Page 22 - Valley Table - Fall 2022

Tell us about Sugarshack.
Our crew is very small: my husband Adam and I run the farm in New Paltz full time with one part-time employee and the occasional help of a few volunteers. We grow in an indoor setting with mushroom blocks made of pasteurized sawdust that has been inoculated with spawn (little bits of mycelium akin to seed for mushrooms). This method replicates nature
but in a bit of a “fast-forwarded” way; you normally see fungi growing on a log, but with the sawdust, it won’t take as long for the mycelium to produce fruit. This process also allows us to grow year-round, and we sell mushroom blocks in starter kits for those who want to take a shot growing their own. Home- growers just need to keep it moist and in a dark place, and
the block should give you around three or four harvests. For gourmet block varieties, we have shiitake, oyster, lion’s mane, chestnut, and king oysters. We also forage around the New Paltz area for other medicinal mushrooms, too, like chaga, reishi, turkey tail, and cordyceps.
What are the health benefits?
All mushrooms have a high nutritional value, but some also have medicinal properties. Lion’s mane is becoming popular as a brain-booster. Researchers have been studying it to
help regrow nerve endings—it’s great for supporting your memory, attention, and focus. Reishi, sometimes called the “queen of mushrooms,” is an anti-inflammatory with all sorts of benefits including immune and cardiovascular support, allergy suppression, and relaxation; cordyceps aids anti-aging, oxygen intake, and brain function; turkey tail has been used to strengthen immune function and is widely studied for its beneficial effects on cancer patients; and chaga supports the immune system by combatting viral infections and parasites. There’s a study from Penn State that found people who eat 18
grams of mushrooms daily—about a quarter cup chopped— have a 45 percent lower risk of cancer diagnoses.
You’re an experienced forager. What advice would you give
to beginners?
I’d read up on foraging—there are tons of great books and information online to look at before going out. Also, there are professional foragers who are certified and do it for a living, and you may want to forage for the first time with an expert. The best places to look for mushrooms are shady spots. They need a lot of moisture, so they’re not often out in full sun. In
a wet year, the Hudson Valley is loaded with tons of maitakes, chicken of the woods, chanterelles, black trumpets, morels, and different types of boletes. Wild mushrooms have very short seasons depending on the variety. If possible while picking, keep your bounty in a basket or breathable bag, so the plucked mushrooms can drop spores on the ground while you’re walking.
So now that we have the mushrooms, how should we
store them?
The amount of time mushrooms keep can vary, but typically
if you throw them in a paper bag in the fridge, you’ll get at least a week. It’s important to keep them in a paper bag versus plastic because it allows them to breathe. You can also freeze them once they’re cooked or dehydrate them in the oven
on low heat and store them in a sealed plastic bag in a dry, dark, cool spot. Use a moist cloth to brush the dirt off fresh mushrooms—don’t run them under water to clean or they’ll get slimy.
Visit sugarshackmushrooms.com for more information on their grow kits, CSA boxes, workshops, and recipes.
20 THE VALLEY TABLE SEPT – OCT 2022
PHOTO COURTESY OF SUGARSHACK MUSHROOMS