This is the new mushroom fruiting chamber machine made by Mella. It is coming to the market soon. The Mella machine is designed to offer a superior mushroom growing environment. I, for one am very curious about this new technology.This is because my beginner no-tech attempt at fruiting left much to be desired.
My first no-tech attempt at growing Lions Mane mushroom. Only ADG photo.
THE STORY FROM NORTH SPORE
Here is what NorthSpore has to say about the Mella mushroom fruiting chamber.
“Awhile back, the team at FirstBuild reached out to us about the Mella Smart Mushroom Fruiting Chamber they were creating and asked if we would like to help advise the development team. And, of course, we jumped at the opportunity. This automated mushroom growing appliance has been designed to fit into small spaces (e.g. kitchen countertops) and to make the process of mushroom growing easier, cleaner, more practical for smaller-scale growers and hobbyists. (Think high-tech tiny version of a Martha tent.)
THE LOVE LIST
“We recently received two of their latest prototypes to test, and we just finished our first round of growing. Suffice it to say, we were delighted with Mella’s ease and simplicity, and after much debate, the following six features made it on to our collective “love” list.
Set It and Forget It Feature
1. Mella is fully automated
“There is definitely something nice about the “set it and forget it” simplicity of Mella. Once you’ve assembled the unit and selected the humidity and fan speeds, you can pretty much leave it to do its thing for several days. The water tank (which sits on the outside) lasts for 5-7 days, and the filter and unit only need to be cleaned between mushroom harvests. There are even built-in LED lamps that create the optimal lighting environment for your fungi (which can be turned on and off, if nighttime light isn’t your thing).
2. The unit is compact, yet roomy
“The Mella unit makes excellent use of vertical and horizontal space. We were able to comfortably fit 3 of our Grow Your Own Mushroom bag kits into the unit, leaving enough room for the filter and fan to do their magic. (We also tried 3 of our Spray & Grow Mushroom Kits, which also left ample room for air and circulation.) Of course, we would be lying if we said the unit is small—it isn’t. It’s definitely larger than a standard counter-top toaster oven. That said, it isn’t huge either and took up a lot less room on our kitchen counter than expected. Added bonus—it actually looked good! The Mella design is sleek and minimalist, so it didn’t overpower the space and fit nicely on the counter-top.
The Me;;a Mushroom Fruiting Chamber fits easily on a Kitchen Counter Top
3. The unit is whisper quiet
“Mella’s dual fan has two jobs – air and humidity circulation. And in all honesty, we were a little worried that the fan would create an obnoxious wind-tunnel sound in the background. But it was surprisingly quiet, even at full speed. You can definitely hear it, but it’s more of a soft ambient background noise. Think calming white noise machine, not screeching industrial fan. Two thumbs up!
The mechanism is whisper quiet.
4. Mella controlled smell and spores
“If you live with somebody that is sensitive to mushroom spores or doesn’t like the smell of mushrooms, the Mella is definitely for you. The unit is fully enclosed, and nothing gets in or out (except for highly-filtered air) thanks to the dual fan system. Added bonus – if you live in an area prone to fruit flies and gnats, this keeps them out!
This is how the Mella machine looks from the side.
5. The unit was easy to clean
“Mella has two clear acrylic side walls and a clear acrylic glass door. It also has a stainless-steel floor, roof, and back panel. And, while you do need to clean the unit between mushroom harvests, all inner and outer surfaces are easily wiped off with a damp cloth and soapy water or a water/alcohol mixture. The reusable humidity filter is also easy to clean. Simply run it through lukewarm water between harvests to remove any spore buildup.
6. Mella was easy to set up
“The Mella was packed with care using laser cut spongy foam pieces and only took about 5 minutes to unbox all of the components. After reading the instruction manual, it only took another 15 minutes to fully assemble, including filling the water tank. And, while we wouldn’t say it’s so easy a child could do it, it definitely wasn’t difficult. A quick read of the set-up instructions is all you need. (FirstBuild is also looking to add even easier controls in the next version of Mella.)
The machine with its easy to follow instructions.
CONCLUSION
“Want to get on Mella’s waitlist?
You can be one of the first in line for the upcoming Mella launch (the official date has yet to be announced.) Click here to sign up for their launch announcement and find links to their entertaining demo videos.
Fantastic Fungi is an amazing Netflix documentary featuring Paul Stamets. In fact, it is the best documentary I’ve ever seen. I’ve watched it many times, already. As a result, it has become the start of my new project, mushrooms.
A picture of Paul Stamets holding an example of a fantastic fungus.
Paul Stamets is a former logger turned mycologist. He is perhaps one of the most knowledgeable people there is when it comes to fantastic fungi.
As much as I wanted to create a single facebook page about mushrooms, my new project, I decided to add this topic to several of my existing facebook pages, instead. That is because fantastic fungi do not fit into just one category. They fit into several. In fact, they dovetail with every single one of my past professional categories, continued passions and hobbies.
For example, there are many kinds of fantastic fungi that are used in cooking. Actually, their use here can have delicious consequences. Therefore fascinating fungi will be included in ‘Alison’s Exotic Healthy Food Kitchen‘.
Without fantastic fungi, the planet could not survive and neither could we. Of course, fantastic fungi will be included in ‘Survival Comes First‘.
Much to my delight, I realized I had an Indoor Gardening Facebook page that I could convert from Microgreens to Mushrooms, Mushroom Mama formerly Seed Mama. It will feature a variety of mushroom data.
The banner from the Facebook Mushroom Growers Group.
Even though I do not have a specific Facebook page where a crucial component of mushrooms fit, the worlds of science and consciousness, information will be included in some of the above mentioned Facebook pages.
WHERE TO BEGIN: RESEARCH
READ
In the past when I have begun a new project, much of my material has been inspired. From that initial spark, I will then research and study it in depth. But this project is unique. Because fantastic fungi can be poisonous, I have to start with research and guidance rather than experimentation at home.
Although I am not much of a reader, the purchase of a book or two might be a good idea. I have found two on Amazon that interest me.
Two books available on Amazon about mushrooms.
WATCH
VIDEO AND STREAMING TV
The introduction to Fascinating Fungi, the video.
This is the video that lured me into the world of fantastic fungi. I don’t know where my journey will lead me or how long this project will last. But in this case, it requires a specific path due the the potential danger of engagement and consumption.
A picture of a turkey tail mushroom from the Facebook group, Medicinal Mushrooms.
NETWORK IN PERSON
This step involves contacting people I know and talking about mushrooms with everyone I meet.
The header from the Facebook group, ‘Grow Mushrooms at Home’.
BUY A MUSHROOM GROWING KIT
Purchasing a kit is the safest And simplest way to begin growing mushrooms at home. Here are several to choose from. Just follow the directions to be on your way to growing mushrooms at home. Fungi Ally Northspore Midwest Grow Kits
A video from Fungi Ally about growing mushrooms at home from a mushroom growing kit.
THE END OF THE BEGINNING
Here are a few things you will need to start you on your way to growing mushrooms at home:
1. a growing kit with the growing medium with the spores injected into it for the mushroom you desire
2. a large plastic tote to house the kit in
3. a mister/water sprayer
4. videos to follow along
5. reading material to learn more
