More than 100,000 fans who joined AFP on Facebook

Purchase an AFP subscription

Subscribe to AFP podcasts on iTunes and Spotify

News, press releases, letters to the editor: augustafreepress2@gmail.com

Advertising consultation: freepress@ntelos.net

Virginia mushrooms may not be well-known, but as more growers and consumers enter the fungus world, they are becoming more and more popular.

According to the 2017 Agricultural Census of the United States Department of Agriculture, there are 41 farms growing mushrooms in Virginia, with sales of approximately US$761,000. Although this is only a small part of Virginia's overall agricultural investment portfolio, farmers such as Gnomestead Hollow Farm in Carroll County and Matthew Reiss of Forage are working hard to encourage more interest.

"It got a lot of attention," Rice said. "More and more people are growing. More and more people are looking for food, especially after the pandemic. Mushroom culture is booming."

Depending on the season, Reiss grows 5 to 15 mushroom varieties, which he sells at farmers’ markets and retail stores in Floyd, Roanoke, Blacksburg, and Winston-Salem, North Carolina . He also has a solid restaurant clientele and pointed out that people like mushrooms' various unique earthy flavors.

"People think that'mud' tastes like mud, but that's not the case," he said. "Some have a very good, rich umami flavor like shiitake mushrooms. Oysters have a subtle nutty flavor that is stronger when you fry or grill them."

The lion's mane has a touch of seafood essence, which is very suitable for making artificial crab cakes. Reiss said that Ganoderma lucidum mushrooms are bitter, and tea is sometimes made with ginger and honey.

Paul and Katie Schofield's Schofield Farm in Dinwiddie County is one of the largest mushroom growers in Virginia. The couple grow and harvest approximately 600 pounds of mushrooms each week—oysters, shiitake mushrooms, lion’s mane, and maitake mushrooms—that they sell to farmers’ markets, Richmond and nearby communities in Colonial Heights to support agricultural farms and restaurants.

Paul Schofield explains that when growing mushrooms, “you need the right humidity and temperature range. Blue oysters like to be cool. Shiitake mushrooms like to be warm. Lion’s mane likes to be cool, but not cold.”

Both Reiss and Schofield mixed their own substrates—usually composed of sawdust and wheat bran—as the growth medium for fungi. Once the substrate is inoculated with spores, the mycelium—the vegetative part of the fungus—is established and begins to bear fruit.

"The lion's mane grows slowly," Scofield explained. "Once the results begin, it will take 7 days to harvest."

He added that, on the other hand, bright yellow oysters take about three days to grow.

In addition to its unique flavor, mushrooms also have health benefits. From antibacterial and antiviral properties to boosting immunity, heart and brain health, they are also "rich in vitamin D, protein and selenium," said Katie Schofield.

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts via email.

Augusta Free Press was launched in 2002. This website is a gateway to understanding life in the Shenandoah Valley and Central Virginia-the area includes Augusta County, Albemarle County, Nelson County, and Rockingham County as well as Charlottesville, Harrisonburg, and Stang Town and Waynesboro, at the entrance of Blue Ridge Parkway, Skyline Drive, Shenandoah National Park and Appalachian Trail.

© Augusta Free Press LLC | Privacy