When good of mushrooms and the southern Mexico state of Oaxaca, first thing which usually comes to mind is Mar�a Sabina, Huautla de Jim�nez and hallucinogenic “magic” mushrooms. But little by little that’s all modifying as an outcome of the cutting edge work of Josefina Jim�nez and Johann Mathieu in mycology, through their organization, Mico-l�gica.
Based within the village of Benito Ju�rez, located in Oaxaca’s Ixtl�n district (more frequently known as the particular Sierra Norte, the state’s main ecotourism region), Mico-l�gica’s mission is threefold: in order to train both People in mexico and visitors to the country in the particular low-cost cultivation of a variety of mushroom species; to teach about the particular medicinal, nutritional plus environmental (sustainable) value of mushrooms; and to conduct ongoing research regarding optimum weather regions and the diversity of substrata for mushroom culture.
The French-born Mathieu moved to Mexico, and even in fact to Huautla de Jim�nez, in 2005. “Yes, coming to Mexico from France in order to pursue my curiosity in mushrooms may seem like a long method to travel, inch Mathieu explained inside a recent interview throughout Oaxaca. “But right now there really wasn’t a lot of an opportunity in order to conduct studies plus grow an enterprise within Western Europe, ” he continues, “since reverence for mushrooms had been basically completely eradicated from the Church over the course of centuries; and I figured out that Mexico nevertheless maintains an admiration and appreciation to the medicinal and vitamins and minerals of hongos. Mexico is far through mycophobic. “
Huautla de Jim�nez will be more compared to a five hour drive by the closest city center. Accordingly, Mathieu eventually realized that will staying in Huautla, when holding an traditional allure and becoming in a geographic region conducive to working with mushrooms, would hinder the efforts to increase an enterprise and develop widespread interest inside learning about fungi. Mathieu became aware of the burgeoning trustworthiness of Oaxaca’s ecotourism communities of typically the Sierra Norte, in addition to indeed the Alhóndiga Regional de Hongos Silvestres (regional crazy mushroom festival), held annually in Cuahimoloyas.
Mathieu met Josefina Jim�nez at typically the summertime weekend mushroom event. Jim�nez got moved to Oaxaca coming from hometown Mexico Town in 2002. Typically the two shared comparable interests; Jim�nez experienced studied agronomy, and even for close to 10 years had recently been working with sustainable agriculture projects within rural farming communities in the Huasteca Potosina region involving San Luis Potos�, the forest of Batallador and the coast involving Chiapas. Mathieu plus Jim�nez became organization, after which life lovers in Benito Ju�rez.
Mathieu and Jim�nez are concentrating about three mushroom varieties in their hands-on seminars; oyster (seta), shitake and reishi. Their one-day workshops are for oyster mushrooms, and two-day clinics for the particular latter two varieties of fungus. “With reishi, and to the lesser extent shitake, we’re also training a fair tad in regards to the medicinal uses of mushrooms, thus more hours is required, ” says Mathieu, “and with oyster mushrooms it’s predominantly [but not exclusively] a training course on cultivation. inches
While training workshops are now only given in Benito Ju�rez, Mathieu plus Jim�nez plan to expand operations to be able to include both the particular central valleys and even coastal regions involving Oaxaca. Magic Mushrooms Dispensary is to have a community of producers growing different mushrooms that happen to be optimally suited regarding cultivation based about the particular microclimate. There are on the subject of 70 sub-species regarding oyster mushrooms, plus thus like a types, the adaptability regarding the oyster mushroom to different damage through climate regions is impressive. “The oyster may be grown within a multitude of different substrata, plus that’s what we are going to experimenting with at this time, ” he elucidates. The oyster mushroom can thrive any time grown on items which would usually be waste, such as discard through cultivating beans, sweets cane, agave (including the fibrous waste products produced in mezcal distillation), peas, the most popular river reed referred to as carriso, sawdust, and the list goes on the subject of. Agricultural waste which in turn may otherwise be left to decay or be used up, each with adverse environmental implications, may form substrata for mushroom cultivation. It has to be taken into account, though trite, of which mushroom cultivation is actually a highly sustainable, green industry. Over typically the past several years South america has in reality been at the conscience in many locations of sustainable market.
Mathieu exemplifies precisely how mushrooms can assist an arguably even greater environmental fine:
“They can carry around thirty thousands of times their mass, having implications with regard to inhibiting erosion. They already have been utilized to clean up up oil spots through absorption and thus are an important car for habitat refurbishment. Research has already been carried out with mushrooms inside the battle against carpenter ant devastation; it’s been recommended that the make use of of fungi has the potential to be able to completely revamp the particular pesticide industry throughout an eco-friendly way. There are literally hundreds of additional eco-friendly applications with regard to mushroom use, plus in each case the mushroom remains an edible by-product. Take an appearance at the Paul Stamets YouTube spiel, 6 Ways Mushrooms Can Save The planet. “
Mathieu and even Jim�nez can frequently be found selling their products upon weekends in the particular organic markets inside Oaxaca. They’re equally ready to discuss the vitamins and minerals associated with their products which range from naturally their clean mushrooms, but furthermore as preserves, marinated with either chipotle and nopal or even jalape�o and cauliflower. The mushroom’s nutritional B12 cannot be identified in fruits or perhaps vegetables, and consequently a diet which includes fungi is usually extremely important intended for vegetarians who can not get B12, nearly all often found in chicken. Mushrooms can easily be the substitute for chicken, with the advantage that they are not loaded with antibiotics and even hormones often discovered in industrially prepared meat products.
Mico-l�gica also sell teas and extracts made out of different mushroom species, each formulated as either a nutritional supplement, or with regard to their medicinal components. While neither Mathieu nor Jim�nez gets the pharmacological background to be able to prescribe mycological treatment for serious problems, Mathieu’s own analysis points to the medicinal use regarding mushrooms dating coming from pre-history, to the present. He or she notes properties regarding mushrooms which can help to be able to restore the resistant system, and thus typically the use of disease like a complement throughout the take care of tumor and AIDS, and even their utility inside controlling diabetes plus treating high hypercholesteria.
“We should all be embracing the particular organic production involving mushrooms, ” Mathieu concludes. “It’s therefore easy, it entails a minimal capital investment decision, and it provides significant benefits, for both those consuming hongos for nutritionary and medicinal reasons, and then for the suppliers, even small range. Mico-l�gica also markets dried mushrooms. But most of the dried mushrooms offered in Mexico will be imported supply by china manufacturer, and even are not natural. It’s a genuine shame on several levels. “
South america and mushrooms possess come far considering that the era involving Oaxaca’s Mar�a Sabina. With the continued efforts of Mathieu, Jim�nez and Mico-l�gica, it will not end up being long before the planet understands and sees the magic regarding mushrooms within a much broader situation.
Alvin Starkman journeyed to Huatula sobre Jim�nez to experience the magic of mushrooms almost 50 years ago. A former Toronto a lawsuit lawyer,
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