NETHERLANDS
Paddenstoelenrijk grows an impressive range of exotic varieties in Rossum. Photo: Martin v.d. Vorle
Diversity and science
Geert-Peter de Rijk with one of his many varieties cultivated at Paddenstoelenrijk.
is definitely worth a visit! We also saw Amycel’s new brown variety, appropriately called ‘Brown’, that produces a clearly browner cap than cus- tomary varieties. This strain also has a slightly short stalk and is therefore extremely suitable for portabella cultivation. Our journey continued to Boekel and Erp where we called on the oyster mushroom farms and substrate production plant owned by John and Wendy Verbruggen. At the Boekel farm, the mushrooms are grown on substrate packages stacked on shelving. Phase 1 substrate produc- tion takes place at the site in Erp. Each week, some 400 tons of this pre-fermented straw is transported to Substraatbedrijf Horst. This site is also home to ‘cylinder cultivation’ of grey, yellow and pink oyster mushrooms. An ingenious mixing system moistens and pasteur- ises straw which is later filled as sterile substrate into elongated cylinders that are clamped onto a rack in bunches of three. Verbruggen has a total of four locations that produce oyster mushrooms, adding up to production of 375 tons a year. The passion and commitment radiated by John, and his wife Wendy, fully justify John’s honorary title of ‘Mister Oyster Mushroom’ in the Netherlands.
36 MUSHROOM BUSINESS
On Wednesday, ‘Paddenstoelenrijk’ run by Geert-Peter and Jolanda de Rijk in Rossum was on the agenda. Geert-Peter also operates several farms, which grow a total of eight different varieties. In succession, we saw the following mushrooms: shiitake, nameco, eriyngii, piop- pino, white and brown beech mushrooms, pom pom blanc and of course agaricus blazei murill. Paddenstoelenrijk is probably the sole company of its kind that cultivates and markets such a diversity of varieties. Selling and trading the mushrooms is the company’s main interest, and takes up the most time and effort. The sheer number and range of customers served by Paddenstoelenrijk is impressive. From market traders to caterers, from conventional to organic cultivation, it seems like the world and his wife come here to buy mushrooms. Considering that Geert-Peter and Jolanda started ten years ago with barely any experience of exotic mushrooms, their achievements are an amazing feat. In the afternoon, our destination was Wagen- ingen University, where a scientific programme was scheduled moderated by Anton Sonnenberg. We were brought up to speed on variety develop- ment (Sonnenberg); product information (Saskia van Ruth), and innovation subsidies (Johan Wunderink). The journey then went deeper towards the south, destination the Parkhotel in Horst.
GTL and Christiaens Thursday was all about technology, and we visited GTL Europe Equipment and Christiaens Group. We were warmly welcomed at both companies, and toured the production locations
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