Pieter Proudly Showing Pleurotus ostreatus and Stropharia Grown at the Mushroom Growing Training Centre

 Already in 1981, we did have good quality Pleurotus at the Mushroom Growing Training Centre in Horst, The Netherlands

As also seen in the 14 second video above, here you see the demonstration cultivation of Pleurotus ostreatus in the Fall of 1981—photo by Pieter J.C. Vedder

Pieter showing proudly these Pleurotus ostreatus

Pieter is wearing his Burberry suit—which he still has and it still fits as he never ever gained any weight!

Holding a bouquet of Pleurotus ostreatus...

We also did a demonstration of growing Stropharia

A better photo by Pieter J.C. Vedder of those Stropharia mushrooms on page 44 of our book.

Pieter made numerous photos also from mushrooms in the wild.

Seen here are tree oyster mushrooms or Pleurotus ostreatus.

That would become a nice Christmas card with the signature from all teachers:

Top the principal and teacher Pieter J.C. Vedder

Martin van Lieshout

Antoon van As

Peter Rechsteiner

Roel Seubring the manager of the actual production farm attached to the practical training college.

On Pieter's LinkedIn account we did share this post and Pieter got 954 impressions

Jan Smits, the Teacher/Deputy Principal Practical Training Centre for Mushroom Growing 1980 – 1984 did comment as Pieter mentioned him being briefly shown in video.

In this video clip there was an erroneous mention of Experimental Station but it was 'our' CCO (abbreviation for the Dutch Centre)!

Jan Smits replied: Indeed our CCO and of and for – at that time – approximately 800 Dutch mushroom growers and several hundreds of mushroom growers all over the world.

Pieter thanked Jan Smits for this statistical update!

Indeed very fond memories of that period.

Related link:

modern mushroom growing 2020 harvesting | previous post by me about our newest book

{Pleurotus Ostreatus in Wood Garden Provided Meal} | previous post by me and YES those Pleurotus Ostreatus followed us!!!

Pieter J.C. Vedder | Pieter's LinkedIn account

Common Stinkhorn or Phallus impudicus in Our Garden

On December 11 of 2022, husband Pieter made some perfect photos from the Common Stinkhorn or Phallus impudicus in Our Garden...

After lower temperatures and some rainy days, mushrooms show up in meadows, woody areas and also in our backyard. In the past we have shown you already different species. 

Here is a not so common one: Phallus impudicus or stinkhorn.

The name is suggesting that it is looking somewhat like a male part.

This is a perfect example and also showing one bulbous egg—its beginning stage.

Here you can see an excellent video, click it→ Phallus impudicus, Documentary, Time lapse

You clearly see how this Stinkhorn is supposed to attract flies and LOTS of them. 

They come and lick up its spores and that way they get disposed somewhere else.

Pieter carefully removed one just to show its bulbous egg from which it grew.

Are they edible?

You wouldn't even try—because they produce a strong, cadaver like smell.

The purpose of that is to attract flies to their slimy top, to spread their spores.

The fruit bodies evolve from an egg–like bulbous.

Showing some more bulbous eggs.

ONLY in this stage they are edible!

AND—Pieter did bring a mature one inside to let me smell it!

NO, by no means it did compare to my favorite La Perla In Rosa Eau de Toilette spray... 

Have you ever smelled one?!

Related link:

{Phallus Impudicus or Stinkhorn} | previous post by me where you also can see a video about it being a delicacy...

Our Kitchen Bay Window Before and After Renewal by Andersen

 On October 12, we both went ahead and arranged to have new windows installed by Renewal by Andersen®.

A sales representative came to our home and about a week later another person came to take exact measures of the thermopane glass that needed to be replaced.

Those specks are actually in–between the double glass...

To the left bottom my iPhone is visible.

We moved into our home in November of 1990, after it got newly built.

Sure, all windows were shiny and perfect but not forever!

We'd asked a local company if they could replace them but got told that it was impossible with that type of windows...

It got really ugly and in the beginning I thought that I lost it when cleaning windows...

Going back and forth from inside to outside and rubbing really hard—in vain!

So we contacted Renewal by Andersen and ordered new ones.

This sun glare was perfect for actually showing how ugly they became—embarrassing.

The wait for new ones has been quite long—three months but there they are... on January 17, 2023

The evening before I took this photo from outside.

Pieter had already removed the Flower Framers of Cincinnati window boxes a week ago.

The center window from outside and our white picket fence is reflecting in it...

Woke up early and checked the weather—perfect with rain later in the day!

7°C or 44.6°F and high 22°C or 71.6°F

At 10:20 AM the crew of 3 had arrived from Fayetteville, Georgia a good two hour drive.

Loved this logo on the t–shirt:

The Better Way to

a Better Window®

With a huge suction devise from outside and work from inside this was at 11:08 AM

At 11:10 the first of 3 was out... Pieter is looking on in the back.

At 11:36 the new one was in and I took a picture of how it looked so far...

At 11:41 getting the center window out...

At 11:42 the other side window was in.

They meticulously used drop cloths inside and outside on the patio.

We opted for the FibrexⓇ Energy–Efficient Glass.

At 12:27 a detail of the new window...

At 14:29 after they'd already left... All DONE!

The new windows face more outward.

To the left is the BEFORE and to the right is the AFTER and you notice that the entire window is more outward. 

Both of us can't get over the CLEAR view of our garden with birds!

Very pleased with them and they were excellent workers.

The special glass quality we chose is also keeping the heat out and the cold—Saving Energy on cooling and heating.

This also comes with a great Limited Warranty

20.10.10 Years

Glass & Fibrex, Installation, Hardware

Fully Transferable