PORTABELLA

ENOKI
AGARICUS
OYSTER
CRIMINI
SHIITAKE
GROWING
PROJECT
ACTIVITY
PACKET
PORTABELLA
MUSHROOM QUEST
This publication is a members guide for the
4-H Mushroom Growing School Enrichment
Project. 4-H Projects ofer a number of re-
source materials and educational methods to
supplement school, church, and home in help-
ing young people develop. As you complete
this program, consider getting involved in
other Pennsylvania 4-H programs. A number
of other 4-H projects covering a broad range
of topics are also available through your local
Penn State Extension ofce. If you would like
to pursue other projects, please contact your
local PSU Extension Ofce.
Produced in partnership with the American
Mushroom Institute and Penn State Extension
Chester County 4-H, and Mushroom Farmers
of Pennsylvania.
Original Curriculm & Characters by:
Mushroom Council. Revised, edited,
additions by Kathryn Poppiti, Chester
County Mushroom Extension Educator
Graphic Design & Printing by:
MACCESS Design
4-H Mushroom Project Curriculum
Committee: Harold Brosius,
Joseph Poppiti, Dave Beyer
Penn State Extension Chester County
601 Westtown Rd. Suite 370
Government Services Center
West Chester, PA 19380
610/696-3500 ChesterExt@psu.edu
OVERVIEW ..................................................................... 3
HOW MUSHROOMS GROW ................................... 45
HISTORY OF MUSHROOMS ........................................6
MUSHROOMS & RECYCLING ..................................... 7
CULTIVATED MUSHROOMS ........................................8
IDENTIFYING PLANT PARTS ......................................9
MUSHROOM WORD FIND ......................................... 10
SPORE PRINT ART ..................................................... 11
MUSHROOM MATH .................................................... 12
MUSHROOM GROWING KIT ..................................... 13
MUSHROOM GEOGRAPHY ................................. 1415
MUSHROOM NUTRITION ......................................... 16
COOKING WITH MUSHROOMS .............................. 17
MUSHROOM CHARACTER ....................................... 18
GLOSSARY .................................................................... 19
4-H INFO ....................................................................... 19
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
3
The Mushroom Quest Crew welcomes you to the 4-H
Mushroom Growing Project. As you move through this
packet you will complete activities in science, reading,
math, social studies, and nutrition all while learning about
mushrooms! By completing the Mushroom Quest, you
will learn how mushrooms are grown commercially for
us (as consumers) and you will be growing your own
mushrooms with your Mushroom Growing Kit! First, you
must understand the diference between a fungus, such
as a mushroom, and a plant. Then you will learn about
the process of growing mushrooms. How did mushroom
farming start in the United States? You will be able to an-
swer that question after reading History of Mushrooms.
Mushroom farming is just one of many important agri-
cultural operations in our state and our country. We also
TO GET STARTED WITH THE MUSHROOM QUEST, START
WITH THIS ACTIVITY AND JOIN US FOR MORE FUN AS
YOU WORK YOUR WAY THROUGH THIS BOOK.
want to understand the processes involved and how they
support our economy and our environment. By studying
and discussing the chart on page 7, you will understand
how the entire process of growing mushrooms from start
to nish continually recycles the products it uses and
creates.
After learning how to indentify some common edible
mushrooms, you can then continue to work through the
Mushroom Quest packet and complete the other activi-
ties and worksheets. You will also have the opportunity
to eat some mushrooms using a recipe from the Nutri-
tion section. Cook your own meal using mushrooms!
We hope you enjoy this project and activities and share
your new knowledge about mushrooms with your friends
and family.
AGARI CUS
ENOKI
SHI I TAKE
PORTABELLA
CRI MI NI
OYSTER
MUSHROOM
QUEST CREW
Gather some fungi or food items produced from fungi
such as blue cheese, yeast, and bread and discuss with
your teacher how a fungus forms and develops.
FUN WITH FUNGI
TABLE OF
4
Mushrooms are in a plant group called fungi. Fungi is
the plural form of the word fungus. Other fungi that
we eat are mold on blue cheeses and yeast used to
make bread. Fungi are diferent from green plants.
Fungi have no chlorophyll (the pigment that makes
leaves green). Chlorophyll is needed for photosynthesis.
Photosynthesis uses energy in light to transform carbon
dioxide (CO
2
) in the air into carbohydrates, sugars and
starches that nourish green plants. Mushrooms however,
obtain their nourishment from decaying plant matter.
The mushroom caps and stems that we eat are the fruit
of the mushroom, just as a tomato is the fruit of the
tomato plant. Unlike green plants that are grown from
seeds, mushrooms reproduce from spores or mycelium
roots. A spore is so tiny that you have to view it through
a microscope. Millions of spores together look like dust.
Spores grow in the gills on the underside of the mush-
room cap. You can only see the gills when a mushroom
is mature. Otherwise, the gills are covered with a delicate
membrane called a veil.
The rst part of the mushroom growing process is called
spawn production, which is collected from a mushrooms
seed. The spores are collected in the sterile environ-
ment of a laboratory (similar to a hospital operating
room). The spore is grown on a starch medium such as a
potato. The mycelium (roots) are harvested and used to
inoculate sterilized growing media, such as grain, to
produce a product called spawn. Spawn is similar to
seeds that are planted to grow green vegetable plants.
The majority of mushrooms that we consume are grown
in buildings called mushroom houses and are often made
of cement blocks. These rooms provide a controlled envi-
ronment, meaning farmers can maintain the same temper-
ature and moisture during the growing process. The next
process in mushroom growing is compost or substrate
production. Substrate, the needed growing material for
mushrooms, is composed of decaying matter.
Substrate is a formula of materials such as straw, hay,
horse manure, chicken manure, corn cobs, and water.
These materials come from other agricultural farms and
most would go into landlls if there were no mushroom
farms to use the materials (Read more about how mush-
room farming recycles on page 7). The substrate heats up
naturally when water is added. It is allowed to decay for
one to two weeks. Then it is lled into a room where it is
pasteurized to kill harmful bacteria, weeds, or insects, or
unhealthy human bacteria. When the substrate cools, the
spawn is worked into the substrate in trays or beds. It is in
these trays and beds that the mushrooms will grow. The
trays and/or beds are located inside a mushroom house.
Like green plants that grow from seeds, mushrooms have
a system that functions similar to roots. This root system,
called mycelium, allows mushrooms to get nutrients from
the substrate. Mycelium is many thread-like structures
called hyphae that grow together under the surface. Peat
moss is spread over the substrate in trays or beds. Peat
moss is plant material and mosses that have decayed for
millions of years. The rooms that contain the mushroom
trays are temperature and humidity controlled helping the
mycelium to fully develop. Next, white pin-like structures
push up through the peat moss. The small pins continue
to grow into mushroom caps. The cap is the fruiting body
HOW MUSHROOMS GROW
5
Use the word bank below and decide the best word to complete the sentence below.
Mushrooms like to live in ____________ , ____________ places.
New mushrooms grow from ____________ , which are found in the ____________ of
the mushroom.
The gills are under the ____________ .
Spores come out of the gills and ____________ with spores from other mushrooms.
When the spores begin to grow, they rst develop ____________ .
Many hyphae form the ____________ or the root structure for the mushroom.
The mycelium produces a ____________ that can be seen above the surface.
Spores are equivalent to the ____________ of plants.
Mushrooms get their nutrients from ____________ which is made up of hay, horse manure,
chicken manure, straw, cottonseed hulls.
After mushrooms are harvested, the substrate is pasteurized and is now called ____________ ,
which can be used again for gardens and farms.
WORD BANK
Hyphae | Substrate | Dark | Compost | Cap | Mycelium | Mix | Spores | Seeds | Gills | Pin | Damp
of the mushroom. The cap is protected by a thin cover-
ing called a veil. As the mushroom grows bigger and
matures, the veil splits and falls down around the stalk or
stem.
It takes 9 to 12 weeks from the time the farmer begins
preparing compost and ordering spawn to the time the
mushroom crop is sent to the market. The time that
the mushrooms can be harvested are called ushes or
breaks. The mushrooms can be harvested repeatedly
from three to ve days. Then, it is followed by a few days
where no mushrooms can be picked because new pins
are growing bigger. Then new mushrooms can be har-
vested again. Mushrooms are one of a few agricultural
crops that are still picked by hand and not by a machine.
Electron Microscope Images: The little circles (oating or attached) are mushroom spores (in the picture to the right, the bigger blobs that
look like acorns are also spore formations). The strands that look like spaghetti are the mycelium of the fungus (where the spores came from
or are still attached). Photos by: Kimberly Paley
Do you know the
science behind
mushrooms?
MUSHROOM GROWTH WORKSHEET
6
Mushrooms farming rst started in America in 1896 in
Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. Today, Kennett Square,
and the surrounding area in Chester County, grows 65%
of mushrooms produced in the United States. Kennett
Square is known as the mushroom capital of the world.
The rst mushroom farm in the United States was started
by two orists named Mr. Hicks and Mr. Swayne using
empty space under the shelves where they grew their
owers. Of course, owers need sunlight to grow! It was
very dark and damp under the shelves. They knew they
couldnt grow owers in the dark, but they could grow
mushrooms. Mushrooms dont need sunlight to grow.
They could survive by consuming nutrients from decay-
ing matter, so Mr. Hicks and Mr. Swayne started growing
MUSHROOM HISTORY WORKSHEET
Match the correct word in the work bank with the sentences below.
The rst mushroom farm was started by ____________ and ____________ .
They were ____________ who raised owers to sell.
They wanted to make use of ____________ they had under shelves.
Mushrooms dont need ____________ to grow.
Under the shelves, it was very ____________ and ____________ .
Mushrooms survive by eating ____________ matter.
In the late 1800s, mushrooms were planted in the ____________ season.
Mushrooms were harvested in the ____________ season.
Thanks to improvements in ____________ , you can buy mushrooms all year long.
The most common mushroom for eating is the white button mushroom called ____________
(scientic name).
WORD BANK
Sunlight | Technology | Agaricus | Decaying | Mr. Hicks | Spring | Damp | Florists | Fall | Space | Dark | Mr. Swayne
HISTORY OF MUSHROOMS
mushrooms under their ower shelves and that became
the rst mushroom farm!
During that time, around 1885, mushrooms were planted
in the fall and harvested in the spring. You could not get
mushrooms to eat in the summer. Later in the early 1900s
there would be a late fall harvest and a spring harvest.
Today, thanks to technology such as air conditioning, you
can buy edible mushrooms all year round.
Mushrooms come in many colors, shapes, and sizes. There
are approximately 38,000 diferent varieties. Some mush-
rooms are poisonous. Never eat mushrooms that have
been picked outside. The most common mushroom raised
for eating is the white button mushroom (Agaricus).
7
WORD BANK
Sunlight | Technology | Agaricus | Decaying | Mr. Hicks | Spring | Damp | Florists | Fall | Space | Dark | Mr. Swayne
MUSHROOM FARMS RECYCLE
SUBSTRATE PRODUCTION (Phase I) Wheat straw and
hay, previously harvested and used in agricultural
operations, (such as stable bedding from horse farms)
is transferred to mushroom farms and placed on a
wharf (concrete slab). It will be mixed and turned over
several days as it decomposes.
MUSHROOM HOUSE (Phase II) Substrate is moved into
mushroom houses, placed on beds and pasteurized.
Mushroom spawn (seed) is then dug into the beds. With
warm temperatures (75F), the spawn will grow into
threadlike strands called mycellum.
MUSHROOMS DONT
WASTE, WE RECYCLE.
CASING/PINNING Peat moss is mixed with
limestone and water and spread over the
substrate. Small mushrooms (pins) push up
and emerge through the peat moss.
COMPOST APPLICATION Compost can be re-applied to
agricultural elds as well as mine reclamation projects,
green roofs, storm water management basins, wetland material,
greenhouses/nurseries, highway site remediation,
erosion control and home gardens.
SUBSTRATE called compost, after the
mushrooms are harvested, is steamed,
emptied and trucked away from
the mushroom houses.
CROPPING Mushrooms are harvested over
several breaks or ushes. One break can
last for six to eight days. Mushrooms are hand-
picked, packed, refrigerated and
sent to markets.
8
CRIMINI
[ kr-m-n ] Also
known as the Italian
brown, crimini
mushrooms are a
deeper avor and
darker brown
in color.
OYSTER
[ oi-ster ] A graceful, soft,
gray, white, or tan color, this
mushroom has a delicate avor.
Its name is from its oyster
shell shape.
PORCINI
[pr-CH-n ] A avorful
exotic mushroom. A favorite
of many gourmet chefs. This
mushroom is growing in
popularity and more likely
to be served at fancy
restaurants.
SHIITAKE
[ SH-t-k ] Most popular in Asia,
these mushrooms look like dark
brown umbrellas and have a
slightly woody stem that
should be trimmed or removed.
These are delicious in
Asian foods.
ENOKI
[ i-nk ] This mushroom looks
more like a ower and grows
in small clusters. Enoki are
slightly crunchy raw. Try
them in salads or soups
or on a burger or
sandwich!
AGARICUS
[ uh-gar-i-kuhs ] Also known
as white this is the
mushroom youre
most familiar with
on pizzas and in
spaghetti sauce.
PORTABELLA
[pr-t-bl- ] Portabella
is a grown up Crimini.
It is large and hardy. The
portabella mushroom has a
meat-like avor, perfect
as a mushroom burger.
IDENTIFY : MUSHROOM TYPES
THESE ARE the
most popular
mushrooms!
9
WORD BANK
Cap | Stem | Mycelium | Roots | Gills | Seeds | Leaf | Fruit
Tomato
MUSHROOM
Buy some store bought mushrooms and tomatoes. Then
dissect them using a plastic knife with an appropriate
cutting surface. Compare and contrast the structure of a
mushroom and tomato and nd their similarities.
IDENTIFY : PLANT PARTS
A
A
B
B
C
C
E
D
D
10
MUSHROOM WORD SEARCH
CAN YOU HELP
ME FIND
ALL THE words?
America | Asia | bed | cap | casing | compost | crimini | delicious | enoki | Europe | farm
ush | fun | fungi | fungus | grows | hamburger | humidity | inoculate | mushroom | mycelium
nutrients | oyster | peat | pizza | photosynthesis | portabella | salad | scientists | shiitake | soup
spaghetti | spawn | spores | stalk | stem | temperature | tray | veil | white | world
SEARCH FOR THESE WORDS
11
Create mushroom spore print by following the instructions below. After
you spray your spore print, create your own unique drawing using the
shape(s) and features of your spore print. For a second project, create
mushroom art by cutting mushrooms into diferent shapes and dipping
them in paint. Use them as stamps to create your own artwork. You
can also try other vegetables like potatoes or broccoli to create more
textures and shapes with the paint. Mushrooms sponge like qualitites
allow them to absorb the paint just as they would absorb avors and
spices when they are cooked!
PREPARATION
1 Cut of mushroom stems just below the cap.
2 Select area where spore space experiment can be left
undisturbed for 24 hours.
3 Provide each individual or small group with a
mushroom cap, sheet of paper and dome.
Photo Courtesy of Spores101.com Myco Blog
SPORE PRINT ART
SUPPLIES NEEDED
Plastic or glass domes (bowls, glasses, bottoms of
plastic bottles) large enough to cover mushrooms
Mature mushrooms with visible, dark gills
Broccoli/Potato (optional)
Pencils Ruler Knife Hair spray
White 12"x12" paper towels or 8" x 11" paper
Microscope (optional)
Clear, self-adhesive contact paper (optional)
DIRECTIONS
1 Place the mushroom cap, gill side down, on white sheet
of paper or paper towel.
2 Cover with a dome such as a bowl or dish, leave
undisturbed for 24 hours. Carefully remove dome and
mushroom cap. To preserve the spore pattern, spray it
with hair spray or cover with clear, self adhesive contact
paper. (NOTE: Do not spray the pattern if you plan to
observe the spores under a microscope). Observe
spores through a microscope if desired.
3 Discuss the spore pattern. Are all patterns the same?
Can you see each spore?
JOIN ME ON
THIS FUN ART
PROJECT.
12
1 2 3
4 5 6
7 8 9
MUSHROOM MATH
Did you know that a mature mushroom can produce
2 billion spores in 4 days?
How many hours does it take for a mushroom to produce
2 billion spores? ___________________________________________
How many spores can a mushroom produce in one day? ____________
How many spores can a mushroom produce in 8 hours? ____________
How long would it take to produce 1 billion spores? ________________
What is the diameter of your mushroom cap? ____________________
What is the radius of your mushroom cap? ______________________
Farmer Joe raises and sells his mushrooms to distributor Mike for $1.00 per pound.
Distributor Mike sells them to Grocer Sam for $1.50. Grocer Sam sells them to Julie for
$2.50 per pound.
What is the diference in price between farmer Joe and Distributor Mike? _________________________
What is the diference in price between Distributor Mike and Grocer Sam? ________________________
What is the diference in price between Farmer Joe and Grocer Sam? ____________________________
How much prot does Grocer Sam make when he sells mushrooms to Julie? ______________________
Why do you think Farmer Joe has to charge the
price he does? _________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________

Why do you think Distributor Mike charges
the price he does? ______________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________

Why do you think Grocer Sam must charge the
price he does? _________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
LETS DO
SOME MUSHROOM
MATH!
13
Your mushroom growing kit (photo 1) contains pasteur-
ized substrate, mushroom spawn (seed), and some
soy based fertilizer. Keep the bags in a warm location,
around 6570. The ideal location would be on a shelf or
workbench of of the oor and not close to a heat vent
or in direct sunlight. Direct sunlight will heat bag further.
Keep bag closed/gathered with a rubber band unless
checking temperature.
Your mushroom bag will produce Crimini mushrooms.
If monitoring temperature of compost during growth
process, ideal temperature would be 75 to 80.
Allow spawn to grow out into compost for 1620 days.
It may take more than 16 days if the temperature was
not warm enough. When substrate becomes white in
color (photo 2), with the root system (mycelium) visible,
the kit is ready for the casing material.
You were provided with a small bag of peat moss,
which is the casing material needed for your kit. If
needed, water the peat moss before you apply it; it
should be fairly moist. Add 1.5 1.75 inches of peat to
the surface of the substrate (photo 3). Keep bag open
after casingmaterial is added. Water with a spray bottle
to add moisture.
Ten days after casing, the mushroom pins should start
to form (photo 4). Minimize watering until mushrooms
are about the size of a dime. Ideal harvesting time would
be approximately 1618 days after you have added the
casing material. Water for two or three days while pick-
ing the mushrooms. After picking your rst crop, (photo
5) water again for 34 days if desired to continue growth
and pick a second crop (photo 6).
TIPS: If water is sitting in bottom of bag, cut small hole to
release water/drain. You do not want the bottom of the
substrate to be soaking in water. Cut two slits down side of
bag if mushroom are too difcult to harvest. Try to harvest
only mature mushrooms without removing too many other
pins and/or mycelium roots.
When watering, if mushrooms are present, avoid water resting on
the caps; this will cause the mushrooms to become discolored.
More light causes the mushrooms to change color faster, so
the more light your bag receives the more quickly the brown
color will appear in this kit of brown Crimini mushrooms.
MUSHROOM GROWING KIT
LETS GROW
YOUR OWN
MUSHROOMS!
2
5
6
3
1
4
14
To go around the world with the Mushroom Quest crew, we rst have
to learn some facts about reading the world map. This activity will
discuss parallels of longitude and latitude and how we can use them to
identify the location of a country or other place.
Find the Prime Meridian on the world
map. Notice that the Prime Meridian
does not touch the North Pole. In fact,
the poles do not appear on the map. This
often happens on world maps. Some-
times when a spherical object (the Earth)
is drawn on a at surface (a world map),
the poles do not show. The upper left
and right corners of the world map show
special round maps showing the North
and South Pole areas.
MUSHROOM GEOGRAPHY
The other half of the global grid system
is called the meridians of longitude.
Meridians of longitude are imaginary lines
that run from the North Pole to the South
Pole. A north and south line can be
called just meridian or just longitude.
Meridians of longitude are not parallel to each other.
One special meridian is called the Prime Meridian. The
Prime Meridian is the meridian that passes through the
town of Greenwich, England, which is near London.
Longitude measures the distance east and west of the
Prime Meridian. Each meridian is numbered and is
measured in degrees (). There are 360 degrees all the
way around the Earth. The numbering starts with the
Prime Meridian, which is at zero degree (0).
As you move east from the Prime Meridian, each merid-
ian of longitude is numbered from 0 to 180 E.
As an example, 25 E is the meridian that is 25 degrees
to the east of the Prime Meridian.
As you move west from the Prime Meridian, each merid-
ian of longitude is numbered from 0 to 180 W.
For example 90W, is the meridian that is 90 degrees
to the west of the Prime Meridian.
The Equator is an imaginary line that completely
encircles the Earth. It is halfway between the North Pole
and the South Pole.
Other imaginary lines also run to the east and west.
These lines are called parallels of latitude. These lines are
called parallels because they run parallel to the Equator.
The Equator, and other parallels of latitude, is one half of
the global grid system.
Each parallel is numbered to show how far it is north or
south from the Equator. This numbering system is
measured in degrees. The symbol for degrees is . There
are 90 degrees between the Equator and each pole.
Moving north from the Equator, parallels of latitude are
numbered from (0) at the Equator to 90 degrees north
(90 N) at the North Pole.
For example, 20N refers to the parallel that is 20
degrees north of the Equator.
Moving south from the Equator, parallels of latitude are
numbered from zero degrees (0) at the Equator to 90
degrees south (90S) at the South Pole. For example,
40S refers to the parallel that is 40 degrees south of
the Equator. Remember, latitude measures the distance
north and south from the Equator.
15
A n s w e r K e y : G r e e c e = 3 1 N + 2 2 E | J a p a n = 3 5 N + 1 3 5 E | P e n n s y l v a n i a = 4 1 N + 7 7 W | M e x i c o = 1 9 N + 9 9 W | I t a l y = 4 4 N + 1 2 E
E n g l a n d = 5 1 N + 0 W o r o n P r i m e M e r i d i a n | C h i l e = 3 5 S + 7 2 W | A u s t r a l i a = 3 2 S + 1 4 2 E | F r a n c e = 4 6 N + 2 E | O r e g o n = 4 5 N + 1 2 3 W
Locate the country or location based on the fact below and nd it on the world map. Then identify the latitude and longitude.
Example: Florida is located at 28N + 81W
1. In Greece around 100 B.C. mushrooms grew naturally on tree bark. The tree bark was scattered over rich soil. ____________
2. The shiitake mushroom was named after the Shii tree that it grew on in ancient Japan. ____________
3. Pennsylvania is the largest producer of mushrooms in the United States. ____________
4. Ancient natives of Mexico carved stone sculptures known as mushroom stones. ____________
5. Ancient Romans, in the area of Italy, revered mushrooms as the food of the gods. ____________
6. Immigrant ower growers from England grew mushrooms under owerbeds in their greenhouses. __________
7. In 1834, scientist Charles Darwin, wrote about a newly discovered species, the Chilean wild mushroom, found in the
Tiero Del Fuego region of Chile, (southern tip of south America) which grew on beech trees. ___________
8. Mushrooms were rst commercially grown in Australia in 1933 in old railway tunnels. ____________
9. In France mushroom farming started in caves, tunnels, and cellars, where it was easier to control humidity
and temperature. ____________
10. The worlds largest organism, a fungus called Armillaria Ostoyae, was discovered in 1998 in Oregon. It covers 2,384 acres
or 1,665 football elds. It is estimated that it began growing around 400 B.C. ____________
MUSHROOM GEOGRAPHY ACTIVITY
16
Even though a mushroom is not a vegetable, they provide many of the
same nutritional benets, and so are grouped with vegetables in the My
Plate food servings. Mushrooms also provide similar nutrients that are
found in meat, beans, and grains. Raw (uncooked) mushrooms are equal
to cup of other vegetables.
Mushroom Swapability is a cooking technique that swaps or adds mushrooms to a recipe to add an
extra serving of vegetables by enhancing, extending or replacing the meat. Follow this strategy: Chop up
your favorite mushroom variety to match the consistency of your ground beef or turkey; cook and season
mushrooms the same way as the meat; combine the cooked meat and mushrooms and use the mix to
complete your recipe. Try the following swapability recipe.
How do mushrooms help our bodies?
Mushrooms have no fat and no cholesterol. They are low
in sodium (salt) and have few calories.
Mushrooms are a good source of Vitamin B. What does
Vitamin B do? It helps convert food into energy!
Vitamin D is a nutrient that comes naturally from sunlight.
We as humans can get it from spending some time in the
sunshine, drinking milk and eating other dairy products,
or by following a specic diet. Vitamin D helps our
bodies absorb calcium to build strong, healthy bones.
Mushrooms also provide many minerals to our bodies
like selenium, copper and potassium.
Selenium protects our bodies cells from damage and
disease.
Copper helps make red blood cells, which carry oxygen
throughout our bodies.
Just like bananas, mushrooms are an excellent source of
potassium. It helps balance the minerals in our bodies
and helps control blood pressure. Potassium also helps
nerves and muscles of the heart work properly.
ALL BEEF TACOS
100% Ground Beef
MUSHROOM & BEEF TACOS
75% Mushroom & 25% Beef
MUSHROOM NUTRITION
TAKE A CLOSER
LOOK AT THE
NUTRITION LABELS.
WHAT DO
YOU NOTICE?
17
Cooking with mushrooms is not only nutritious but its also
a lot of fun. There are a lot of recipes that you can make
using mushrooms. To start, try something popular like
Tacos. Youve had them before but probably not with
mushrooms. They taste great and have more vitamins and
minerals and you may like the avor even more. Make sure
to cook with a parent or other adult. You must be careful
chopping your ingredients and working safely around a hot
stove or oven.
MUSHROOM TIPS > HOW TO SAUT
Sauting is an easy way to cook whole, sliced, chopped
or halved mushrooms. Follow these steps:
1 Brush pan with oil or butter and heat on high.
2 Add a single layer of mushrooms; dont stir,
turn once when mushrooms become red-brown
on one side.
3 Flip and repeat until other side turns the same
color, remove from heat and season to taste.
COOKING WITH MUSHROOMS
4 tablespoons ground pepper
Salt & pepper if necessary
8 Corn Tortillas
1 cup shredded green cabbage
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
4 tablespoons grated cheese
1 Cup mild salsa (fresh or jarred)
TACOS (serves 8)
2 tablespoons olive oil
lb. 85% lean ground beef
lb. white button mushrooms
lb. crimini mushrooms
2 cups chopped sweet onions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
DIRECTIONS
Heat a saut pan over medium-high heat. Place ground
beef in pan and cook; season with salt and pepper.
Saut for 3 to 5 minutes until golden brown. Chop
mushrooms to the size and texture of ground beef and
saut in a separate pan with 2 Tbsp. olive oil for 3 to 5
minutes. Combine mushrooms and meat and set aside.
Re-heat saut pan used for ground beef over medium-
high heat. Add onions and saut until golden brown.
Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the mushroom/
beef mixture and ground chili pepper. Saut 2 to 3
minutes, stirring. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and
lime juice.
To serve, toss shredded cabbage with salt, pepper, lime
juice and cilantro. Place 2 tablespoons of shredded
cabbage on a tortilla, and top with 2 tablespoons of
mushroom and beef mixture. Top with a generous
tablespoon of salsa and sprinkle with cheese to taste.
MUSHROOMS
ARE NUTRITIOUS
& TASTE GREAT!
18
Use your creativity and color in the mushroom characters. Test your
memory and write in the correct name of the characters. When nished,
challenge yourself and create your own mushroom character. Ask your
teacher to make a copy and send to Penn State Extension, Chester
County. Your character may be displayed at a
local festival or the 4-H Fair!
WORD BANK
Agaricus | Crimini | Enoki
Portabella | Shiitake | Oyster
MUSHROOM CHARACTERS
A
B
C
E
F
D
SHOW US
YOUR ARTISTIC
TALENTS!
19
BEDS Shelves in the mushroom houses holding the substrate
which the mushrooms grow on
BREAKS/FLUSH Mushroom crops that are ready for harvest
CAP The head of the mushroom, often in an umbrella shape
CASING The process of adding peat moss on top of the
substrate
COMPOST The name given to the substrate after all of the
mushrooms have been harvested
CROPPING Harvesting mushrooms
FUNGI The kingdom of similar organisms that includes
yeasts, molds, and mushrooms
GILLS Located on the underside of mushroom caps, where
the spores are produced and released
HYPHAE The many thread-like structures that make up the
mycelium
INOCULATE Placement of microorganisms into another body
or organism, that will grow and reproduce
MUSHROOM HOUSES Where cultivated mushrooms are
grown, building often made of cement blocks
MYCELIUM Thin, white, thread like cells that make up the
root structure for the mushrooms to grow
PASTEURIZATION Cooking or heating the compost to kill
any harmful bacteria or insects
PEAT MOSS Plant material and mosses that have been
decaying for millions of years
PINS The rst visible form of the mushroom
PHOTOSYNTHESIS The process that plants use to convert
carbon dioxide into carbohydrates, sugars, and starches
SPAWN Grain inoculated with mushroom spores
SPORES Microscopic seed of the mushroom, found in
the gills
STEM The part of the mushroom that holds it up and
supports the cap, also called the stalk
SUBSTRATE Growing medium, food for mushrooms
VEIL The tissue that protects the mushroom pin before the
mushroom becomes mature
4-H CLUB PLEDGE
I pledge My head to
clearer thinking,
My heart to greater
loyalty, My hands
to larger service,
and My health to
better living,
for My club,
My community,
My country and
My world.
Produced in partnership with the Penn State Extension Chester County 4-H, American Mushroom Institute,
Mushroom Council and Mushroom Farmers of Pennsylvania, funds provided by a PA Department of Agriculture grant.
This book belongs to:
Name ______________________________________
School _____________________________________
Teacher ____________________________________
4-H Extension Professional _____________________
Date Project Began ___________________________
Date Project Completed _______________________
GLOSSARY
About 4-H The purpose of all 4-H programs is to develop youths through the involvement of their parents and volunteers
who organize and conduct learning experiences in a variety of settings. 4-H is concerned with the four-fold development
of each individual, symbolized by the 4-H emblem. This emblem is a green, four leaf clover with a white H on each leaf.
The four Hs stand for head, heart, hands, and health and represent the following:
HEAD by teaching youth how to learn, think, make decisions, and obtain new knowledge
HEART by teaching youth how to work with others, develop values and attitudes, accept social responsibilities, and
develop pride in accomplishment
HAND by teaching youth new skills and how to improve those they possess, how to be leaders, and
how to work cooperatively with others
HEALTH by teaching youth how to care for their health and well-being, and those of others, by developing
practices that will enhance social, mental, and physical health
4-H CLUB MOTTO To make the best better.
OYSTER
ENOKI
AGARICUS
SHIITAKE
Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences research and extension programs are funded in part by Pennsylvania
counties, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Visit Penn State Extension on the web: extension.psu.edu
Where trade names appear, no discrimination is intended, and no endorsement by Penn State Cooperative Extension is implied.
This publication is available in alternative media on request.
The Pennsylvania State University is committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal access to programs, facilities, admission, and em-
ployment without regard to personal characteristics not related to ability, performance, or qualications as determined by University policy or
by state or federal authorities. It is the policy of the University to maintain an academic and work environment free of discrimination, including
harassment. The Pennsylvania State University prohibits discrimination and harassment against any person because of age, ancestry, color, dis-
ability or handicap, genetic information, national origin, race, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or veteran status and retali-
ation due to the reporting of discrimination or harassment. Discrimination, harassment, or retaliation against faculty, staf, or students will not be
tolerated at The Pennsylvania State University. Direct all inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policy to the Afrmative Action Director, The
Pennsylvania State University, 328 Boucke Building, University Park, PA 16802-5901; Tel 814-865-4700/V, 814-863-0471/TTY.
Copyright Mushroom Farmers of Pennsylvania 2012
CRIMINI