Mushrooms are the original recyclers – they convert waste products from other agricultural sectors. Our growing medium includes hay, straw, corn cobs, cocoa shells, brewers’ grain, and cotton hulls. Once crops are harvested, the growing medium is upcycled into nitrogen-rich, nutrient-dense potting soil.
Other sustainability facts about mushrooms include:
- A pound of mushrooms requires only 1.8 gallons of water to grow. It takes 1000 times as much water, 1,800 gallons, to produce 1 pound of beef.
- Up to 1 million pounds of mushrooms can be grown on just one acre of land, due to the vertical use of space in our mushroom houses.
- It only takes 1 kilowatt hour of energy to grow a pound of mushrooms. Remember, they grow in the dark!
- Growing a pound of mushrooms generates only 0.7 pounds of CO2 equivalent emissions, about half that of wheat.
- With a growth cycle of 6-10 weeks, a mushroom farm can produce up to 8 crops a year. Each crop is harvested in 3 ‘breaks’, so some growing medium and equipment can be cleaned and reused for multiple crops!
To learn more about the Sustainability of Mushroom Production: