Shiitake mushrooms growing on sawdust and cereal log, on display at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) farmers' markets and Harvest Festival at the USDA Whitten Building east parking lot in Washington, DC, on Friday, November 22, 2013. USDA photo by Lance Cheung.
North Carolina has seen a surging interest in the production and wild-harvesting of edible and medicinal mushrooms. The two most popular mushrooms being cultivated are shiitake and oyster, but chicken of the woods, lion's mane, and maitake, and reishi are also increasing in production. North Carolina has a good natural environment for outdoor mushroom production on logs with high humidity and rainfall and moderate temperatures, but mushrooms can also be produced indoors anywhere in the state.
Some Mushroom Resources
- Mushrooms - information page on the NC Extension New Crops & Organics website
- Mushroom Production - Penn State Extension (a leader in mushroom cultivation)
- Mushrooms - University of Kentucky Center for Crop Diversification
- Specialty Mushrooms - Cornell Small Farms program
Meet a few North Carolina mushroom growers
- Deep Woods Mushrooms in the Southern mountains grows shiitake, reishi, and more, offers classes, consults.
- Haw River Mushrooms in central NC grows many kinds of mushrooms, teaches, consults, and makes mushroom jerky
