🌱Spring is springin’! Markets are moving outdoors and there are cool ways to incorporate mushrooms into your gardens. Don’t miss it, read this newsletter πŸ˜ŠΝβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ 

The sound of spring is bird songs and vacuums, right? Spring cleaning is under way, indoor plants are being pushed outside, just like the Hyde Park Farmers Market, and garden beds are officially ready for plants. We have some farm updates and May shenanigans to tell you about. Also find out why there is a falcon and toy windmill on the heading photo. All in this edition of the Rich Life Report. πŸ„β¬‡οΈ
 

Farmer Updates

April’s festivities treated us well. Emalee’s Belize trip was a success! She had smooth travels, no terrifying spider run-ins, and many good times. The trip was divided, spending half the time boating and sun-soaking on the coast of Belize and the other half in the jungle where her grandma resides, going on hikes and celebrating grandma’s 80th trip around the sun!

Back in Ohio, Emalee’s birthday bash was a blast. She got to enjoy the company of her friends, indulging in her favorite b-day treat, Fairy Pie, and spent time hiking and swimming in Rocky Fork Lake.

Cue photo album ⬇️

We appreciate you all for your constant support and allowing us take time away from the markets to live life. Even though most of our time is spent growing mushrooms, we value time away to celebrate the ones we love. But now, back to the grind.
 

Farmer’s Markets

Satiate your mushroom needs by visiting us at the farmer’s market. We have our first batch of Italian Oysters coming down the line, so keep your eye out for that summer strain sometime soon! Also note, the Hyde Park Market moves outdoors May 19th! You know where to find us:

Hyde Park Farmers Market every Sunday from 10 am - 1 pm May 5th and 12th @Madtree Brewing May 19th and on @Hyde Park Square

Northside Farmers Market every Wednesday from 4pm - 7pm @the Heart of Northside parking lot
 

Upcoming Event

We have one more class with Civic Garden Center coming up on May 25th, In the Lab with Fungi. This one is NOT sold out, but does cater to a more specialized crowd. Pete and I will be there to share all our knowledge about the first steps of mushroom farming; the lab work. We will talk about the equipment for a fungi lab, some of the best ways to create mushroom spawn, and trials and errors from our experiences to better shape yours. It’s Saturday, May 25th from 10 - 11:30 am. You can register HERE.

 

Growing Mushrooms in your Garden

We did a class on this topic last week at the Civic Garden Center and it sold out before we could even tell y’all about it! So we wanted to provide you with some of the information here.

Have you ever had a mushroom totem in your garden? This is the perfect time to make one. What you need is a hardwood log (about 18+ inches), a chainsaw, a large bag (paper or plastic work just fine) and mushroom spawn.

Here’s how: First you’ll want to cut the log into 6 inch sections and cut a 2 inch section that will be used as the cap of the totem. Then, in your large bag, add a layer of mushroom spawn, about 1/4 inch deep, and spread into a area just shy of the log’s circumference. Then, set a piece of the log directly on top of it, making sure the log has good contact with the spawn and the log is stable since it is the base of the totem. Next, add another layer of mushroom spawn on top of the log about 1/4 inch thick and add the next piece of log. Repeat this process until all your logs and mushroom spawn is used up. Cap the totem with the 2 inch log slice to help keep in the moisture. You made a totem!

Finally, pull your bag overtop the totem and secure. For a plastic bag, loosely tie with a large rubber band leaving enough room for air flow. For a paper bag, you can staple the bag directly to itself or staple directly onto the log. Place the totem in a shaded area. Then wait about 3 - 6 months for the mycelium to colonize the log. You’ll know the log is ready if you can see the white mycelium. Once you do, the final step, is to remove the bag and wait for the fruit! The time depends on the weather conditions and types of mushrooms grown, so make sure to check them often. The totem method works well with Oysters, Shiitake, Lion’s Mane, and even Chestnuts.

Some tips: When chopping the log into sections, make sure to cut smooth lines so the pieces fit securely onto each other. Also, create score marks so you can line up the pieces in the same direction when stacking to ensure the most stable stack.

If you are short on the logs, using extra mushroom spawn in the totem is never a bad idea.

Pictured below is our log pieces in a bed with Shiitake blocks, that we will use as our β€˜spawn’. Give it a try and let us know how it works out for you! Depending on who your mom is, this might be a perfect mother’s day activity.
 

Freeze-dried Shrooms, anyone?

We have been putting our industrial freeze-dryer to good use, until recently because we are at capacity with freeze-dried mushrooms! It’s not a bad problem to have, but we wanted to offer some to y’all. We have pre-packaged Maitake, Shiitake, Reishi, Lion’s Mane, and King Oysters available in 1 oz vacuum sealed bags. Reach out if you are interested.

And don’t forget, we have our Lion’s Mane and Reishi tinctures available for purchase at the markets and online. That’s right, we ship everywhere (within the continental US that is). Check it out here.
 

Farm Birds

It’s not a complete newsletter without a chick update. They aren’t so little anymore! The chicks have grown to match the size of our smallest mature hens, but you can tell the youngins apart because they are a bit oblivious to danger. Most hens who free-roam typically bear close to large trees and, in our case, large farm vehicles, for quick cover if a predator spots them (aka hawks). The little ones aren’t taking proper precautions, so Emalee took it into her own hands. She decorated with windmills and a minion kite. It might look friendly and inviting to you, but we pray the commotion keeps the hawks away. Minions can be menacing and scary, right?

Speaking of birds, bird watching and song ID have become a favorite past time on the farm. Every lunch we have the Merlin Bird ID app out.. There are all kinds of song birds at the farm, some notable mentions Yellow throated warbler, American goldfinch, Wood thrush (with my favorite bird song in this world), Belted Kingfisher and a family of House finches who live right next to Emalee and Pete’s porch. They even saw an American Kestrel. A cute falcon, but threatening enough to implement more windmills.
 

Mushroom of the Month: Comb Tooth

Comb tooth is one of the craziest looking gourmet mushroom out there. Many say it looks like coral from the sea, and so did the scientist who named it, calling it Hericium coralloides.

This mushroom is in the same family as Lion’s Mane, Hericium, having similar growing conditions and medicinal properties. Both mushrooms grow naturally on decaying or dead deciduous trees around North America in the fall and early spring. Both mushrooms are also considered a powerful stimulator of the Nerve Growth Factor - which supports our brain function and aids nervous system repairs. Comb Tooth has the additional compound of corallocins that may greater the medicinal potential of the mushroom, study.

Comb Tooth shines apart from all mushrooms with it’s texture. Comb Tooth grows branches with spindly teeth that make for great surface area to get super crispy. The flavor is a bit more mild with a nice chew, appealing to all, even those less enthusiastic about mushrooms. A popular way to use this mushroom is to mince it up and use as you would any ground protein.

In case you didn’t know, Alcove in OTR has a bangin’ fried Comb Tooth dish that you should try. πŸ˜‹
 

Recipe: Chickpeas with spinach, mushroom and smoked paprika

I have been exploring Mediterranean food this season, it’s light and flavorful. This dish is America’s Test Kitchen’s take on Espinacas, a traditional tapas dish of Southern Spanish region of AndalucΓ­a.

What you need:

  • 1 large box of Comb Tooth, minced (can sub Oyster) from RLF

  • Pinch of saffron threads, crumbled

  • 2 teaspoon of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

  • 8 ounces of curly leaf spinach, stemmed

  • 5 garlic cloves, sliced thin

  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • Salt & pepper

  • 2 x 15 ounce cans of chickpeas

  • 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

  • 1 recipe Picada (below)

Picada:

  • 1/4 cup slivered almonds

  • 2 slices of hearty white sandwich bread torn in quarters

  • 2 tablespoons EVOO

  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

  • Pinch of pepper

How to:

  1. Make the Picada: Heat oven to 375 degrees. With a food processor, pulse the almonds into fine crumbs. Add bread, oil, salt and pepper, then pulse until bread is in coarse crumbs. Spread mixture evenly on a baking sheet and bake, stirring often, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Set aside.

  2. Now the main dish: Combine 2 tablespoons of boiling water and saffron in small bowl and let steep for 5 minutes.

  3. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in Dutch Oven over medium heat until simmering. Add spinach and 2 tablespoons of water, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally until spinach is wilted but bright green, about 1 minute. Transfer spinach to colander and gently press to release liquid. Transfer spinach to cutting board and chop coarse, then return to colander and press again.

  4. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in now-empty pot over medium heat until simmering. Add mushrooms and cook until lightly brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in garlic, paprika, cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in chickpeas and their liquid, 1 cup water, and saffron mixture and bring to simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chickpeas are tender and liquid has thickened slightly, 10 to 15 minutes.

  5. Off heat, stir in picada, spinach and vinegar and let sit until heated through, about 2 minutes. Adjust sauce consistency with hot water as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Viola! A quick and tasty meal.

 

Partner Spotlight: Razzo

Have you heard about Razzo? This is a cozy corner Italian spot opened in October of last year. They offer Roman-style pizza, pasta, and wine. They just won CityBeats’ Best of Cincinnati 2024 for β€œBest Sexy Pizza Spot.” The moody red neon light really sets the bar high for date night.

Of course we recommend you try the Funghi Pizza. It’s loaded with all kinds of mushrooms we grow. They also have a bunch of other great options, like Penne Alle Vodka and Saffron Arancini. Emalee said, β€œI legit could have died in the Cacio de Peppo and have lived a full life.” If that isn’t convincing, I don’t know what is.

You can visit them Tuesday - Saturday from 4:00 - 10:00pm, with lunch time hours coming this summer. Open to walk-ins and reservations, 1201 Broadway Street.

 

~ Fin ~

Thanks for reading, here’s your farm fun we promised. We have another side hobby, poetry. We have these fungi themed magnetic words in the facility. Whenever we need some inspiration or have creativity to spare, we can turn to the wall and write. Where are the slams at?

Follow us for more. #liveyourrichlife

Instagram: @richlifefarm

Facebook: Rich Life Farm and Fungi
Rich Life Farm and Fungi

Rich Life Farm & Fungi, info@richlifefarm.com, 1144 Ten Mile Rd, New Richmond, United States

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