Happy Birthday Kristen!

Locavore

This definition of "Localvore" is copied straight from Wikipedia. But being a locavore is dogma that we at Shiitake Happens strive to live by, from where we acquire our substrates to where we sell our mushrooms. Grow local, buy local.

Locavore

A locavore is someone who eats food grown or produced locally or within a certain radius such as 50, 100, or 150 miles. The locavore movement encourages consumers to buy from farmers’ markets or even to produce their own food, with the argument that fresh, local products are more nutritious and taste better. Locally grown food is an environmentally friendly means of obtaining food, since supermarkets that import their food use more fossil fuels and non-renewable resources.

"Locavore" was coined by Jessica Prentice from the San Francisco Bay Area on the occasion of World Environment Day 2005 to describe and promote the practice of eating a diet consisting of food harvested from within an area most commonly bound by a 100 mile radius. "Localvore" is sometimes also used.

The New Oxford American Dictionary chose locavore, a person who seeks out locally produced food, as its word of the year 2007.^[6] The local foods movement is gaining momentum as people discover that the best-tasting and most sustainable choices are foods that are fresh, seasonal, and grown close to home. Some locavores draw inspiration from the The 100-Mile Diet or from advocates of local eating like Barbara Kingsolver whose book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle chronicles her family's attempts to eat locally. Others just follow their taste buds to farmers' markets, community supported agriculture programs, and community gardens.

Shiitake Happens is Still Alive and Kicking!

Golden Gourmet

There was a cool article in the LA Times about a mushroom farm in San Diego called Golden Gourmet, their expansion into exotic mushrooms, and the market's acceptance of gourmet fungi. It's very inspiring for a little guy like me.

http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-calcook1-2008oct01,0,985392.story





Thanks Chris for the link!

My Left Foot

So the other day I stepped on this...


It went through my boot here....



And went into my foot here.

B!SSS Magazine

In the world of mushroom cultivation there tends to be a bit of down time. When I want to catch up on the latest in surf, skate, snow and art I pick up B!SSS, the worlds greatest free magazine.

B!SSS Magazine

It was a wonderful surprise when I turned to page 36 (or 18 online) in the October issue and saw my ugly mug with a nice little write up on Shiitake Happens Mushrooms.

Nick and Joey are working their arses off to deliver the goods to you on a monthly basis, keep up the good work boys. Head on down to your local surf shop and pick up the latest issue today.

If you aren't reading B!SSS you are blowing it.

I'm a Model

My very talented friend Circe, came by the farm to take a few photos of yours truly. She is an amazing photographer, and if she can make me look decent, she can make you look like a supermodel.


Contact Circe for all of your photo needs @ circebphoto@gmail.com, she is dope.

House Hunting

The special lady friend and I were out house hunting, and we came across this lovely abode.

Fungi Photos

This guy has an amazing site of mushroom photos chceck it out! FungiPhoto.com

It's a Big'n

Thanks Brooke

Sterling

I had dinner with my friend Joey and his wife Brynn, and I finally got to meet their little boy Sterling. Sterling is so easy to deal with, he is the type of baby that makes one think, "Hey I could do this."

Joey's family owns Utros in San Pedro, it's a Pedro staple with the best burgers in town. Keep it Cavotu Joey.

We're on a Mexican Radio

Shiiatke Happens was highlighted on 89.9 KRCW's "Good Food" here in Los Angeles Saturday Morn'.

We are the second story, at about the 4:01 minute mark. If I was any better at this I'd be able to edit down to just our segment, but I'm not.

Take a listen... Shiitake On Yer Radio

You Never Forget Your First

Shiitake Happens had a big day on Wednesday. We had our first market at the Santa Monica Farmers Market, and it was bitchen. My good friend Katie was on hand to help me out, I couldn't have done it without her!




Steve Roberts from Cafe Boogaloo (boogaloo.com) stopped by to check us out, and we are always stoked to see Steve.





We met a new friend Sandy, who owns Pace a great Italian joint on Laurel Canyon Blvd.



We sold out of mushrooms in under a hour and a half, thanks to the the likes of these two young ladies. Who, coincidentally were my first two customers. Thanks to everyone who made our first market so successful.

Recipe #1

This is the first of a series of weekly recipes from my friend Chris Hook, a famous chef from a prestigious restaurant in Beverly Hills, blah, blah, blah....

Chris has had my back from day one, he is one of those salt of the earth type of blokes. Hook assured me the first installment would be simple but tasty, basically something I can understand.

Here it is...

1 Pound of White Oyster Mushrooms Cut into Wedges
2 Table Spoons of Unsalted Butter
Pinch of Sea Salt
Pinch of Black Pepper
Clove of Garlic Crushed

Take a saute pan over medium heat add butter and crushed garlic until butter is golden brown.

Add mushrooms, salt and pepper to taste, and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Serve over rice, fish, pasta or whatever you wanna. Enjoy!

Mycality Farms

I'd like to introduce you to Mike Egan. Mike is one hot surfer, a master mycologist, and owner of Mycality Farms, a wonderful operation in Humboldt, CA.

Last January I talked Mike into letting me tag along for a month to teach me a few things about the mushroom game. What I got was a lifetime of knowledge, a ton of great waves, a mentor and a friend. So hears to you Mushroom Mike, I don't know how to repay you, but the next wave is all yours.

Mike is the pirate looking dude with an oyster mushroom for an eye patch.

Pink is the New Black

Shiitake Happens has completed its' pilot run of Pleurotus Djamor, or the Pink Oyster Mushroom.

The younger the mushrooms, the more vibrant the color. As the mushrooms mature their color fades, and once cooked the mushrooms lose their color completely.

But man are they delicious!

Once we work out the kinks this will be another quality mushroom in the Shiitake Happens quiver.

Road Trippn'

Shiitake Happens packed up the surfboards and dogs and went on a little field trip to the Humboldt Oyster Festival.



We had a wonderful time and filled our bellies with fresh kumamoto oysters from the bay and cold brew from the local breweries.












Adam demonstrating that when eating oysters, beer for breakfast at the Alibi is not only recommended but encouraged. Brewery, brewery, brewery!

I Get By With a Little Help...

Our friends over at the clothing company RVCA have given a little love to Shiitake Happens by putting us up on their website under the "advocates" page. Take a lookskies.

You have to scroll down a bit, http://www.rvca.com/advocates/?cat=1&paged=2

Thanks Skye, much love darling.

8 down 24, 920 to go...

Shiitake Happens had it's first sale today! The talented Chef Melba has graciously been our first customer. "I know quality mushrooms when I see them," she said kindly.

Go down to Chef Melba's Bistro on the corner 15th st and Hermosa Ave to support two local businesses and feast on some excellent California Cuisine.

Check Out These Beauties, Eh.

We have our first crop of oyster mushrooms.

I have delivered samples all around town, and the reception has been huge. Local resturaunts have already placed orders, now all we have to do is get back to growing to make sure we can fill them. No rest for the weary.

We're Farming Now!

Shiitake Happens has turned a corner. Last week we went from an expensive construction project, to an actual farm! We have started growing oyster mushrooms on two types of substrate, or mushroom soil. Very exciting stuff (sweet Jesus I am such a nerd.)

Nothing says "farming" like a pitchfork.

Meet The Crew

I would like to introduce two people who have been working diligently to get Shiitake Happens off the ground. This is Marco and his son Marcito, two of the hardest working hombres you'll ever meet.

These two journeymen can do it all, concrete, masonry, you name it. Marco says he's even a master tailor. So if you need some brick work done, or want to look like a million bucks, give em' a ring.

Mushrooms Shmushrooms

At the risk of sounding like a hippy, this a pretty trippy time lapse video of mushrooms in their natural element.



Here is the link to Mushroom Madness!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvTvaxVySlE


Purple, your aura is purple man....

Breaking New Ground

Today, after several months of research and hard work, Shiitake Happens broke ground on our little urban farm. Very exciting stuff!

We, or more accurately Ronny, started the demolition of a shipping container to transform it into our fruiting house. With my broken ankle, torn tendons and ligaments I sat this one out, and uh, managed. Like most managers who sit by and watch others do all the work, I was pretty useless.

Ronny removed all of the wood 2x4's that lined the walls, because they are a great hiding place for competing mold and fungus. Next we'll remove the wooden flooring and the door, and replace them with water and mold resistant materials.

We're learning as we go, but at least we're going....

Check back with us weekly for updates.