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Can science keep mushroom farmers from stinking up the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania?
April 3, 2009 | 7
Dan Royse heads into the mushroom lab.
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Royse in front of a manure bunker, where the compost is getting pasteurized and odors are wafting away.
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Inside the mushroom house, the compost is colonized by the button mushroom's hyphae.
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Royse examines a mushroom crop.
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Trays of growing mushrooms.
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Royse looks over his button mushrooms.
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A humidifier keeps the mushrooms moist.
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Royse demonstrates the layer of landscape cloth he is using in experiments.
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7 Comments
Add Commentif you don't like the smell of agriculture, stay in the city?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thiscities stink! I'll take the smell of agriculture in the country any day. if you don't like smell of manure don't buy a house down wind.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThis sulfur emitted by the compost business is toxic. We have had several environmental tests done in this area and they KNOW it's toxic, but the township has been fighting archaic agricultural laws to get these industrial farmers out. This is not your run-of-the-mill "farm". It's like having a toxic waste dump in your back yard. We were here BEFORE this new greatly increased polluting method of composting was introduced. We are trying to save our environment while the mushroom compost folks are systematically destroying it. We have encouraged composters to use new technology to cut out the odors, and some mushroom compost farmers have done so with great success. Needham refuses. He should not be allowed to endanger our kids whose school air lies in the path of the fumes he emits. Its noxious and unsafe, and our kids are out playing on a football field that reeks. Its unhealthy and has driven countless other businesses, as well as homeowners, out of town. Property values plummet and Needham gets rich. We are wasting tax dollars as Needham drags his feet forcing this never-ending court case to continue. How does he sleep at night??
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thiswhy make them enviromentaly friendly? they are fungi and they tast desgusting anyway.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thiswhy make them enviromentaly friendly? they are fungi and they tast desgusting anyway.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this"farm odors are a national problem that are pitting agricultural economies against a deluge of suburbanites who thought they wanted a piece of the country lifestyle."
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWhy is an aspect of prior use not entirely grandfathered in the zoning laws? People who move into the country should be made to be accepting of the fact they may see and smell cows.
Or they can stay in the city.
Why would you choose to live in an area where you know this is what you will live with? This farm has been there for generations, much longer than most of the houses nearby. If you want them to build the modern, odor reducing systems to compost, perhaps you should donate $20,000,000 plus or minus to help them get it done. I am sure in this economy it wont be a problem. People move out to the country and all they do is whine about the odors, the bugs, how far it is to the store, etc....
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI recommend moving.