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Complied by David Warfel - [email protected] – IG @fireinthecreek Sources: Field and Forest, North Spore, Mushroom Mountain Ideal Logs for Growing Mushrooms • Cut from a healthy tree during dormancy (late Fall-winter) • Hardwoods such as Poplar, Oak, Beech, Sweetgum are usually preferred. NOT Pine • Do a Google search for “Mushroom Log Species Chart” to find the suitable match of mushroom and tree. North Spore, Field and Forest, and Mushroom Mountain are reputable sources. Storing Cut Logs • Logs should be kept indoors or in a shady place off the ground for at least two weeks after being cut. They can sit as long as 8 weeks or more if they pass the health check shown below. Inoculation • Spawn is substrate that already has mycelium growing on it, in the form of sawdust or plugs. • Mycelium is a root-like structure of a fungus consisting of a mass of branching, thread-like hyphae • Spawn needs about 4 weeks of daytime highs above 45°F for mycelium to grow. Log Health Check before Inoculation • Check 1: Moisture Content o Look for cracks at the ends of logs for signs of drying. If cracks reach the edges and are as thick as a coin you will need to soak for 24-48 hours. If they rise, let them surface dry and inoculate. If they sink, let them dry for 24 hours before inoculating. • Check 2: Sapwood Health o A healthy log will be relatively heavy with a continuous ring of light-colored, nutritious sapwood. Drilling into it, notice if the wood is darker, indicating dead or diseased wood. • Check 3: Bark Health o Small cracks emanating from the outer bark surface inward indicate uneven drying or curing and can serve as channels for contaminants. If the bark comes off easily it’s not healthy. Look for black spots that indicate disease. Log Storage after inoculation • Most problems in the fruiting cycle of mushroom cultivation are linked back to the initial spawn run phase, so it pays to give the inoculation and initial spawn run year lots of attention • Moisture is key. Pick a spot outside with shade and protection from wind. • Covering the log(s) with a tarp can also provide shade, protection, and trap moisture. • If it doesn’t rain in one week then give it a good soak. It is best to irrigate heavily and infrequently than lightly and frequently. However, do not attempt to soak logs for rehydration purposes after 4 months of spawn run have occurred. When will the mushrooms come out? • Shiitake sawdust spawn inoculated in late Fall should produce by next Fall. • Oyster sawdust spawn inoculated in late Fall should produce by late summer. • The thicker the log the longer it will take for mycelium to grow and mushrooms to come out. • After a few of months, you should start to see white mycelium growth at the ends of the log.
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Join us for Hugelkultur!
FREE Workshop Sunday November 17th 1-2:30pm Bountiful Cities Pearson GardenJoin instructor Kelly Sunshine for a class on creating Hugelkultur beds. There are sticks, leaves, logs and mulch left behind in the devastation created by Hurricane Helene and although the clean up is on-going we can use this waste as a resource to create regenerative garden beds. Photo source and more info. HERE Register in advance for FREE This workshop is presented in collaboration with the City of Asheville Why is Hyper-Local Food is Important NOW... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQaM5rU171Y What is Hyper-Local food? How is it different from Local food? What does it have to do with community resilience? Watch this short video to find out how you can get involved in Bountiful Cities resilience efforts and long term food security for our community. Donate to Support Bountiful Cities Resilience and Recovery Efforts Food Connection Squash and Apples! Thanks to our friends at Food Connection who passed on a large donation of fresh food to us last week! We have been able to supply local distribution centers where we consistently find that these apples and squash are the ONLY FRESH FOOD available. If you didn't already know... Bountiful Cities works to make fresh food more accessible to all people through urban agriculture. Thanks to all the volunteers who are supporting us in this distribution effort!! If you want to learn more about upcoming opportunities to volunteer sign up below! Curried Pumpkin Apple Soup If you are looking for something to do with your leftover Halloween decorations try this simple soup! Curried Pumpkin Apple Soup 1 quart water 1 1/2c. pumpkin puree 1/2 small onion – diced 2 cloves garlic –crushed 1 T. oil 1 apple – peeled and diced 1 T. fresh ginger –finely grated 2 t. curry powder 2 t. salt 1 t. paprika 1/8 t. cinnamon 1/2 c. apple juice 1 T sugar 1 can coconut milk -combine water and pumpkin and bring to a boil -add apples and cook until tender -saute onions and garlic in oil on low heat until tender -add onion and remaining ingredients to soup - if soup seems very thin add 1 more cup pumpkin puree -taste and adjust seasoning if needed Download and Print Recipe Volunteer with Bountiful Cities As we move forward with recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene there are many opportunities for folks to contribute to our long-term resilience and food security projects. Get on our list to receive regular updates about volunteer workdays and other ways to be involved by signing up HERE. Mushroom Log Inoculation - FREE Workshop
Wednesday October 23rd 3-4:30pm Bountiful Cities Pearson Garden This is an unprecedented time of loss for our community, we have lost so much including trees that were near and dear. Many of those trees can be valuable in other ways now that they are no longer standing. In this workshop learn how to use logs to make food, with a particular emphasis on using reclaimed wood downed during Hurricane Helene. Register in advance for FREE This workshop is presented in collaboration with the City of Asheville Our Staff - Resources and Resilience Farmer Kelly lives out in the Grovemont Neighborhood in Swannanoa and plugged into community efforts there once she was able to leave her home. Many families lost everything in this area and there are still people who are missing. After trees were cleared she went to the East End Valley Street Community to donate food, water, and goods. She has been volunteering with multiple mutual aid efforts in Swannanoa and gathering donations to fill supply gaps as they arise. Supply needs are constantly changing but one way to contribute that will not change is the need for monetary donations to those who lost homes, businesses, farms, jobs, and more. To learn more about these needs follow this link: Hurricane Helene Relief . Lastly Farmer Kelly is helping to coordinate with the Warren Wilson College Farm to help farmers receive hay and feed donations for their livestock! If you have round hay bales or farm animal feed that you would like to donate contact Kelly at [email protected] Hot Springs Elementary FEAST Instructor Natalie Hesed was on the ground supporting community during Hurricane Helene and this is her story... Hot Springs is a town that straddles both the French Broad River and Spring Creek. In hurricane Helene, both of these rose up to unthinkably high levels a and flooded many businesses and homes.... read more here. Donate to Support Bountiful Cities Resilience and Recovery Efforts - we need your help! We are proud to have the support of The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina in the form of Emergency Disaster Relief. They will be providing partial funding of our work on resilience building education, immediate disaster relief, and fresh food distribution. Community Resources Govenor Cooper Increases UnempolymentGovernor Roy Cooper issued an emergency Executive Order authorizing the North Carolina Department of Commerce, Division of Employment Security, to increase the amount of weekly unemployment payments available to North Carolinians in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Read the details here: https://governor.nc.gov/news/press-releases/2024/10/16/governor-cooper-issues-executive-order-increasing-unemployment-payments-north-carolinians-wake#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThis%20Executive%20Order%20will D-Snap Benefit Application Open The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has received approval to implement the first phase of the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP). People are encouraged to apply by phone at the D-SNAP Virtual Call Center at 1-844-453-1117 or complete a pre-registration online using the ePASS Pre-Registration Tool, which will open on Oct. 15 for pre-registration and close on Oct. 22. Applicants will then receive a call to complete the registration with an interview over the phone. People can also apply at a D-SNAP location in their county. For a full list of places to apply and for more details, visit ncdhhs.gov/dsnap. Agricultural RecoveryHere is a link to information shared by our Urban Agricultural Extension Agent Michael Rayburn, compiled by FEMA specifically for growers: https://www.bountifulcities.org/latest-news/fema-information And here is information with soil management recommendations: https://www.bountifulcities.org/latest-news/hurricane-helen-urban-agriculture-info Supply Request Form From Nnweyna Smith: I have been working with Sekou Coleman of RSAA to coordinate getting supplies to the Legacy Neighborhood Coalitions through the newly established warehouse at Collaborativa La Milpa. Now tell us what you need. Please help us coordinate supplies and connect to everyone in our community, complete this document for your organization, group, church. etc.: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfUgXIMK0up-SqadKc_nByN11kf8ggK3lErEZmK_kdUbH8djQ/viewform If you are having any issues with completing or accessing this document - call or text me at 828.785.2595 - I can assist you with this process. Also let me know if you want me to send you this link to your cell phone number for easier access. In service and gratitude, Nnweyna Nnweyna Smith She/Her Community Equity and Inclusion Analyst Equity and Human Rights Office ASAP Offers Farmers Disaster Assistance Here is a link to resources and grants compiled by ASAP to assist growers and farmers in their recovery efforts: https://asapconnections.org/farmer-resources/emergency-relief/ Elected Officials Update Here is a link to KEY updates and resources compiled by Asheville City and Buncombe County: https://files.constantcontact.com/d1576b0e901/a7c93ce1-2c80-434a-845b-ddae9aaa082a.pdf You can sign up to get these updates daily here Know a friend who needs to get this newsletter? Send them a link to sign up for Bountiful Cities Newsletter Donate to Bountiful Cities Donate using Paypal Donate using Venmo Hot Springs Elementary FEAST Instructor Natalie Hesed was on the ground supporting community during Hurricane Helene and this is her story... Hot Springs is a town that straddles both the French Broad River and Spring Creek. In hurricane Helene, both of these rose up to unthinkably high levels a and flooded many businesses and homes.
One of my passions in typical times is paddle boarding. I am very familiar with many miles of the French Broad. I watch River levels almost daily, both historic and predicted. I saw the levels that were predicted. I knew that we expected unimaginably high levels. What I learned is that I lacked the experience to be able to extrapolate that number into a picture that would truly show the devastation that would occur. Paired with the damming up of the Spring Creek bridge in town, which unexpectedly sent the entire flow of a flooded Spring Creek raging through downtown businesses and homes, we were all stunned. The most incredible part, however, was not the flooding but the response. Within three days our town had assembled an entire disaster response team completely composed of volunteering Hot Springs residents plus town officials and the fire and police departments. We had people going door to door, even in rural areas, to assess if homes were accessible and check in with residents. Owners of large equipment cleared roads and established temporary footbridges. Throughout the night, residents took shifts to guard our downtown area from looters so that police and fire workers could sleep. A temporary kitchen was set up that cooked 3 hot meals for hundreds each day, with delivery to elderly and those in need of their homes could be reached. A few of us huddled around the two starlinks in town in order to communicate with the ‘outside world.’ Many many of my friends, new friends, and fellow residents worked tirelessly to cover all angles of disaster response and I am incredibly proud of us all! The best way I could see for myself to contribute to the response was as a logistics assistant. I helped to facilitate communications between teams and create needed documents and forms. My favorite moments, though, were seeing our community children at the meal sites in town and playing with them for short moments. They would run around on their school front lawn, joking and playing. It almost seemed’ normal’, but just 100 feet away their ball field had turned into the emergency helicopter landing pad, their library into a disaster response command center, and their gym into “ Hot Springs’ largest free grocery store.” Children are beautifully resilient. This past week I went back to work at Woodson Branch, a K-8 school that was not severely affected by the flooding. They have opened up their registration to all area K-8 students and are currently operating as a safe and fun “camp” where kids can enjoy the forest, gardens, and time with peers. It’s brought a smile to my face to be back with kids making garden art, gathering bouquets to distribute in our affected towns, and crafting, reading, and laughing together! I look forward to returning to work with HSES students in the near future as well as the public schools reopen. The Gather and Garden team has been checking in on the school garden for me, as I haven’t had time to set foot in it just yet! It really is a community garden. They’ve sent community members there to harvest a few fresh items to supplement many canned and boxed products we are receiving. This flood has torn apart our homes and buildings and dismantled our roads and bridges. The flood has fractured the landscape of our towns and neighborhoods BUT ALSO The flood has assembled our innate human ability to work as a team and care for each other. The flood has united the landscape of our communities. Collectively we’ve formed new, strong, connections to those we may have otherwise never met. We are resilient and strong. It’s been a beautiful thing to watch and be a part of. Privately Owned Roads, Bridges and Docks
In the document “FEMA Assistance for North Carolinians” it describes that FEMA’s Housing Assistance program provides money to help repair or replace homes damaged by the disaster which includes privately owned roads, bridges, and docks – especially if those are the only access to their home. I’ve included a screenshot below. USDA & Agriculture Assistance I’ve included a postcard handout from the United States Department of Agriculture but I found that the USDA programs include expediting crop insurance payments – USDA has instructed crop insurance companies to expedite loss adjustments that are necessary to make payments, and to make payments within 30 days. The Farm Service Agency Call Center is available at 877-508-8364 and can help direct produces to available staff. The USDA has also issued flexibility and waivers at the request of North Carolina for nutrition assistance programs. Understanding your FEMA Eligibility Letter This is a helpful guide for individuals who have applied for assistance to understand any communication from FEMA. Small Business Administration (SBA) Fact Sheets These are available in English and Spanish for your small business owners with concerns about recovery and provides more information about what programs the SBA offers. Myth and Fact for the NC Response Continuing to respond to rumors swirling about is of paramount interest. This is a fact sheet that can be distributed to folks to help ease some of their concerns about what is reality vs. fake news. FEMA Serious Needs Quick Reference Guide This document answers some common questions about Serious Needs Assistance ($750 payment) for survivors. Natalia Santana-Pollard Deployed as Intergovernmental Affairs Specialist Mobile: (202) 316-7208 [email protected] Soil Management recommendations
for Hurricane-Impacted Western NC By David H. Hardy & Joe Hudyncia, Agronomic Division – NCDA&CS Luke Gatiboni, Crop & Soil Science Department– NC State University Hurricane Helene caused great devastation throughout much of western North Carolina and farm fields were not spared. There are reports of impacts to fields in all landscape positions. This situation calls for a vigilant approach to soil and crop management that includes assessment on a field-by-field basis. Caution should be used in first visiting fields since crossovers or bridges to enter fields may have been compromised during the storm. Here are considerations to address potential issues. Remove any visible debris from the field. Storm water is powerful and can push and float all kinds of debris into fields, including large objects such as cars, appliances and trees. Debris may be buried and not noticed until future tillage operations. For areas where erosion has occurred, significant topsoil is lost. If so, phosphorus, potassium, and significant micronutrients such as manganese, zinc and copper, may have been removed. If not being replaced by fill, soil sampling existing soil is strongly encouraged. Any fill for reconstruction purposes (grading, filling gullies) should be tested for general soil fertility prior to use. There are no state regulations on topsoil quality in NC, so it is buyer beware. Sediment or soil eroding from other locations may be deposited over native soil in fields. This can potentially impact fertility. Since this deposition is often topsoil from other locations to floodplain areas, it may have high nutritive value. If predominantly sand has been deposited, it may have relatively low nutrient levels. Deposits may be seen visually over existing soil, but the depth of deposition cannot be accurately assessed. Use of a soil probe can be helpful. Probe down to see where the soil layer transitions into native soil and measure the depth of deposition. Use the following considerations in assessment and management.
On soils that were properly limed before the flood, soil pH, soil calcium and magnesium levels should be sufficient on most soils. If soils have not been sampled in 3 or more years, soil testing is highly encouraged. In flooding situations, there are often concerns over pollutants in soils. Given the widespread origin of floodwaters, it is difficult to assess contamination of soils since various unknown chemicals can be associated with these events. If there are known chemicals of concern at a given location, use of a commercial environmental lab that offers analysis for contaminants is an option but can be expensive. Soil fertility labs do not offer this service. To initially evaluate crop growth impacts, plants such as wheat and soybeans can be grown in soil collected from fields of concern in a greenhouse setting to bioassay for materials that are toxic to plant growth. The following are resources that can provide further help. Soil Testing: Agronomic Division Soil Testing- NCDA&CS: https://www.ncagr.gov/divisions/agronomic-services/soil-testing Regional Agronomists: Agronomic Division Field Services- NCDA&CS: https://www.ncagr.gov/divisions/agronomic-services/field-services NC Cooperative Extension Service: https://www.ces.ncsu.edu/local-county-center/ NC Soil and Water Conservation- NCDA&CS: https://www.ncagr.gov/divisions/soil-water-conservation (For guidance on installation and remediation of conservation practices). Michael Rayburn Urban Agriculture Agent Buncombe County Center 49 Mt Carmel Rd, Suite 102 Asheville, NC 28806 828-424-5109 Hey everyone, I hope this month is treating you all well. I don't know about you but I have been wanting to burrow deeper into the sheets and take on some additional rest. Most of the time, I’m trying to convince myself that it’s okay that I still want to burrow. Every time I give in, it is confirmed that it is exactly what I needed before this season jumps off and I’m so grateful that I’ve given in to my intuition to just take rest. As humans, we can busy ourselves, trying to systemize everything…and don’t get me wrong it is important to plan and to know when to plant what and at what time. However, sometimes no matter how much we try to control it, nature comes in and reveals to us who is really in control. Wind storms come in and destroy our caterpillar tunnels, an unexpected frost stunts most of our seedlings or it could be as simple as, we are busy with everyday life and forget to bump up our plants so some of our potential seedlings become rootbound. For the small-scale farmer and gardener who is trying to increase productivity, it seems imperative to rationalize and create a scientific system that optimizes the growing season. However, what would it feel like if we relied on our gut instinct more? If we just observed and learned what works on our land or in our area. Yes, it would be a slower process, one that was based on trial and error but would be something that we could personally speak on because it becomes a lived experience. There are coined terms such as regenerative, permaculture, restorative, etc. that are thrown around and used in our food system, what they are really speaking of is an indigenous way of being that is in tune with the land… with nature! This is not a new phenomenon ~ this is an ancestral remembering. We’re seeing health issues at an all-time high and it is only when a natural disaster takes place that most correlate it to the large-scale ways of interfering and adding artificial inputs that annihilate the microorganisms within the soil and within our gut. We must all awaken our intuition if we are going to see a true transformation in the food system. For more information and relevant topics, follow Ta’rin’ii @lionesswildcrafted. Stay in tune… In service, Ta’rin’ii This is your community garden co-coordinator, Tarinii. This is a reminder that we have a Seed Starting Workshop this March 9th, from 2-3:30 @ The Grove Street Community Center. I am so thankful to be able to host this workshop and get everyone excited about seeds! It would be great if you could be there as we will be potting up all of our spring seedlings. If you’re not able to attend the workshop, here are some reminders to help you have the most success with your seeds this year!
Stay tuned for monthly topics. I hope this could be of use for home growers, beginning gardeners, farmers and simple lovers of the earth.  Join instructor Lauren “LB” Bacchus from Kudzu Culture to learn how to make Kuzu (Kudzu Root Starch) on Saturday January 20th from 2-3:30pm at the George Washington Carver Edible Park. To find out more please contact Ta'rin'ii [email protected]. This class is limited to 25 participants, so sign up today!
Stay tuned for FREE classes on topics including: Seed Starting, Spring Garden Design, Cooking with the Seasons, Planting Chestnut Trees, Edible Plant Walk, and more! |
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