Have you ever wondered if you could grow mushrooms at home? After years of wondering, I took the plunge. And boy was it easy!
When we lived in Long Beach, California we used to have a fantastic mushroom farmer at our local Farmer's Market, and whenever I would stroll past, I would undoubtedly get sucked into the booth.
How could you not be drawn in by the incredible color, shapes, and textures lining the table? My mind would always drift into wondering about growing my own at home. Turns out, growing mushrooms at home is super easy, not labor intensive at all, and yields tremendous results with very little effort. Plus, growing mushrooms is SUPER fun!
How are mushrooms grown commercially?
We recently attended an agricultural tour in Monterey County, California with California Grown . One of the stops on the tour was Far West Fungi. Today, we are specifically focusing on mushrooms, but you can read all about the other stops on our tour which include an artichoke farm and the country's largest grower of organic produce, by clicking here.
Learn How Mushrooms Are Grown at Far West Fungi
The Garrone family of Far West Fungi has always been passionate about mushrooms; they’ve been growing and distributing edible fungi for the past 35 years!
We recently had a chance to visit their seaside farm in Moss Landing, California.
Click here to learn how mushrooms are grown on a mushroom farm.
Far West Fungi is located in Moss Landing, California on a bluff above the Pajaro River. The cool, moist seaside climate is perfect for growing mushrooms. They grow about 52 different varieties of exotic mushrooms on their farm including shiitake, pink and yellow oyster mushrooms, king trumpet, lion’s mane, maitake, and reishi mushrooms.
Why grow mushrooms?
Although mushrooms are considered a vegetable, they are actually a fungus, albeit delicious! They also are good for you and a great source of low-calorie protein, fiber, and antioxidants. Growing your own mushrooms is a great way to save money and connect with the natural world, which in turn will help you appreciate the food on your plate more.
Are Mushrooms Healthy?
Mushrooms are a healthy food. They’re low in calories and high in protein and fiber, which help keep you feeling fuller longer. They’re also a great source of antioxidants, which help fight off harmful free radicals in the body.
How To Grow Mushrooms at Home:
If you’re like me, you’re probably curious to learn how to grow mushrooms at home. It’s a fascinating process that yields some of the most unique and flavorful mushrooms you can find. The best part? Growing mushrooms at home is easy!
To guarantee you successfully grow mushrooms at home, I suggest investing in a mushroom grow kit from a reputable source like Far West Fungi who guarantees the first crop of mushrooms from every grow kit sold. I mean, seriously what's to lose?
I was gifted the 3 types of grow kits below and was able to successfully grow mushrooms at home on my first attempt.
Pink Oyster Mushrooms
Pleurotus ostreatus, AKA Pink Oyster Mushrooms, grow in clusters of hundreds of succulent, shellfish-like mushrooms that can reach the size of 18 inches in diameter.
This exotic tropical strain of oyster mushrooms produces bright pink fruiting bodies that look more like coral or rose petals than mushrooms.
Pink Oyster mushrooms have a high iron content which gives this mushroom its vivid color and subsequent meaty taste.
The flavor of this particular mushroom is so meaty, in fact, that it can be used as a meat substitute -- the perfect choice for vegetarians.
This Pink Oyster mushroom grow kit Mini-Farm was super eager to start growing! It actually sprouted right through the cardboard kit in shipment. Talk about surprise and delight!
What's involved in growing Pink Oyster mushrooms at home:
- This mushroom grow kit requires light misting to produce three to four crops over a two-month period.
- You can expect one to two pounds of mushrooms from your Mushroom Mini-Farm Grow Kit with proper care.
Click here to purchase a Pink Oyster Mushroom Grow Kit from Far West Fungi.
Lion's Mane Mushroom
One of the medicinal mushroom powerhouses, Lion's Mane mushrooms is often mistaken for cauliflower, as it grows in fuzzy, fractal white puff balls.
Lion’s Mane mushrooms contain bioactive substances that have beneficial effects on the body, especially the brain, heart, and gut.
Research is being conducted into their possible medicinal effects against dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, neurological disorders, and even how they can help with depression and anxiety.
This Lion's Mane mushroom grow kit Mini-Farm was super easy to set up and produced a ridiculous amount of mushrooms in a short period of time.
What's involved in growing Lion's Mane mushrooms at home:
- This kit required light misting with water to produce three to four crops over a two-month period.
- You can expect to harvest one to two pounds of organic mushrooms from your grow kit with proper care.
Click here to purchase a Lion's Mane Grow Kit from Far West Fungi.
Yellow Oyster Mushroom
This exotic tropical strain of oyster mushroom produces canary-yellow petal-like fruiting bodies and is one of the only mushrooms that we actually recommend eating raw. It has a citrusy, cucumber-like flavor, and is refreshing and colorful tossed into salads.
It can also be made into delicious quick pickles by brining in apple cider or champagne vinegar.
This Yellow Oyster mushroom grow kit Mini-Farm was super easy to start growing! It sprouted within a few days of opening up the kit and was an absolute delight to watch grow!
What's involved in growing Yellow Oyster mushrooms at home:
- This mushroom grow kit requires light misting to produce three to four crops over a two-month period.
- You can expect one to two pounds of mushrooms from your Mushroom Mini-Farm Grow Kit with proper care.
Click here to purchase a Yellow Oyster Mushroom Grow Kit from Far West Fungi.
Far West Fungi has more types of mushroom growing kits than I know what to do with. I want to grow them all! It's just so satisfying to watch and the fruits of my labor sure were delicious.
What tools are needed to grow mushrooms at home?
While there really isn't much that you need to grow mushrooms, you may find having a tool or two like a water mister at the ready will make your at-home mushroom farm adventure a cinch.
If you are looking to turn your love of shrooms into an edible hobby here are a few tools you may be interested in:
- Mushroom Mini-Farm Grow Kit: Click here to shop Far West Fungi Grow kits
- Opinel Stainless Steel Folding Mushroom Knife: Click here to shop mushroom foraging knives on Amazon.
- Glass Plant Mister Spray Bottle: Click here to shop plant misters on Amazon.
Here are a few more FAQs about how to grow mushrooms at home that you might need.
Once your mushroom kit is producing a steady stream of delicious mushrooms there are a few more key pieces of information that you will need to know. And for that, we will turn to my friend and vegetable guru, Jerry James Stone.
Do you know how to store mushrooms in the fridge? Follow these simple food storage tips to get the most out of your shrooms. Stored properly, they can last a few weeks. Click here to watch Jerry's video where he shows how to properly store mushrooms.
There are a lot of myths around the ways to clean mushrooms, what works and what doesn’t, and what you can actually use. Click here to watch Jerry's video where he breaks down how to properly prepare mushrooms.
Mushrooms are mostly water and if you freeze them raw, they tend to become mushy. This consistency works okay in soups, casseroles, and stews, but it’s not the best result you can achieve. If you prepare the mushrooms first, either using traditional steam blanching or sautéing, you’ll be able to use those mushrooms in more ways in the kitchen. Click here to watch Jerry's video about how to freeze mushrooms properly.
How To Use Mushrooms in recipes.
You can use mushrooms to make meat substitutes, add to your favorite dishes, create health supplements or even grow them just to save money.
There are so many ways to use mushrooms, but here are just a few ideas: Add them to soups, stews, casseroles, chili, and meatballs. You can even use them in place of meat in your favorite pasta dishes.
Some of the most common mushrooms used for cooking include:
- white button
- shiitake
- cremini
- portobello
- oyster
Recipes with mushrooms you should try now!
Now that you know how to grow mushrooms at home and how mushrooms are grown commercially, it's time to share some delicious mushroom recipes for you to try!
White Lasagna With Mushrooms, Spinach, And Artichokes
A delicious alternative to traditional lasagna, this White Lasagna recipe from G Free Foodie is cheesy, rich, and packed with veggies. This dish is a delicious departure from the traditional red sauce, meat, and cheese version.
Click here for this mushroom recipe.
Mixed Mushroom Tostadas with Scallion Pesto
These crunchy tostadas from Hola Jalapeno are piled high with creamy chipotle black beans, a mixture of three different kinds of caramelized mushrooms, a drizzle of pesto sauce made from charred scallions, toasted almonds, and garlic, and a sprinkling of feta cheese
Click here for this recipe with mushrooms!
Portabella Lettuce Wraps
Lettuce wraps are a delicious and refreshing alternative to a more traditional wrap.
The filling for this recipe is made with portabella mushrooms, bell pepper, onion, ginger, water chestnuts, and walnuts all cooked in our homemade gluten-free hoisin sauce.
Click here for this recipe with mushrooms.
White Pozole with Mushrooms
Pozole Blanco is a traditional Mexican soup similar to green pozole and red pozole but with a clear broth. This vegan version from Hola Jalapeno is made with hominy, caramelized mushrooms, and a rich vegetable broth. Top with sliced radishes, cabbage, and fresh lime juice. Ready in an hour!
Click here for this mushroom recipe.
Crispy Baby Bella Mushrooms
To ensure crispy mushrooms every single time it is essential to wait to season the shrooms with salt or Tamari until the end of the cooking time.
Allowing all the liquid to cook out of the mushrooms in a dry, hot pan before any seasonings like butter or salt are added makes for a superior texture.
Click here for this recipe with mushrooms.
Lion's Mane Mushroom Steaks with Tapenade
This Lion's Mane Mushroom steak recipe that I created for California Grown is the vegetarian equivalent of a juicy Filet Mignon. Meticulously seasoned and cooked to perfection, this recipe for mushroom steak requires a steak knife and a hearty appetite. Consider yourself hungry!
Click here for this mushroom recipe.
How to Cook & Serve Lion's Mane Mushrooms
Here’s a lion's mane mushroom recipe from The Delicious Life for quick sautéing on the stovetop. The mushrooms will be delicious to eat straight out of the frying pan, or you can use the golden caramelized pieces of lion’s mane in other recipes, like vegan sushi rolls!
Click here for this mushroom recipe!
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