People are increasingly curious about gourmet mushrooms like shiitakes that have been grown and eaten in Japan and other Asian countries for centuries. Shiitakes have developed a steadily growing market in the United States. 

Today, it is the second most grown mushroom in the world, next to the common button mushroom. They have meaty flesh and a distinctive, nutty, or garlicky flavor, and they are low in calories but high in amino acids, B vitamins, vitamin D, minerals, and dietary fiber. The Japanese have studied the medicinal effects of these mushrooms and have found that eating them seems to reduce blood cholesterol levels. Shiitake may also fight viruses and boost the immune system.

Shiitake mushrooms can be grown on logs unlike many mushrooms which grow on compost or manure-based potting media. The best logs are from hardwood trees (“shii” is “from hardwood trees” in Japanese), particularly oak and sugar maple. 

A shiitake mushroom production workshop was held on Saturday, March 5, 2022, at the Campbell County Environmental Education Center. 35 participants learned how to select trees to utilize for shiitake production, how to grow them, and about their nutritional value.  Participants took home a log capable of producing shiitakes. 

The Campbell County Extension Agent for Natural Resources and Environmental Management has been conducting these classes for 20 years. Recently, surveys were distributed to 155 people that participated in workshops from 2009 – 2020 to determine the long-term effectiveness of the workshops. Survey results indicate:

• 57% were successful in growing shiitakes
• 25% sold shiitakes
• 36% inoculated additional logs to produce more shiitakes
• 36% ate more shiitakes after the workshop
• 86% indicated nutrition as a reason to eat shiitakes, specifically citing B vitamins, vitamin D, immune system health, cholesterol reduction
• “I have never liked any mushrooms prior to trying shiitake mushrooms. The only mushroom that I like are still shiitake. This class introduced me to them.”