by Kelly Ann Butterbaugh
Mushroom farming, like all farming, is a science. Yet, it’s a science unlike that of most agricultural crops. While most crops require sunlight for photosynthesis, mushrooms actually deteriorate under natural light. Other plants convert carbon dioxide into oxygen, yet like humans mushrooms convert oxygen into carbon dioxide. It’s a different type of farming, but mushrooms are the number one cash crop in Pennsylvania. With 535 million pounds grown annually, Pennsylvania provides 65% of the nation’s mushrooms.
The Mushroom Capital
The farmers of Kennett Square know the science of mushrooms well; the area in Chester County is the self-proclaimed mushroom capital of the United States. With approximately 80 mushroom farms, it’s a justified title. Central to the area’s mushroom business is Phillips Mushroom Farm, a third generation family business that is the country’s leading producer of specialty mushrooms.
Kennett Square started on the path to mushroom capital in 1896, though there is no ecological explanation as to why mushrooms grow in Kennett Square.
“There could be better locations for growing,” agrees Jim Angelucci, the general manager of Phillips Mushroom Farms.
The state’s cold winters and hot summers require climate controlled growing rooms.
Changing the Mushroom Industry
William Phillips began his mushroom farm in 1927 at a time when southeastern Pennsylvania produced 85% of the nation’s mushrooms. Then mushroom farming was a seasonal activity, dependent on the cool spring and fall temperatures. Phillips began experimenting with climate control by installing fans that would blow air across blocks of ice. This cooled the rooms in the summer and kept the mushrooms in a steady environment, one that allowed the growing season to expand into a year long business.
In 1961 the second generation of the Phillips family took over the mushroom business, making modern additions. Donald and Marshall Phillips added a packaging plant that packaged mushrooms from surrounding farms as well as their own. Another modern change was the shift from processing 80% of the mushroom crop to processing only 20% of the crop. Fresh market sales shifted the selling focus, and Phillips Farms was the first farm in the area to eliminate the middle man and sell directly from the market.
In an area so predominantly covered with mushroom growers, the Phillips family set themselves apart with their specialty mushroom crops. In 1979 the farm began to grow shiitake mushrooms on sawdust logs, opening a new niche for itself in the industry as the first commercial indoor shiitake grower.
In January 2007 Phillips Mushroom Farms earned another industry first. It was awarded a Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification, the first mushroom farm in the nation to earn such an award. This came after the farm was labeled a PA Preferred Farm and was named Chester County Farm of the Year in 2004.
The Art of Mushroom Farming
It may seem simple—innoculate a soil mixture with mushroom spores and leave the area dark and moist until mushrooms erupt. However, mushroom farming is anything but simple. Mushrooms are very labor intensive. They have a short growth period that requires precise environmental conditions. In order to grow 35 million pounds of specialty mushrooms each year, Phillips Farms operate a non-stop business.
“We run 24/7, 365 days or 366 days depending on the year,” Angelucci explains.
The mushroom growing season at Phillips lasts about ten weeks. Their mushroom crops are generally grown in three flushes for 23 days each. Once three flushes are harvested, the substrate growing medium is steamed at 145 degrees for 24 hours to kill the pathogens that may affect future mushroom crops.
Even propagation of mushrooms is a science. Mushroom spores are injected into a medium such as bird seed which then is spread through the substrate like normal plant seed. Because mushrooms gain all of their nutrients through the soil, the mixture of the substrate is crucial. As the spores mature they grow into a white lacy root structure known as mycelium. At this point peat moss is added to the top to encourage the mushroom flowers to emerge, a process called pinning.
Flavor is key when growing specialty mushrooms. While mushrooms are kept from natural light, they are given flourescent light while growing. This enhances their flavor without damaging the crop. Proper harvesting also encourages stronger flavors. Harvesting before mushrooms opens their veils produces a smooth flavor in mushrooms like criminis and whites. If the veil opens and gills are exposed, the mushroom acquires a stronger flavor, such as a portobello. In fact, portobello and crimini are the same mushroom, but they are harvested at different times in their maturity.
To guarantee the fresh harvest, packing, and shipping schedule, Phillips Farms employs 150 people year round with little worker turnover.
“One of our biggest expenses is labor,” Angelucci says. “Our employees are our biggest asset. Without them we’d be out of business.”
Angelucci began working at Phillips in 1973 as an assistant grower. He has served fifteen years on the board of the American Mushroom Institute, worked for twelve years on the National Mushroom Council, and spent time working with the American Mushroom Institute.
Nature’s Hidden Gem
Mushrooms are a hidden gem. They provide solid nutrition, are used as preventative medicine, and contribute to environmental preservation.
Nutritionally, the mushroom is a valuable addition to any meal of the day. They are the only produce that contains natural vitamin D, even though they are grown without sunlight. They also contain the potassium equivalency of bananas, and they are high in complex B vitamins as well as selenium and phosporous.
Mushrooms have also been scientifically linked to medical benefits. A regular intake of mushrooms can help a body reduce seasonal allergies, strengthen antibacterial production, and fight viruses. The maitake mushroom (Grifola frondosa) specifically boosts the immune system. It has also been known to lower blood pressure, regulate diabetes, and lower cholesterol. The pom pom mushroom (Hericium erinaceus) is one variety that soothes both the digestive and nervous systems. Certain mushrooms have also been linked to cancer prevention, namely the Agaricus mushrooms such as portobello and white.
“We’re the original recycler,” Angelucci says walking through the growing rooms.
Recycling is key to the mushroom industry, and growing soils are created by blending second-hand products. Each year 100,000 acres of hay or 200,000 acres of straw are recycled into mushroom substrate in Kennett Square. Once the mushroom crop is complete, the growing medium is sold to the potting soil industry.
Because of the mushroom’s connection to all facets of agriculture, the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau has a large impact on the industry.
“Everything the farm bureau does in agriculture supports the mushroom industry,” Angelucci says.
Not only does it serve as a support system for the mushroom farmer, but the farm bureau’s involvement in other agricultural industries also has a positive impact on the mushroom industry.
“The bureau is a resource that’s available when we have questions,” Angelucci further explains. He knows that he can pick up the phone, call the bureau, and find an answer when a problem arises on the Phillips Mushroom Farms.
