We didn’t expect to see autoclaves at the mushroom farm. But they are one of the most necessary and expensive parts about running a high-volume mushroom operation.
Autoclaves use steam to create a high temperature environment to sterilize the wood blocks that the mushrooms grow on.
One thing Mike learned is that there is such a thing as a too-sterile environment. They had to bring in a piece of sterilized Maine hemlock to add back the positive fungi into the grow room.