Try to grow the species that your area loves to grow. In general, however, P. azurescens, P. bohemica, P. cyanescens, P. Subaeruginosa, and P. cyanofibrillosa have all fruited well with the techniques described in this chapter.

PART IV

GENERAL INFORMATION

CHAPTER 16. PROBLEMS AND PREVENTION CONTAMINATION AND STERILE CULTURE TECHNIQUE GLOVE BOX LAMINAR FLOW HOOD STERILIZATION FRUITING FINAL NOTES ON PROBLEMS AND PREVENTION

CHAPTER 16. PROBLEMS AND PREVENTION Every effort has been made in the preceding chapters to address any potential problems in the areas where you are most likely to encounter them. However, there are a few details which will benefit from further exploration. This chapter focuses primarily on particular pieces of equipment which will help to address these issues, glove boxes, flow hoods, terrariums, etc. The biggest concern with mushroom cultivation is contamination, so that’s where we’ll begin. I’ll also use this chapter to provide a few details about challenges you may experience in initiating fruiting. Aside from contaminants, the things you’ll need to watch out for are temperature, light, and humidity.

CONTAMINATION AND STERILE CULTURE TECHNIQUE In many of the preceding chapters, I’ve mentioned the use of glove boxes and laminar flow hoods. These are two pieces of equipment which can help to lower the risk of contamination. Here are some details on how to create them:

GLOVE BOX Essentially, a glove box is a small enclosure designed to allow you to work with your cultures with minimum exposure to the contaminants that might be present in your workspace. It will work best when you have taken every effort to create a clean workspace, as it’s impossible to completely eliminate the risk of contamination. Glove boxes are relatively simple and inexpensive to build, and the materials you need for them are easy to obtain. They should be used if there is the slightest risk that your cultures will be exposed to contamination. They will vastly increase the success of your cultivation efforts.

MATERIALS 2’ cubical cardboard box (open-topped) Transparent plastic sheeting (some shower curtains will work) Clear packing tape Sticky-backed Velcro tape Glossy contact paper (white is best)

CONSTRUCTION 1. Mark one edge of the box halfway up from the bottom (or halfway down from the top, if you’re a pessimist). Either way, 12” from top and bottom. 2. Draw a line from the top corner to the mark you have just created on

both sides of the box which meet the edge. 3. Cut through the box along the lines you have drawn. Remove the cardboard you have cut off. You should now have an open-topped box with two complete sides, and two sides cut at an angle which drops towards the marked edge. When using the glove box, the low edge will be the front. 4. Use the glossy contact paper to completely line the inner surface. This will allow you to disinfect the inside of the glove box without soaking the cardboard. 5. In both of the sides facing the low edge (front) of the box, cut a 6” hole. The bottom edges of the holes should be 3” from the bottom of the box, and the outer edges of the holes (the rim of the hole closest to the working edge of the box) should be 6” from the low edge. These holes allow you to place your hands through the holes so you can access materials in the box. 6. Cut plastic sheeting to fit the open top of the glove box. Leave a 3” overlay on all sides. Also cut two 10” square pieces of plastic to cover the holes. 7. Position the plastic sheet in place on top of the box. Use clear packing tape to affix the sheet to one of the long back sides of the box. Use the Velcro tape on the outer edges of the box top and the inner edges of the plastic sheet for the other three sides. Use a single, continuous strip for each side. This will allow you to lift the lid to place your materials in the glove box. 8. Position a 10” plastic square so it covers a hole, and affix the top of the square with packing tape. Use Velcro tape on the inner bottom edge of the flap and the outside of the box. This will allow you to

keep the flap closed over the hole when it is not in use. Repeat this with the other hole. That’s it! You now have a glove box that you can use to work with your materials in sterile conditions. You can collapse the box and store it easily when it’s not in use, and the contact paper allows you to disinfect the surfaces before you start working with your cultures. The downside of the glove box is that it’s not large enough to work with several jars or more than one spawn bag. It also won’t completely eliminate the risk of contamination, but it will substantially reduce the likelihood of it. When working with the glove box, use small hand motions to avoid stirring up more air than necessary. Wipe the inner surface of the box with alcohol to sterilize prior to use. After placing your materials in the box, spray a fine mist of 10% bleach solution to disinfect the air and outer surfaces of your working materials. Allow it to settle for at least 5 minutes before beginning your work. Let the flaps drape over your arms as you work. If you use an alcohol lamp in your glove box, be extremely careful. Set the lamp as far back in the box as possible, so that the plastic cover does not take too much heat and start to melt or burn. Do not lift the lids of your jars or Petri dishes further or for longer than necessary, and try to keep the lid above the opening of the jar or plate. Finally, seal all jars and dishes securely before removing them from the glove box.

LAMINAR FLOW HOOD Flow hoods are more effective at reducing the risk of contamination than glove boxes. Plus, they tend to be larger, making it easier for you to work with several jars or more than one spawn bag or sleeve of Petri dishes. However, they are a bit more expensive. If you buy one from online sources, you may pay more than $500. Don’t worry, though. If you’d really like to use a flow hood but can’t quite afford that, you can build your own for about $250.

Flow hoods blow a continuous stream of filtered air across the working area. This flow of air helps to prevent any contaminants from settling onto your working materials. When creating one, you’ll want to use a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter. This is one of the most expensive components of the system. The other expensive component is the fan. You’ll need a squirrel cage fan that blows 450-500 CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute) to accommodate a 12”x24”x5 7/8” filter. Filter and fan can be obtained for about $100 each.

MATERIALS 12”x24”x5 7/8” HEPA filter 450-500CFM Squirrel cage fan Wood screws (1.5”) All-purpose silicone sealer 2 Steel handles (3-4”) Particle board or plywood (4’x4’x3/4”) 1” Furring strip (cut into 2 lengths of 24” and 2 lengths of 12”) 1” Edge trim (cut into 2 lengths of 25 ¼” and 2 lengths of 13 ¼”) Electric hand drill Soy-based paint to seal the outside of the flow hood. (Optional)

CONSTRUCTION 1. Cut the plywood or particle board into the appropriate dimensions. You’ll need (2) 13.25”x16” panels for the sides, (1) 12”x24” panel for the rear, and (2) 16”x24” panels for top and bottom. Cut a square hole in the top panel to fit the fan outlet. Center this hole in the long side of the top panel and place the edge of the hole 2-3” from the rear edge of the panel. If you choose to paint the panels, apply it after cutting

them. Let them dry before beginning assembly. 2. Attach side panels to the outer edge of the top and bottom panels. Leave the overlap of the side panels on the back side to accommodate the rear panel. It helps to drill pilot holes so that the wood won’t split when you’re screwing the panels together. Leave the screws a bit loose. 3. Fit the rear panel in place between the side panels. Drill pilot holes and screw it loosely in place. 4. Tighten all screws. 5. Mount the furring strips on the inside of the box, 6” back from the opening. This creates a frame to hold the filter securely in place. 6. Seal all seams within the box with the silicone sealant. If you wish to take an extra step, seal all screw heads. These should be on the outside of the box, and the screws should not penetrate into the interior. 7. Mount the fan over the hole. First, hold the fan over the hole and mark the points where you will need screws. Drill the pilot holes. Place a bead of silicone on each hole, set the fan in place, and screw it firmly down. 8. Run a bead of silicone around the edge of the inner frame, and then fit the filter into the front of the box. It might be a bit snug, but when you slide it all the way in, it will be flush with the front of the box. 9. Fit the edge trim around the front edge of the hood. The edge trim is intended to cover the seam where the filter meets the box. Drill pilot holes into the sides of the box, and then screw the edge trim into place. Do not screw into the filter!

10. Mount handles on each side of the box. When using the filter, you will want to place your working materials in front of it. Allow the filter to blow for about a half hour before bringing the materials over. This will give the filter a chance to blow off any accumulated particulates. Also, you’ll want to place the cleanest materials closest to the hood. That way, any contaminants are blown away from the working space rather than over it. For the same reason, you’ll want to keep your hands downstream. Finally, the effectiveness of your flow hood will be increased further by creating a sterile workbench that is mostly enclosed. You can then disinfect the enclosure prior to use and set the flow hood directly in front of the working area.

STERILIZATION Sterilization has been addressed in every tek described in previous chapters and has been the central focus of all cultivation techniques, so I won’t spend too much time on it here. Basically, the pressure cooker is the most important piece of equipment in the cultivation process. Sterilize all substrates and equipment before working with them. Use sterile water and include 3% hydrogen peroxide when you can. Also, it will help to use 0.3% peroxide for all misting (after the substrate has been colonized with mycelium). Any time you use hydrogen peroxide, you should sterilize foilwrapped glass pipettes prior to inserting them in the bottle. Also, keep the bottle sealed with plastic wrap and lid, sealed in a Ziploc bag and refrigerated between uses. Sterilize or pasteurize the casing material prior to use as well. While this isn’t absolutely necessary, it will reduce the risk of cobweb mold. You can also use 0.3% peroxide when bringing the casing material to field capacity. This is excellent practice if you choose to skip sterilization of the casing material.

(Unless you are germinating spores. If so, stick with distilled water.) Sterilize all tools in an alcohol flame between jars, plates, and containers. This helps to avoid spreading contamination from one culture to another. If you do notice any signs of contamination in jars, plates, or growing trays, get rid of the culture. Do not try to rescue it, and definitely do not use seemingly uncontaminated portions. Even healthy-seeming mushrooms can absorb toxins from contaminants in their environment. At best, they will make you feel really sick. At worst, well, let’s just say leave them alone. Discard all contaminated cultures well away from the workspace and clean them thoroughly. Use slow motions so that you don’t spread spores more than is absolutely necessary. Wash the clothing you wear when doing this. Shower and put on clean clothes before working with your samples again.

FRUITING In nature, fruiting is triggered when the mycelium recognizes light and a drop in temperature, moisture, and CO2 levels. This means that the mycelium will not fruit if the growing area is too hot or humid, if there is not enough gas exchange, or if it does not receive enough light. Whatever fruiting chamber you use, it should be designed with these tolerances in mind. Light is the easy part. Even a few minutes a day will be enough to trigger fruiting, though you should go for a minimum of 2 hours. Eight hours is better, as this will simulate natural conditions. It doesn’t need to be bright. Just enough to give the mycelium an indication of where to direct its efforts towards fruiting. If you fruit inside clear Mason jars, the mycelium will sometimes sense light coming through the walls of the jar and create fruits inside the wall. This is one of the only downsides of the Improved PF Tek, and it is mitigated by covering the jar with aluminum foil or placing it in a cardboard sleeve. If mushrooms do form inside the jar, avoid the temptation to harvest them. This will harm your mycelium and expose it to contamination. However, it should not be much of an issue, as the temperature, moisture, and CO2 levels will help to direct fruiting efforts towards the exposed surface. The drop in CO2 is provided by efficient gas exchange. This is the reason for holes in the bags you use as growing tents. You can use terrariums for this same purpose. If you do so, make sure there are holes to permit gas exchange. If you’d like to reduce the potential for contamination at the same time, fit the holes with filter discs. As far as temperature goes, make sure it doesn’t rise above 85 degrees. Any hotter, and the mycelium will revert to a vegetative state. Mushrooms will grow more quickly if the temperature is close to, but below, 85 degrees. However, if

there is any chance of overheating, it’s best to keep the temperature a bit lower. This is especially important if you live in a warm area where ambient temperatures might heat your growing space past the desired range. Moisture is one of the most important conditions. If your colony is too wet, it will mold. If it is too dry, it won’t fruit and might die. Aim for about 80%, though P. cubensis will fruit in less humid microclimates. To help keep it within the appropriate range, it’s prudent to invest in a hygrometer. The use of a vermiculite casing material is also helpful with this. You can even add a (very small) amount of water crystals to the casing material to keep your growing trays and jars hydrated. Mist lightly and often, both to keep moisture levels up and to prevent the casing layer from becoming packed down and preventing gas exchange.

FINAL NOTES ON PROBLEMS AND PREVENTION The only thing that hasn’t been mentioned in this section is record-keeping. Make notes of the cultures you use, including their source and all relevant details. When you make adjustments or try new innovations, write them down and track their progress. Try one new innovation at a time, so you know how it affects the success of your cultivation. Track the speed of colonization and the speed of fruiting, taking note of the conditions of the incubating or fruiting colonies. Also note the substrate composition, inoculation techniques, and the specific tek you use. Write down literally everything you think might have a bearing on your cultivation process. Over time, you may find that some of this information is unnecessary, and you might encounter other details which you would like to make a habit of recording. The better notes you take, and the more organized these notes are, the more success you will have in your cultivation. This is a complex process, but you’ll get the hang of it quickly. Most of all, have fun with it. Mushrooms give so much back. If you give them the diligent attention and care they need, they will pay you back a thousand-fold.

CHAPTER 17. LEGALITY Psilocybin and psilocin have been declared Schedule I drugs by the United Nations in the 1971 Convention on Controlled Substances. They are highly controlled and possession, creation, transport, and sales carry heavy penalties. However, these legislations do not address psilocybin mushrooms or any preparations made from them. Furthermore, they do not address cultivation. So, as far as United Nations regulations go, possession, cultivation, and consumption of psilocybin mushrooms is fair game. Before you jump for joy, hold on for a moment. While the UN doesn’t have much to say about it, every country has its own regulations. At this point, cultivation of psilocybin mushrooms is only legal in Austria, Brazil, the British Virgin Islands, Bulgaria, Jamaica, and the Netherlands. While cultivation is illegal in the U.S., grow kits and spores are legal in most states. In some states, notably Idaho and Georgia, the spores are illegal both to sell and to possess. In Canada and South Africa, cultivation is illegal, but growing kits and spores are legal. Similarly, in Russia and Japan, cultivation is illegal, but spores are legal. However, growing kits are to be avoided in both countries. There are some places where psilocybin mushroom cultivation is a bit of a grey area. In Austria, for example, they are legal only if they are not grown to be used as drugs. In the Czech Republic, Italy, Portugal and Spain, cultivation is illegal but decriminalized. In Spain, the consumption of mushrooms in a private space has also been decriminalized. Remember, decriminalized does not mean legal. It is still illegal, but does not carry extreme penalties. Finally, there are some countries in which cultivation is illegal, but this law is not enforced. These countries include Thailand, Laos, and India. Also, while indoor cultivation is illegal in Mexico, some outdoor beds might skate the edge

of the law if they are “grown in the wild”. With Mexico, this has to do with the use of psilocybin mushrooms in local tribal culture. As mentioned in the introduction, this book is not intended in any way to promote cultivation in countries where it is illegal. It is a great shame that these countries have passed these legislations, and my sincere hope is that they will be changed in the near future. However, in the meantime, it is wise to honor the laws of the countries we live in. As with anything, be prudent and choose wisely. Some things are not worth the risk.

CHAPTER 18. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Although this book is extensive, it is far from containing all there is to know about mushrooms. You can find loads of different cultivation techniques, growers forums, tips and tricks, and all sort of useful tidbits if you have a look. Here are just a few of the resources which I would recommend:

SAFE USE http://howtousepsychedelics.org/mushrooms/ https://tripsafe.org/how-to-take-shrooms/ https://tripsafe.org/shrooms/ https://thethirdwave.co/psychedelics/shrooms/#faq https://thethirdwave.co/psychedelics/shrooms/grow-psilocybinmushrooms/

CULTIVATION AND GENERAL INFORMATION http://permabox.ressources-permaculture.fr/3-PRODUCTION--SAVOIR-FAIRE-ET-

TECHNIQUES/CULTIVER/CHAMPIGNONS/Englishdocs/Psilocybin.mushroom.handbook.-.Easy.indoor.and.outdoor.cultivation.223.p.pd https://erowid.org/plants/mushrooms/mushrooms_cultivation.shtml https://www.trufflemagic.com/blog/12-easy-steps-to-grow-magicmushrooms/ https://potent.media/how-to-grow-magic-mushrooms

ABOUT THE AUTHORS Israel Bouseman grew up in South Florida in a place lovingly described by some as the “mushroom capital of the world”. In his youth, he was taught how to find psilocybin mushrooms in the wild, as well as how to harvest, cure, and prepare them in a number of different ways. Israel studied the nature of the psychedelic experience and many tribal and modern perspectives on navigation of the trip for many years prior to his first experience. Since then, he has been exploring the use of the psychedelics for healing, learning, and self-development for more than two decades. He also acts as a facilitator from time to time, creating a safe space for inexperienced journeyers to have a positive and constructive journey. Hank Bryant comes from the opposite end of the United States, growing up in Main. His first contact with the psilocybin mushroom was during his time in university. This is when his interest in psychedelics began and when he started to read everything he could find about the psilocybin mushroom. Cultivating mushrooms over two decades he wants to share his knowledge and spread the word about that wonderful tool.