August is here! School may start soon, but we’re still soaking up every last bit of summer here at Rich Life Farm. The crew has some fun trips planned, Pete made his podcast debut, and we’ve got some mushroom science facts you won’t want to miss. Dive in and savor the last bites of summer with us in the August newsletter! 💌⬇️

Give us a Review?

If you are a fungi fan, enjoy our mushrooms, use a tincture— please, consider giving us a review on Google. Leaving a quick review helps keep our business relevant and easier for new mushroom loving folks to find us. I know how much each interaction we have with market customers, chefs, store owners, and other producers means to us. If you have also enjoyed those interactions and experiences, please let us know! Of course the mushrooms would love to be rated as well! To make it easy for you, here’s a link to our Google Page: REVIEW NOW. Just scroll down past our information and click the “write a review” button. We will read them all. Thanks in advance!

Pete’s on a Podcast

You may have heard Pete on the radio, in the local news, and now he has crossed into the podcast world! Pete was interviewed by Patrick Venturella on “Let’s Talk Clermont”. “Let’s Talk Clermont’s” mission is to find interesting local information and fill you in on everything in Clermont County, Ohio. He discusses and interviews items and entities like County government happenings, local government politics, public school administration and small businesses.

On episode 13, Patrick interviewed Pete about the art and science of indoor mushroom cultivation. Pete shares how he and Emalee transformed their homegrown hobby into a full-time farm producing hundreds of pounds of mushrooms each week. They dive into the different mushroom varieties and even discuss some key players in the mycology world. Give the episode a listen by clicking below and be sure to check out “Let’s Talk Clermont’s” other episodes.

Science Corner

A fungus that is thought to have claimed the lives of several excavators working on King Tutankhamun's burial site has had a serious image makeover, thanks to scientists discovering that it holds powerful cancer-fighting properties. Aspergillus flavus, is the fungus. Researchers from University of Pennsylvania discovered that A. flavus contains a new class of molecules that, when extracted from the organism and tweaked, could target and disrupt cell division in leukemia. This discovery now opens the door to new and effective treatments for leukemia. The power of fungi never ceases to amaze us! Read more about the research HERE.

Mushroom of the Month: Comb Tooth

Is it cauliflower? Is it sea coral? No, it’s Comb Tooth! Comb tooth is one of the most eye-catching mushrooms, with it’s radiant white color and cascading spindles. It might look a little intimidating at first, but ironically it’s one of the easiest mushrooms to cook and work into a dish. Plus, it’s one of our all-time favorites amongst the Rich Life Farm crew.

Flavor wise, Comb Tooth has a more mild taste and umami notes. It will really take on whatever flavor profile you season it with. The texture makes it a great mushrooms to mince up and treat like a ground protein. Mushrooms tacos anyone? All those little spindles create tons of surface area, which means more spots to soak up seasoning and get delightfully crispy.

Medicinally, Comb Tooth shares many of the properties that Lion’s Mane since they’re both in the Hericium family. Specifically, Comb Tooth’s scientific name is Hericium corraloides. Clearly whoever named it also thought it resembled coral! Comb Tooth can support cognitive function- aiding in focus and mental clarity. Enjoying a serving of Comb Tooth once a week can help keep your neurons firing.

Comb Tooth is classified as a tooth fungus, meaning those spindles or “teeth” are the spore bearing surface, which is important for the mushroom’s reproduction. Comb tooth grows similarly to Lion’s Mane in a single cluster on dead or decaying hardwoods. The tree might already be down or it could be standing tall, so don’t forget to look high up when hiking in the woods.

If you haven’t given this mushroom a try yet, we highly recommend it!

Recipe: Pesto Pasta with Eggplant and Crispy Comb Tooth

Here’s what you need:

• 1 medium bag of Comb Tooth from Rich Life Farm

• Fresh Pasta from Russo’s Ravioli

• 1 medium Eggplant

• 1 small onion

  Homemade Pesto:

• ½ cup toasted pine nuts

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 1 small garlic clove

• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

• freshly ground black pepper

• 2 cups basil leaves from

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

• ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Here’s how:

1. Make the Pesto: In a food processor, combine the pine nuts, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper and pulse until well chopped. Add the basil and pulse until combined. With the food processor running, drizzle in the olive oil and pulse until combined. Add the Parmesan cheese, if using, and pulse to briefly combine. For a smoother pesto, add more olive oil.

2. Make the pasta according to the product’s instructions. Save a cup of pasta water for later when mixing the pesto and pasta.

3. Ready the vegetables. Chop the eggplant into evenly sized cubes, about 1/2 inch thick. Dice the onions. Chop the Comb Tooth into small pieces.

4. In a pan on medium heat, drizzle olive oil and toss in the eggplant and onions, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant becomes tender and starts to brown (10-15 minutes). While those are cooking, throw the Comb Tooth in a separate pan on medium heat (no oil, yet!), stir regularly. Once the comb tooth starts browning (about 5 minutes), add some oil to crisp the mushroom. Cook for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Combine the pasta with the pesto, using small splashes of pasta water if needed. Once the pesto pasta is uniform, top with eggplant, onions and crispy comb tooth.

Consider getting some of your ingredients at the Farmers market. You can find mushrooms, pasta, eggplant, onion, basil and olive oil from local producers. Refreshing, seasonal and tasty! Enjoy.

Partner Spotlight: Oakley Wines

This month’s partner highlight is slightly different — it’s an ode to Oakley Wines, a beloved establishment that recently closed it’s doors.

Oakley Wines was a restaurant, wine bar and wine shop that announced it’s closing last month. Their last day open was July 27. Co-owned by Stephanie Webster, she shared "This wasn’t an easy decision and comes with a lot of emotion and reflection. The community we’ve built over the last seven years is truly special — this place means so much to so many people, including myself."

Oakley Wines is a great example of a local business supporting other local business, perpetuating success within the community. They offered their space to other small businesses for pop ups, workshops, and events. They constantly supported small producers by including them in their food and wine menus. Thank you, Oakley Wines and other businesses, that choose to support local makers and producers. We see you, appreciate you and learn from you. Please consider going to support their sister shop, The Rhined in OTR. They have a wonderful selection of cheeses, wines and sandwiches.

Farm Flowers

You made it to the end—so here’s your fun little farm tidbit! Any East siders? If you are driving down Ten Mile Road, off of 52, keep your eyes peeled for a beautiful flower stand with bouquets of colorful zinnias, sunflowers, celosia, beebalm, and calendula. That stand is Emalee’s! Treat yourself (and your home) to a bundle and brighten your space with garden magic and abundance. Cheers to summer; keep enjoying the bright and beautiful moments of it.

Thanks for tuning in!

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