Commercial Grower Catalog

A 10 lb fruiting block typically produces 2–4 lbs of mushrooms across 2–3 flushes, depending on species, humidity, and airflow. High-yielding oyster varieties like Blue Oyster regularly hit the top of that range, while specialty species like King Trumpet yield 1–2.5 lbs due to their slower, denser fruiting style.

Most commercial fruiting blocks produce 2–3 flushes, with the first flush typically delivering the highest yield. Lion's Mane is notable for its potential to produce multiple heavy flushes from the same block. After 2–3 flushes, biological efficiency drops and most commercial operations retire the block.

Blue Oyster, Phoenix Oyster, and Lion's Mane are our top yielders, each producing 2.5–4 lbs per block under good fruiting conditions. For operations optimizing revenue per block, fast-turnover oysters offer the best combination of yield speed and market price.

Our blocks arrive fully colonized, so time to first harvest depends entirely on fruiting conditions. Fast oyster varieties like Pink Oyster and Phoenix Oyster can pin in 5–7 days. Most oysters fruit in 7–14 days. Specialty varieties like King Trumpet and Chestnut take 10–20 days. Shiitake and Reishi have the longest development cycles at 14–60 days.

Yes. Every block ships fully colonized — white mycelium has completely run through the substrate before it leaves our lab. There is no additional colonization time needed on your end. Simply introduce fruiting conditions (humidity, airflow, light, temperature) and pinning will begin.

Fully colonized blocks can be held for 2–4 weeks before fruiting when stored at 35–45°F. Refrigeration slows metabolism and delays pinning without harming the mycelium. For best results and highest first-flush yields, fruit blocks within 1–2 weeks of delivery.

Yes — refrigeration at 35–45°F is one of the most effective tools for managing production timing. Commercial growers commonly receive a large shipment and stagger blocks into the fruiting room over 1–3 weeks to maintain a consistent daily harvest volume without needing daily deliveries.

Early pinning during transit is normal and not a sign of a problem — it just means the mycelium is vigorous and ready. Simply introduce your fruiting conditions as soon as the blocks arrive. Early pins will develop into your first flush; yield is not affected.

Keep your fruiting environment clean and avoid touching the mycelium surface directly. After each flush, remove all spent mushroom material (pins, stubs, and bases) before the next flush — leftover tissue is the most common contamination entry point. Maintain good airflow to prevent CO2 buildup, which weakens the mycelium and invites competing molds.

Yes. We work directly with commercial operations on volume pricing and standing order agreements. The more consistent your order volume, the better we can align our lab production schedule to your needs. Contact us to discuss your farm's requirements and current pricing.

Small orders of up to 5 blocks ship via UPS or FedEx in insulated boxes. Large commercial orders ship on skids with up to 120 blocks per gaylord box via freight. For farms in Michigan, Ohio, or Indiana, we offer direct delivery to your farm or to a halfway point at $1/mile one way. Free warehouse pickup is available Monday through Saturday.

Yes — and we strongly encourage it. Standing weekly or monthly orders allow us to scale our lab colonization directly to your forecast, which means you receive fresher, more vigorous blocks on a predictable schedule. It also gives you priority access to new strains as they become available. Reach out to set up your reservation.

Lead time for large orders depends on current production volume and species mix. We make blocks to order, so the more lead time you give us the better we can accommodate your schedule. Standing orders typically see the most consistent lead times. Contact us at least 1–2 weeks ahead for first orders.

Our blocks use a hardwood sawdust blend optimized for each species' nutritional requirements. Some varieties are supplemented to support heavier yields. All substrate is fully sterilized in our lab before inoculation to ensure a clean, contamination-free colonization.

Consistency comes from our genetics library and lab controls. We maintain isolated cultures for each strain, inoculate under sterile conditions, and colonize in a controlled environment. Blocks only ship once colonization is complete and visually verified — we do not ship undercolonized or suspect blocks.

For most commercial operations, yes. The true cost of DIY substrate includes sterilization equipment, energy, inoculant, colonization space, labor, and contamination losses — which commonly run 10–20% in non-sterile environments. Pre-colonized blocks eliminate all of that overhead, letting you focus your space and labor entirely on fruiting and harvest, which is where revenue is made.

Grain spawn is an inoculant — you still need to mix it into sterilized substrate and wait 2–4 weeks for colonization before fruiting can begin. A fruiting block arrives already colonized and ready to fruit within days. For commercial growers focused on throughput and consistent production schedules, fruiting blocks compress the production cycle significantly and remove the most contamination-prone step from your operation.