Loomio
Fri 24 Jun 2022 2:38PM

Oak stumps from the Hudson Valley: collab on shiitake growing?

D Danny Public Seen by 25

If you are interested in participating please leave a comment explaining how you might contribute to this potential project and explaining the level of commitment you are able to make.

Initial Inspiration

I was at the Anable Basin Sailing Bar & Grill and I met the crew and captain of the Schooner Apollonia. They are interested in finding a stable business model to support their desire sail, to increase the awareness of low-carbon cargo transport, and to establish the viability of sail freight on the Husdon/East river. The captain (Sam) mentioned that last year they transported oak stumps to a farm in Redhook for shiitake cultivation which was paid for by some sort of Cornell grant which is no longer active. They want to build relationships that could lead to stable business for them.

Based on this meeting I proposed that Gil, Sneha, and I meet for a defined period to explore possibilities that could weave some local communities together and provide a useful application for the Biotech Without Borders lab. As with much of my outreach on Loomio, I also wanted to model possible ways the tool could be used to find collaborators. This also comes with a conceptual understanding of BwoB that has been made clear to me from reading about Microsolidarity. Briefly, microsolidarity seeks to build robust communities of purpose and belonging that can operate shared infrastructure. It makes explicit formats of human organization ranging from individuals to dyads, to crews, to congregations, and ending with a crowd. The size of these groups both limits the types of actions that can be done (because of challenges in coordination and trust) as well as what resources it has available. I want to do more explicit and deliberate work with this conceptual practice.

Only Danny is a member of Biotech Without Borders in the current formulation of the crew. But he communicated that one does not have to be a member to participate in this "outer" level of the BwoB community. Indeed there are a host of folks who are not members who volunteer or otherwise help the organization. It's also possible that relationships built here may result in action taken outside of BwoB, as long as BwoB is part of the plans or a member of BwoB is involved Loomio can continue to be used for organizing.

He committed to convening the first 2 meetings which resulted in some notes (from July 15 and July 27) as well as the first of the next 3 meetings (following the microsolidarity principles each meeting to be convened by one participant, meetings are finite) which will take place monthly starting in October. This timing is loosely building toward late winter/early spring (2023) harvest of log stumps.

Potential Projects and Resources

Danny is eager to explore methods for quantitative trait loci (QTL) assisted breeding. But our crew does not have any expertise in growing from spore. However, Sneha is confident that this expertise does exist in her network. There may factors influencing the success of breeding if genetically distinct plugs inhabit the same log. Furthermore, log cultivation may be slower than some plants.

Sneha is interested in experimenting with atypical cultivars of mushrooms. She has noticed patterns of competition on logs she has access too. She has access to several sites where there are existing log farms. Gil and Danny are both members of Smiling Hoghead Ranch which may allow a log yard to be set up as well as cared for if the gardeners can partake in the harvest.

Gil is interested in mycoremediation. Although touching the water of the Superfund may be illegal, work on brownfields would be less so. Interestingly these logs would be in brackish water which is not thought to be conducive to mushroom cultivation. He is familiar with sites where experimental work on mycoremediation could be conducted. He is also working on a project that is in year 6 where the output is a large agricultural farm.

D

Poll Created Fri 24 Jun 2022 2:42PM

Who is interested in a coversation about shiitake breeding? Closed Sat 2 Jul 2022 2:00PM

Outcome
by Danny Tue 5 Jul 2022 1:40PM

Great to see there is interest from some of our community. I created a separate time poll in this thread which I believe closes on the 6th to schedule a first meeting.

I'd like to convene a group to explore the possibility of breeding shiitakes. Please respond yes if you would like to join such a group. We would rotate the responsibility of facilitating the meeting. We can use the Biotech Without Borders lab as a place to meet.

At first let's commit to 2 meetings. We can reassess after that if we want to continue.

Results

Results Option Voters
Yes 4 D SH GL SG
No 0  
Undecided 0  

4 of 4 people have participated (100%)

SG

Sneha Ganguly
Yes
Fri 24 Jun 2022 2:44PM

Hi Danny, great that you bumped into Schooner Apollonia. I happen to work for the Cornell Small Farms program with the grant as a Teaching Assistant. I also happen to know the ins and outs of Shiitake log cultivation and can easily provide a presentation. My only concern is log cultivation is best suited for the outdoors but perhaps BwoB can function as an incubation site to grow out spawn and cover other indoor aspects of cultivation. As per NYMS, cultivation and as it relates to breeding is not a topic that the club covers. Also, personally, I have maxed out my volunteer hours for community organizing. However, I am willing to support this program by sharing my expertise in Shiitake log cultivation. We could do a lecture at BwoB and hands-on inoculation day at Smiling Hogshead Ranch? I'd love to present on behalf of my own business Kali Mushrooms, and am happy to possibly mediate between Cornell and facilitate some kind of joint program. I'll have to ask. We can of course call in NYMS folks. The Cornell mushroom program also has a number alumni in NYC who I am sure would love to get involved.

SH

Susan Harrington
Yes
Thu 30 Jun 2022 1:06PM

I think this sounds great, but I will be traveling for some of July and most of August.

D

Danny Fri 24 Jun 2022 6:00PM

@Sneha Ganguly Yup I was thinking the the ranch would be a site that might be interested in having some logs. I wasn't suggesting to have the logs here in the lab. Great to know you have expertise cultivating shiitakes

If you think inviting some of these alumni to the poll would be a good idea, please do.

SG

Sneha Ganguly Fri 24 Jun 2022 6:17PM

Let's chat, then I'll know who and how to connect you.

D

Poll Created Wed 29 Jun 2022 6:00PM

First meeting of two about a potential collaboration Closed Wed 6 Jul 2022 5:01PM

Outcome
by Danny Thu 7 Jul 2022 12:51PM

I created a google meet and invited Sneha. Details are below in case anyone else is able or wants to join.

To summarize everyone's responses so far:

  • Gil is interested but unable to meet until after the 18th. We will hopefully meet with him the second time we convene.

  • Susan did not respond as likely she is unavailable based on a previous comment.

  • Craig could only make times "if need be" where Sneha could not make it, so i prioritized convening with a known schedule. We'll make sure to include you in future polls earlier if you want.

As a reminder the agenda is here

Google Meet joining info

Video call link: https://meet.google.com/uec-tjyd-rtz

Or dial: ‪(GB) +44 20 3873 3170‬ PIN: ‪470 770 010 1917‬#

More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/uec-tjyd-rtz?pin=4707700101917

To all those who expressed interest in meeting, I'd like to know your availability on the week of July 7th and 15th to convene at Biotech Without Borders (43-01 21ST Street Suite 319) or online to discuss this potential collaboration on shiitake growing/breeding. You are free to propose alternate times.

At this meeting i'd like to get to know each other and the communities we are in contact with as well as our personal motivations for wanting to engage in a potential collaboration. I'd like to start discussions on what exactly should we collaborate on, and I'd like to brainstorm ideas for how to activate the individuals and resources we have access to in service of the potential collaboration. If we walk away from this meeting with a better idea of what is possible and what we hope for that would be a success. We should also plan for the second (and possibly final) meeting at this time.

I drafted a rough agenda to this meeting here. Please feel free to add anything. As with the last poll feel free to invite other external guests to vote.

Results

UTC Votes D GL SG CT
Thu  7 Jul 2022  3:00PM
1
 
 
 
 
Thu  7 Jul 2022  5:00PM
1
 
 
 
 
Thu  7 Jul 2022  9:00PM
1.5
 
 
 
 
Fri  8 Jul 2022 12:00AM
1
 
 
 
 
Fri 15 Jul 2022  3:00PM
2
 
 
 
 
Fri 15 Jul 2022  5:00PM
2
 
 
 
 

4 of 5 people have participated (80%)

GL

gil lopez Wed 29 Jun 2022 6:01PM

Thu 7 Jul 2022 3:00PM
Thu 7 Jul 2022 5:00PM
Thu 7 Jul 2022 9:00PM
Fri 8 Jul 2022 12:00AM
Fri 15 Jul 2022 3:00PM
Fri 15 Jul 2022 5:00PM

I’m already booked up on theses days. My earliest availability will be 7/18. I’m also traveling so much afterwards that I probably won’t be able to participate in the cultivation. Please push ahead without me.

SG

Sneha Ganguly Wed 29 Jun 2022 6:01PM

Thu 7 Jul 2022 3:00PM
Thu 7 Jul 2022 5:00PM
Thu 7 Jul 2022 9:00PM
Fri 8 Jul 2022 12:00AM
Fri 15 Jul 2022 3:00PM
Fri 15 Jul 2022 5:00PM

7th I am in Vermont. Agenda looks good to me. I’d like to do the preliminary meeting online.

CT

Craig Trester Tue 5 Jul 2022 1:48AM

Thu 7 Jul 2022 3:00PM
Thu 7 Jul 2022 5:00PM
Thu 7 Jul 2022 9:00PM
Fri 8 Jul 2022 12:00AM
Fri 15 Jul 2022 3:00PM
Fri 15 Jul 2022 5:00PM

I’d be available to attend virtually for the preliminary meeting!

Keep me posted!

D

Danny Fri 1 Jul 2022 3:53PM

@gil lopez OK we will schedule our first meeting outside your availability. I'm not really sure about the timing of shiitake cultivation but the earliest we could get stumps is September. I'm also not committing anything to cultivation at this time, just wanting to gather some folks for a conversation. Hope you will be able to make our second meeting.

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