Liquid Culture
What is Substrate?
Substrate is a molecule, in our case hardwood or organic biomass, acted upon by an enzyme (see image below). For our purposes, the enzyme acting upon the substrate are mushroom spores which combines to create mushroom mycelium. The active enzyme is loaded into the site of the substrate, or the place that allows weak bonds to be formed between the two molecules. An enzyme substrate complex is formed, and the forces exerted on the substrate by the enzyme cause it to react, and become the product of the intended reaction. The bonds that form between the substrate and enzyme cause the conformational change, or shape change, in the enzyme. The resulting shape change is what applies pressure to the substrate, either forcing molecules together or tearing them apart.
Cultivating your own mushrooms is actually very easy but getting great results depends a lot on the inputs you choose. Different species of mushrooms prefer to grow on specific substrates. Adding organic nutrients, such as soy hulls, to your substrate can help create healthy fruiting conditions. Our substrates will provide all the nutrients and hydration needed during the mushroom life cycle. Some key factors to be considered are sterilization, climate, available space, and the overall quality of your raw materials and equipment.
Our substrates are 100% organic, renewable, and responsibly sourced from farms and forests within the Great Lakes region of Canada. Our substrates provide the building blocks that your mushrooms require throughout its growth cycle. From grain spawn to fruiting to harvest, our substrates will boost your yield to the next level.
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Our Substrates
100% Maple
Responsibly sourced.
Many species of mushrooms produce much higher yields when using Pure Maple Substrate during cultivation. Our substrates are made with 100% Canadian Maple responsibly sourced from the Northern Great Lakes region. Our maple logs are repurposed and never harvested.
Our maple comes from trees that are rejected by the logging industry. We use logs from trees that already been harvested. Our wood is perfect for making wood substrate but not for making such products as lumber or furniture. This helps to reduce forestry waste while producing an amazing substrate for cultivation.
Long before the modernization of mushroom cultivation, many cultivators used solid maple logs. This method is now rarely used by cultivators.
Pure Organic
Our farm to your home.
Our certified organics are sourced from small to medium sized family farms located throughout Ontario, Canada. We use soy hulls, wheat bran, rye berries, whole oats, straw, and much more. It comes fresh off the farm and goes directly into the products we create.
Organic biomass used on farms such as animal feed and grains including some by-products have been used as substrates for many years. In fact, some experts cultivators make their own substrate following closely guarded secret blends of hardwood and organic biomass. Our substrate contains no manure, zero.
Straw is widely used as a substrate in both home and commercial mushroom cultivation due to its availability and versatility. But you will need a broom.
Master’s Mix
Used by the experts.
A true workhorse when used as a substrate, Master’s Mix produces consistently amazing results and is widely used by expert and home cultivators. Our Master’s Mix is quickly becoming the go-to growing medium for many mushroom cultivators. Plus, Master’s Mix has a second life in the garden or compost pile after harvesting your mushrooms.
Our Master’s Mix is made from a special blend of pure maple wood and farm fresh soy hulls. Together the two create a super powered substrate that is guaranteed to produce the largest mushrooms most people have ever seen.
We use Master’s Mix when cultivating mushrooms for our customers, family, and friends. We createdMaster’s Mix in order to grow using a substrate we can trust.
Choose Your Substrate
MASTER’S MIX
Years of experimentation and dozens of minor adjustments have created the ultimate substrate blend, Master’s Mix substrate. When used by itself, 100% Maple Substrate can produce incredible results. When the two substrates are blended it combines to create a substrate that will bring your cultivation skills and results to the next level.
- 100% pure maple from solid maple logs.
- Mixed with farm fresh soy hulls.
- Highest yield for some mushroom strains.
- Old substrate can be used as compost.
- Zero environmental impact or waste.
100% PURE MAPLE
We partnered with several of the best logging companies to deliver the highest quality of maple logs available. From there the logs are stripped of most the bark, grinded to saw dust, dried to the optimal moisture content, and finally pressed into pellets. We guarantee our 100% Maple Substrate is made from nothing less and nothing more than real maple trees.
- 100% pure maple from solid maple logs.
- Higher yields for some mushroom strains.
- Repurposed maple trees, not harvested.
- Old substrate can be used as compost.
- Zero environmental impact and waste.
PREMIUM HARDWOOD BLEND
In temperate regions of Canada the forest floor is full of mushrooms. Many different species of trees live in a symbiotic relationship with mushrooms. Our Hardwood Substrate is made from a secret blend of four hardwood trees found in these temperate regions. This all-purpose substrate is made from a secret blend of Oak, Maple, Birch, and Cherry.
- Made from a blend solid hardwood logs.
- Used for a wide variety mushroom strains.
- Responsibly sourced trees, not harvested.
- Old substrate can be used as compost.
- Zero environmental impact or waste.
ORGANIC RYE BERRIES
Our Rye Berries are 100% certified organic and grown on local farms within Southern Ontario. When used to create grain spawn there are not many substrates that provide consistently amazing results and limitless utility like Organic Rye Berries can. Grow like the pros and start mushroom cultivation with consistently strong and healthy mycelium.
- 100% organic rye berries from local farms.
- Boost yields when used with liquid culture.
- Used with a variety mushroom species.
- Old substrate can be used as compost.
- Zero environmental impact or waste.
CLEAN WHOLE OATS
When rye berries and liquid culture won’t create the perfect grain spawn…it’s time to try Clean Whole Oats. Clean Whole Oats are actually second to none as it can be used to grow many varieties of mushrooms. The process to clean our whole oats involves removing inedible material such as dust and sticks. Try both types of grain spawn and experiment!
- Whole Oats grown on farms within Ontario.
- Used with a variety mushroom species.
- #1 grain spawn used by pro cultivators.
- Old substrate can be used as compost.
- Zero environmental impact or waste.
WHEAT BRAN
Wheat Bran contains loads of nutrients and works well with a large variety of mushrooms species. Wheat Bran provides a new set of nutrients not found in soy hulls. Experimentation may reveal increased biological efficiency and bigger results are achieved with Wheat Bran. Get creative and make your own Master’s Mix recipe with our farm fresh Wheat Bran.
- Made from outer shells of wheat kernels.
- Grown and processed on Ontario farms.
- Used with a variety mushroom species.
- Old substrate can be used as compost.
- Zero environmental impact or waste.
SOY HULL
Soybeans are one of the world’s most produced crops and you can imagine the amount of soy hulls that are created as a result. Some soy hulls are most commonly used as animal feed but there are many uses for all that organic biomass. Our Soy Hull substrate contains all the building blocks your cultivation project requires for a harvest of epic portions.
- Farm fresh soy hulls from local sources.
- Boosts yields when added to hardwoods.
- Used for a wide variety mushroom strains.
- Old substrate can be used as compost.
- Zero environmental impact or waste.
WHEAT STRAW
Wheat straw is cheap, effective, abundant, and widely used as a substrate for mushroom cultivation. The versatility of straw when used as a substrate can yield results with many species of mushrooms. Used when trees are not readily available, straw is an essential part of the mushroom cultivation industry. Our Wheat Straw substrate is the power tool in your box.
- Wheat straw sourced from local farms.
- Used as an alternative to hardwood.
- Used for a wide variety mushroom strains.
- Old substrate can be used as compost.
- Zero environmental impact or waste.
COCONUT COIR
A new star on the mushroom cultivation stage for its easy of use and guaranteed results is coconut coir. Coconuts are not native to North America and we source our coconut coir from coconut farms in India. Sure, India might be like a long way to go for substrate but once you try our Coconut Coir Substrate for your next project you will understand why.
- Organic by-product of the coconut industry.
- Imported from coconut farms in India.
- Used for a wide variety mushroom strains.
- Old substrate can be used as compost.
- Zero environmental impact or waste.
*We use and recommend only the best species of mushrooms suitable for home cultivation. According to a recent publication (“Microbiology Spectrum”, David L. Hawksworth & Robert Lücking, 2017) from the American Society for Microbiology the number of mushroom species is between 2.2 to 3.8 million. With 120,000 species thoroughly studied and classified.
What Customers Are Saying
“We purchased the Premium Hardwood Blend a few weeks ago and put it to use the same day the package arrived. Our Oysters, Shiitakes, and Lion’s Mane spores are almost ready for fruiting conditions. Great people, great products, and great results! “
Felix G.
“Thanks for pointing us in the right direction we are all set to embark on our new mission towards sustainability. Your assistance and professionalism help us get to get started. We are so excited to start our mini urban farm.”
Joanna H.
Top Quality Mushroom Bags
0.2 & 0.5 Microns available in multiple sizes
Liquid Cultures & More
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0.2 Micron Filter Bags – 8″ x 5″ x 18″
$14.99 – $589.99 -
0.2 Micron Filter Bags – 8″ x 5″ x 26″
$18.49 – $709.99 -
0.5 Micron Filter Bags – 8″ x 5″ x 18″
$14.99 – $589.99 -
0.5 Micron Filter Bags – 8″ x 5″ x 20″
$15.99 – $621.99 -
Blue Oyster Liquid Culture
$16.99 – $144.50 -
Blue Oyster Mushroom Blocks
$29.99 – $82.50 -
Inoculation Ports
$7.49 – $44.99 -
Lion’s Mane Liquid Culture
$16.99 – $144.50 -
Lion’s Mane Mushroom Blocks
$29.99 – $82.50