The Rural Voice, 1993-04, Page 31their prime stage of development.
Once inoculated, a log may be
good for five or six years of
production before the fungus makes it
deteriorate.
The mushrooms are sold both
fresh (wholesaling at $5-$6 a pound)
and dried. They will store for a
couple of weeks under proper
conditions. They can also be
dehydrated and shipped overseas to
Japan and sold through local health -
food stores. Campbell Soup is using
dried shiitake in soups. The Port
Rowan growers have also contracted
with a distributor to put their dried
mushrooms in health food stores all
across Canada, he says. That will
allow them to dry mushrooms at
Dried or fresh, shiitake
mushrooms offer good
profits from a recycled
product
times of peak production, then sell
them throughout the year.
Scheifele is also introducing his
students to the possibility of herbs as
a small -acreage crop. Restaurants
across the province and special food
outlets that want a steady of supply of
fresh herbs are the niche market. This
summer the crops garden at
Ridgetown will have a herbs section.
"I think it has a lot of potential for
certain individuals with a lot of room
for creative marketing."
There's a whole area opening up
for specialty beans as the public
becomes more aware of the value of
beans in the diet. Coloured beans are
gaining more interest from
consumers.
The plain old potato may get new
variety with a whole rainbow of
colours for the gourmet market:
black, yellow, red and many more.
The ethnic market provides
potential for many kinds of
vegetables such as vegetables for
Chinese cooking. At Ridgetown they
have also been working with Belgian
endive, aiming at centres of ethnic
population that have already been
introduced to the taste. "It's a very
delightful, high quality gourmet
vegetable."
Endive is a type of chicory. The
chicory is grown during the summer
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• Liquid starter fertilizer
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Mitchell Fertilizer Warehouse 348-9043
Mitchell Branch 348-8441 Monkton Branch 347-2232
APRIL 1993 27