Saturday, April 14, 2007

The Start of My Gourmet Mushroom Farm



I have an Oyster Mushroom farm!

A lot of people have asked me how I ended up in owning a gourmet mushroom farm.

Afterall, I was a computer network engineer! I was working in IT for all my life and even did some computer programming. (cobol and visual basic)

I grew up in the city and now I was making a living on my own mushroom farm!

This is why I started this BLOG. Whenever I get asked that question, I just point them to my oyster mushroom BLOG.

I am growing oyster mushrooms in South Africa on a farm in Gauteng. My mushrooms farm is about 40km south of Johannesburg.

I supply fresh and dried oyster mushrooms as well as some organic vegetables to wholesalers in Gauteng.

My organic vegetables are currently grown on a small scale. I plan to get my organic certification later this year.

I have two mushroom grow rooms at the time of writing this post. One is 40m2 and the other is 80m2. It is not enough. I need more grow rooms because the local market demand for oyster mushrooms is much higher than what I can supply!

I'll try to update this blog once a week with information about my oyster mushrooms farm.

Till later...
MushroomMan




21 Comments:

At November 5, 2007 at 12:21 PM , Blogger Kim said...

Hello....
Been having a look at your site and find the mushroom farming industry very interesting. My best mate Colin,who is a final year horticulture student, and I are keen on starting up our own farm in the Eastern Cape, and your thoughts, advise and comments will be greatly appreciated.
Kind regards
Kim Barnard

 
At February 26, 2008 at 10:51 PM , Blogger TK said...

My Name is TK, i have been wanting to have a mushroom farm ever since I standard 9 teacher explained the process, I then pursued a career in Biotechnology - obtained a Masters Degree, and did other degrees. To cut the story short I have had the passion for 2 decades, and I have decided to leave it. I am currently in JHB and would like to talk to you. Is it possible to get your email address?

 
At June 13, 2008 at 1:12 AM , Blogger gpenduka said...

hi sir.....
Eish I am deeply moved by your project. me and a friend are also moving along the same line in Zimbabwe tho, we really wanna change lives over this side. would appreciate any infor, insights on oyster production. my email is smush@breakthru.com

 
At July 13, 2008 at 11:26 AM , Blogger Unknown said...

May I use this opportunity to invite you to participate in the upcoming 2nd African Conference on Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms (www.asemm.org/accra2008). It is scheduled for Nov. 17-23, 2008 in Accra Ghana.

Omon. S. Isikhuemhen, PhD.

 
At August 7, 2008 at 6:56 PM , Blogger Unknown said...

Good day Sir,
My mother and I are looking into the gourmat mushroom farming. As she was a herbal farmer for many years, we are investigating the idee. Whould you be kind to contact me. litzea@yahoo.co.uk
Regards
Litzea

 
At October 9, 2008 at 1:31 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi I am interested in mushroom farming can you direct me to more data on the subject & what it requires?
Kind regards andy6909@gmail.com
Thanking you in anticipation

 
At October 19, 2008 at 2:49 PM , Blogger The Man said...

Hi everyone!

sorry for this late reply, but I have sold my mushroom farm.

See my latest post on the main page.

for thos of you who want to start, I wish you all the success.

two books you must get is from Paul Stammets. I cant remember the names but one book has a blue cover and the other has a black cover.

Do a search on Amazon.com and get them.

I wish you all the success!
MushroomMan

 
At May 13, 2009 at 10:57 PM , Blogger Lydia said...

Hello, I would like to immediately start mushroom farming, but have tried to get hold of a farm in Cape Town and surrounds just to learn. Do you know anyone in this area who can give lessons or training, hands on. Call 0829070739

 
At April 22, 2010 at 8:52 PM , Blogger ryan potgieter said...

hey, have been looking to do an article on mushroom farming in Gauteng for some time. I write for the farmers weekly magazine and was wondering if you could e mail me and discuss the above. orrock.robertsen@gmail.com

 
At April 23, 2010 at 8:08 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

We are starting a mushroom farm just waiting for fiance & then commence construction

Kind regards
Andrew Norton

 
At April 11, 2011 at 12:00 PM , Blogger Unknown said...

howzit

ive just sarted growing,straw and oystermushrooms in cambodia ive got 25000 bags and 50m of boxes all in thatch and wooden structures with fly screens and plastic sheeting it works really well its hot and humid here most of the year,i keep pest under control with lime powder,no chemicals at all.

 
At April 11, 2011 at 3:31 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

well done on the oyster mushrooms no chemicals is impressive just lime, that is great
regards

 
At June 5, 2011 at 4:46 AM , Blogger field of dreams farm said...

My wife and i grow organic bluberries in central florida and we are trying to find another crop that will sustain our income and we are very interseted in farming mushrooms but know very little about it we have no problems selling our berries so we dont think that selling our mushrooms will be an issue what we are looking for is someone we can possibly intern with at there farm to get the experience we need to take on this venture anyone that can help us please email me at sammylcueto@aol.com

 
At August 2, 2011 at 8:18 PM , Blogger joshua said...

hi there, i was thinking of growing mushrooms more as a hobby...but to get the right info is realy hard, if you could help me with the basics like where to buy the spores, maby i can eventually start...,e-mail joshuakoekemoer@gmail.com

 
At May 6, 2012 at 11:47 AM , Blogger Leon Fick said...

I have a oyster/shitaki mushroom farm for sale or to let near Stillbay,need some attention. Can do roughly 1000kg
per tunnel per 5 week cycle.For more info lafick@telkomsa.net
or 044-382 5458 / 082 550 4496

 
At August 10, 2012 at 10:29 AM , Blogger Unknown said...

hi leon

my name is jason i have a farm in cambodia but im looking at coming back to sa to grow oyster mushrooms there,how big is the farm and how much do u want for it,here is my e-mail jsnirvine@gmail.com.

many thanks
j

 
At August 10, 2012 at 10:32 AM , Blogger Unknown said...

hi leon

do u still have your farm for sale
im busy farming oyster mushrooms in cambodia at the moment but am looking to come back to sa soon.
how big is the farm and how much do u want for it.
here is my e-mail jsnirvine@gmail.com
thanks
jason

 
At May 1, 2014 at 9:09 AM , Blogger Unknown said...

hi im also producing substrates and am growing oyster mushrooms and other exotics for 2 years also in and around gauteng with tremendous success.i would dearly like to make contact with you in the hope of exchanging some ideas.regards bez
tel;0832667118 or meredithbez@gmail.com

 
At February 15, 2017 at 5:38 PM , Blogger mushroom ritz said...

Hello. Just came across this message. Let me know if you are still interested in mushroom farming. mushroomritz@Gmail.com

 
At February 15, 2017 at 5:40 PM , Blogger mushroom ritz said...

If you still interested nearly 8 years ago...lol.. contact me on mushroomritz@gmail.com

 
At February 15, 2017 at 5:41 PM , Blogger mushroom ritz said...

Good day. Have you started the farm. Kindly let me know. mushroomritz@gmail.com

 

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