MARIETTE'S BACK TO BASICS: Congress

Showing posts with label Congress. Show all posts

Sunday, July 25, 2021

John Miller, OAM was a Longtime Mushroom Friend of husband Pieter

Photo below shows a happy John Miller, OAM on his 90th Birthday!

Heavy hearts in Hawkesbury after passing of John Miller ←click link

There is a mention also of him starting in 1955 to farm orchard fruit and vegetables. But the following years, seven floods devastated the farm "with all our crops washed away: and he moved to higher ground in the Hills to begin growing mushrooms.

Active in the Australian Mushroom Growers Association (AMGA), Mr Miller promoted the use of locally grown mushrooms and worked to unite farmers across the country. He was also instrumental in establishing a research facility at Rydalmere to improve productivity of local farms as chief executive of the association in the 1970s, and travelled to France in 1978 as part of Australia's successful bid to host the 1981 international (mushroom) farmer's conference. (ISMS = International Society for Mushroom Science)

"Five hundred leading mushroom growers and research scientists from all over the world came to Australia to teach us the latest technology," he said.

The ISMS uploaded the AMGA issue 1 of 2021

Below is page 29...

Vale (Farewell): John Miller
The mushroom industry has lost one of its most significant and distinguished leaders, with the passing of John Miller, OAM, at the age of 91.
John was an Icon of the industry and was often referred to as "Mr Mushroom". He first took on the honorary position of Public Relations and Promotions Officer at the AMGA in 1969, and in 1973 was appointed to the permanent position of General Manager.
In his final General Manager's report in 1991/92, his commitment to the industry is more than evident.

The AMGA office was run from our own home to keep overheads down. Beryl handled all phone enquiries besides is running around promoting"fresh mushrooms"and fighting the many mushroom industry problems that kept arising. Making sure mushrooms were ordered from farms for me to deliver to home economists, cookery editors and photographers.
Checked recipes for our leaflets to go into shops, monitored the press clipping service and consumer requests. Beryl's behind-the-scenes support has been a major contributing factor, for which I'm most grateful, in maintaining the service required by this industry.

John promoted the use of locally grown mushrooms and worked to unite farmers across the country. He was instrumental in establishing a research facility at Rydalmere to improve productivity of local farms, and commanded support and loyalty from the AMGA membership – which reflected not only in the growth of the Industry but also the ability of the Industry to manage that growth.

John was a life honorary member of the AMGA, and he will be remembered not only for his intellectual contributions, but also for his kindness and the welcoming personality that the extended to everyone.

In addition to his mushroom industry activities, John was a proud regional ambassador for the Hawkesbury area. He served as the chief warden for the Hawkesbury State Emergency Service, establishing an early flood warning system for the region. He also served as the social secretary of the Hawkesbury Historical Society and was declared an Ambassador for the Hawkesbury for his passion in promoting the rich heritage of the area.

A report in the local Hawkesbury Gazette also credits him as a driving force behind a third river crossing from Richmond to North Richmond, as well as being an advocate for the construction of a Centre for Excellence in aged in dementia care for Hawkesbury's aging population.
In 2018 he received an Order of Australia medal for his services to the community.

A loving family man, and valued colleague—we will miss him.

On the side is being mentioned his book, shown below:

Miller, John: Reminiscences of a Fun'gi: The Story of a Community that Mushroomed [Fungi] ←click link

What a wonderful job, here the true John Miller as a historian shines through...

A great writer and heritage preserver!

This picture shows also the open-air mushroom growing like in my previous post: Open-Air Mushroom Growing in South Sweden ←click link

So happy that we reconnected in time again and hearing from John & Beryl.

A very warm email letter we received on March 26, 2018

John even writes a kind of mushroom editorial review for Pieter: We have fond memories of your visits to Australia, and the great breath of fresh air you brought with you, to improve our out of date mushroom cultural techniques in this country. It was the start of a revolution in making us more efficient and competitive.

Our Australian mushroom growers will be eternally grateful for the great contribution you made in initially opening many new doors for us in the World of Mushroom Culture, and your leadership at the Dutch school in Horst, Holland, which many Australians have attended.

What a treasure for having received this in a timely manner...

Also, John & Beryl got all my Australia posts sent to them to read; feels so good.

R.I.P. dear friend and we keep forever fond memories of you both!

Beryl, no doubt is one half of another Blissful Relationship, may she find the strength for going on without her loving husband/partner...

Tuesday, June 1, 2021

Fred Atkins' book Mushroom Growing To-Day helped Pieter Solve Yellow Mold & False Truffle Problem

Mushroom Growing

To-Day

Fred C.

Atkins

Being a student at the Wageningen University & Research, Pieter frequented this bookstore in Wageningen. They stocked mainly horticultural books.

That was the very FIRST book about mushrooms that Pieter laid his hands on and it helped him solve a major problem early on.

The first pioneering Dutch A.B.C. mushroom growers (in special growing rooms); B. Ambrosius, P. Broekmans and J. Christiaans, had terrible molds that caused enormous production losses. Pieter found in Fred Atkins' book that it was yellow mold and (false) truffle. He then was able to solve their problem!

Printed in the Dutch mushroom journal Champignoncultuur 1957-3 on page 36 uploaded by the ISMS as Pdf.

WHAT TO STEAM WITH IN MUSHROOM CULTIVATION?

By P. J. C. Vedder, assistent State Horticulture Information Service.

Pieter was officially still an Assistent at State Horticulture Information Service, specialized in Asparagus.

But Fred Atkins' book kind of changed Pieter's destiny forever!

The 1955 version

AUTHOR'S NOTE, Yaxley, July 1955

Mentioning other mushroom growers and authors of books and articles: B. A. Noble, Stanley Middlebrook, Coryn Luxmoore, André Sarazin (see mention of blog post below), Guy de Man (see mention of blog post below), Dr. R. L. Edwards, Dr. J. W. Sinden, Dr. E. Hauser, Dr. E. B. Lambert and Dr. A. M. Kligman, McGregor Bulloch, John Stewart-Wood, S. A. F. Sampson, Raymond Thompson etc.

This is Pieter at the time being that Assistent at State Horticulture Information Service. Wearing his Plus Fours to a wedding reception of one of his colleagues.

AbeBooks is offering the very book, only an earlier 1952 version...

In the Dutch Champignoncultuur 1958-6 on page 159 the mushroom farm of Noble-Atkins in Yaxley, UK is shown as they had an excursion from The Netherlands.

In Champignoncultuur 1958-7 on page 180 is a story written by Fred Atkins, translated into Dutch.

My life with the mushrooms

A piece of history of the mushroom cultivation in England

My first contact with growing I had twenty years ago. My father had just invested money in Ben Noble to allow him to build six mushroom houses in Yaxley, a village near Peterborough in the Midlands. The first shot was, of course, a hit; a good harvest! But a period of humid weather had the appearance of a small difficulty as a result, which was shown to me, only as a peculiarity. Six months later, 'the little difficulty' had spread to such an extent that I was asked to join the firm, in the hope that a fresh look would reveal what caused it and how it could be suppressed.

I hesitated because I didn't know anything about mushrooms. Later, I would discover that few people in England knew more about it. I discussed the problem with the spawn manufacturers and with traders in all kinds of horticultural products, but the most valuable help came from the late Dr. W. M. Ware, of Wye College, Kent.

You will wonder what this has to do with the general situation in the mushroom industry in Great Brittain? If you allow me some vanity: I believe it has a lot to do with it, because Ware gave me a copy of his wonderful article about the cause of our disease: Verticillium.

A mycological dictionary and a lot of correspondence with Ware and other people of science opened my eyes and my mind to the wondrous world of microscopic small organisms I had entered.

This in turn aroused the desire for me to talk to other growers about it, but in fact I did not meet a second mushroom grower in the next five years: so fantastic in those days was the mystery that surrounded us. When I finally met two or three other growers, we were overwhelmed by a passionate desire to do something that would bring all growers together. My own company had lost a lot of money because there was no organized contact between the growers and the scientists, and because there was no coordinated research and experiments.

Page 181

Within a year we had formed the Mushroom Growers' Association for the Mushroom Industry. We were walking around with plans for the MGA Bulletin (Mushroom Growers' Association)...

Page 183

For just over 90,000 Dutch Guilders we received a very satisfactory publicity last year, mainly because the growers are enthusiastic and because we have one grower on our daily board, who is a journalist by profession and another who is a first class cook, whose mushroom pie is so delicious, that he does not dare to advertise it.

Fred C. Atkins (the journalist!)...

Message by Fred C. Atkins in the 1979-9 The Mushroom Journal

Loyal and active till almost to his death...

ATKINS, Fred (1913-1983)

Chairman, Noble Mushrooms, Yaxley, Cambs. Founder member of Mushroom Growers Association of Great Britain and N. Ireland. President, International Commission on Mushroom Science (ISMS).

Times 28 Jan. 1983.

An OBE is a British honor awarded by the Queen to recognize extraordinary contributions to the country.

It is the second-highest ranking in the Order of the British Empire honors.

Obituary as printed in The Mushroom Journal, March 1983

In 2018 Pieter got gifted by one of his Campbell Colleagues this book about COMMERCIAL MUSHROOM GROWING by M.H. Pinkerton

1954 and Printed in Great Britain

Pinkerton mentions some more mushroom industry pioneers such as Dr. James W. Sinden (will mention him next)...

Dr. C. A. Thomas and Dr. E. B. Lambert

Dr. A. M. Kligman, Dr. R. L. Edwards and Mr. F. C. Atkins bottom left. Editor of the M.G.A. Bulletin, an indefatigable writer, whose many books, pamphlets, and articles have kept the British Mushroom Growers abreast with all the newest advances in the science of Mushroom Culture.

Dr. James W. Sinden reviews Guide to Muhroom Growing by Fred C. Atkins

Published in The Mushroom Journal, January 1975

The Mushroom Journal 1978-10 click link

Mac also did the cartoon for husband Pieter in 1971 at Imperial College in London, see link below post.

F. C. Atkins deserves a lot of honor as he accomplished so much!

Pieter counted him among his very special friends.

Above is a letter, received after Pieter sent him a copy of his newly released English book.

Fred had an excellent and very polished writing style; using great courtesy.

Something the younger generation(s) are lacking nowadays...

I myself, have not had the honor of meeting or knowing him in person...

P.J.C. Vedder's 1987 Design for NEW COMPOSTING SYSTEM (Phase I) | mention of Pieter's grades at wur.nl - Wageningen University & Research

Husband Pieter met with Darlington Spawn Makers and Fred Atkins in England | previous post

Visiting A.G. Linfield Mushroom Compost Facility in England | previous post that mentions Pieter being still Assistent at State Horticulture Information Service specialized in Asparagus

1982 Sinden Award for Pieter at The Hotel Majestic, Harrogate, England | 1st non British to receive this prestigious award

1965 Pieter visiting French Mushroom Grower André Sarazin near Historic Compiègne | Together with Belgian spawn representative Guy de Man Pieter visited André Sarazin

1978 - P.J.C. Vedder's Modern Mushroom Growing Book Published in English | letter from Fred C. Atkins upon receiving Pieter's English book with inscription and Mac's cartoon from husband Pieter

Friday, March 5, 2021

Pieter Co-Speaker at ISMS in Amsterdam-Wageningen 1965

Husband Pieter at the ISMS Congress in Amsterdam - Wageningen/The Netherlands

I.S.M.S. for: The International Society for Mushroom Science.

Authors: P.J. Bels, G.J.A. Van Soest and P.J.C. Vedder

The Congress was in 1965 but the procedures got published in 1967

Pieter at the Symposium in Wageningen (part of the ISMS) and to his left is Jan van Asseldonk and to his right is G.J.A. Van Soest who also was the co-speaker with Pieter.

Here is husband Pieter seen with his pipe, and to his right is one of his teachers, A. Oversteyns.

In 1963 Pieter did start the Practical Training Center for Mushroom Growing and he was the teacher and principal, together with some other teachers.

The entire group of international participants of the ISMS congress in front of the Laboratory of Entomology, Phytopathology and Virology in Wageningen, where the Scientific Symposium was held on June 28 and 29.

Center, almost at the top stood husband Pieter, one of his teachers A. Oversteyns and also long time friend J. Kuhn from Switzerland, a very successful mushroom grower.

Jörg Kuhn was a speaker at the ISMS in Paris 1956, published in 1957

Jörg Kuhn also was a speaker in Copenhagen, 1959

Again at the ISMS in Amsterdam, 1965 published in 1967 Jörg Kuhn was co-speaker.

In our book: modern mushroom growing 2020 harvesting we did mention JÖRG KUHN in Some Mushroom Growers Wisdom

Again we mentioned him on page 219 in the chapter COMPOST PREPARATION under Phase II in tunnels;

Some people are just somewhat ahead and are trying out certain ideas a little too early; the rest of the industry is just nog ready for it. Already in the early 1960s, I had seen aerated composting in a kind of bunker in Northern France (ANDRÉ SARAZIN). At the same time, growers like H.F. VON MINNIGERODE in Germany and KUHN in Switzerland, were experimenting with aeration under some pressure of the compost piles. STOLLER in the United States published the outline of doing Phase II in bulk in a kind of tunnel already in 1964.

It was too early; as mentioned before, the industry wasn't ready for it at that time. It was the Italian trio, GIORDANI, DERKS and FRANCESCUTTI who, around 1971, made the tunnel work. Later on, the Dutch and French did quite a bit of fine tuning.

Stay tuned for more about Switzerland, due to this very special long time friendship!

That's also the reason, Pieter learned skiing...

1965 Pieter visiting French Mushroom Grower Sarazin near Historic Compiègne | previous post

Artistic Chromolythographs on 23 Kt Gold Leaf from Friend Gerard Derks in Italy | Derks who made the tunnel work

modern mushroom growing 2020 harvesting | our book in which we mentioned those friends above

Saturday, January 30, 2021

Pieter was Member of the Photo Club and took this Photo at the Liège/Belgium Farmers Market

With the entire Photo Club, where Pieter for years was an avid member of, they went to Liège in Belgium to the Farmers Market.

This was in the 1970s

An older Belgian gent (look at his cufflinks!) holding his puppy inside a Jaffa oranges crate...

While in the other hand holding a sausage for the puppy to feed on.

With this Photo Club the members got to photograph certain subjects and they had to develop and adjust their photos all by themself.

Pieter did have his own dark room inside the Dutch Training Centre for Mushroom Growing as he also was an avid photographer for training purposes.

Slides for use inside the classroom and for lectures at Congresses, Conferences .

Both, in macro and normal.

Pieter also produced the photos for his many books, all himself!

This very photo earned Pieter a 2nd place award at the local Dublin Fine Arts photography exhibit on January 10, 1993

Sunday, January 24, 2021

Czechian Mushroom Scientist Friends Ivan Jablonský and Antonín Srb

For quite some years Pieter had known Czechian Mushroom Scientists Ivan Jablonský and Antonín Srb.

Both of us met them also at the ISMS Congress, in Braunschweig, Germany where they lectured.

Recycled Casing Soil in the Culture of Agaricus bisporus by Ivan Jablonsky and Antonín Srb.

That was on September 20-26 of 1987, still during the era of Communism for them...

Card from Ivan Jablonsky and Antonín Srb, for wishing us a good 1987

Photo shows Pholiota Adiposa, from the Strophariaceae family and commonly known as Chestnut mushrooms.

Ivan Jablonsky did work at a Dutch mushroom farm of Gert Phillipsen in Ysselsteyn, Limburg and also attended classes at the Dutch Training Centre.

Sadly, Ing. Antonín Srb passed away 25 years ago...

Pieter still has occasionally contact with Ing. Ivan Jablonský

Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Czechian Mushroom Scientist Friend Miroslav Staněk

For decades, Pieter was friend with Czechian Mushroom Scientist Miroslav Stanĕk.

Mind you, this was still during the era of Communism!

Dr. Stanĕk participated at several ISMS Congresses, like in 1969 in Hamburg where he lectured about 'The effect of cellulose-decomposing microorganisms on the growth of the mushroom'.

ISMS London in 1972 where Dr. Stanĕk lectured about 'Microorganisms Inhabiting Mushroom Compost during Fermentation'.

ISMS Tokyo and Taipei 1974 'Bacteria Associated with Mushroom'. Pieter missed that one, due to his kidney stone problem he ended up in the hospital and one of his teachers presented his lecture instead.

ISMS Bordeaux in 1979 was another where Dr. Stanĕk lectured.

Dr. Stanĕk's wife also was a microbiologist but, during Communism it was never allowed for husband AND wife to travel both outside of the country! Just imagine that...

Equally complicated it was for entering from the FREE WEST into any communist nation!

They could be very nasty behind the Iron Curtain.

When Pieter produced an invitation for lecturing, with his name and photo, he suddenly became a most welcome 'Comradsky'...

Here, Pieter is seen in the 1970s in Prague at one of their Conferences, Dr. Stanĕk is seen on the right.

Prague

The participants in Prague, and keep in mind, this was during the Communism era!

When Pieter asked what he could bring them, due to scarcity of certain items, he got asked to bring zippers and panty hose.

Nobody in the Free World understands such lifestyle...

After one of such meetings in the Prague area, with local mushroom growers, several of them rushed to purchase a large folkloristic doll to give to Pieter's little (adopted) daughter Lizzy.

At times, Pieter did travel with her and his ex and Dr. Stanĕk, who had no children himself, loved her very much and always took her by her hand to walk with her.

He also begged Pieter to put her on the train for traveling to Prague, to stay with the Stanĕk couple but his ex never liked that idea... SAD!

Miroslav Stanĕk got mentioned in the MGA Literature list about the mutual relationship between cultivated fungi and micro-organisms published 1976 in German in Der Champignon, 174, 10-20