What Type of Logs Are Suitable for Shiitake Mushroom?

What type of logs can we use and are some better than others?

All hardwood species can be used for shiitake cultivation however oak is the best. In fact the word Japanese word "shiitake" is derived from "shii" for oak and "take" for mushroom. Other hardwoods work, but not as well. For example, maple tends to de-bark faster than oak, so maple logs need to be handled more carefully. Ironwood, beech, alder and others all produce shiitake but the yields are less.
It is important that the logs be fresh, no older than six months. Any older and they likely will be contaminated with other fungi. The logs must also not be excessively dry; if they are, they need to be soaked in water before inoculation with shiitake spawn.
The typical method is to cut the logs in the winter and in early spring inoculate them. Complete instructions are provided with each order of mushroom spawn plugs.

I live in Manitoba and would like to supply you with burdock roots, balm of gilead buds and blackeyed susan seeds or anything else that we have here in the wild that you need.

Thank you for your offer. There is a process before you can become a supplier to Richters. It involves samples so we can get to know what your product is like. But I must warn you that, a general rule, we do not like to switch suppliers for consistency reasons. So unless there is a shortage or some other problem with our suppliers, or if there is a significant improvement on price or quality, you should not expect immediate orders. The thing to know is that we like to keep our inventory as fresh as possible, so our orders tend to be small. If you are interested in pursuing our supplier qualification process, you should contact our purchasing department.