What kind of mushrooms can I grow with your system?
The bottle system was originally designed to cultivate enoki mushrooms, but is now known to be suitable for many other kinds of wood-growing mushrooms. These include those seen on our website and more. It is an incredibly efficient system that maximizes yield per square foot in your facility. There are some mushrooms that are not well suited to bottle cultivation, such as shiitake. That’s why offer automated systems for bags, too.
Can I grow button mushrooms or portabella from bottles?
These species are best suited to bed culture in a composted medium. We do not offer consultation for these varieties.
Is this for the home grower?
Commercial mushroom farming is an expensive endeavor that requires serious capital commitment. Most startup ventures require $400,000-1,000,000. We do not recommend our equipment to backyard growers and hobbyists. The minimum production volume that can benefit from our systems is 4000 lbs per week.
If you have conducted a solid market study that realistically estimates that you can sell volumes in this range, please send us an email of your serious interest.
What do you grow the mushrooms on? What are the raw materials?
The mushrooms we specialize in are forest-dwelling mushrooms that grow on fresh ligno-cellulose material. Examples of suitable substrate include deciduous sawdust, straw, wheat bran and the like. There are many options and there are several agricultural byproducts that will work as well.
What do you grow the mushrooms on? What are the raw materials?
The mushrooms we specialize in are forest-dwelling mushrooms that grow on fresh ligno-cellulose material. Examples of suitable substrate include deciduous sawdust, straw, wheat bran and the like. There are many options and there are several agricultural byproducts that will work as well.
Where can I purchase mushroom spawn?
We have been providing commercial spawn (mushroom inoculum) to customers around the world for over two decades. We work together with our customers to match the correct strain with the available substrates and growing conditions. We use the latest storage technologies and strain maintenance protocol to keep our strains vigorous and healthy. Our goal is to provide you with full service to keep your risk minimized and allow you to focus on growing and selling mushrooms.
Can you help me design my farm?
We’ve helped build and design several facilities for our customers. Our experience and exposure has helped us to learn what works best for the mushrooms we grow. We can help you, too.
What other equipment will I need?
In addition to the automated machinery, the complete farm process requires
Bottles, filter caps and trays to hold the bottles.
Steam boiler and pressurized sterilizer
HEPA-filtered cooling and inoculation rooms
Environmentally controlled incubation and harvest rooms
Incubation pallets and pallet jack or forklift
Harvest shelving
Refrigerated storage for fresh mushrooms
How much does the bottle system cost?
This depends on the type of system chosen. We offer options in size and degree of automation to cater to the needs of different growers. . We'll do our best to find a system that matches your needs and budget.
Do you offer bag cultivation equipment?
Yes! We realize that the bottle system is not for everyone. Some mushrooms simply aren’t productive in bottles. We work with seasoned manufacturers that have been producing automated bags systems for over 25 years. The upfront cost is lower in setting up a farm because there are no bottles, filter caps or trays required to begin. Over time, the cost advantage swings over to bottles, usually within 2.5 years. (This calculation translates pure material costs of bottles vs. bags. It does not take into account the greater bioefficiency, space utilization and labor savings inherent in bottles!)
Do you offer a service plan?
Our equipment is mechanical machinery and as such requires regular maintenance. Our on-farm equipment training includes principles of operation and general trouble shooting. We will provide you with a list of suggested spare parts to inventory at your farm. We also stock a number of common and uncommon replacement parts that can be delivered to you via overnight currier to minimize your downtime. We are also available to visit your farm for annual equipment tune-ups. In any event, it helps to have someone on staff with a bit of mechanical savvy.
What is the purchase process?
You decide what mushrooms your want to grow and volumes desired of each species
We calculate your facility space requirements and select an appropriate system
You determine if you wish to move forward and provide a retainer for our services
Site visit by our staff who will report to you the mechanical and physical needs of your farm
You place your equipment order with 20% down payment
Manufacture and shipment to your site (typically takes 60-90 days after purchase order)
Preliminary equipment and cultivation training at our farm
Optional site visit by our staff 2-3 weeks prior to shipment
Delivery and on-site assistance with setup and operation