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Comment by hidden_dude | Hacker News Reader

(Using a throwaway account for obvious reasons)

I had a stroke a few months ago, resulting in some long-lasting effects in my visual field. I have read reports that mushrooms can help the brain develop new connections; and I'd like to see if they can help improve my vision. But I have no idea where to get shrooms, how much to dose, etc. Any tips?

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As said, grow your own. No need to deal with risky characters, you'll know exactly what you have, requires very little space, low risk as long as you can keep your lips zipped. It's about 6 weeks from inoculation of spores to first harvest, and the total investment to get started can be about $100, most of that for one-time expenses. Spores are legal to buy in most (47) states, and can be ordered from the open internet. If you're in one of the 3 non-legal states, or a non-legal country, there are online spore print exchanges. After buying once, you can propagate from your own spore prints, or from clones.

I would not rely on Reddit for your cultivation advice. Try shroomery.org, an old school web 1.0 forum that's been around since 1997. People who have participated there for years and are recognized as experts are marked with a "Trusted Cultivator" badge. Yes, it is actually possible to grow shrooms on Uncle Ben's precooked microwavable rice packets, but it is not a recommended practice due to high percent of batches lost to mold/bacterial contamination before the spores can germinate. It's just too wet of a substrate and doesn't have adequate airflow for oxygen that the mycelium needs to grow. I have tried it even though I usually use more advanced techniques, and lost 4 of 8 bags to contamination, even though I used above average sterile handling methods.

The PF Tek method is considered a reliable method for beginners that minimizes the equipment you need to buy, and is recommend in the shroomery.org's "getting started" sticky thread: https://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/2442017... The thread also has links to spore vendors who have been vetted as reliable.

There is a also a discussion forum on the site for those who choose to use shrooms medicinally, including microdosing, recommended micro/macro dosages and dosing practices, etc.

> Spores are legal to buy in most (47) states

Sadly, I live in California. For some stupid reason, Cali doesn't allow the sales of spores. And yet shrooms are legal in places like Oakland and Santa Cruz. W. T. F.?? What is wrong with the politicians?

Thank you for the link to Shroomery; I had not heard of this site, but I will explore it in depth. I have a pressure cooker and a garage, all I need are simple to follow directions.

Go figure - but I wouldn't be surprised if that changes sooner rather than later. Attitudes toward natural psychedelics seem to be rapidly changing in both political parties.

The Shroomery has a a spore exchange board, and plenty of people would be happy to send to CA, but you have to be registered for 30 days and make 50 posts to participate. They try to discourage drive-bys in favor of building the community.

Arm chair neuropharmacologist here, thinking you should look into microdosing along with lion's mane mushrooms.

That's what I have read. The problem is acquiring quality mushrooms.

Look into growing them from uncle Ben’s rice. Doesn’t get easier. Spores can be legally bought online in most states and no special equipment is necessary.

Just plan on doing a triple batch as without proper lab equipment, the chance of contamination is higher.

Any place to buy them? I am not too far from Santa Cruz, CA and Oakland CA. I hear it's legal in Santa Cruz.

There's a church in Oakland. It'll come up on Google i forgot the name. They got raided but they're back

Was it "Zide" ?

yeah thats it

Check the various reddits for places to start plus speak with an informed and non-judgmental healthcare person.

Ask your shadiest friend who his shadiest friend is.

This is absolutely terrible advice, you're likely to get chocolate bars with something else in them at best.

Problem with that is then I have no idea about the quality.

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