North Spore

North Spore Mushroom Cultivation, Foraging, and Education What began as a love for mushroom foraging has developed into an obsession with all things fungi.

Our mission is to provide access to the mycological world through innovative mushroom cultivation, spawn production, and research. North Spore is the brainchild of three college friends with an admiration for all things related to the mycological world. That passion for foraging has evolved over time: these days any of us are likely to be found in our cultivation rooms growing oyster mushrooms, sh

iitakes, lion's mane, chestnut mushroom, king trumpets, and pioppinos, or tincturing the myriad medicinal polypores that grow in the Maine woods. Maybe we are at Fork Food Lab in Portland sautéing sh*takes with mirin and tamari; or perhaps it's the dried porcinis and chanterelles from our last mushroom walk that are taking the stage. North Spore produces 100% of the spawn used at its facility and also makes sawdust, plug, and grain spawn for other commercial and enthusiast growers. We take our commercial spawn customer's needs seriously and are fortunate to have both a mycologist with a Master's Degree in the field and a trained lab technician overseeing our in-house laboratory, culture bank, and spawn production. Regardless of whether we are sharing our favorite mushroom dishes, our knowledge of mushroom foraging and cultivation, or simply our overwhelming admiration for this often overlooked biological kingdom, we are striving to be a community hub for fungi enthusiasts; a place where people learn to love mushrooms as we do.

06/23/2026

Reishi is a great and often overlooked option for growing in warmer weather, as it prefers temperatures between 65-80°F (18-26°C).

While other varieties may stall out in the heat, Reishi is pretty resistant. It's a perfect companion for garden fruit trees and perennial vegetables. By using a MycoSphere, you can create a moisture-trapping microclimate with shade cloth and misting to successfully cultivate these medicinal mushrooms even in intense desert heat.

Once harvested and dried, Reishi is excellent for long-term storage and can be used to create your own teas and tinctures.

Get started here: https://northspore.com/products/mycosphere-x-plant-grow

06/22/2026

Still air boxes (SABs) like the NocBox are essential for home labs because they reduce contamination risk considerably.

While professional laminar flow hoods can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars, a collapsible SAB is a much cheaper and highly effective alternative for mushroom or lab work, whether in indoors or even out in the field.

You can also make a DIY version from a clear storage tote and a box cutter, though a purpose-built SAB typically offers better portability and a more reliable seal.

Either way, the goal is the same: still air means fewer contaminants settling on your work surface, giving your mycelium a fighting chance before the competition does!

Start your lab: https://northspore.com/collections/indoor-supplies-tools

📸: https://www.youtube.com/

For All The Fungi Fathers Out ThereHappy Father’s Day! Growing things is good for humans, father or not. This might seem...
06/21/2026

For All The Fungi Fathers Out There

Happy Father’s Day! Growing things is good for humans, father or not. This might seem like a fairly corny statement that we’ve all heard, but it cannot be said or stressed enough. We only have so much free time in our lives and some portion of that should be in the service of cultivating other living things. Starting people young with this as a guiding principle will help them in so many ways and there is plenty of research to back it up, especially when that cultivation takes place outside. It’s up to us Dad’s to make that happen with the youths!

As children ourselves, we can help our own Dads or other dads in our lives cultivate. For example, I hooked my pops up with Wine Cap Spawn earlier this year and I’ve given him something to grow almost every year for who knows how long. I love that this will get him outside, active and engaging with an organism that means so much to me.

I’m going to keep growing life, beautiful, edible and strange. Thea (my daughter) will keep eating, learning and appreciating these things if I have any say. Hopefully, all the Dad’s can take a second to feel accomplished and appreciated today as cultivators.

Spores truly,
Lou

Terence McKenna proposed in 1992 that psilocybin mushrooms catalyzed human consciousness.It's a theory so quickly dismis...
06/20/2026

Terence McKenna proposed in 1992 that psilocybin mushrooms catalyzed human consciousness.

It's a theory so quickly dismissed it became a punchline. What he didn't live to see was the neuroscience that followed: magic mushrooms cause rapid, lasting structural changes in the brain, opening windows of heightened neuroplasticity that persist long after the compound clears the system. The mechanism McKenna needed turns out to be real.

We took a serious second look at what the science actually says. Check it out here: https://northspore.substack.com/p/did-magic-mushrooms-build-the-human

Join our community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/4289850731233580/

Join our community on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/northspore/

This post is for educational purposes only.

Which mushrooms can you grow in the heat? Pink oyster mushrooms thrive at 70-80°F (21-27°C), making them one of the few ...
06/19/2026

Which mushrooms can you grow in the heat?

Pink oyster mushrooms thrive at 70-80°F (21-27°C), making them one of the few mushrooms that actually love summer.

Tuck a block into any shaded corner - under trees, beside a fence, next to other plants and veggies- and you're putting otherwise unused space to work. As the block breaks down over time, it returns organic matter back to the soil. Growing mushrooms and growing plants turn out to be a pretty good match.

Here's how to get started:

1. Find a shaded spot and bury your block completely, covering with about 1" of soil or mulch.

2. Mist the surrounding soil once or twice daily in dry weather to keep moisture consistent.

3. Harvest when the cap edges are still curled under for the best texture and flavor. And watch them closely, because Pink Oysters grow fast.

With the right conditions, you'll get multiple flushes from a single block.

Get started here: https://northspore.com/collections/plant-grow-mushroom-garden-blocks

Photo by North Spore CEO Ben!

06/18/2026

The MycoSphere supports multiple outdoor cultivation methods, making it a flexible system for different mushroom species and growing styles:

1. Plant & Grow Starter Blocks: Bury directly in the soil at the base of your MycoSphere and cover with straw or mulch. Mushrooms in as little as 2 weeks.

2. Mushroom Logs: Inoculated hardwood logs ar super low maintenance once established, and mushrooms fruit naturally with seasonal moisture and temperature changes, for years.

3. Beds: Layer spawn with straw or wood chips directly in the soil. Higher yields over time. Expect mushrooms in around 3–6 months.

4. Containers: Buckets, crates, or old laundry baskets filled with a straw and spawn mix - easy to set up, easy to move.

Across all methods, the MycoSphere helps maintain steady humidity through automated misting while still allowing natural airflow and seasonal cues to do their thing.

Check it out here: https://northspore.com/products/mycosphere-x-plant-grow

A new study from Chiang Mai University found that soil amended with just 15% spent oyster mushroom (Pleurotus spp.) subs...
06/17/2026

A new study from Chiang Mai University found that soil amended with just 15% spent oyster mushroom (Pleurotus spp.) substrate reduced root-knot nematode gall formation by 85–90% in chili crops. Oyster mushroom mycelium actively traps and digests nematodes using specialized loop-like structures and nematicidal metabolites, essentially hunting the very pests that devastate yields. Critically, this treatment didn't harm soil bacterial diversity. In fact, it boosted populations of health-promoting microbes like Actinobacteriota and Acidobacteriota. For growers looking to close the loop on mushroom cultivation, the byproduct may be just as valuable as the harvest itself.

Read the research here:https://oes.chileanjar.cl/files/CJAR260022-86-4-2026.pdf

Garden with mushrooms here: https://northspore.com/collections/grow-in-garden-bed

One of my favorite projects with the grandsons isn't in the garden... it's in the woods.Today we were drilling and inocu...
06/16/2026

One of my favorite projects with the grandsons isn't in the garden... it's in the woods.

Today we were drilling and inoculating mushroom logs, and it reminded me how many life lessons can come from a simple log and a handful of mushroom spawn.

Kids learn patience. They don't get instant results. They learn that some things worth having take months before you see anything happen.

They learn observation. Every season the log changes. The bark ages, the weather affects it, and eventually the mushrooms begin to appear. Then each flush seems bigger and better than the last.

They learn biology without even realizing it. Fungi aren't plants and they aren't animals. They're their own kingdom, quietly breaking down wood and turning it into food.

They learn responsibility. The logs need a shady place, occasional watering during dry spells, and protection from being disturbed. A little care today creates rewards later.

As adults, we get a reminder too. Not everything grows on our schedule. Sometimes the most productive work happens where we can't see it. Under the bark, beneath the soil, behind the scenes.

The best part? This is a project that keeps giving for years. A properly inoculated hardwood log can produce mushrooms season after season, giving kids something to check on, learn from, and get excited about every time a new flush appears.

In a world full of screens and instant gratification, a mushroom log teaches patience, stewardship, science, and the joy of watching nature do what it has always done.

What is a skill or project you learned as a child that still serves you today?

06/16/2026

Mushrooms and vegetables belong together!

The MycoSphere gives you a space to grow gourmet mushrooms right alongside your favorite herbs, flowers, and vegetables. Imagine harvesting oyster mushrooms from beneath your kale, lettuce, or tomatoes, all from the same bed.

It's a simple way to make the most of your garden space while adding something a little different to the mix. More diversity, more harvests, and more reasons to get outside and grow.

Learn more here: https://northspore.com/products/mycosphere-x-plant-grow

06/15/2026

Lion’s mane has garnered significant attention for its potential neuroprotective properties, with research suggesting that its active compounds (hericenones and erinacines) may stimulate nerve growth factor (NGF) production, supporting cognitive function and potentially aiding in the management of mild cognitive decline. Preliminary studies also point to anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects that may benefit overall brain and immune health.

On the digestive side, lion’s mane shows promise as a gut-supportive mushroom, with bioactive polysaccharides that may help protect the stomach lining and support a healthy gut microbiome. Nutritionally, it’s a solid whole-food source of protein, dietary fiber, and key micronutrients including potassium, zinc, and B vitamins.

While much of the clinical evidence in humans is still emerging, the combination of functional and nutritional benefits positions lion’s mane as one of the more well-rounded medicinal mushrooms available.

Learn more about lion's mane here: https://northspore.com/blogs/the-black-trumpet/lions-mane-mushrooms-medicine-food

Lion's Mane supplies: https://northspore.com/collections/lions-mane

📸: Toni-Lee

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921 Riverside Street
Portland, ME
04103

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+12073520264

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