MARIETTE'S BACK TO BASICS

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

Friday, January 22, 2021

HAPPY MUSHROOMS - HOW TO MAKE US HAPPY?

While working and living in Indonesia for the world's largest mushroom farm, I wrote the following:

HAPPY MUSHROOMS

HOW TO MAKE US HAPPY?

1) Please pick us by the 'one–touch–technique' and don't move us into your hand, bruising and scratching us.

2) Don't pull us off the beds, but with a twisting motion; that hurts less – and please; don't scratch us with your long finger nails.

3) Don't cut us wrong because that looks ugly and we often end up with some soil on stem.

4) Please don't throw us into the tray, because that way we get bruised, but gently put us inside.

5) Don't overfill the trays, so that the ones on the bottom are still happy and not crushed.

6) Please pick us in time. We are like you; we like to be pretty and good looking; not oversized or open.

7) Don't make our babies sick by spreading diseases (contamination) with dirty hands, long hair, wide sleeves, bangles etc.

8) Please don't put us in the sun or wind in front of the shed. We are loosing weight very rapidly and our skin will turn brown and even peels off.

9) Don't smash us into the truck, because a number of us will get wounded – but handle the 'keranjang-keranjang' (trays) gentle.

If you don't forget these points, you can still see us smile, after processing, in the glasses, proud to travel to Green Giant in the U.S.A.

We, Dieng Djaya mushrooms, like to be the happiest and prettiest ones and so become the favourite choice of all people in the U.S.A.

My own design laser cut lacquered brass mushrooms that I sold thousands of at Congresses.

Read an entire CHAPTER about HARVESTING in our newest book that is available WORLDWIDE as Print on Demand, at 40,000+ booksellers

modern mushroom growing 2020 harvesting

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