Mushroom Street Farms Grows and Sells Fabulous Fungi
In partnership with: Texas Department of Agriculture
Mushrooms aren’t just a polarizing pizza topping anymore. They have been reimagined into unique products, including mushroom jerky and mushroom powder barbecue rubs, which create a tasty crust on meats and add a rich, umami flavor to mac and cheese.
When Warren Gwartney decided to get his hands dirty growing mushrooms, it was just a COVID-19 hobby, something to take a break from his computer job and connect with the earth a bit. But when he shared his bounty with family and friends, he realized just how popular homegrown mushrooms could be if only there was a business to meet that demand.
See more: 12 Types of Mushrooms and How to Cook With Them
So, he built Mushroom Street Farms in Arlington. Over the past five years, his business has grown to include shelf-stable mushroom products, facility tours and workshops on everything from Mushroom Growing 101 to cooking demonstrations with Dallas chefs.
“We feel that because our products are so innovative, it’s important to educate the community about their uses,” Gwartney says. “There’s a lot of curiosity about mushrooms, but people don’t know what to trust. We fill that niche as a trusted local authority on the ways to use mushrooms and reap all their benefits, including the medicinal ones they’re so curious about.”
Mushrooming Demand
Mushroom Street Farms’ innovations start with their process. The mushrooms are grown entirely indoors, where climate and humidity are carefully controlled. The team uses a factory process to produce its substrate – sawdust for growing, polypropylene bags for maturing, a sterilization process and lab inoculation. Vertical growing methods save space and effectively create walls of mushrooms.
Gwartney says the fascinating methods he’s using to produce a wide range of unusual mushrooms make for an entertaining visit.
“Texas is best known for beef, cotton and row crops, but there’s a demand for specialty foods,” he says. “Through education, that demand will only grow. And once people try the products, they’ll realize that mushrooms are much more than a side dish or topper.”
See more: How to Make the Most of Your Mushrooms
Expansion is underway as Gwartney’s mushrooms reach local restaurants and stores.
A new retail space in the Deep Ellum neighborhood features an apothecary with herbs, seasonings, growing supplies and gifts. In the future, it will also include the Mushroom Discovery Center, a museum experience with a micro-farm, displays and mini-labs, all with educational placards so community knowledge can grow, right along with the mushrooms.
To learn more and shop, visit mushroom.st.