Home Removal Services Blog

Mycelium Running by Paul Stamets has been the perpetual best-seller on popular mycology since published in 2005. It’s an indispensible reference book for anybody working the land, especially foresters, farmers and environmental cleanup contractors. It’s also a great book for anyone interested in growing their own food mushrooms.

Mycelium Running is filled to the brim with useful tips on things such as using mushrooms to improve soils and boost productivity in forestry and farming (gardening) with decreased use of expensive fertilizers and pesticides; filtering waste-water (mycofiltration); and clean up toxic waste from the land (mycoremediation).

As an example, a method for building a mycofiltration bed to filter waste water is described in exacting detail. Dimensions, depth, layers and recommended materials and mushrooms are listed. This mycofiltration is useful, among other things, for filtering manure enriched farm runoff.

An added benefit of using mycofiltration beds on farms include the production of delicious food mushrooms, which sprout out of these beds. And every 2-3 years, the material in the bed can be dug out and used as a rich fertilizer on the fields of the farm.

Another piece of useful information for farmers and gardeners found in Mycelium Running concerns the no-till farming method as opposed to the conventional method of plowing the fields after harvest. No-till farming helps promote saprophytic fungi (decomposing fungi), which break down organic material at a pace better suited to plant-life than the rapid and heat producing breakdown by anaerobic bacteria, which are the primary decomposers when stubble is plowed under. The mycelium of saprophytic fungi also binds the soil to prevent erosion and loss of valuable nutrients.

For forestry, not only do saprophytic fungi help break down and recycle organic matter. They also help combat many parasitic fungi (blights) that may kill large numbers of trees. Stamets gives useful suggestions on how to seed beneficial saprophytic fungi in blight infested forests as a natural “fungicide,” fighting fire with fire, so to speak.

The symbiotic mycorrhizal fungi can also be seeded in forests to promote healthy trees. Or they can be protected and naturally promoted through wise and informed forest management.

Most plants form symbiotic relationships with mushrooms. The mushroom mycelium more effectively absorbs water and nutrients, exchanged with trees for sugars, making the trees healthier and more drought resistant. Mycorrhizal fungi also provide trees with natural antibiotics against pathogens.

Mushroom mycelium can also be utilized to clean up toxic waste sites through a method known as mycoremediation. The term was invented by the author of Mycelium Running, Paul Stamets, but was in common use before the publication of this book.

Synthetic toxic compounds including petrochemicals, dioxins, neurotoxins, toxic industrial waste and much more can be effectively broken down by fungi into harmless compounds. Bacterial contaminants such E. coli can be killed by anti-bacterial compounds excreted by the fungi. And toxic levels of heavy metals may be absorbed and concentrated by mushrooms, which can then be harvested and safely deposed.

Mycoremediation has also been shown to be the most economical method of cleaning up toxic waste sites, up to 95% cheaper than some common conventional methods.

This plethora of information is merely the first half of this 300-page tome. Part III, which makes up the second half of the book, is an instruction manual on how to cultivate your own mushroom mycelium, which can be used for the above listed purposes, or to grow your own medicinal or culinary mushrooms. And seriously, who doesn’t love gourmet mushrooms? In other words, this is a reference book for every household.

Dr. Markho Rafael has worked in natural health since finishing Chiropractic College in’96. He currently specializes in medicinal mushrooms, frequently consulting two reference books: Mycelium Running by Paul Stamets for medicinal, biological and chemical properties of mushrooms, and Mushrooms Demystified by David Arora as the most complete identification guide of American mushrooms.

categories: mushrooms,ecology,environmental,agriculture,farm,farming,garden,landscaping,tree,horse,chicken,biology,herbs,nature

Far too few people realize the significance of the role that farm fertilizer plays in our economy and our existence. Our economy has become so reliant on foreign sources (nearly every American home has an item in it with “MADE IN CHINA” or “SRI LANKA” printed on the backside) that our average citizen’s welfare is in jeopardy. It wouldn’t be practical for our main source of grain and produce to come from another country. This makes farm fertilizer a vital commodity.

Fish emulsion has played an important part in farm production, and with the results farmers have experienced, the use of fish emulsion is on the rise. It is an important ingredient in today’s farm fertilizer.

Fish emulsion has proven itself to be the best farm fertilizer to use. Our farms supply us with the basics we need for survival. Our farms have no choice but to produce a healthy harvest to supply our country with what we need to stay alive. Our suffering economy has been losing jobs and we can’t afford to outsource our food production. We shouldn’t trust our food to anyone else anyway. The farmer’s career is secure as long as fish emulsion is in the equation.

No one can argue that fish emulsion isn’t an exceptional farm fertilizer. Environmentally friendly, chemical free fish emulsion doesn’t harm a thing, unlike those overused synthetic fertilizers. Collectively, we’ve become more health-conscious, trying to erase the years of abuse that we’ve done to our bodies by eating chemically tainted foods. Our unhealthy lifestyles have even created “weight-loss game shows”. We don’t diet anymore, we change the way we eat.

Fish emulsion has saved the day for farmers. Being able to claim that your product is “CERTIFIED ORGANIC” will boost sales and profits. Using fish emulsion for farm fertilizer ensures this stamp! Today’s soccer mom is pumping her kids with the best food available. Only the best for their little heroes. The final price tag benefits the farmer, and the product benefits the consumer. Everyone wins.

Organic farm fertilizer ensures the safety of the farmer’s final product and can greatly increase profits. It’s a win win situation for all involved. The consumer eats healthy, meaning less trips to the doctor in the long run as health will be better overall for those who eat healthy. (Who really likes paying to go to the doctor, or being sick?) The farmer has peace of mind knowing that he/she is growing the best product possible. Plus they’ll have a few extra bucks, since using fish emulsion for fertilizer will not only demand a higher price, but will deliver a higher yield. Eventually, those higher yields will let the farmer bring the price down, allowing everyone the opportunity to eat healthy.

Native Americans were using fish for fertilizer to guarantee a bountiful harvest so the use of fish emulsion for farm fertilizer only makes sense. Mother Nature didn’t put chemicals on earth to fertilize our plants, so why would we use them?

It makes cents and sense to go organic. Cost and safety are both important issues when it comes to farm fertilizer. Synthetic fertilizers are a thing of the past and if you aren’t using fish emulsion on your crops now, then maybe it’s time to switch. The amount of fertilizer it takes to maintain hundreds of acres just multiplies your benefits that much more. Simple math.

Everyone wins when fish emulsion is used for farm fertilizer. It’s time to let our planet heal from all of the toxins we’ve poured into it. When we use the best on our crops, we get the best results, and that means only the most excellent farm fertilizer should be used. It isn’t a difficult decision to make when given the choice. Everyone wants the finest, so why not give them the creme de la creme?