MUSHROOM CULTIVATION

AND MARKETING
National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service
HORTICULTURE PRODUCTION GUIDE
www.attra.ncat.org
Abstract: The market for mushrooms continues to grow due to interest in their culinary, nutritional, and health benefits.
They also show potential for use in waste management. However, as fungi, mushrooms have life cycles very different
from those of green plants. The choice of species to raise depends both on the growth media available and on market
considerations. Oyster mushrooms, which grow on many substrates, are easiest for a beginner. Shiitake mushrooms
already have earned considerable consumer demand. Only two mycorrhizal mushrooms, morels and truffles, have been
commercially cultivated. Mushroom cultivation offers benefits to market gardens when it is integrated into the existing
production system. A careful analysis of potential markets must be the first step in deciding whether to raise mushrooms
to sell. Many information resources are available for further research.

By Alice Beetz and Michael Kustudia

NCAT Program Specialists
July 2004
© NCAT 2004

Introduction
Small-scale mushroom production represents
an opportunity for farmers interested in an ad-
ditional enterprise and is a specialty option for
farmers without much land. This publication
is designed for market gardeners who want to
incorporate mushrooms into their systems and
for those farmers who want to use mushroom
cultivation as a way to extract value from
woodlot thinnings and other “waste” materials.
Mushroom production can play an important
role in managing farm organic wastes when
agricultural and food processing by-products
Gray Oyster Mushrooms • Glen Babcock – Garden City Fungi

Contents
Introduction ............................................. 1 Further Resources ................................... 15
Growing Mushrooms ............................. 2 Conclusion ............................................... 15
Choosing a Mushroom Species ............. 5 References ................................................ 16
Species for Beginners .............................. 6 Appendix .................................................. 17
Pest Management .................................... 11 Resources .................................................. 18
Marketing Mushrooms........................... 11 Spawn and
Financial Analysis ................................... 14 Equipment Suppliers ............................ 21

ATTRA is the national sustainable agriculture information service operated by the National
Center for Appropriate Technology, through a grant from the Rural Business-Cooperative
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. These organizations do not recommend or
endorse products, companies, or individuals. NCAT has offices in Fayetteville, Arkansas
(P.O. Box 3657, Fayetteville, AR 72702), Butte, Montana, and Davis, California.
are used as growing media for edible fungi. The prepared to face sporadic fruiting, invasions of
spent substrate can then be composted and ap- “weed” fungi, insect pests, and unreliable market
plied directly back to the soil. This publication prices.
includes resources for entrepreneurs who wish
to do further research.
Growing Mushrooms
Many people are intrigued by mushrooms’ nu-
tritional and medicinal properties, in addition to
their culinary appeal. Mushrooms contain many Mushroom production is completely different
essential amino acids; white button mushrooms, from growing green plants. Mushrooms do not
for example, contain more protein than kidney contain chlorophyll and therefore depend on
beans. Shiitake mushrooms are less nutritious, other plant material (the “substrate”) for their
but are still a good source of protein.(Royse and food. The part of the organism that we see and
Schisler, 1980) As a group, mushrooms also call a mushroom is really just the fruiting body.
contain some unsaturated fatty acids, provide Unseen is the mycelium—tiny threads that grow
several of the B vitamins, and vitamin D. Some throughout the substrate and collect nutrients by
even contain significant vitamin C, as well as the breaking down the organic material. This is the
minerals potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and main body of the mushroom. Generally, each
magnesium.(Park, 2001) mushroom species prefers a particular growing
medium, although some species can grow on a
Asian traditions maintain that some specialty wide range of materials.
mushrooms provide health benefits. Chinese
doctors use at least 50 species. Two recent books, If you are considering mushroom production,
Medicinal Mushrooms: An Exploration of Tradition, become thoroughly familiar with the life cycles
Healing and Culture and Medicinal Mushrooms You of fungi. A very general description is included
Can Grow, detail existing research on the health below. A plant pathology textbook is a good
benefits of mushrooms. See the Resources sec- resource for learning more about these complex
tion at the end of this guide for specifics on these life cycles.
books and other sources of information. Once you are familiar with the various fungi
Mushroom production is labor- and manage- life cycles, learn the growth requirements of each
ment-intensive. Specialty mushrooms are not of the species you are considering. Two basic ref-
a “get rich quick” enterprise. On the contrary, erences are The Mushroom Cultivator, by Stamets
it takes a considerable amount of knowledge, and Chilton, and the aforementioned Growing
research, planning, and capital investment to Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms, by Stamets
set up a production system. You must also be (see Resources).

Growing mushrooms outdoors as a part of

a market garden involves little effort after you

P
have inoculated the logs or other substrate with
roducing nutritious food the mushroom spawn. Your duties are mainly
at a profit, while using to maintain humidity and monitor for fruiting.
When mushrooms appear, you add them to your
materials that would other- other garden products and sell them. (See Mush-
wise be considered “waste,” rooms on the Farm and in the Garden, below.)
constitutes a valuable service Most available markets, however, require more
in the self-sustaining com- mushrooms than occasional fruiting provides.
Indoor production can fill the gaps when outside
munity we might envision fruiting lags. The entire operation can also be
for the future. conducted inside. However, indoor mushroom
production demands a much higher level of
knowledge, continuous monitoring, and timely
manipulation of environmental conditions.

PAGE 2 //MUSHROOM CULTIVATION AND MARKETING

 These are the steps in mushroom produc- • Cleaning the facility and beginning again
tion— a cycle that takes about 15 weeks (time (Cooner, 2001)
varies by species) from start to finish.
The substrate on which the mushrooms will
• Choosing a growing medium fruit must be sterilized or pasteurized in order
• Pasteurizing or sterilizing the medium to destroy any fungal and/or bacterial competi-
• Seeding the beds with spawn (material tors. Low-tech substrate preparation methods
from mature mushrooms grown on sterile are described in the books by Paul Stamets and
media) by Peter Oei (see Resources).

• Maintaining optimal temperature, mois- To produce spawn, you inoculate a pasteurized

ture, and other conditions for mycelium medium, usually grain, with the sterile culture of
growth and the conditions that favor fruit- a particular mushroom species. After the culture
ing (This is the most challenging step.) has grown throughout the medium, it is called
• Harvesting, packaging, and selling the spawn. Producing spawn requires exacting
mushrooms laboratory procedures. Terri Marie Beauséjour,

Figure 1
Copyright 1995 by Paul Stamets, <www.fungi.com>. Reprinted with permission.

//MUSHROOM CULTIVATION AND MARKETING PAGE 3

cultivation chair for the Mycological Society of tion. Evaluate this possibility only after you have
San Francisco, has written an excellent article mastered the later stages of cultivation.
that can help the beginner who is put off by the
technical aspects of mushroom cultivation. Titled While the mycelium is growing—and until
“Getting Started with Mushroom Cultivation: it fully occupies the substrate—the mushroom
The Wisdom of Simplicity,” it is available on the farmer typically manipulates the growing envi-
Web at <www.mykoweb.com/articles/cultiva- ronment to favor mycelial growth. The atmo-
tion.html>. spheric conditions are then changed to initiate
“pinheads,” and then to complete fruiting. For
Many mushroom suppliers sell several kinds example, in oyster mushroom production un-
of spawn, and the beginning mushroom farmer der closely controlled conditions, the grower
should take advantage of this selection in early lowers the temperature and the CO 2 in the
trials to determine which species grow best on grow room to initiate fruiting. Each species has
available materials. Eventually, learning to pro- specific requirements for its stages of develop-
duce spawn might reduce your cost of produc- ment. The Mushroom Cultivator provides detailed

Mushrooms in Permaculture* Design

*Permaculture is a system of combining perennials, trees, shrubs, and vines to create a “per-
manent agriculture.” Using an intensive design process, the natural elements of an ecosystem
are replaced by food-producing relatives, creating an edible landscape.

Paul Stamets was an early advocate of waterways, they acted as microfilters of

integrating a variety of mushrooms into a fecal coliform bacteria generated by his
permaculture system.(Stamets, 1994) In his small herd of cattle. He also planted them
design, agricultural wastes like cornstalks, along greywater runoff areas. Stamets be-
wheat straw, or rice straw can be used as lieves mushrooms can play a large role in
growing media for oyster mushrooms. After mycofiltration.(Stamets, 2000-2001)
harvest, the spent substrate can be recycled
as fodder or mulch for garden soils. Stamets grows shiitakes, namekos (Pho-
liota nameko), and Lion’s mane (Hericium
Shaggy manes (Coprinus comatus), Sta- erinaceus) mushrooms on inoculated logs
mets notes, do well on manured soils and set in a fence row, while other species like
near compost piles. The King stropharia maitake (Grifola frondosa), reishi (Ganoderma
or wine cap mushroom (Stropharia rugoso- lucidum), and clustered wood-lovers are
annulata) grows best outdoors and plays a cultivated on stumps as part of a hardwood
key role as a recycler of woody debris. Bees, forest management system. He introduces
attracted to the sweet mycelium, help pol- mycorrhizal species such as chanterelles,
linate the green garden plants. The mush- King boletes, and others to new areas by
rooms are good to eat when small. Large, “satellite planting,” in which seedlings
mature mushrooms attract fly larvae that are planted near trees that have a desired
make excellent fish or poultry food. These mushroom species growing around them.
can supplement feed for other on-farm en- After several years, the seedlings and their
terprises or be sold to pet stores. mycorhizal associates are transplanted, cre-
ating new patches of mushrooms. Morels
Stamets also uses King stropharia are more difficult to propagate, but some
mushrooms for their ecological benefits. types can be encouraged through the use
He found that, when established along of small burns.

PAGE 4 //MUSHROOM CULTIVATION AND MARKETING

information on the requirements for 16 shade, wind, and humidity conditions. Gardens
species.(Stamets & Chilton, 1983) offer ample substrates—organic waste materi-
als—while plants provide shade and humidity.
When you can cut the time between harvests, Plug-inoculated blocks buried among plantings
annual production increases. Short cycles are work well for oyster and Stropharia rugoso-an-
what large-scale commercial producers aim for, nulata mushrooms. Beauséjour suggests using
constantly looking for ways to increase efficiency. a misting sprinkler for mushrooms in gardens.
This is the competition you face if you plan to sell (Beauséjour, 1999)
your product on the wholesale market.
Grower and author Ken Litchfield notes that
Paul Stamets of Fungi Perfecti, an educational mulching, a standard gardening practice, not
and mushroom supply company (See Resources), only regulates soil temperature and humidity
has spent most of his life studying the growth and but also nourishes fungi. He also suggests sur-
cultivation of fungi. His book Growing Gourmet rounding raised beds with partially buried logs
& Medicinal Mushrooms (see Resources) is an to create mushroom habitats. Inside the beds,
invaluable resource for anyone considering the vegetables, flowers, and shrubs offer the requi-
cultivation of any mushroom species. He de- site shade and humidity for mushroom cultiva-
scribes several alternative methods of producing tion. In weedy areas, Litchfield suggests putting
mushrooms, including growing them outdoors down organic material and covering it with wet
on logs, on stumps, and in the garden, as well as cardboard and wood chips, an ideal substrate for
indoors in bags or on columns. fungi.(Litchfield, 2002)
Peter Oei, in his Manual on Mushroom Cultiva- These methods of production are not likely to
tion (see Resources), describes in some detail how yield huge numbers of mushrooms. However,
alternative mushroom production systems have they can provide an attractive addition to directly
been used successfully in developing countries. marketed produce.
Many ideas for low-input systems are included.
In practice, it is unlikely that the beginner can
successfully compete in the wholesale market Choosing a
against highly capitalized and efficient mush-
room companies. A better choice for the begin-
Mushroom Species
ner is to develop a niche market for high-quality
fresh mushrooms, then sell them at retail, or to A mushroom cultivation kit (check with sup-
produce a value-added mushroom product, such pliers listed below) is a handy way to begin
as a soup mix or sauce. to understand the fungal life cycle. Once you
successfully use the kit, you can begin to learn
Mushrooms on the Farm and the steps that precede that final fruiting stage
of the mushroom life cycle. Purchase spawn
in the Garden that will grow on materials you have available.
Then design and test a system that duplicates
Fungi cycle nutrients that nourish new life the conditions favorable to all stages of growth.
in the soil. Recognizing this essential function, You can use this experience to learn how to cre-
inventive gardeners integrate mushrooms into ate sterile cultures and spawn for the species you
farm, garden, and permaculture systems. Mush- are growing.
rooms can also be grown in lawns, polytunnels,
Choose the species to grow by thinking
vegetable gardens, and woodlands.(Edwards,
about:
2000)
• What waste materials are readily available
Terri Marie Beauséjour, a writer for Mushroom to use as a growth medium?
the Journal, encourages creativity and imagination
• What kind of facility or environment is
when planting mushrooms in a garden. Look at
available?
the “fungamentals,” she writes, the necessities
such as available substrates, microhabitats, sun,

//MUSHROOM CULTIVATION AND MARKETING PAGE 5

• How much will the necessary equipment Oyster mushrooms can become an inte-
cost? gral part of a sustainable agriculture system.
• What level of skill is required to manage Many types of organic wastes from crop produc-
the life cycle of the fungus? tion or the food processing industry can be used
to support oyster mushroom production.
• What is market demand for this species?
Although there are no books devoted en-
According to these criteria, oyster (Pleurotus tirely to oyster mushroom production, Stamets’
species) and shiitake (Lentinus edodes) mushrooms books provide basic information. Research on
are probably best for most novices, although using various agricultural and forest wastes as
the maitake (Grifola frondosa) is also a possibil- substrates is reported in the recently published
ity. The former two are relatively easy to grow, Mushroom Biology and Mushroom Products, edited
and there is already a market for them, largely by D.J. Royse.(Royse, 1996) Peter Oei (Oei, 1991)
because commercial producers of white button documents a number of commercial production
(Agaricus bisporus) mushrooms have been diver- systems for some strains grown in developing
sifying into specialty mushrooms. If you intend countries.
to grow mushrooms commercially, shiitake or
oyster mushrooms are your best choices. These There is an increasing number of Web sites de-
two species are more thoroughly covered in the voted to oyster mushroom production. Lawrence
following sections. Weingarten describes his production process on
his Web site, complete with photos at <www.
A chart in the Appendix lists other common mycowest.org/cult/i-grow/i-grow-1.htm>.
species and the materials on which they can be
cultivated. Test each species you are considering Two Canadian Web sites also offer additional
against each of the questions listed above. advice:
• Oyster Mushroom Cultivation
Species for Beginners www.gov.ns.ca/nsaf/elibrary/archive/
hort/vegetables/pihve94-03.htm

Oyster mushrooms
Oyster mushrooms (Pleuro-
tus species) are a good choice
for beginning mushroom
cultivators because they are
easier to grow than many of
the other species, and they
can be grown on a small scale
with a moderate initial invest-
ment. Although commonly
grown on sterile straw from
wheat or rice, they will also
grow on a wide variety of
high-cellulose waste materi-
als. Some of these materials do
not require sterilization, only
pasteurization, which is less
expensive. Another advantage
of growing oyster mushrooms
is that a high percentage of the
substrate converts to fruiting
bodies, increasing the potential
profitability. Flamingo Oyster Mushrooms • Glen Babcock – Garden City Fungi

PAGE 6 //MUSHROOM CULTIVATION AND MARKETING

 grown on logs, either inside or outside. Inside,
they can also be grown on compressed sawdust
logs or in bottles or bags. See the brief description
of these production systems below. Several excel-
lent books and Web sites are also listed below in
Resources (shiitake).

Log Production
Hardwood logs approximately 4” to 6” in di-
ameter and of an easily handled length (common-
ly four feet) are cut during a tree’s dormant sea-
son. Oaks, sweetgum, cottonwood, beech, birch,
willow, and other non-aromatic hardwoods are
appropriate species. The denser woods produce
for up to twice as long as the softer ones. Smaller
diameter logs produce more quickly than larger
Golden Oyster Mushrooms • Glen Babcock – Garden City Fungi ones, but for a shorter time.
• Growing Shiitake & Oyster Mushrooms on
Handle the logs carefully to avoid soil contact
Hardwood Logs
and damage to the bark. This will help prevent
www.fallsbrookcentre.ca/webmain/pro-
contamination by competing fungi. Inoculate the
grams/Forest/Pamphlet.htm
logs with spawn from a strain suitable to your
The MushWorld Web site, <www.mushworld. production system. There is a wide variety of
com/home>, contains excellent technical infor- spawn from which to choose and several inocu-
mation about growing oyster mushrooms. The lation methods.
site requires registration, but it is free.
After inoculation, the spawn develops a
Oyster mushroom cultivation has one signifi- thread-like network—the mycelium—growing
cant drawback: some people are allergic to the throughout the log. During this time, you must
spores. In these cases, air-cleaning equipment or protect the logs from dehydration by the sun
respirators are necessary in order to safely work and wind. Spray or mist the logs to maintain
in the production facility. the humidity necessary to keep the mycelium
alive and growing. When the mycelium has
The consumer market for oyster mushrooms fully occupied the logs and the temperature and
is being developed by the larger mushroom humidity are right for fruiting, the mycelium will
companies as they diversify their operations. initiate tiny “pinheads” at the surface of the log.
However, because of the short shelf life of many The pinheads grow into mushrooms in the next
oyster mushroom varieties, this species may of- couple of days.
fer a special advantage to the local grower who
markets directly and can consistently deliver a To stimulate fruiting, some growers soak the
fresh, high-quality product. logs in water tanks and/or “shock” them by
physical impact or chilling. Others leave the logs
in the growing environment and harvest when
Shiitake mushrooms they naturally fruit.
Shiitakes (Lentinus edodes) are well suited as Be alert for signs that fruiting is beginning. The
a low-input alternative enterprise because they, best grades of shiitakes have caps that still have
like oyster mushrooms, can be grown on a small a slight curl at the edge. Harvest often if you
scale with a moderate initial investment. Shiitake want to earn the best price for your mushrooms.
cultivation has been thoroughly investigated, and In addition, if you want to deliver a premium
a commercial market already exists in most areas product, you must pay attention to post-harvest
of the United States. Shiitake mushrooms are storage, packaging, and shipping.

//MUSHROOM CULTIVATION AND MARKETING PAGE 7

 Many shiitakes are raised or-
ganically. Although it is easier
to produce shiitakes organically
than some of the other mush-
rooms, “weed” fungi, as well as
pests such as slugs and flies, can
reduce fruiting and quality. The
producer must monitor, quickly
identify, and control these pests
or lose some of the crop.

Federal law now controls the

use of the word “organic” in
marketing. In order to label a
product organic, producers must
be certified by an accredited
third party and document their
production and handling prac-
tices. For further information, call
and request the ATTRA publica-
tion Organic Farm Certification &
the National Organic Program, or Shiitake mushrooms fruiting on sawdust • Glen Babcock - Garden City Fungi
see it at our Web site, <www.attra.
ncat.org>. However, innovative producers have used
concrete mixers to blend supplemental ingredi-
Growing Shiitakes ents and made pasteurized substrate in barrels.
on Sawdust Fungi Perfecti sells pressure sterilizers for $200
to $1,000, but warns that they are not designed
Today, most shiitakes and many other mush-
for commercial production.
room species are raised on a sterilized sawdust
substrate. Although this method allows a much Using hydrogen peroxide instead of conven-
faster fruiting cycle and a high level of return tional pasteurization is a relatively recent in-
(110% or more of initial dry weight), it also de- novation. A manual on this method and more
mands a greater capital investment and more information is available at <www.mycomasters.
skillful management than log production. In com/>.
order to achieve fruiting as quickly as possible,
you need a building in which you can control the Growing mushrooms on sawdust requires at-
temperature and moisture. The building must be tention to detail—especially careful monitoring
easy to keep clean, and sanitary procedures must and timely processing of the blocks, bottles, or
be strictly followed to avoid contamination. bags. Several of the books listed below, including
Stamets (1993) and Przybylowicz and Donoghue
The chamber and the steam processor to pas- (1990), offer more details about this production
teurize or sterilize the sawdust can represent a method.
significant initial investment. For example, Crop
King sells a small mushroom production system, Shiitake Prices
including an inoculation table and bagging sta-
tion, for about $5,000. The company’s complete The price for shiitake mushrooms fluctuates
growing system—including equipment, struc- throughout the season. Prices are highest in the
tural components, and technical support—can winter when supply is low, and lowest in sum-
come to more than $41,000. Recovering these mer when production peaks. Except in very mild
costs is a challenge for a beginner—especially at climates, the only logs that fruit in winter are
current mushroom prices. those maintained indoors. Using strains selected
to fruit at cooler temperatures can lengthen the

PAGE 8 //MUSHROOM CULTIVATION AND MARKETING

harvest season and allow producers to capture
the higher prices. See the marketing section
Other Mushroom Species
below for ways to counteract the natural price
cycle. Mushroom Species with Limited
Commercial Production
Sources of Further Information
Some species of mushrooms are not yet
on Shiitakes commercially cultivated. Many of these are
Several states, including Pennsylvania, Cali- mycorrhizal types; that is, they grow only in
fornia, and Oregon, support university research conjunction with the roots of a higher plant.
on shiitakes and may have Extension special- Matsutakes and chanterelles are typical examples
ists who can provide information to growers in of such mushrooms.
their states. Others have Extension publications
Mycorrhizal mushrooms are the hardest to
with information specific to their areas. Some
grow commercially, because the needs of both the
of these resources are available on-line at Web
fungus and the host plant must be met in order
sites listed in the Resources section. An excel-
to produce a commercial crop. Also, the host
lent example is the site maintained by the Ohio
plant typically must reach a certain physiological
State University.
maturity before the fungus will fruit. When the
In states without this Extension support, one of host is a tree, this maturation may be measured in
the best ways to learn about production is to share decades. Nevertheless, highly prized morels and
information with other growers. There are sev- truffles are mycorrhizal, and they are both now
eral local grower organizations, many of which being grown commercially in the United States.
publish newsletters. Ask your state Extension
Morels
horticultural specialist about local organizations,
or you can contact the North American Myco- Commercial production of morels on anything
logical Association or the American Mushroom but a small-scale, seasonal basis is currently
Institute (see Resources). There are also several not a practical option. Morels are being grown
books specifically about shiitake production. See year-round, using a patented process, at only
Resources (shiitake) for more information. one production facility in North America (in
Alabama). The patent and facility are owned
by Terry Farms and represent the only success-
ful commercial process for fruiting these highly
valued mushrooms out of season.

It is, however, possible to establish a morel

patch by using a morel starter kit. If you are suc-
Morel Mushrooms cessful, these mushrooms will fruit in the spring
at the same time as wild morels. Morel prices
are, understandably, at their lowest during this
natural fruiting season. Adding them to a farm-
ers’ market stand would certainly attract morel-
loving customers. You can also dry the product
for year-round sales if you can grow commercial
quantities in your patch.
lipart.com

Tom Volk’s Web site, <http://botit.botany.

www.c

wisc.edu/toms_fungi/morel.html>, has particu-

larly good information about morel mushroom
production.

Truffles
Growers generally begin truffle production by

//MUSHROOM CULTIVATION AND MARKETING PAGE 9

dipping tree seedlings in a mycorrhizal slurry tory and folklore, cooking and recipes, how to
before planting. After several years, under favor- establish and manage a plantation, climatic and
able growing conditions for both the tree and the soil requirements, and cultivation and harvest-
fungus, truffles form underground fruiting bod- ing.
ies that roughly resemble potatoes. These range
from the size of a pea to that of a fist and give Studies have revealed a lot about the condi-
off a distinctive odor. Since these “mushrooms” tions necessary to bring truffles to early fruit-
don’t completely emerge from the ground, they ing and then to significant production levels.
have traditionally been sniffed out by pigs or However, because of the crop’s extremely high
trained dogs. value and because each success has required an
investment of considerable time, it is understand-
The requirements for growing the black Perig- able that some of this information is considered
ord truffle, Tuber melanosporum Vitt., include proprietary. Even when fruiting begins, growers
choosing an appropriate host plant (usually oak themselves may not be able to accurately identify
or hazelnut), inoculating its roots with the spawn, what contributed most to the truffles’ growth.
and planting it. Frank Garland planted his first
inoculated trees in 1980 and harvested the first Each new truffle enterprise is an experi-
black truffles grown in the U.S. on October 23, ment based on what has already been reported.
1993. He has written a production guide based on Check this Web site maintained by a group
his experience.(Garland, 1996) Garland also has a of scientists investigating truffle cultivation:
consulting business and sells inoculated trees. <www.truffle.org/tuber_directory/>.

One Oregon tree farmer in prime white truffle Consider combining the production of truf-
country found a low-fuss method of cultivation. fles with the sale of nuts from the host trees,
The white truffle, Tuber gibbosum, is a mycorrhi- growing annual or perennial crops between the
zal species associated with Douglas fir and other trees, or grazing ruminants among them—sheep
conifers. This farmer uses a backpack sprayer have been credited with increasing the French
to apply a slurry made of truffles and spores at wild-harvested crop yield.(Ludmer-Gliebe, 1997)
the roots of conifers. The inoculated areas have These or other agroforestry options could provide
produced between 300 to 1000 pounds per acre additional sources of income during early, non-
per year, significantly more than the unsprayed fruiting years and in the seasons when truffles
areas.(Arnold, 1996) do not produce.

The truffle industry has developed rapidly Other Mycorrhizal Species

in Australia and New Zealand. New Zealand’s
Mushroom researchers continue to inves-
efforts, as reported by Dr. Ian Hall, were be-
tigate the cultivation of other species for the
gun in 1987, with harvest recorded on June 29,
1993, just months before Garland found his first
truffles in North Carolina. (See <www.fungifest.
com/articlep1021.html>.) Australian researchers
also report success in their cultivation efforts,
summarized in several articles available on the
Web. The articles are found by searching the
following main pages for “truffle” or “Tuber
melanosporum”:
• www.crop.cri.nz
• www.rirdc.gov.au/reports
www.clipart.com

The Black Truffle (Hall et al., 1994) is out of print,

but it was converted to CD ROM format in 2001 Chanterelle Mushrooms
and is available for NZ$49.95 through the Inter-
net at <www.crop. cri.nz/psp/products/truffle.
htm>. Chapters cover the symbiotic partner-
ship between truffles and their host plants, his-

PAGE 10 //MUSHROOM CULTIVATION AND MARKETING

commercial market. A loosely organized group ing the mushroom house ventilation system will
of international scientists meets intermittently to keep adult flies out. Double doors and positive
share their research. The Web site maintained for atmospheric pressure within the structure also
this scientific endeavor is <www.mykopat.slu. prevent flies from entering. Since adult fungus
se/mycorrhiza/edible/home.phtml>. flies are drawn to standing pools of water on
benches, walks, or floors, places where water
Until commercial production systems are de- can collect should be eliminated. Biocontrol is
veloped, mushrooms such as chanterelles and another option for several mushroom pests, the
matsutake (pine) mushrooms will continue to sciarid fly among them. A predatory nematode
be collected from the wild for sale to the spe- attacks this fly in its larval form. Therefore, this
cialty mushroom market. The harvest of wild nematode can be added to the composting sub-
mushrooms is strictly regulated in some states. strate to prevent infestation.
Check with your state department of agriculture
regarding laws that apply. You would be wise For a better understanding of IPM, see the
to carry liability insurance and to be absolutely ATTRA publication Biointensive Integrated Pest
certain of the identity of mushrooms you sell. Management. It describes IPM methodology
Mistakes can be fatal to the consumer. Finally, and provides extensive resources for further
the forest environment that supports the growth research.
of wild mushrooms is a fragile one. Learn how
to conduct your foraging business in a way that Each mushroom species in a specific envi-
protects future harvests. ronment has a different pest complex. Because
specialty mushroom production in this country
Mushroom the Journal (see Resources) provides is still very new, many pests have not received
excellent information on wild mushrooms. There research attention. Most pests you are likely to
are also many local mycological societies that encounter, however, have probably already been
schedule “forays”—trips to known mushroom studied. In any case, you will probably have to
habitats—where the inexperienced forager can design your own pest management system. Stay
learn about various species and how to identify alert for any evidence of damage to the fruiting
them. mushrooms and act quickly to identify its cause.
Use whatever information you can find, along
Pest Management with your own creativity, to devise ways to pro-
tect your crop.

Use all the resources you can find—in libraries,

Integrated pest management (IPM) is a least-
at bookstores, or on the Web. Local Extension
toxic approach for managing any pest. IPM views
agents or state Extension specialists can help
pests as a natural part of the farm environment.
identify pests and, possibly, determine economic
The integrated management of a pest is accom-
thresholds. They can also help you find biologi-
plished by altering the environment to the disad-
cal controls, if cultural and mechanical methods
vantage of that pest. In order to accomplish this,
fail.
you have to be able to identify what pests are ac-
tive, how many there are, and how many it takes
to hurt your profits. If you know the life cycle of Marketing Mushrooms
each problem organism, you can take measures to
make it hard or impossible for it to complete its
life cycle. You may be able to encourage natural Marketing is the most important consideration
enemies that will keep the population below the of all. If you can’t sell your mushrooms at a price
economically damaging threshold. that ensures a reasonable profit margin, you don’t
want to invest in this enterprise. Spend some
Here are some examples of non-chemical time—and even some money—educating your-
methods used to control typical pests in the pro- self about marketing your potential product.
duction of white button mushrooms. Mushroom
flies, a common pest among many cultivated This section provides a broad overview of
mushrooms, are attracted to the smell of decaying market trends, some ideas about how to research
vegetation such as mushroom substrates. Screen- potential markets, references to useful resources,

//MUSHROOM CULTIVATION AND MARKETING PAGE 11

suggestions about marketing channels, and
advice on financial analysis. The Mushroom Business
Market research and evaluation is perhaps Stella K. Naegely writes in the American
the most challenging part of developing a new Vegetable Grower that the key to the mushroom
enterprise. Luckily, there are many helpful business is to have established buyers and be
sources. A good place to start is ATTRA’s Mar- capable of consistent production. New grow-
keting and Business series, particularly Direct ers might encounter an uphill educational
Marketing and Evaluating a Rural Enterprise. experience for two or three years. Launching
These publications detail the market evalua- a commercial mushroom operation can cost
tion process and include extensive resource between $50,000 and $250,000, depending on
lists. Other relevant ATTRA publications cover whether a grower starts with an appropriate
market gardening, value-added products, building. For that reason, it is prudent to start
and agri-tourism. You can find the market- small. Naegely offered the following business
ing publications on the ATTRA Web site at tips for people contemplating commercial
<http://attra.ncat.org/marketing.html>, or production.(Naegely, 2000)
call 800-346-9140 to have them sent to you.
• Make the market drive your production.
The many Web sites listed in Resources Talk to potential buyers about volume
(below) will help you find information to fur- and prices.
ther your market research. Another resource, • Explore various marketing options:
as you analyze the potential for a mushroom brokers, distributors, farmers’ markets,
business, is your local Small Business Admin- restaurants, grocery stores, food service
istration office. Not only do they have helpful operations, and co-ops.
publications, they also provide some one-on-
one assistance. • Consider reselling other growers’ mush-
rooms to offer more variety and larger
volume.
Market Demand • Talk to other producers and perhaps a
consultant about production systems.
Some 260 U.S. growers produced more than
844 million pounds of mushrooms in 2002-03, • Consider buying used equipment to
with a farm gate value of $889 million. (Certi- reduce initial capital investment.
fied organic mushrooms accounted for only • Strike a balance between undercapital-
1 percent of all sales, although 12 percent of izing and a heavy debt load.
growers were certified organic.). The vast bulk
of sales were of the Agaricus species, which
includes white button mushrooms, portobellas,
and criminis. The latter two are a brown strain Market Research
of Agaricus bisporus, whose cultivation is man-
aged for extra large (portobella) and very small The goals of market assessment are to project
(crimini) fruiting bodies. (Current statistics are the sales volume and gross income of a new
found at <http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/re- enterprise, to analyze its potential profitability
ports/nassr/other/zmu-bb/>.) and cash flow, and to gather information about
potential buyers and competitors (to help de-
Large, well-established companies produce velop a market strategy).
virtually all Agaricus mushrooms; most are
located in Pennsylvania and California. Their Many specialty mushrooms can be cultivated,
production houses are full of mushrooms in but the market, though growing, is still limited.
every stage of development. Mushrooms raised If you are thinking about starting a commercial
in these systems can be sold profitably on the mushroom enterprise, begin at the end: to whom
wholesale market. It is very difficult for a begin- will you sell them? You cannot make money in
ning grower to compete with these companies at any business if you don’t have buyers for your
wholesale prices. product. Learn who buys mushrooms, what

PAGE 12 //MUSHROOM CULTIVATION AND MARKETING

kinds they want, and where they shop. You • Wholesale as fresh produce (on contract or
must thoroughly investigate the demand for each by the batch)
mushroom species or product— as well as the
available marketing outlets— before committing Direct marketing
large amounts of capital to the enterprise.
If you can sell your mushrooms or mushroom
Check the local situation on your own. Some products directly to an end user, you will natu-
common methods for conducting initial research rally receive a better price than if you sell to a
include observation of buyers, surveys of stores, wholesaler. Direct marketing of mushrooms at
personal interviews with growers, and test mar- local farmers’ markets, to restaurants, or in su-
keting (once you have an experimental product). permarkets is possible in many locations. When
Another function of market research is to evaluate competing in local markets, excellent service,
the competition. This will help you determine top quality, and consistent supply, rather than
what market already exists and identify any the lowest price, might win the sale, particularly
niches you could fill. To find out more about your with gourmet chefs. Some chefs specialize in
competitors, use their products. Talk to them. locally grown foods and may be interested for
You may be surprised how much information that reason. Others are willing to pay for fresh,
they will share. premium produce. In any case, establishing a
relationship with the buyer and reliably deliver-
ing a quality product are essential for this type
Market Channels of marketing.
Explore as many marketing strategies as ap- Local grocery stores are another potential
peal to you. Below are some possibilities. buyer of fresh mushrooms. However, an Arkan-
• Market the fresh or dried product directly sas grower found that local grocery chains were
to your customers (at farmers’ markets, to interested in her shiitake mushrooms only if she
gourmet chefs, over the Internet, through could assure them of a year-round supply. She
mail-order offerings) decided that she had to add indoor production
in order to meet this requirement. Natural foods
• Add value to the mushroom by creating stores are a market that may be more tolerant of
processed products (mushroom sauces, seasonal supply. Any chef or grocer will require
dried entrée mixes, teas, extracts) assurances of both quality and regular supply
before switching from established wholesale
Shiitake mushrooms harvested from sawdust
Glen Babcock – Garden City Fungi sources.

Although the wholesaler

with an established account
creates stiff competition, the
small, efficient producer might
still have an advantage in
some niche markets. For in-
stance, shiitakes grown on
logs are generally of higher
quality and have a longer shelf
life than shiitakes grown on
sawdust substrates (the most
common mass-production
method). Log-grown shiitakes
earn prices from three to eight
times higher than those grown
on sawdust substrates.(Anon.,
2003) Find the buyer to whom

//MUSHROOM CULTIVATION AND MARKETING PAGE 13

quality matters, and you will have found a market The Persimmon Hill Berry Farm in Missouri
for your product. (see References) offers an example of how a small
entrepreneur can create and market a value-
Locally-grown oyster mushrooms have an added mushroom product. Persimmon Hill de-
advantage because oysters have a very limited veloped a recipe for a shiitake mushroom sauce
shelf life and are too fragile to ship easily. The and invested in a commercial kitchen to produce
grower with direct, local sales can supply a it. The farm buys from local growers who, since
fresher product that arrives in better condition. the mushrooms are not for the fresh market, can
freeze them until they have enough to make a
Wholesale markets delivery to the processing kitchen worthwhile.
Selling fresh mushrooms to a wholesaler will During warm weather, when production peaks,
mean a lower price than if you market directly. they can likewise freeze the shiitakes until Per-
However, for growers who choose not to involve simmon Hill needs them. These growers receive
themselves in direct sales, there are established a better price than they would if they were selling
wholesale markets for mushrooms. Wholesalers at the lower, peak-season prices, and Persimmon
advertise in produce industry periodicals like The Hill is ensured a steady supply for its sauce.
Packer. Your local librarian or an Internet search Persimmon Hill sells its products on the Internet
can help you locate other such magazines. and through direct sales on the farm. (See <www.
branson.com/persimmonhill/>.)
Mr. Paul Goland of Hardscrabble Enterprises
maintains that there is a steady and growing mar- Drying shiitakes and other mushrooms is
ket for quality dried shiitakes, even though the another way to add value and avoid the low
wholesale market has been depressed by Chinese prices of the peak season. For more on drying
imports. His buyers—natural foods stores and technologies, see the ATTRA publication Options
co-ops—do not buy the Chinese products. He for Food Dehydration. (After drying, mushrooms
buys several grades of dried shiitakes from grow- should be held at 0° F. for four days to kill any
ers who ship directly to West Virginia. Contact surviving pest eggs.)
Paul Goland (see References) to learn whether
he has a current demand for your product. Financial Analysis
Small-scale commercial production of white
button mushrooms and other Agaricus varieties As a part of your market research, you need
such as portobellas and criminis is not recom- to do a financial analysis of the potential enter-
mended for the beginner, except on a small scale prise. Develop an enterprise budget with as
for direct marketing. A significant capital outlay much detail as you can provide. As with many
and a high level of management skills are re- farm enterprises, mushroom production is of-
quired to begin production, and at current prices, ten only marginally profitable when labor and
recovery of the initial investment might not be management costs are taken into consideration.
possible. The market is extremely competitive. An example of an enterprise budget for shiitake
More information about the button mushroom
business is available from The American Mush-
room Institute (see Resources).

Adding Value to Fresh

Mushrooms
O nly by developing a
market niche for a high-
quality fresh product or by
Adding value to fresh mushrooms usually
producing a mushroom-based
means either developing a processed product, food item can a small-scale
such as a sauce, or drying surplus mushrooms for beginner hope to compete.
sale in the off-season, when prices are higher. A
value-added product can be sold either directly
to the consumer or to wholesalers.

PAGE 14 //MUSHROOM CULTIVATION AND MARKETING

 If you are adding mushroom production to
Case Study: Marketing Key an integrated farming system, financial analysis
is more difficult. Making a clear profit might
for Small-Scale Growers not be as important as making use of off-season
In the Ozarks of Missouri, Nicola MacPher- labor or the small logs from woodlot thinning to
son and her husband, Daniel Hellmuth, have create a saleable product from what otherwise
grown shiitakes on three acres for nine years. would have been waste.
The couple grow them the traditional way on
oak logs, and they market them under the la-
bel Ozark Forest Mushrooms, which carries a
Further Resources
USDA organic seal. To sell their mushrooms,
however, they’ve relied on a variety of nontra- Two periodicals that include mushroom cul-
ditional marketing approaches. “To promote tivation information are The Mushroom Growers’
sales, you must be prepared to promote your Newsletter and, to a lesser degree, Mushroom the
product tirelessly,” MacPherson says. Their Journal. Subscription information is included,
principal markets are up-scale restaurants, ca- along with citations for several key books, in the
tering companies, and gift catalogs. Customers Resources section below. Web sites devoted to
who demand organic produce, such as CSA mushrooms and their cultivation are increasing
(Community Supported Agriculture) subscrib- every year. A selected list of mushroom Web
ers, also provide a reliable market. sites is included below.

MacPherson urges beginners to start mod- Some state or local mycological societies
estly, learn the process thoroughly, and de- have groups interested in mushroom cultiva-
velop a small, reliable customer base—say, a tion. To locate chapters in your area, contact
half-dozen regular customers—as a foundation. the North American Mycological Association
(She offered free samples to help establish a lo- (see Resources).
cal market.) She cautions new growers not to
create a market demand that they cannot meet.
Selling to supermarkets, for instance, can be
Conclusion
fraught with problems, including the challenge
of ensuring product freshness and the recurring Commercial cultivation of mushrooms is not
need for educating new produce department for everyone. It requires someone who is famil-
employees.(Anon., 1998) iar with fungi life cycles and willing to commit
time and money to research, designing a system,
and developing a business. The mushroom
cultivator must be able to carry out operations
log production is available at <www.ext.vt.edu/
on time, be attentive to details, and be vigilant
pubs/vegetables/438-898/shiitakemushrooms.
about pest invasions. In most cases, marketing
pdf>.
requires excellent public relations skills.
Using this format or a generic enterprise bud-
Nevertheless, there is potential for an innova-
get from Extension offices or off the Internet, fill it
tor who can use an existing facility, obtain a low-
in with as many actual calculations and estimates
cost substrate, and produce a reliable supply of
of costs as you can. If you are considering sev-
a high quality product. As part of a whole-farm
eral mushroom species, do a financial analysis of
system, mushrooms can augment productivity
each one separately. Try to anticipate every cost
at any scale. Producing a nutritious food at a
so that you can construct an accurate financial
profit, while using materials that would other-
picture. Include an educational and/or market-
wise be considered “waste,” constitutes a valu-
ing component in your budget, allowing for free
able service in the self-sustaining community we
samples or flyers with information and recipes,
might envision for the future. It is a challenge
especially if you are developing a new product
some will find worth taking.
or will be doing direct marketing.

//MUSHROOM CULTIVATION AND MARKETING PAGE 15

 Park, Kwnag-ho. 2001. Nutritional Value of a
References Variety of Mushrooms. <www.MushWorld.
com/sub_en.html>. January. 5 p.
Anon. 1998. Grower’s business is ‘mushroom-
ing.’ Small Farm Digest. Winter. p. 3. Litchfield, Ken. 2002. In your yard: More than
grass, shrubs and trees. Mushroom the Jour-
nal. Summer. p. 20–23.
Anon. 2003. Small Farms Research News.
Spring. p. 3.
Ludmer-Gliebe, Susan. 1997. Sheep are essen-
tial to French truffle production. November.
Arnold, Ralph. 1996. Grow fungi without
p. 4–5.
the sterile trappings? Mushroom the Journal.
Summer. p. 35.
Naegely, Stella K. 2000. Is there money in
mushrooms? American Vegetable Grower.
Beauséjour, Terri Marie. 1999. Mushrooms in
February. p. 40–43.
the garden. Mushroom the Journal. Fall.
p. 17–19.
Oei, Peter. 1991. Manual on Mushroom Culti-
vation. TOOL Foundation, Amsterdam.
Cooner, Deanna. 2001. Mushroom farming.
p. 49–50. (A new edition of this book is now
AgVentures. June-July p. 14–15.
available; see Resources.)
Edwards, Richard. 2000. The missing link?
Persimmon Hill Berry Farm
Mushrooms in permaculture. Permaculture
RR 1, Box 220
Magazine. No. 25. p. 37–39.
Lampe, MO 65681
417-779-5443
Garland, Franklin. 1996. Truffle Cultivation in
North America. Garland Gourmet Mushrooms
Royse, D.J. (ed.). 1996. Mushroom Biology and
and Truffles, Inc., Hillsborough, NC. 41 p.
Mushroom Products: Proceedings of the Sec-
Available for $15 from: ond International Conference, University Park,
Garland Gourmet Mushrooms and PA, June 9-12, 1996. Penn State, State Park, PA.
Truffles, Inc. 581 p.
3020 Ode Turner Rd.
Hillsborough, NC 27278 Royse, Daniel J., and Lee C. Schisler. 1980.
919-732-3041 Interdisciplinary Science Reviews. Vol. 5, No.
919-732-6037 FAX 4. p. 324–331.
truffl[email protected]

Green, Judy. 1988. Doing your own market re- Stamets, Paul. 2000–2001. A novel approach to
search. Farming Alternatives. Cornell Univer- farm waste management. Mushroom the Jour-
sity Resource Sheet #6. November. 6 p. nal. Winter. p. 22. Or see at <http://www.
fungi.com/mycotech/ farmwaste.html>.
Hall, Ian R., G. Brown, and J. Byars. 1994. The
Black Truffle. Rural Industries Research and Stamets, Paul. 1994. Permaculture with a
Development Corporation. New Zealand. mycological twist. The Permaculture Activist.
107 p. May. p. 8–10.

Hardscrabble Enterprises, Inc. Stamets, Paul, and Jeff Chilton. 1983. The
P.O. Box 1124 (or 617 N. Main St.) Mushroom Cultivator. Agarikon Press, Oym-
Franklin, WV 26807 pia, WA. 415 p.
304-358-2921
[email protected]
Contact: Paul Goland

PAGE 16 //MUSHROOM CULTIVATION AND MARKETING

 Appendix
Mushroom Cultivation Media
Growing Medium Mushroom Species
Straw (Volvariella) Oyster (Pleurotus)
Rice Straw
Common (Agaricus)
Oyster (Pleurotus) Common (Agaricus)
Wheat straw
Stropharia Straw (Volvariella)
Coffee pulp Oyster (Pleurotus) Shiitake (Lentinus)
Shiitake (Lentinus) Oyster (Pleurotus)
Ear (Auricularis) Ganoderma (Reishi)
Sawdust
Maitake (Grifola frondosa) Winter (Flammulina)
Lion’s Head or Pom Pom (Hericium)
Sawdust-straw Oyster (Pleurotus) Stropharia
Cotton waste
Oyster (Pleurotus) Straw (Volvariella)
from textile industry
Cotton seed hulls Oyster (Pleurotus) Shiitake (Lentinus)
Nameko (Pholiota) Shiitake (Lentinus)
Logs
White jelly (Tremella)
Nameko (Pholiota) Ear (Auricularis)
Sawdust-rice bran Shaggy Mane (Coprinus) Winter (Flammulina)
Shiitake (Lentinus)
Corncobs Oyster (Pleurotus) Shiitake (Lentinus)
Paper Oyster (Pleurotus) Stropharia

Horse manure
Common (Agaricus)
(fresh or composted)

Crushed bagasse and

molasses wastes from Oyster (Pleurotus)
sugar industry

Water hyacinth/Water lily Oyster (Pleurotus) Straw (Volvariella)

Oil palm pericarp waste Straw (Volvariella)
Bean straw Oyster (Pleurotus)
Cotton straw Oyster (Pleurotus)
Cocoa shell waste Oyster (Pleurotus)
Coir Oyster (Pleurotus)
Banana leaves Straw (Volvariella)
Distillers grain waste Lion’s Head or Pom Pom (Hericium)

//MUSHROOM CULTIVATION AND MARKETING PAGE 17

 Stamets, Paul. 1993. Growing Gourmet and
Resources Medicinal Mushrooms. Ten Speed Press.
Berkeley, CA. 592 p.
Companion volume to The Mushroom Culti-
Periodicals vator. This third edition updates cultural and
growing techniques, adds growing information
The Mushroom Growers’ Newsletter is a monthly on new varieties, and discusses strain selection
newsletter that contains cultivation information for cultivation.
and current prices of mushrooms at San Fran-
Available for $44.95 from Fungi Perfecti
cisco and New York markets.
(See address above.)
Available for $35/year from:
The Mushroom Growers’ Newsletter Oei, Peter. 2003. Manual on Mushroom Culti-
P.O. Box 5065 vation: Techniques, Species and Opportunities
Klamath Falls, OR 97601 for Commercial Application in Developing
www.mushroomcompany.com/ Countries. TOOL Publications, Amsterdam,
The Netherlands. 274 p.
Mushroom the Journal is a quarterly publication
First published in 1991, and now completely
that primarily contains information on forag-
updated, this guide offers information on grow-
ing, with limited information on cultivation.
ing 12 species of mushrooms, with a particular
Available for $19/year from: emphasis on growing in developing countries.
Leon Shernoff The manual includes 71 drawings, 93 photo
1511 E. 54th St. illustrations.
Chicago, IL 60615
Available for $53.50 plus $8 for shipping
www.mushroomthejournal.com/index.
from:
html
Western Biologicals, Ltd.
P.O. Box 283
Bibliography Aldergrove, BC V4W2T8
Canada
The National Agricultural Library (NAL) has 604-856-3339 (telephone or FAX)
published several Quick Bibliographies (QBs), [email protected] or [email protected]
results of database searches on a given topic.
QBs have been published for both shiitake and Also available to developing countries from
oyster mushrooms. They can be downloaded C-Point Publishers in the Netherlands. For
from the NAL Web site. ordering information, contact Ine Klerkx,
www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/afspub.htm <[email protected]>.

Hadeler, Hajo. 1995. Medicinal Mushrooms

Books You Can Grow. The Cariaga Publishing House.
196 p.
Stamets, Paul, and J.S. Chilton. 1983. The Excellent guide to wood-loving mushroom cul-
Mushroom Cultivator. Agarikon Press, Olym- tivation, from plugging old stumps to enriched
pia, WA. 415 p. sawdust culture in sterile bags. Covers medici-
Includes growing parameters for 16 species and nal species well. Well written and illustrated;
covers every aspect of mushroom cultivation. index.
Available for $29.95 from: Out of print, but some are still available
Fungi Perfecti from amazon.com
P.O. Box 7634
Olympia, WA 98507 Hobbs, Christopher, and Michael Miovic (ed.).
800-780-9126 (toll-free) or 260-426-9292 1995. Medicinal Mushrooms: An Exploration
of Tradition, Healing and Culture. Third

PAGE 18 //MUSHROOM CULTIVATION AND MARKETING

Edition. Botanical Press, Santa Cruz, CA. How to Grow Mushrooms
252 p. www.gov.ns.ca/nsaf/elibrary/archive/hort/
organic/990015.htm
Mushroom toxicity, use in traditional medicine
and in the human diet are supported by clinical From the Nova Scotia Department of Agricul-
studies and explorations of cultural influences ture and Fisheries, this Web page offers a good
in this technical coverage. More than 100 spe- overview of growing mushrooms in compost.
cies of edible fungi are documented.
Widely available for $18.95. The Mushroom Council: Six Steps to Mush-
room Farming
www.mushroomcouncil.org/production/six-
Associations steps.htm

The North American Mycological Association From the Pennsylvania State University
(NAMA) publishes a bi-monthly newsletter, Agriculture Extension Service, this page de-
The Mycophile, and publishes an annual direc- scribes step by step phase I composting, phase
tory that provides names and addresses of all II composting, spawning, casing, pinning, and
NAMA members and every mycology associa- cropping.
tion in North America. NAMA focuses more
on finding and identifying wild mushrooms Permaculture with a Mycological Twist: The
than commercial cultivation. Stametsian Model for a Synergistic Mycosphere
www.fungi.com/mycotech/permaculture.html
Annual membership is $35. Contact:
NAMA This article carried on the Fungi Perfecti Web
336 Lenox Ave. site describes permaculture applications for
Oakland, CA 94610-4675 mushrooms. (See the sidebar.)
www.namyco.org/
Mush-World
The American Mushroom Institute is a source www.mushworld.com/home/
of information on the mushroom industry. It
serves mainly large, highly capitalized com- “Total mushroom information” is the banner
mercial producers. claim here. This excellent resource features
sections on cultivation, pests and disease, and
AMI Washington DC Office medicinal mushrooms, as well as the monthly
One Massachusetts Avenue, N.W. webzine Mushworld. Requires free registration
Suite 800 for access. Highly recommended.
Washington, D.C. 20001
202-842-4344 Penn State Mushroom Spawn Laboratory
[email protected] MushroomSpawn.cas.psu.edu/
www.americanmushroom.org
A comprehensive Web site with resources on
AMI Avondale Office mushroom science and cultivation.
1284 Gap Newport Pike
Suite 2 Gourmet Mushrooms
Avondale, PA 19311 www.arrowweb.com/MUSHROOM/
610-268-7483 Source of mushroom kits and mushroom nutra-
[email protected] ceuticals; extensive bibliography on the me-
dicinal value of mushrooms (<www.gmush-
Web sites rooms.com/Healthref.html>).

[Note that addresses may change. A search of Fungal Jungal: Western Montana Mycological
the Web should provide current locations.] Society
www.fungaljungal.org

//MUSHROOM CULTIVATION AND MARKETING PAGE 19

 A good example of a regional mycological Excellent reference for inland producers
society Web site filled with diverse resources,
Available for $17.50 postage paid from
including information on morels, fire ecology,
Field & Forest Products, Inc.
a western mushroom photo guide, and recipe
(See Suppliers.)
lists.
Przybylowicz, Paul, and John Donoghue. 1990.
The Mushroom Council Shiitake Growers Handbook. Kendall/Hunt
www.mushroomcouncil.org/ Publishing Co., Dubuque, IA. 217 p.
Home of the mushroom industry’s marketing Book covers a wide range of topics, from log
council, this site contains useful information cultivation to sawdust cultivation. Information
about consumer buying trends and providing includes both scientific material and practical
for food service needs, as well as nutritional advice. Emphasis is on presenting as much
and production information; focuses mainly on information as possible rather than selectively
Agaricus spp. with no specialty mushroom dif- choosing the best or most advanced methods.
ferentiation.
Widely available for $25.

Jones, Kenneth. 1995. Shiitake: The Healing

Resources (shiitake) Mushroom. Healing Arts Press, Rochester, VT.
128 p.
Bibliography: shiitake www.parkstpress.com/titles/shiita.htm
Rafats, Jerry. 1996. Shiitake: Cultivated Mush- This book describes the nutritional benefits and
room. Quick Bibliography Series B:90-4. Na- traditional uses in Chinese medicine for shiitake
tional Agricultural Library, Beltsville, MD. mushrooms. Chapters cover shiitakes used in
folk medicine for controlling cholesterol, cancer
A bibliography of articles on shiitake mush- prevention, treating viruses and chronic fatigue
rooms. Though somewhat dated (published in syndrome.
1996), this collection still contains valuable
information for shiitake producers. It’s available Widely available for $9.95.
on-line at <www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/AF-
SIC_pubs/qb9613.htm>. Web sites: shiitake
The Ohio State University Extension Office
Books: shiitake features a series of on-line fact sheets that detail
shiitake cultivation.
Harris, Bob. 1994. Growing Shiitake Com-
mercially. 2nd Ed. Science Tech Publishers, • Shiitake Mushroom Production: Introduc-
Madison, WI. 72 p. tion and Sources of Information and
Large-scale cultivation of shiitake mushrooms Supplies
using traditional oak logs. Based on many http://ohioline.osu.edu/for-fact/0039.html
years’ work, including material from recent
visits to Japan. Some of the most modern and • Shiitake Mushroom Production: Obtaining
cost-effective methods are presented with photo- Spawn, Obtaining and Preparing Logs, and
graphs and drawings. Inoculation
Available from Mushroompeople (See Sup- http://ohioline.osu.edu/for-fact/0040.html
pliers).
• Shiitake Mushroom Production: Logs and
Kozak, M.E., and J. Krawcyzk. 1993. Growing Laying Yards
Shiitake Mushrooms in a Continental Climate. http://ohioline.osu.edu/for-fact/0041.html
2nd Ed. Field & Forest Products, Peshtigo, WI.
114 p.
• Shiitake Mushroom Production: Fruiting,
Describes step-by-step year-round shiitake Harvesting and Crop Storage
cultivation, from log inoculation to fruiting. http://ohioline.osu.edu/for-fact/0042.html

PAGE 20 //MUSHROOM CULTIVATION AND MARKETING

• Shiitake Mushroom Production: Economic Garden City Fungi
Considerations P.O. Box 1591
http://ohioline.osu.edu/for-fact/0043.html Missoula, MT 59806
406-626-5757
www.gardencityfungi.com
Growing Shiitake Mushrooms
http://osuextra.com/pdfs/F-5029web.pdf Gourmet Mushroom Products
From the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Ser- P. O. Box 515 IP
vice, this factsheet offers an overview of shiitake Graton, CA 95444
cultivation suitable to hardwood forests of east 707-829-7301
and central Oklahoma. 707-823-9091 FAX
www.gmushrooms.com/pots/

Spawn and Equipment Hardscrabble Enterprises, Inc.

P.O. Box 1124 (or 617 N. Main St.)
Suppliers Franklin, WV 26807
304-358-2921
[email protected]
[This list is not comprehensive and does not
Contact: Paul Goland
imply endorsement of these companies.]
L.F. Lambert Spawn Co.
Amycel Spawn 1507 Valley Rd.
P.O. Box 560 Coatesville, PA 19320
Avondale, PA 19311 610-384-5031
800-795-1657 or 800-995-4269 (toll-free)
www.amycel.com Long Ridge Farms
406 Tom Cook Rd.
Choice Edibles Sugar Grove, NC 28679
584 Riverside Park Road 828-297-4373
Carlotta, CA 95528
707-768-3135 Mushroompeople
www.choiceedibles.com P.O. Box 220
560 Farm Rd.
CropKing Summertown, TN 38483
5050 Greenwich Road 931-964-2200
Seville, OH 44273-9413 www.thefarm.org/mushroom/mpframe.
330-769-2002 html
330-769-2616 FAX
www.cropking.com/mushroom.shtml Myco Supply
P.O. Box 16194
Field & Forest Products Pittsburgh, PA 16237
N3296 Kozuzek Rd. 800-888 0811 (toll-free)
Peshtigo, WI 54157 www.MycoSupply.com/
800-792-6220 (toll-free)
www.fieldforest.net Northwest Mycological Consultants
702 NW 4th St.
Fungi Perfecti Corvallis, OR 97330
P.O. Box 7634 541-753-8198
Olympia, WA 98507 [email protected]
260-426-9292
www.fungi.com Sylvan Spawn Laboratory
West Hills Industrial Park

//MUSHROOM CULTIVATION AND MARKETING PAGE 21

 Kittanning, PA 16201
800-323-4857 (toll-free) or 724-543-2242

J.B. Swayne Spawn Co.

P.O. Box 618
Kennett Square, PA 19348
610-444-0888

UNICORN Imp. & Mfg. Corp.

113 Highway 24
Commerce, Texas 75429 USA
800-888-0811 (toll-free)
[email protected]
www.unicornbags.com

Western Biologicals, LTD.

P.O. Box 283
Aldergrove, BC VOX 1AO
CANADA
604-856-3339
[email protected]

By Alice Beetz and Michael Kustudia

NCAT Agriculture Specialists
July 2004
© NCAT 2004
IP 087
Slot 75
Version 042705

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//MUSHROOM CULTIVATION AND MARKETING PAGE 23
 The electronic versions of Mushroom Cultivation and
Marketing are located at:
HTML
http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/mushroom.html
PDF
http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/PDF/mushroom.pdf

IP 087
Slot 75
Version 042905

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