The Fantastic World Of Fungi
Little Acre Gourmet Mushrooms on sustainable practices and food.
Photo Courtesy: Little Acre Gourmet Mushrooms.
More than five years ago the word “organic” became part of our day-to-day vocabulary. We were obsessed with eating clean and only consuming the best non-altered produce we could get our hands-on. However, there seemed to be a misconception of what organic meant. In our minds, if we got an organic apple it meant it had been grown on a remote farm in the middle of nowhere far away from big cities.
Food and ingredients have been decontextualized and with it, we were led to believe that the only way to support the environment, when it came to food, was to buy organic. The idea of a community garden where products could be farmed in the middle of the city or the possibility of us planting seeds or growing mushrooms in our own backyards was more of a hobby than a way of living. As we’ve become more educated and environmentally aware, there seems to be a rising trend when it comes to growing our own food.
We came across Little Acre Gourmet, a mushroom farm in the middle of Brisbane, Australia providing local restaurants and homes with the best produce as well as teaching people how to do DIY through online classes and mushroom growing kits.
Overall, mushrooms have become quite popular within plant-based diets as a source of protein and some of them are considered “superfoods”. Intrigued by their processes and flabbergasted by their success, we reached out to Mickey and Amy (owners) to talk about the importance of growing our own food and to learn a little bit about their mushroom world.
Photo Courtesy: Little Acre Gourmet Mushrooms.
Their obsession with fungi began when they were gifted an Oyster Mushroom Growing Kit as a Christmas present. They grew it in their little inner-city house in Brisbane on the kitchen bench. “I’d never eaten any mushrooms except the ordinary button mushrooms, which are most common in supermarkets in Australia.” Amy says. When they were ready to cook, both of them were surprised by the delicious nutty flavor and velvety texture.
Their business venture began when Micky, who has a science background, began researching more about mycelium and fungi. “He was fascinated with how the living mycelium was able to be in a state of hibernation before we fruited to kit”. Amy explains. It opened up a whole new world of fungi fascination and we started trying to grow mushrooms under our house. She says.
Mushrooms like Lion’s Mane and Reishi, are considered popular superfoods but in their opinion, King Brown, King Oyster and Chestnut mushrooms are the tastiest and have the most beautiful texture. “Most people think Kings are chewy but when they are super fresh, they aren’t chewy at all and are very versatile in cooking,” Amy explains. All mushrooms have great nutritional value, especially if you’re eating more of a plant-based diet. Mushrooms can be an excellent source of protein and Vitamins B and D.
As we got into what they believed were the best sustainable practices when it came to food, we ask them about their thoughts on buying organic or growing at home, which lead us to conclude that food has become a convenience rather than an experience.
“You just walk into a supermarket and choose whatever you want off the shelf. But this is an illusion of bounty. The food is traveling from all over to provide variety all year round so it’s not fresh, it’s not seasonal and because it’s convenient you don’t feel bad about wasting it.” Amy says. “If more people were growing even just a few things in their backyards or on their balconies, I think it would create more awareness of general food production and healthier habits around fresh food and choosing locally grown, seasonal produce rather than convenience”. Amy says. “Growing your own food is an incredibly rewarding experience. It connects you more deeply to the process and you have more of an appreciation for food that you don’t want to waste it”. She explains.
Going deeper into sustainable practices Amy and Mickey believe that the best way to be more involved and create change in our habits is by getting in touch with the local community garden or a permaculture group and start learning what grows well in the neighborhood. “Connecting with others, already growing food, and sharing local knowledge is the best source of information to encourage more community connections and self-sufficiency, which is where sustainability starts”. She says. For anyone interested in Mushroom Cultivation they recommend starting with books like Radical Mycology by Peter McCoy or Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms by Paul Stamets.
Video Courtesy: Little Acre Gourmet Mushrooms.