2024 Progress notes

The carbon experiment has been running since September of 2023. We are using 10 species of mushrooms to digest both hardwoods and softwoods to determine the carbon sequestration capacity of the post decay compost. We are measuring our bags weekly, harvesting fruit when needed and carefully documenting everything that goes in or out from the growth bags. We need very accurate measurements, and multiple bags to gather enough data to make reasonable claims about the rotting process and the outcomes. When complete, we will have a model of the speed of different species and the completeness of their decay on different woody materials. We will also have a good idea of how much moisture and carbon dioxide is exhaled in the process. Our field trials have given us a good idea of what to expect, but repeating everything in a controlled environment, strictly monitored by out team, and in the complete absence of bothersome squirrels, will allow us to begin creating a carbon offset protocol based on our technique of rapid mushroom decay.

 

Proof fruiting of Pleurotus ostreatus where we prove that the strains of mycelium we work with are what we claim they are.

 

Here is a hericium coral that we fruited.

 

Happy volunteers weighing out sawdust substrate for our many mushroom bags.

We're really going to try and set up a zoom soon so we can say hello and thank you to everyone and share some of the work we have completed. This study, however, will go into 2025. We've found that staggering the runs is the only way to make this project manageable. There's a whole lot of ROT going on!

Happy New Year funders!