The University of Kentucky Robinson Center for Appalachian Resource Sustainability is hosting a shitake mushroom workshop at its next installment of the Mountain Monday Series March 7.

Long considered a symbol of longevity in Asian culture, the shitake is a gourmet mushroom. Kentucky’s rich hardwood forests provide an ideal resource for growing shitake mushrooms. Small logs cut during a timber stand improvement provide a good source of logs for starting a small-scale shitake enterprise. Log-grown shitakes are higher quality and as a result, may fetch a higher price than their artificial-substrate grown counterparts.

Current producers or those interested in venturing into this niche industry should attend the meeting at Robinson Center’s auditorium in Quicksand beginning at 6 p.m. EST. The cost is $10 per person.

Suzanne Stumbo and Shad Baker will serve as instructors. Both are agriculture and natural resources extension agents with the UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment in Pike and Letcher counties, respectively. Topics will include inoculation, harvesting, maintenance and marketing.

The Mountain Monday Series focuses on a different topic each month. The series also streams live on the Internet at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/mountainmonday. Upcoming installments include a spring wildflower walk and insect and disease management options for vegetable gardens. For a schedule and more information about Robinson Center for Appalachian Resource Sustainability programs, visit the website at http://www2.ca.uky.edu/RCARS.