Thanks for looking Harriet, I appreciate the guidance!

So, the photos are from two attempts in the same location, one with rice one with oats. We had an October heat wave. In terms of dryness, the first one with rice was pretty wet/cooked, but the second with oats was super al dente (after bringing it back out, my partner and I both thought it was too dry). In terms of location, I feel like it’s an ok spot, lots of leaf litter, mycelium, and fungal activity. Also, I placed the first basket with just a cloth on top and no other protection – way too freestyle lots of insects. I didn’t dig a hole, basket was just placed on top of the mycelium.

In looking at photos in Nigel Palmer/JADAM/internet, it seems like people are mostly getting this white fuzzy appearance – is that always zygomycetes?

I set up a third attempt differently, as the first two were very un-precise. I lightly cooked the rice/oats and half-filled 3 large canning jars. Cloth square over the opening, then the lid and ring. I steamed them canning-style on the stove for a couple of hours, then carried the pot to the woods, opened the lid, cleaned hands etc. before grabbing the jars to carry them to their locations. I replaced the lids with perforated lids before laying the jars on their sides and nestling into the duff/covering with litter. Its been more than 7 days, only one jar has a sign of activity and it’s looking too colorful. I’ll take a photo later. It’s seasonably cool now, so maybe I missed the window, maybe the lid isn’t perforated enough. I needed 3 of those stainless mesh circles that are used for sprouting. The jars are wide mouth, but still so enclosed compared to a box/basket. Now I’m imagining some russian nesting doll ???? style permeable jar that could be removed from a glass jar after sterilizing.

What else? Do you think a forest is the right ‘natural’ environment to be using for inoculation? What about a grassland? What about a different media – insects? Have you had success with imo – what organisms would you want to see trapped? Do you think it’s likely that we’re missing the concept ‘fastening’ the technique together? Maybe the efforts are best directed towards a different technique? Our house is right beside a state forest, very convenient.

In any case it’s an opportunity to find something to eat, brought back maitake, chanterelle, and oyster. And of course to enjoy the woods.

Thanks happy to continue the thread.