GROWING GOURMET - Anto2ni.it

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CREATING SAWDUST SPAWN
Figure 127. Inoculating sawdust with grain spawn
atmosphere nearly matching the volume of the
sawdust. (At least 25% air space should be allotted
per spawn bag; otherwise anaerobic
activity will be encouraged.)
The open bag is laid horizontally, with its
opening overhanging the heating element.
Grasping both the left and right outside surfaces,
the bag opening is pulled open to catch
the sterile wind. A "Spock-like" finger position
keeps the bag maximally inflated while
the heat sealer joins the plastic. (See Figure
126.) Two strokes are often necessary for a
continuous seal. By gradually increasing the
duration of the seal, an ideal temperature can
be found. Since the plastic liquifles upon contact
with the heating element, the bags should
not be squeezed during sealing.
Pinholes or small tears cause the bags to collapse.
Collapsed bags contaminate with
alarming frequency. A simple test determines
if the problem is at the seal or not. Roll the
sealed region several times into a tight fold and
push down.The bag inflates and if there is a leak
not at the seal, a distinct hissing sound emanates
from the defective site. Should the bag remain
tightly inflated with no apparent loss of pressure,
then the seal at the top is at fault. Simply
re-seal and test again for leaks.
6. Shaking the sawdust spawnbags. Once
the bags have been properly sealed, they are
thoroughly shaken to evenly distribute the
spawn kernels. If partially inflated, this process
takes only a few seconds. Proper shaking is
critical for successful spawn incubation. (See
Figure 129).
7. Incubating the sawdust spawn bags.
Unlike nutrifled sawdust, most sawdust bags
contacting each other during incubation grow
out without contamination. The laboratory
space can be maximized with sawdust spawn.
Figure 128. Sealing the bag of sawdust after inoculation
with grain spawn.
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