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Here I would love to share with you our travels and adventures as international mushroom consultants. MEMOIRS about husband Pieter Vedder, who was a SCIENTIFIC PIONEER in Mushroom Cultivation Education. His practical handbook is in 9 languages and is called the MUSHROOM BIBLE: https://mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com/2020/08/modern-mushroom-growing-2020-harvesting.html

Monday, January 10, 2022

The Three Most Important Items for Mushroom Production 'Compost, Compost, Compost!'

 Pieter's famous saying:
The three most important facts for a high yield are:
• Compost • Compost • Compost
Pieter checking the compost at the wharf of the Leaver farm in Campbellville, Ontario Canada (now Monaghan Mushrooms).
It was April 10, 1995 when Pieter did a two-day seminar for them.
May I add one more Mushroom Editorial Review...
Written in 1989 by Tom Gannon and published in CAMPBELL'S NEWSLETTER:
Remember when you were in school, how there would be a teacher who would make you learn a certain subject almost in spite of yourself? 
Usually they were not the easiest or favorite teacher at the time, but when you look back, they were the ones who taught you a course that was important to you later.
Oftentimes they were more strict, maintained a higher level of discipline, piled on the home work, and were quite demanding in the learning and practicing of the basics of the course.
They had a style and method of communicating the subject matter that made learning challenging and interesting.
They were always well prepared, and had a great deal of knowledge and experience in teaching the material.

I was told at graduation that the commencement activity was not the end but the beginning of a learning process that would last for life.
Hardly did I belief that I would meet a teacher when I was in my fifties who could teach me so much about a subject I had been working with for nearly 20 years.

Mr. Pieter Vedder has for over 5 years brought to our company (Campbell Soup's Mushroom Division) a training program like no other company has had before. 
Not only the subject matter on the basics and beyond of growing mushrooms, but a new type of technology to go with it. 
Pieter reviewed farm operations and aided them in identifying and correcting problem areas.
He helped them in design and engineering of two new mushroom operations and carried the CAMSCO image to the mushroom industry on a National and International level.
He provided us with our present mushroom strain, found the basic solution to the Hillsboro virus problem and kept us up to date on mushroom publications from all over the world.

Pieter was always at his best in the classroom situation.
After being a part of several of his training courses I recall a number of topics that have helped us attain the present level of quality and production.

Can anyone forget the three most important items for mushroom production "Compost, compost, compost!" or the early sessions on lower temperature pasteurizations, no steaming peat moss, and using spent lime?
It took a long time to simplify compost formulas and utilize higher levels of chicken litter.
How about the classes we had on the biological range for conditioning compost, recycled compost water, and method of pre–wetting?
His discussions of easily degradable carbohydrates and their relation to selectivity are now well known to many of us.
I hope we'll always remember how he emphasized the importance oof hygiene and sanitation in control of disease and insects! 

Special sessions on Phase I–II provided an opportunity to share seasonal information that has resulted in more consistent production and quality. The sessions on the "case to harvest" areas have helped us to perfect methods of CAC'ing and deep scratching.

Pieter was always a strong advocate of maintaining the basics of mushroom growing. 
He taught us what we need to strive for. 
If we use the information he has given us we can continue to improve our operations and be more consistent.

In closing I can say, I not only met a very special teacher, but also a special friend.
We spent many hours together in the classroom, traveling on the farms, in motels, airports, and such.
We exchanged many ideas, shared numerous experiences and talked of our lives in general.
I wish him the very best in his new position, and look forward to his future contact with CAMSCO!

God Bless, Best Wishes, Thank You!

Pieter indeed was an excellent teacher; even in a non–native language...

The above is from our book: modern mushroom growing 2020 harvesting

Some Mushroom Growers Wisdom

The three most important facts for a high yield are:

• Compost • Compost • Compost            P.J.C. Vedder
Using part of one of the FOREWORDS in our book: modern mushroom growing 2020 harvesting

Allow me to introduce you to the author; Pieter J.C. Vedder. He is a consummate educator. Not only a very knowledgeable technical advisor, he has seen and worked with the most sophisticated modern processes and techniques, but just as important, he has observed and consulted with some of the most rudimentary no frills operations with the minimum level of machinery or mechanical controls of basic process.
In the late 1980s we opened up Campbell's access to the industry. We had unused capacity of spawn and supplement plants, so we set about to pursue these two basic ingredients for sale, to most other commercial mushroom farms. One of our competitive strengths was, to offer growers's training sessions on the road, to areas where we could draw from large and small clusters of growers. We held mostly one, and also two–day growing seminars. Many sites became annual renewals. Pieter, together with his wife Mariette, was a significant draw. Frequent sites were Kennett Square and Temple, Pennsylvania; West Chicago, Illinois; Ontario (above photo) and British Colombia in Canada; Santa Cruz, California; Waco, Texas and tours to 3 towns in Ireland and a two–day Growing Seminar at Tewkesbury Park, in the U.K.
I trust you will find their publication useful. Having an interest in mushroom growing already makes you a friend.

Jack A. McDaniel, Macungie, Pennsylvania/USA, May 2020

Related links:

20 comments:

  1. Post interessante.Buon pomeriggio.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cara Olga,
      Soprattutto per le persone nella coltivazione dei funghi...
      Abbracci,
      Mariette

      Delete
  2. Olá minha querida, tudo bem?
    Que bela aula sobre cogumelos, aqui tem mas desconhecemos se são comestiveis.
    Abraços e desejo um feliz 2022 para vocês.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Querida Anajá,
      Obrigado, este é principalmente um post para produtores internacionais de cogumelos.
      Desejando-lhe um feliz 2022 e sim, tudo está bem para nós dois.
      Abraços,
      Mariette

      Delete
  3. Replies
    1. Dearest Anne,
      This is something to really treasure and written with high esteem towards Pieter.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  4. Replies
    1. Dearest Jo-Anne,
      Only for those in the mushroom industry...
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  5. It is important to have such deep knowledge and to know how to transmit it.
    xoxo
    Coisas de Feltro

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Christina,
      Yes, those are two important parts for having the necessary knowledge yourself with practical experience. Then, like Pieter had, the special gift of transmitting it in an understandable way.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  6. great sharing
    http://retromaggie.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Magda,
      Thank you and especially those growing mushrooms commercially can appreciate it.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  7. Hello Mariette, What a world of experience and prescience lies behind this deceptively simple advice. Pieter not only recognized and studied the nuances of formulating the ideal specialized compost needed to grow mushrooms, he also had to develop the methods for processing the manufacture of huge quantities of it. From the photos of his composting facilities and machinery you have shown us in the past, this was a gargantuan undertaking.
    --Jim

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Jim,
      Pieter: 'It took me many, many years to become an expert in compost preparation. But on top of my horticultural education and lifelong exchange of knowledge and gaining practical experience, it is what you accumulate'.
      Let's hope many others can still benefit from his book!
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  8. You and your husband Pieter are inspirational in your expertise and in sharing it with others. Thank you.

    God bless.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Victor,
      Thank you and it is our contribution for having made the world just a bit better because we have lived in it and shared with others.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  9. Speaking Of Compost, You Are All Hip With Compost Tea?? Yes ?? Sending Positive Vibes

    Cheers

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Travis,
      Sure, there are endless recipes and ways to boost microbes and beneficial bacteria in soil for gardening. We always used tons of the spent compost for our garden and regret that this is no longer available locally... 😒
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  10. It takes a lot of knowledge to get a quality product.
    xoxo
    Coisas de Feltro

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Christina,
      Yes, understanding how a mushroom feeds itself and what it likes and under which environment does yield in happy, solid first quality product!
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete

Thanks for your visit and comment.

Mariette...

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MARIETTE'S BACK TO BASICS © 2009. All rights reserved - Text and images may not be copied for distribution or sale.

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