BillibusMaximus

Do you know what species? I've definitely had oysters I've left too long look like that and then still fruited fine. Certain other species I might be worried about.

How to do they smell? Earthy and/or mushroomy? That's good. If it's yeasty, sour, or otherwise bad smelling, then maybe I'd be worried.

But otherwise, get to it. They're ready to go.

The first time I grew oysters, I drilled holes in a 5 gallon bucket, and used aspen shavings from the pet store. But straw and a basket would work too.

I don't remember exactly what instructions I followed, but it might have been https://freshcap.com/blogs/growing/bucket-grow or https://northspore.com/blogs/the-black-trumpet/growing-mushrooms-in-buckets-containers

Good luck! I'm not an expert by any means, but I do have several grows under my belt. Feel free to ping me if you have questions along the way.

My toes, Sis.

I'll second the suggestion to start with oyster mushrooms (which you may still find at some grocery stores) rather than agaricus, but for different reasons.

Oyster mushrooms are really easy to grow. You can buy kits, or you can do it from scratch in a 5 gallon bucket or garbage bag with straw or wood shavings or similar substrates.

Agaricus, on the other hand, are more complicated. They're not primary decomposers like oysters, they're secondary decomposers. Which means rather than using a fresh substrate, you have to grow them on active compost. It's certainly achievable by a dedicated hobbyist, but it's not going to be an easy first time IMO.

If you want a good chance if success, start with oysters.

Edit: oops, just realized this post was months old.

This is what happens Larry, when you find a stranger in the alps.

That was a hoot!

If you're ok with adventure/comedy, my wife and I recently watched The Lost City (2022). To be honest, I expected not to like it, but it was surprisingly fun.

In 1998, the young lady working the cash register at the taco bell near where I worked told me I have really pretty eyes. So I have that going for me, which is nice.

When I was first starting out, I spent a lot of time at the BeeSource forums. I haven't been there in a while, so I don't know how it currently is, but I found it a good resource initially. FWIW, I always found the beekeeping-related subreddits to be pretty hit and miss.

There are tons of books available, possibly from your local library, but some are better than others. Wicwas press has a lot of good books, but I think they skew more towards advanced beginner and later, rather than the basic beginner.

But most importantly, there's a saying that "all beekeeping is local". While the basics are generally the same everywhere, the specifics vary depending on location. Not only things like temperature, humidity, and rainfall, but also what kinds of plants bloom, when and how often.

So regardless of any reading or other research you do, one of the best things you can do to learn is join a local beekeeping club. There will surely be members that have been there for a while, and you can learn from them what really works in your area.

Also, if you're in the US, check with your local Ag Extension office. They may have resources or info to help you get started. Possibly even classes.

I'd start with local apiaries and/or small/mid scale beekeepers.

The trick will be finding one that will let you buy a smaller quantity (relatively speaking - you probably don't want multiple 55 gallon drums of honey) at near-wholesale prices.

This might be tough, because small scale (hobbyist or side-gig) beekeepers often charge a premium because they're not producing a lot, and value the hard work they put into what they did get.

On the flip side, larger outfits will likely already have contracts with a reseller, and may not want to bother with selling a mere 50-100 lbs as a one-off.

A good place to ask around might be a local beekeeping club/meetup. It would at least let you meet some of your local beeks, and maybe determine which are retail-only and which do wholesale.

Unfortunately, I've really scaled back my number of hives and now only get enough honey to keep my immediate family supplied.

But I appreciate the sentiment.

Beekeeper here. I won't comment on whether or not you should. But since I know a little about storing honey, here are some things to consider:

If you do this, you need to make sure it's sealed in airtight containers.

Part of what gives honey its antimicrobial properties (and long shelf life) is its low moisture content. But it's hygroscopic and will pull moisture directly from the air if exposed. After it pulls enough moisture, it can ferment, grow bacteria, or otherwise not be fit for normal consumption.

Also, honey can crystallize over time. This doesn't mean it's bad, but in order to re-liquify it, you'll need to heat it. So consider your storage container size and material carefully.

That said, 52 lbs is less than a 5 gallon bucket full (at roughly 12 lbs / gallon), so it shouldn't take an incredible amount of space if you choose to do it. Or, in smaller portions, a quart mason jar will hold about 3 lbs. So 2 cases (12 jars each) would exceed your quantity requirements, and be more manageable than a 60lb bucket.

Also if you can buy it in bulk at wholesale prices, it will be cheaper. Retail can be anywhere from $5-$20 per pound (depending on what/where) whereas the last I checked, wholesale prices were more like $1.50 - $3.50 per pound, depending on quantity.

Hope that helps.

There was a series of TV commercials in the 70s for a laundry detergent that focused on "ring around the collar". So I suspect it's a spoof of one of those.