The Mountain Meadow Mushroom Farm has been a partner of the hunger relief organization since 2019, donating organic mushrooms to help offset food insecurity
ESCONDIDO
To grow, pick and ship six million pounds of mushrooms each year requires lots of labor, total commitment, and the perfect compost recipe.
“If you make good compost you get lots of mushrooms, said Gary Crouch. “If you don’t make good compost you get no mushrooms.”
Crouch, who was recently named San Diego Farm Bureau Farmer of the Year, is owner of Mountain Meadow Mushroom north of Escondido. He said mushroom farming is like one big ongoing science project where everything has to be done just right.
It’s also very much a business, one that’s getting tougher and tougher to manage in California with all its labor laws and rules, he said.