Mushroom Cultivation at The Outback Farm
Research Mentor(s)
Aquila Flower
Description
The purpose of this project is to experiment with growing mushrooms at The Outback Farm on Western Washington University’s campus. The five- acre permaculture farm is the ideal place to attempt growing edible mushrooms to donate to the farm's produce stand, enhance the soil in the area, and educate people about mushrooms and their benefits. One in five students at Western goes without a meal a day, food insecurity among college students is a real problem. The Outback is working to address this. Their produce is donated to students whenever available and adding mushrooms to the mix could have significant benefits. The farm proposed a research project in 2020, and my partners and I produced a detailed report and plan for the farm to cultivate mushrooms. In 2021, Hazel Wallin and I applied for the Research and Sponsored Programs Undergraduate Grant and received funding to start a mushroom cultivation project. In the spring of that year, we inoculated mushrooms. By the end of the year, we had three different kinds of edible mushrooms inoculated. This year we have inoculated two and are planning more.
Document Type
Event
Start Date
May 2022
End Date
May 2022
Location
Carver Gym (Bellingham, Wash.)
Department
CE - Environmental Studies
Genre/Form
student projects; posters
Type
Image
Rights
Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author’s written permission.
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Mushroom Cultivation at The Outback Farm
Carver Gym (Bellingham, Wash.)
The purpose of this project is to experiment with growing mushrooms at The Outback Farm on Western Washington University’s campus. The five- acre permaculture farm is the ideal place to attempt growing edible mushrooms to donate to the farm's produce stand, enhance the soil in the area, and educate people about mushrooms and their benefits. One in five students at Western goes without a meal a day, food insecurity among college students is a real problem. The Outback is working to address this. Their produce is donated to students whenever available and adding mushrooms to the mix could have significant benefits. The farm proposed a research project in 2020, and my partners and I produced a detailed report and plan for the farm to cultivate mushrooms. In 2021, Hazel Wallin and I applied for the Research and Sponsored Programs Undergraduate Grant and received funding to start a mushroom cultivation project. In the spring of that year, we inoculated mushrooms. By the end of the year, we had three different kinds of edible mushrooms inoculated. This year we have inoculated two and are planning more.