Specialty Mushrooms

Project Lead: Anu Rangarajan, Yolanda Gonzalez

Our project offers the leading extension resource for specialty mushroom cultivation on small farms in the United States.

Specialty mushrooms are defined by USDA as any species not belonging to the genus Agaricus (button, crimini, portabella). The most common specialty mushrooms produced are Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) and Oyster (Pleuterous ostreatus). Scroll down for our library of resources to help you grow better!

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Kacey Deamer / Cornell Small Farms Program

Demand for specialty mushrooms is rapidly rising, as consumers look to purchase more foods that are healthy, nutritious, and medicinal. There are methods to grow mushrooms outdoor systems on logs, stumps, and in beds, as well as indoor production techniques that can occur in a wide range of spaces on straw, sawdust, and other agricultural materials.

For urban growers, mushrooms offer a high value niche crop that can be grown in small spaces. For rural growers, the farm woodlot can be better utilized and healthy forests maintained while procuring materials for production.

Building a viable mushroom enterprise requires learning two skills; technical production and business planning. We help you develop both to meet your goals for production through factsheets and articles, guidebooks, videos, and opportunities to connect with other growers, industry suppliers, and more.

Click a button below to view our educational resources:

Project Partners

 

The Cornell Small Farms Program, with support from USDA-NIFA and USDA-SARE and alongside partners CCE Harvest NY, Fungi Ally, Farm School NYC, Just Food, and GrowNYC are engaged in a multi-year project to elevate and support diverse mushroom growers in the Northeast region. We are here to help! See our resources at this website, and get in touch.

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News and Updates

CCE Chenango Begins Work on Statewide Value Added Forest Products Initiative

By Tara Hammonds | April 3, 2017

Farmers and woodland owners have opportunities to generate income from their woodlands. by Rich Taber CCE Chenango has received a grant from the New York Farm Viability Institute “Increased Farm…

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Learn to grow mushrooms at 11th Annual Camp Mushroom

By Steve Gabriel | January 15, 2016

June 3 – 4 Hidden Valley Camp, Watkins Glen NY Friday 5 – 9pm, Saturday 9 am – 4pm Camp Mushroom is Cornell University’s annual two-day event for farmers, woodlot…

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Learn about Farm Scale Commercials Mushroom Production

By Tara Hammonds | January 7, 2016

Farm Scale Mushroom Cultivation (BF 150) Growing Shiitake and Other Mushrooms for Fun and Profit an online course through the Northeast Beginning Farmer Project Tues. February 23 – March 29,…

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Anu was appointed director the Cornell Small Farms Program in 2004. At the same time, she opened a U-pick strawberry farm in Freeville, NY. The experience of operating a small farm changed her entire approach to research and extension, and deepened her commitment to NY farms and local food systems.

Read Articles by Anu Rangarajan