Ep. 74: Terrestrial Fungi - Cordyceps Genetics, Ganoderma Mysteries & Trusting Synchronicity (feat. Ryan Paul Gates)

Today on Mushroom Hour we are blessed by the presence of Ryan Paul Gates, founder of Terrestrial Fungi. Ryan has spent the last ten+ years collecting and breeding fungal cultures from around the world. The strains he is probably most famous for propagating and breeding are cordyceps and ganoderma mushrooms. Ryan was really an early pioneer at popularizing cordyceps cultivation in the US, exposing us to techniques used from all over the globe. His team at Terrestrial Fungi are constantly hunting and breeding new and improved strains to add to their already staggering genetic library. They are constantly refining our selection process to bring Cordyceps farmers reliable and high yielding potent genetics. In the summer of 2019, they collected over 200 wild Cordyceps militaris ascospore isolates from over 30 carefully selected wild specimens: building their work of releasing the first single ascospore progeny strains of Cordyceps militaris in the USA. A master manifester and elevator of vibration, you can tell Ryan puts the highest intention and care into his work.   

TOPICS COVERED:   

• How Ryan Discovered a Passion for Fungi  
• Falling in Love with Cordyceps  
• Cordyceps militaris Decentralized Knowledge Share  
• Developing Cordyceps militaris Cultivation Techniques  
• Basics of Cordyceps militaris Biology  
• Balancing Open-Source Mentality, Economic Self-Interest and Concepts of Reciprocity 
• Mechanics of Culturing Cordycep militaris Strains and Selecting Genetics  
• Birth of Terrestrial Fungi  
• Rethinking Ganoderma Taxonomy  
• Elucidating Ganoderma lucidum  
• Challenges of Breeding Ganoderma  
• Future Plans for Terrestrial Fungi  
• Advice for Breeding Fungi Strains  
• Guidance from Music, Spirit & Other Organisms in Following the Path of Fungi  

EPISODE RESOURCES:    

• Terrestrial Fungi Website: https://www.terrestrialfungi.com/   
• Terrestrial Fungi IG: https://www.instagram.com/terrestrialfungi/   
• Terrestrial Fungi FB: https://www.facebook.com/TerrestrialFungi/   
• RusticRosette Website: https://www.rusticrosette.com/   
• Shroomery.org: https://www.shroomery.org/   
• Appalachian Gold Fungi: https://www.instagram.com/appalachiangold_fungi/   
• Cordyceps militaris "dendrite" strain (Fungi): https://www.terrestrialfungi.com/products/cordyceps-militaris-dendrite-liquid-culture   
• Dr. Robert Blanchette: http://forestpathology.cfans.umn.edu/Blanchette.htm   
• Google Scholar Cordyceps militaris Research: https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=cordyceps+militaris&btnG=   
• Grifola frondosa (Fungi): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grifola_frondosa