This is an update to my previous post: Project-based Homeschooling: A Mushroom Project Teaches Mama When to Let Go. That’s a very good post to read if you are having trouble with what seems like unfinished projects or don’t feel your child is going as deep as they can into a project. In it, I explain how my son wanted to grow mushrooms, and we tried a variety of experiments, but we never accomplished his goal. However, that was okay because he was satisfied.

But fast forward to last October when we went to the Makers Faire in Decatur, Georgia. One of the vendors at the fair was 5th Kingdom. 5th Kingdom is a mushroom farm in Atlanta, Georgia, and you should check out their website because I think their business is so cool. I think you can even order some of their products online, but I’m not sure about that. Send an inquiry, if you are interested.

Anyway, when my son saw they had mushroom growing kits, his interest in growing mushrooms came back instantly. Their kits were not expensive, so we bought one of their shittake mushroom kits for him. We all had great fun growing these mushrooms and then cooking with them. It only took about ten days for the mushrooms to grow to maturity, and all we had to do was mist the block while being careful not to spray the mushrooms.

This is the shiitake mushroom growing block right after taking it out of the bag. We had to keep it in the indirect light and elevated so that it wouldn’t sit in the water.

a few days later

ready to harvest 🙂

Since my sons are picky eaters, they wouldn’t try one, but my husband and I enjoyed them over pasta.

So the eight-year-old got his wish: he grew mushrooms. 🙂