Contact: Jack Bailey (304) 766-4109 jbaile19@wvstateu.edu INSTITUTE, W.Va. – West Virginia State University (WVSU) Extension Service’s monthly Ag Talk Tuesday series continues Tuesday, August 11, at 6 p.m. EST with a discussion about mushroom production for at-home growers. Julie Schaer of The Potager farm in Hurricane, West Virginia, will share information and answer questions with participants live via Zoom.
Mushrooms are a sought-after vegetable in West Virginia, with mushroom foraging being a popular activity for many in the region. With this session, organizers hope to provide insight and examples of how mushroom production can be done on a small scale for at-home growers, even with very limited space, who may not have access to forested property to forage.
“Mushrooms have fascinated people for years,” said Dr. Annette Ericksen, assistant program director for agriculture and natural resources with WVSU Extension Service. “They pop up after rains almost magically, are beautiful and provide that little extra special addition to our culinary dishes. We want to showcase how raising them yourself can be just as rewarding and equally tasty as is foraging for them in the wild.”
Space is not a requirement for success in mushroom production, Ericksen said, adding that mushrooms can be grown anywhere: a basement, on a porch, in the kitchen, patio or backyard, or even on a bookshelf. Successful production does require some “tricks to the trade,” however, which Schaer will share during the Ag Talk Tuesday session, including how to grow in buckets and tower systems.
The free series began in July and takes place the second Tuesday of each month. Participants register to join the live event and can submit questions ahead of time through the and platforms or via email.
The full schedule for the fall Ag Talk Tuesday series is as follows. To participate in the Zoom sessions, participants are to register at . Registering once provides access to the full schedule of sessions.
While live questions will be answered during each session, participants are also encouraged to submit questions, as well as ideas for future topics, ahead of time to .
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