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OfflineDuggstarMDiscord
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Registered: 01/20/09
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Thinking of getting into commercial growing gourmet mushrooms
    #9954568 - 03/11/09 08:50 PM (15 years, 11 days ago)

Hi guys, I'm thinking about whether I should start growing gourmet mushrooms commercially and I was hoping some of you guys could give me some advice.  I wouldn't even mind growing regular button mushrooms but that is probably hard to get into or make a profit from at the small scale, right?  I don't have much experience, but SWIM (someone who isn't me) has had some success growing cubensis on a very small scale.

Is it expensive to start up?  I don't have a lot of money (in fact none:() and I was wondering if I could start up on the cheap and build up?

Is there a market for them in the UK?  And how difficult would it be to get into the market and get customers?

Are there any regulations that I need to be concerned about?  I mean like food safety, labeling, and things like that?  Sorry I really have no idea about such things.

I would appreciate any other tips or suggestions that I haven't thought to ask of.

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InvisibleJef
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Re: Thinking of getting into commercial growing gourmet mushrooms [Re: Duggstar]
    #9956359 - 03/12/09 01:44 AM (15 years, 11 days ago)

Hi Duggstar,

Comparing Cubensis to gournmet or medicinal mushrooms is not really a sound basis.

Cubensis are profitable because they are illegal, and sell for a lot a pound even considering that they are dried.

Someone here was saying they sold for $35 "an eigth" which I took to mean $35 us per two ounces.

That would be equivalent to $35 for 20 oz or z$28 USD a pound fresh weight.

In my neighbourhood, I can buy oysters for about $7 CDN.

Maybe you could grow better oysters, and supply them fresher to restaurants, at a premium price.

I don't know about things currently,  but the English are traditionally fungiphobic.

Someone asked a farmer "What would you do if you won the lottery ?"

He answered

"I'd farm till it was all gone."

I guess what I'm suggesting is that if you do it it should because you would love to, and then the money will be just a bonus. 

If your intent is just to make some extra money, do what I do: work as a bootleg electrician or plumber.  It's not so hard to learn and the money is better.

I'm going to do what you're talking about, but I don't give a damn if I make a dime or not.


--------------------
I am my own lab rat.


Tell me and I will forget. Show me and I will remember.  Involve me and I will learn.

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OfflineDuggstarMDiscord
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Re: Thinking of getting into commercial growing gourmet mushrooms [Re: Jef]
    #9956649 - 03/12/09 03:09 AM (15 years, 11 days ago)

Oh SWIM wasn't growing cube's to sell, it was just for personal use so profitability wasn't an issue.  And at that time, magic mushrooms were legal in the UK as long as they were fresh, i.e. not 'prepared' or no extraction was made.

I would be setting up in N.Ireland, and around here there is a much higher concentration of mushroom growers than anywhere else in the UK.  But they all seem to be growing regular button mushrooms.  It seems to be quite profitable but only if you are into it on a big scale.  Gourmet mushroom growers are fewer and far between.  An internet search only brings up one search result for the whole of the UK.

I was thinking a farm to restaurant setup would be the way to go.  My market area would probably include the Irish republic as well.  Should I do some market research first and how should I go about doing it?

I know we are traditionally a bit more fungi phobic here in the UK and Ireland than our European neighbours, but these days people are are a bit more adventurous in their tastes and we are a bit more multicultural because of immigration.

I am not thinking of getting into it because 'it will make me rich' or anything, but if I could earn a living out of it I would be happy.

I would probably be supplementing my income by taxi driving or something initially, and I would be starting out on my fathers dairy farm.  I heard that I could maybe get a farm diversification grant for the production of novel and/or niche agricultural products. Does anyone know anything about this?

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Offlinesolumvita
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Re: Thinking of getting into commercial growing gourmet mushrooms [Re: Duggstar]
    #9957482 - 03/12/09 10:15 AM (15 years, 10 days ago)

You should be able to set up a small operation without too much input costs.  Starting out then try oysters, they will be the most forgiving and competitive.  competitive in that they do  not transport well and look worse for wear after too much handling.  So if you are able to market directly to resturants in your vicinity and get them quality fresh product you will be on your way.

There are a number of books available to guide you in starting up low cost mushroom operations.  If you have access to a farm and space through your father you should be able to go far - good luck

Ciao


--------------------
One of these days all the answers will be revealed until then we learn from each other!

www.mushrush.co.za

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OfflineDuggstarMDiscord
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Re: Thinking of getting into commercial growing gourmet mushrooms [Re: solumvita]
    #9958402 - 03/12/09 01:31 PM (15 years, 10 days ago)

Quote:

solumvita said:
You should be able to set up a small operation without too much input costs.  Starting out then try oysters, they will be the most forgiving and competitive.  competitive in that they do  not transport well and look worse for wear after too much handling.  So if you are able to market directly to resturants in your vicinity and get them quality fresh product you will be on your way.

There are a number of books available to guide you in starting up low cost mushroom operations.  If you have access to a farm and space through your father you should be able to go far - good luck

Ciao



Thank's that sounds like good advise. Does it matter what colour the oysters are?  I understand that they come in white, pink or yellow but I don't know whether they taste different or the saleability is affected.

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InvisibleSeroind
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Re: Thinking of getting into commercial growing gourmet mushrooms [Re: Duggstar]
    #9958486 - 03/12/09 01:47 PM (15 years, 10 days ago)

If you are looking to sell direct to restaurants you should start going out and talking to them.  The chefs will be able to tell you what kind of mushroom they would like (and what color :lol:).  If you want to sell them yourself at a farmers market then you can experiment and find which species sell best.

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InvisibleJef
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Registered: 12/02/08
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Re: Thinking of getting into commercial growing gourmet mushrooms [Re: Seroind]
    #9961602 - 03/12/09 10:04 PM (15 years, 10 days ago)

Yes,  call the restaurants.

The colour you grow should depend on the season.  Yellow and Pink (I think) are warm weather where ostreatus and pulmonarius are cool.

Good luck.


--------------------
I am my own lab rat.


Tell me and I will forget. Show me and I will remember.  Involve me and I will learn.

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Offlineaussieshroom
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Re: Thinking of getting into commercial growing gourmet mushrooms [Re: Jef]
    #9962087 - 03/12/09 11:23 PM (15 years, 10 days ago)

I had this idea a while back. It would require a lot of capital though, and I don't think it would be profitable unless on a large scale. Though you do hear about many people who start out small, and grow big.

low yields for high quality.


--------------------
:mushroom2: Melbourne Mushroom Madness :mushroom2:



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OfflineRogerRabbitM
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Re: Thinking of getting into commercial growing gourmet mushrooms [Re: aussieshroom]
    #9962219 - 03/12/09 11:41 PM (15 years, 10 days ago)

I just bought two shipping containers.  As soon as the ground thaws out and dries, I'm cutting into the hillside behind my house and burying them.  I figure I'll save a lot on heating and cooling by having the grow rooms underground.
RR


--------------------
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"I've never had a failed experiment.  I've only discovered 10,000 methods which do not work."
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InvisibleLokelYokel
I Gro Fuud
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Re: Thinking of getting into commercial growing gourmet mushrooms [Re: RogerRabbit]
    #9963361 - 03/13/09 05:46 AM (15 years, 9 days ago)

RR is going to have 2 rabbit holes!  Now you not only have to ask yourself how far down the hole you want to go but also which hole.

I'm now excited for ground thaw in the northwest and want to see the progress of the rabbit holes.  Please do keep us posted RR.


--------------------
ReUse! RePurpose! ReCycle!  "Mom says use it again!"

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InvisibleLokelYokel
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Re: Thinking of getting into commercial growing gourmet mushrooms [Re: Jef]
    #9963380 - 03/13/09 05:59 AM (15 years, 9 days ago)

Quote:

Yellow and Pink (I think) are warm weather where ostreatus and pulmonarius are cool.





I grow pulmonarius and they are more of a warm weather mushroom.  I have seen them fruit in temps well over 80.  The fruits grow very fast at that temp and are not as dense as when fruited in cooler temps but still good.  They also come out much lighter in color in warm temps.  They seem to do very well between 70-75 degrees.


--------------------
ReUse! RePurpose! ReCycle!  "Mom says use it again!"

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OfflineDuggstarMDiscord
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Registered: 01/20/09
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Re: Thinking of getting into commercial growing gourmet mushrooms [Re: solumvita]
    #9965705 - 03/13/09 03:56 PM (15 years, 9 days ago)

Quote:

solumvita said:
You should be able to set up a small operation without too much input costs.  Starting out then try oysters, they will be the most forgiving and competitive.  competitive in that they do  not transport well and look worse for wear after too much handling.  So if you are able to market directly to resturants in your vicinity and get them quality fresh product you will be on your way.

There are a number of books available to guide you in starting up low cost mushroom operations.  If you have access to a farm and space through your father you should be able to go far - good luck

Ciao



What about medicinal mushrooms? Surely there would be a market selling them to health food stores etc?

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Offlinesolumvita
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Re: Thinking of getting into commercial growing gourmet mushrooms [Re: Duggstar]
    #9981695 - 03/16/09 01:09 PM (15 years, 6 days ago)

I am sure that you would find a buyer for medicinals.  Try Ganoderma, it is fairly simple and will grow on a wide variety of substrates.


--------------------
One of these days all the answers will be revealed until then we learn from each other!

www.mushrush.co.za

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OfflineMephistophelian
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Re: Thinking of getting into commercial growing gourmet mushrooms [Re: solumvita]
    #9981858 - 03/16/09 01:39 PM (15 years, 6 days ago)

I found it was hard to market those...on the account that so few people know the benefits of the medicinal mushrooms in the first place, and its such a touchy subject on how to inform without 'making claims' and all that other 'law based BS' that follows it. Well through a health store anyhow...

But if you have a local/farmers market, then you could advertise carefully all you liked and get yourself a customer base that would come back to you on a regular basis, regardless if you had a booth setup or not. At least that's my plan.


--------------------
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OfflineDuggstarMDiscord
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Re: Thinking of getting into commercial growing gourmet mushrooms [Re: Mephistophelian]
    #9982214 - 03/16/09 02:35 PM (15 years, 6 days ago)

Quote:

Mephistophelian said:
I found it was hard to market those...on the account that so few people know the benefits of the medicinal mushrooms in the first place, and its such a touchy subject on how to inform without 'making claims' and all that other 'law based BS' that follows it. Well through a health store anyhow...

But if you have a local/farmers market, then you could advertise carefully all you liked and get yourself a customer base that would come back to you on a regular basis, regardless if you had a booth setup or not. At least that's my plan.




That's a good point.  I live in the EU and they love making up silly little rules like that.  They would probably say I was practicing medicine without a license or something like that.  And it is true that many people are not aware of the medicinal value of mushrooms.  Even I have only begun to become aware and it is mainly through being on this website.  I did hear it mentioned on the radio today though just by co-incidence, that some species of mushroom are good at preventing cancer and are good for your immune system, and that it is much better and safer to have a well regulated immune system than to take those vaccinations which can lead to all sorts of problems including an overactive immune system, which can lead to autoimmune related diseases such as multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.  Plus, all that mercury in the shots can't be good for you, and despite their denials I think that that is what is causing the rise in autism and other related diseases.

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OfflineScavengerType
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Re: Thinking of getting into commercial growing gourmet mushrooms [Re: Duggstar]
    #9983006 - 03/16/09 04:16 PM (15 years, 6 days ago)

I say just write it and cite it or float it and quote it. If you do package your mushrooms with claims of their health benefits and you make clear where the information originated from you are in the clear. You can always deny responsibility if some other authority is culpable for the information's accuracy... I think anyway.


--------------------
"Have you ever seen what happens when a grenade goes off in a school? Do you really know what you’re doing when you order shock and awe? Are you prepared to kneel beside a dying soldier and tell him why he went to Iraq, or why he went to any war?"
"The things that are done in the name of the shareholder are, to me, as terrifying as the things that are done—dare I say it—in the name of God. Montesquieu said, "There have never been so many civil wars as in the Kingdom of God." And I begin to feel that’s true. The shareholder is the excuse for everything."
- Author and former M6/M5 agent John le Carré on Democracy Now.
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