Frustrating Frogs

I happened to post this video three years ago as a way to test my lab students on the frog and toad calls we were learning.  Little did I know when it went up on You Tube that the video would drive 8,816 people crazy.  That's because I forgot to add the answers in the description!  :)

Well... its been three years, and I figured its time to post the answers to the intriguing video that was uploaded three years ago.

And in case you are not aware, the frogs and toads are about to get really wild and crazy at night.  So go outside and listen to the sounds.  I would love to hear from you if these videos have helped you identify them.

Out of the Box Crazy About Mushrooms

Mushroom Mountain 

This past Saturday we braved the cold and ventured out to visit the most amazing mushroom farm on the planet.  No kidding.  I really think we have something here in our "backyard" that is nothing short of amazing.  

Tradd Cotter and Olga Katic began cultivating fungi in their two bedroom apartment in Florida.  The modest beginnings has "mushroomed" into a 50,000 square foot facility with a world class laboratory and research facility.  They are collaborating on mycoremediation medical research projects.  The lab houses more than 200 species of fungi, mostly from Eastern United States isolates.  

Ok, now that is the "cleaned up" version of what is going on over there.  The truth is Tradd

is a "mad scientist, whose brain and therefore mission has been completely colonized by fungi mycelium.  

His accomplice Olga, 

oversees the important infrastructure of Tradd's constantly expanding ideas and endeavors.  If Tradd has his way,  he will end all disease and clean up every oil spill and tragedy of life on this planet using fungi to do it!  No kidding.  I am really serious about this and he is too.  Go visit the farm and get a tour if you don't believe me.  

Tradd has written a book which I strongly recommend everyone to purchase.  

Organic Mushroom Farming and Mycoremediation

A couple of years ago I taught some fungi labs and the fungi "virus" has infected me as well.  I can't wait to roll up my sleeves and colonize a new crop of mad scientist fungi students.

Here are some photos we took of the farms and the labs.  

Fungi are easy to cultivate at home either inside, in your garden, or on logs.  I purchased some Shitake Mushroom plugs and plan to inject them into some logs soon.  I will let you know how it goes in a future blog.  

Meanwhile, purchase the book, go on a tour if you can, and find out why we are so extremely fortunate to have Tradd Cotter and Olga Katic busy cultivating, dreaming, growing, and using fungi to cure the ills of our planet.