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Progress Report on Mushroom Project

for Sarnelli House, Nongkhai, Thailand

reported by Fr Puwanai Tantikun and Bro.Athikhom Boonmaneeprasert

(The Missionary of the Month of September 2014)

Dear Benefactors at the Holy Redeemer Church, Bangkok

After our preaching appeal in September 2014 when we received such wonderful support we would like to update you all on the project and once again to thank you for making this project become real.

We started the project immediately after our return to Nongkhai. We ordered 6,000 spore bags (Oyster Mushroom type) from the Good Shepherd

Sisters. It took about 45 days to get the spore bags ready.

Sawdust for making 6,000 spore bags Making spore bags Under cultivating process for 45 days

While awaiting the spore bags we built 6 mushroom houses in three different children’s houses. Each house has 2 mushroom houses. The first mushroom house is for growing Oyster Mushrooms, the second house Lentinus Squarrosulus Mushrooms. The floor is cemented. This will be easy to clean and maintain. There is water system in each mushroom house.

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Mushroom houses in Donwai Village

Mushroom houses in Pai Si Tong Village

Mushroom houses in Viengkhuk

At the end of October 6,000 oyster mushroom spore bags were delivered. There were stored in three different places. The first yield was in the first week of November.

The children are responsible for watering the mushrooms every morning and evening, cleaning the mushroom houses, collecting and cooking the mushrooms. The famous mushroom menu is Tom-Yum, fried mushrooms with other vegetables, crispy mushroom fries, boiled mushroom with chillie paste, and fermented mushrooms.

The extra mushrooms are to be sold. The rate is 60 baht (USD 2) per kilogram – under market price.

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Pictures

Interior of mushroom house First mushroom yield

The boys at Donwai are excited with their first mushrooms (left) and the

girls at Viengkhuk are collecting their mushrooms (right)

The house mother leads the girls in cooking mushrooms

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What’s next? ….

This set of mushroom will continue to yield for four months (Nov 2014- Feb 2015).

In January 2015 we will order 6,000 pieces of Lentinus Squarrosulus spore bags. This type of mushroom grows well in the warm season. We plan to grow and harvest in March – June 2015.

There will be a 4 month rotation of growing mushrooms all year round.

The sawdust from the expired spore bags will be sterilized and used for fertilizer in our paddy fields.

Expense report

1. Materials for construction (6 mushroom houses) 100,122 baht 2. Construction labor 27,000 baht 3. 6,000 spore bags (7 baht/bag) 42,000 baht

Total 169,122 baht

Remarks There will be an expense of 42,000 baht every 4 months for the new set of 6,000 spore bags. The extra donations will be spent buying new spore bags and maintaining the mushroom houses.

Thank you very much once again to all our benefactors for making this project successful and effective!

The boys and two mushroom houses at Donwai Village

22 November 2014