I spent three months growing B+ cubensis from a spore syringe. The cultivation process was meditative and educational in itself — sterile technique, patience, and attention to detail.
The grow: Uncle Ben's tek to start (inoculated rice bags), spawned to a monotub with coco coir and vermiculite substrate. Maintained 75F, 90%+ humidity, FAE twice daily. First pins appeared at day 14 after introducing fruiting conditions. Harvested the first flush at day 19 — 42g fresh, which dried to about 4g.
There is something profoundly different about consuming mushrooms you grew yourself. Watching the entire lifecycle — from microscopic spores to mycelium colonizing grain to tiny pins pushing through substrate to full mature fruits — gives you a respect and connection that buying a bag doesn't.
I made tea with 1.5g of my first harvest. The trip was gentle and warm, perhaps colored by the pride of the growing process. Mild visuals, deep contentment, a feeling of connection to the fungal network that produces these experiences.
T+1:00-3:00 I spent time thinking about mycology — how mushroom networks connect forests, how fungi predate plants and animals, how a single organism can alter human consciousness so profoundly.
The practical benefits of growing: you know exactly what species and variety you have, there's no supply chain contamination risk, and you develop a hands-on understanding of the organism. The mycology community is generous with knowledge and the hobby is endlessly fascinating beyond just the psychoactive species.