2016 Mushroom Festival & Visitors Guide

31st Annual

Mushroom Festival Visitors’ Guide September 10 - 11, 2016 Complimentary Copy

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4 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

6

Overview of the 2016 Mushroom Festival

20

Profile of Guest and Caputo

26

D’Amico named honorary chairperson of the 2016 Mushroom Festival

28

Oakshire continues to be an innovator in the industry

34

Meet the mushrooms

40

Jen Basciani organizes celebrity chefs

44

31 interesting facts about mushrooms

48

Spotlight on Laurel Valley Farms

56

John R. Stinson and Sons

59

Schedule of events and map

64

Mushroom Festival awards grants to organizations

67

Carozzo and Lafferty

72

Mushrooms—preparation and nutrition

75

Sponsor list

76

2015’s Amateur Mushroom Cook-Off winning recipe

78

Who makes the best mushroom soup?

84

All aboard the Moe Train

92

Photo Essay

106 Visitors’ Guide to Chester County’s attractions

6 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

There’s a little bit of new mixed with some old favorites

By Carla Lucas The Mushroom Festival gained a national reputation as one of the best food festivalss in the U.S. It achieved this status over its 31-year history by building on tradition, changanging with the times, and always finding new ways to celebrate the mushroom in Kennett nett Square, the Mushroom Capital of the World. This year is no exception. Many of the tradiadith a tional events associated with this annual fungi celebration return for another year with couple of tweaks that may make them even more interesting. n) is Kennett Square native and professional eater, Monty Wiradilaga, Jr., (a.k.a. Moe Train) wer organizing this year’s National Fried Mushroom Eating Championship, one of the newer nds and most popular events of the Mushroom Festival. He’s encouraging his pro-eating friends to take a stab at the world record of devouring 11.5 pounds of mushrooms in eight minnett utes, while at the same time encouraging all residents within a 15-mile radius of Kennett Square to compete for a new local champion title. Come cheer all the contestants in the ant?

Special Events Tent on Saturday, Sept. 10 at 3 p.m. Want to be a last-minute contestant?

Come to the Special Events Tent between 1 and 2 p.m. to see if any slots are available.

The first event of the Mushroom Festival, the Amateur Mushroom Cook-Off is now a qualifying event of the World Food Championship. The winner of the Mushroom Festival’s cook-off will win a golden ticket to compete against 400 other competitive cooks at the World Food Championship this November in Orange Beach, Alabama. They will have the opportunity to win additional cash prizes, including the $100,000 grand prize. The theme Photo by Becca Gray for the Recipe Division of the Mushroom hats are popular to wear while strolling the Festival.

World Food Championship and the Amateur Mushroom CookOff is “Breakfast.” The six finalists will start cooking at 10:30 a.m. Judging is at 11:30 a.m., shortly after that the winner will be announced. All are invited to cheer the contestants on as they create such dishes as Mushroom Stuffed Omelet Waffles with Cheesy Mushroom Drizzle, Sunnyside of ‘Shrooms, and Mushroom Biscuit Egg Sandwich with Mushroom Ragu.

Over at the Antique and Classic Car Show, they are expecting some spectacular cars spanning the last 100 years. Stroll along Broad Street and chat with proud car owners about their unique vehicles—everything from old Continued on Page 8

Photo by Chris Herring

Guests stroll down State Street and linking side streets to what the nearly 250 vendors are offering.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS 7

8 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

The Mushroom Festival Continued from Page 6

delivery vans, to hot rods, to beautifully restored classic cars. New this year, the Antique and Classic Car Show is featuring two car clubs. Since Festival Saturday is also the start of Drive Electric Week, members of the MD Volt and the Eastern Electric Vehicle Club will show their electric rides together on the second block of the Show. It will be a great opportunity to talk with these drivers of electric cars about their modern day experiences. Also on display with the electric cars will be a restored 1916 Rausch and Lang electric car from the Marshall Steam Museum at Auburn Heights, in Yorklyn, Delaware. The Antique and Classic Car Show is only on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is located on Broad Street from E. Cypress to Mulberry Street.

Extend your stay in Kennett Square on Saturday with the Saturday Evening Concert in the Special Events Tent. This year’s concert features two well-known regional artists: Christine Havrilla, of Philadelphia, and Mason Porter, of West Chester. Christine is known for her unique musical style, a blend of folk, rock and country, as she tours the country as a solo act or with her band, Gypsy Fuzz. She’ll take the stage solo for the Mushroom Festival’s concert and present a combination of new and classic songs. Mason Porter’s high energy bluegrass-country-rock sound will lift

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Judging 2015’s Amateur Cook-off were celebrity chefs Fabio Viviani and Lisa Keys.

your spirits and keep your toes tapping for the second half of the evening. Discounted advanced sale tickets are available from the Mushroom Festival’s website (mushroomfestival. org) and includes a coupon for a free admission wristband.

Come early, enjoy the Festival and stay for the show. Gates open at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10. Concert starts at 7:30 p.m.

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The Mushroom Festival Continued from Page 8

Make sure to visit the Cute-As-A-Button (mushroom) Baby Photo Contest this year. This annual lighthearted competition is to crown 2016’s “Cutest Button” (6 to 15 months old), “Cutest Crimini” (15 months to 24 months) and “Cutest Portabella” (24 months to 36 months). Each contestant/ photograph has a donation jar where the public “votes” with their pocket change. The photograph that collects the most money is named this year’s “Cutest.” New this year, all donations will go to the A. I. DuPont Children’s Hospital through WSTW’s “Help Our Kids” radiothon. Stop by with some pocket change, vote for your favorites and help the children at A. I. DuPont at the same time.

New this year at the Mushroom Run and Fun Gus Walk, electronic timing chips. For all the serious runners, this annual event is stepping up its game with more accurate and instant results. Runners of the 5K course know the course is a little more challenging than it looks as the course starts on a slight downhill course along the Red Clay Creek.

The slight uphill return is a good workout to start Festival Sunday. There’s a good chance the Festival’s mascot, Fun Gus, will make an appearance to start his Festival Sunday with the walkers. Registration opens in front of Kennett High School at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 10. The race

Photo by Chris Herring

Local mushroom growers staff the Mushroom Sales Booth and help guests determine what types of mushrooms to try.

kicks-off promptly at 8:30 a.m. for the 5K and 8:35 a.m. for the 2-mile walk.

Children’s Entertainment continues to add new activities for all to enjoy. This year StiltGirl (Samantha Hyman) will be in the center of town from 1 to 3 p.m. to meet and greet all Continued on Page 16

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS 11

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It’s hard to believe that this is our 31st year celebrating Pennsylvania’s number-one cash crop—the mushrooms—in Kennett Square. The Festival has earned the reputation as one of the best food festival’s in the country, and it is a great family event. Each year, in just a few short hours, a huge festival pops up throughout the Borough and welcomes thousands of visitors from near and far. It is through the combined efforts of our volunteers, sponsors, the community and the mushroom industry that it is possible. Thank you to all that play a part in making this happen.

In 2016, the Mushroom Festival made a sizable donation to support the research with mushrooms of Dr. Shiuan Chen, the City of Hope’s Chairman of Cancer Biology.

Dr. Chen is researching natural, less toxic substances that will suppress and/or reduce prostrate and breast cancer cells. We’ve recently posted a video on our Facebook page outlining the research that explains how mushrooms have reduced PSA levels in prostrate cancer patients. I’m thrilled that the Mushroom Festival’s support will enable them to continue their research. It amazes me that what started as a little small town celebration is contributing

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The Mushroom Festival’s impact stretches well beyond our September celebration. Through the Mushroom Festival’s Grant Program, we have awarded over $805,000 in grants since 2000, the first year the festival gave awards. Kathi Lafferty shows a couple This April, we awarded of the t-shirts she sells at The Mushroom Cap, one of Kennett $85,000 to 47 unique Square’s landmarks. nonprofit organizations to enable them to improve and/or continue their work throughout the region.

We’re looking forward to seeing you Sept. 11 and 12!

Don’t forget about our community parade with Dining and Dancing in the Streets on Friday, Sept. 9, too.

Kathi Lafferty Festival Coordinator

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16 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

The Mushroom Festival Continued from Page 10

guests. Miss Denise, the Happy Clown will return to the children’s rides area to make balloon sculptures for the younger crowd. Entertainment on the children’s stage includes the return of festival favorites, Dan and Galla, Josh Horton, and Larry Denberg (Check out the full schedule in the center of this guide).

The Culinary Tent has a great schedule of chefs. Saturday features Jen Daskevich, World Food Champion & Founder of Sandwich America, Christina Verelli, local competitive cook, food blogger, and on air guest for KitchenAid on QVC and MacGregor Mann, head chef and owner of Junto, Chadds Ford. Sunday brings Jen Daskevich back, with Robbie Jester, the head chef Stone Balloon Ale House in Newark, Del., John Moeller, former White House Executive Chef, now cookbook author and owner of State of Affairs Catering and Natalie Jenks, local caterer and owner of Natalie’s Fine Foods food truck.

As you cruise along the Street Fair, which will be filled with nearly 250 vendors, take a few minutes to stop by the rest of the Festival’s featured events. Check out the creativity of local artists at the Painted Mushroom Silent Auction; there’s even a People’s Choice contest for you to vote for your favorite painted mushroom. Rest your feet a while and listen to some great local music at the Community Stage on Lafayette Street. Another great place to take a break is at the Masonic Lodge and have a cup of traditional mushroom soup, based on an old family recipe from Continued on Page 18

Photo by Carla Lucas

Fun Gus, the Mushroom Festival’s mascot makes sporadic visits to the street fair. You can usually catch him in the center of town mid-afternoon each day.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS 17

18 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

The Mushroom Festival Continued from Page 16

one of the area’s growers. Sunday, the Soup and Wine Event returns to the Special Events Tent with mushroom soup tastings from many local restaurants and wine tastings from the region’s wineries.

Other mushroom-related fun includes the Growers’ Exhibit. It is the best way to learn about how mushrooms grow from the area’s mushroom growers. Be sure to stop by a Mushroom Sales Tent to place your order for fresh mushrooms to take home. They’ll stay fresh in refrigerated trucks until you are ready to leave. Another great place to get fresh mushrooms is at Mushroom Judging event on Sunday. Once the mushrooms ribbons are awarded, the mushrooms are sold.

Be there between 1 and 1:30 p.m. to snatch up some prize-winning mushrooms.

Together, all the events whether the same as previous years or tweaked a little for something new gives everyone – young and old – a great way to celebrate the delicious varieties of commercial mushrooms grown in Southern Chester County.

Photo by Carla Lucas

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Masters of mushrooms Jeff Guest and Louis Caputo’s four companies work together in the exotic mushroom market, producing 200,000 pounds a week

By Carla Lucas Correspondent Jeff “Herbie” Guest and Louis James Caputo met when Guest started dating Caputo’s sister, Connie, while attending Kennett High School. In 1977, they formed Caputo and Guest Mushrooms and started growing white button mushrooms in three mushroom doubles. Guest and Connie married two years later. The business partnership continued to grow. By 1987, Caputo and Guest had increased their production to 12 doubles.

Today, Caputo and Guest have about 250 employees and are growing mushrooms in about 100 mushroom houses scattered all around Southern Chester County. In 2014, they opened a facility in Ft. Pierce, Fla. They are also the leading supplier of shiitake logs and specialty bags for other growers to grow exotic mushrooms across the country.

Now in their 40th year of business together, Caputo and The growing process starts at the sawdust wharf. This sawdust is the basis for the mushroom-growing medium.

Jeff ‘Herbie’ Guest and Lou Caputo stand beside one of their trucks as mushrooms are loaded from one of their original growing houses.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS 21

Guest own four affiliated companies that together are one of the U.S. mushroom industry’s leaders in the production of fresh, exotic mushrooms. Kennett Square Specialties grows shiitake mushrooms, maitake, reishi, pom pom, and pioppino, and produces shiitake logs. Caputo and Guest Mushrooms grows portabello, crimini and shiitake mushrooms. Highland Oyster grows yellow, gray and pink oyster mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms, and produces bags for other growers.

Kennett Square Specialties Sales is the distribution and sales company for their three mushroom-growing companies.

Each week, more than 200,000 pounds of exotic mushrooms leave their growing houses, bound for stores, farmers markets and restaurants across the country.

Another 100,000 growing logs and bags a week are sold to other growers each week.

“It was a lot of hard work, with a little luck and a little help,” Caputo said about the success of their companies. “Our company is successful because of our employees. George Carpiet mentored us, and taught us the importance of labor and how to treat people.”

By 1989, the partners realized the white button market, their primary crop at the Kennett Square Specialties makes their own spawn for growing specialty mushrooms. time, was becoming over-saturated. To keep the business growing, it was time to diversify. They added crimini and portabellas to their growing operation.

“I started fooling around with [growing] shiitake mushrooms,” said Guest, who purchased the growing logs from Lambert Spawn until he began to make his own. Guest worked with Dr. Dan Royce at Penn State to improve their exotic mushroom growing operation.

The exotic mushroom market was in its infancy in Kennett Square in the 1990s. The growers were able to produce the portabellas and shiitakes in large quantities, but there was little demand for them. In 1991, Caputo and Guest partnered with Rich Angelucci to form Pennsylvania Exotic Mushrooms Sales to sell and distribute the portabella caps and shiitake mushrooms they were growing. They sold this company to Phillips Mushrooms in 1996. Kennett Square Caputo and Guest operate three facilities dedicated to producing the logs Continued on Page 22

Harvested king oyster mushrooms will be taken to the Kennett Square Specialty Sales distribution center for packaging and shipping.

that maitake, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms are grown on.

Maitake mushrooms, ready for harvest.

22 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

Masters of Mushrooms Continued from Page 21

Specialties was formed shortly thereafter to continue their shiitake log sales and mushroom production.

It was at Penn State where Guest met graduate student Qing Chen, who was doing his doctorate thesis on commercial maitake production. Guest hired him to come to Kennett Square to make the exotic mushroom spawn critical to growing quality crops with high yields on each log.

Dr. Chen now supervises the entire exotic growing operation, and his wife, Wendy, a micro-biologist, grows the company’s spawn.

Guest said there is a balancing act in introducing new varieties to the commercial market. For example, when they became good at growing maitake mushrooms there was no demand for the product “We were throwing the maitakes away,” Guest recalled. Now demand for maitake is great.

Guest is working to create a market for the royal trumpet or king oyster mushrooms he is growing successfully.

Caputo and Guest’s foray into Florida is another way the company diversified. There is a strong, high-end, farm-totable market in the Miami area for fresh, exotic mushrooms.

Kennett Square Specialties is supplying that need.

“It is just as easy to grow mushrooms in Florida, because all you need to plan for is air conditioning,” Guest said.

Continued on Page 24

Mushrooms are harvested daily by hand. Here, oyster mushrooms are placed into bulk containers for distribution.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS 23

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Masters of Mushrooms Continued from Page 22

Randy Lieberman, R President Chris Alonzo, Vice President Michelle Gazdik, M Treasurer Gina Puoci, Secretary JJennifer Basciani Gus Carozzo Lori Gebert Carla Lucas Bill McDougall B John Morris Vicki Pollert Kathi Lafferty, Festival Coordinator Fes

“Growing in Pennsylvania, you worry about heating in the winter and cooling in the summer.”

“Herbie and I always got along,” Caputo said. “We did not get greedy or worry about what the other person was doing.

We trusted each other.”

A division of labor allows each partner to bring the best out for their combined companies. Caputo concentrates on the portabella growing operations and real estate, while Guest concentrates on growing the exotics.

They each have three children working in the company.

Both of their oldest children -- Jeff Guest, Jr., and Louis A. Caputo -- run Kennett Square Specialties Sales. Brian Guest, Steven Caputo, David Guest, and Mark Caputo are all involved with one of the aspects of the businesses.

This August, Caputo and Guest broke ground on a new exotic mushroom growing operation on 16 acres on Ways Lane in Kennett Square. A total of 38 growing houses designed for growing the various varieties of exotic mushrooms is planned. By next spring, the first 22 mushroom houses will be in operation. Once the new houses are complete, the older growing houses scattered throughout Southern Chester County will be consolidated at the new site.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS 25

Hannah Kelleher designed the 31st Annual Mushroom Festival T-shirt. She is known for her whimsical watercolors of animals, but has started branching out into painting florals.

She is a Kennett Square native, graduating with the Class of 2008 from Kennett High School. She received her fine arts degree from the Delaware College of Art and Design. Watercolor and calligraphy are her specialties.

Hannah works at Philter, on State Street in Kennett Square.

Many of the window displays there are her creations. Learn more and see her work at hannahkelleher.com.

T-shirts and posters are available at the Souvenir Booth (at the corner of State and Broad streets) during the Mushroom Festival. Stop by The Mushroom Cap (114 W. State St.) the week before the festival to purchase yours early and wear it at the festival.

Photo by Carla Lucas

Hannah Kelleher designed this year’s Mushroom Festival souvenir T-shirt.

26 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

31st Annual Mushroom Festival’s Honorary Chair: Louise D’Amico’s support for the Mushroom Festival is undeniable over the past 30 years. Her enthusiasm is contagious. For all that she does to support and promote the Mushroom Festival, D’Amico was named the 31st Mushroom Festival’s Honorary Chair.

D’Amico’s name appears throughout the early records of the Mushroom Festival taking on committee chair roles. In the recent years she’s led the effort to organize the staffing of the Mushroom Sales Booths and Mushroom Pick-up Trucks.

She was the first to bring Fun Gus, the Festival’s mascot, to life. She could be found walking the streets of town during the Festival sweating inside the furry, 8-foot tall and wide costume or holding on for dear life on a float or in the back of a car for a parade.

Her family’s business, ToJo Mushrooms, is a strong supporter of the Mushroom Festival. Their trucks can be found throughout the Festival filled with all the area growers’ mushrooms ready for guests to take home. Her sons, Tony and Joey, run the family business. Her daughter, Anita, has a law practice in Kennett Square.

D’Amico was completely surprised and speechless (a rarity) when her name was announced as this year’s Honorary Chair. She recovered quickly and asked, “So what do I need to do as the Honorary Chair?” The answer: Be yourself.

Wave to her as she leads off the Mushroom Festival’s Community Parade on Friday, Sept. 9, 2016.

Photos by Carla Lucas

Surrounded by family and friends, Louise D’Amico is surprised when her name is announced as the 31st Annual Mushroom Festival’s Honorary Chair.

One of the highlights of Louise’s Fun Gus career was being interviewed for a QVC segment.

28 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

Oakshire continues to be an innovator in the mushroom industry

By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer Innovation has been a constant in the 31-year history of Oakshire Mushroom Farm.

Gary Schroeder, the founder and CEO, developed an entirely new way of commercially growing shiitake mushrooms that enabled him to start Oakshire and lead the company to become an industry leader.

More recently, the company introduced Vitamin D innovations for fresh mushrooms, creating new marketing opportunities that highlighted some of the many health

Courtesy photo

The Oakshire packing facility management team

benefits of mushrooms. And more than 15 years ago, Oakshire became the exclusive North American licensee of the DOLE® brand for fresh mushrooms. With these marketing, branding, and technological innovations, Oakshire has earned a unique place in Chester County’s leading industry.

“We pride ourselves on innovation,” explained Quintin Schroeder, the company’s vice president who joined his father’s business in 2011 as the supply chain manager after handling similar duties for Kimberly Clark. “We’re always looking for innovative ways to improve our processes. Innovation is what led to our creation, and it’s something that we will always pride ourselves on.”

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS 29

The Schroeder family has a long history in agriculture. Gary Schroeder’s father, Morris, was a professor of agricultural engineering at Pennsylvania State University. Gary graduated from Penn State University with a master’s degree in plant pathology in 1980 and started working in the mushroom industry shortly thereafter. Within five years, he was ready to start his own mushroom company. In the beginning, the focus at Oakshire was on growing mushrooms. The company still takes great pride in its farming efforts with farm sites in Avondale and Toughkenamon.

Gary Schroeder started growing shiitake mushrooms early in the company’s history—at a time when shiitake mushrooms were growing in popularity. Oakshire helped develop the market for this variety of mushroom. The company later added portobellos to their repertoire. While growing has always been an important part of Oakshire’s overall business, it is not what they are primarily known for.

“Relative to the other companies in the area,” Schroeder explained, “we currently have a small growing operation.”

The company’s fresh packaging division has a nationwide reach that packages mushrooms not only the DOLE brand, perhaps the most respected name in produce, but also under the OAKSHIRE® and private label brands as well. The mushrooms packaged by Oakshire end up on the store shelves of more than 3,000 grocery stores and hundreds of food-service outlets around the country.

“We’re truly nationwide,” Schroeder explained. “We service customers throughout the U.S.” Oakshire also works with some independent growers in the local area, purchasing their pounds, packaging and sending them to customers. “The relationship with independent growers is highly valued and very important for us,” Schroeder said.

The long-standing relationship between Oakshire and Dole has also been critically important through the years.

According to Schroeder, it was his father who approached Dole about becoming the exclusive licensee for fresh mushrooms in North America, and the partnership was formally established in 2001.

“It’s really been a wonderful relationship for us,” Schroeder explained. “Dole is the most trusted name in produce.”

Oakshire’s spawn division, Golden Oak, has had a large impact on the shiitake Continued on Page 30

Courtesy photo

Company vice president Quintin Schroeder with his father, Gary, the founder and CEO of Oakshire.

Courtesy photo

Crimini are picked fresh every day at Oakshire’s farm.

Courtesy photo

The Oakshire business has several divisions focusing on different aspects of its operations. This is the team behind the success of the Golden Oak division.

30 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

Oakshire

Courtesy photo

Continued from Page 29

mushroom market. Golden Oak produces shiitake logs that are sold to commercial farms and are used to grow more than 30 percent of all fresh shiitake mushrooms in the U.S. “We have the best-producing shiitake log on the market,” Schroeder explained.

The company has always been on the forefront of new ways to market mushrooms.

In 2008, Gary Schroeder patented a process by which portobello mushrooms that are briefly exposed to ultraviolet light develop 100 percent of the daily value of Vitamin D. A year later, after introducing Vitamin D portobellos to the fresh mushroom market, the company was presented with Good Housekeeping magazine’s Very Innovative Product Award for 2009.

Looking toward the future, the health benefits of mushrooms will likely become an even more important factor for growth in the industry.

“It’s great to have the concentration of mushroom companies locally because we can help each other,” Schroeder explained. “It’s one of the things that helps keep the industry so vibrant.”

Another component of the mushroom industry’s success is the family-like atmosphere that is so common for companies in this area.

Schroeder said that the company’s employees have played a very important part in Oakshire’s success through the years. Brian Kiniry now serves as the president of the company. Stephen Anania is the director of the spawn operations. And Donna Garrett is the company’s longtime customer service manager.

To contact Staff Writer Steven Hoffman, email editor@chestercounty.com.

One of Oakshire’s shiitake logs, ready for harvest.

Courtesy photo

Oakshire packages mushrooms under the OAKSHIRE®, DOLE® and private label brand names.

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS 31

Research Update:

White Button Mushrooms’ Role in Breast and Prostate Cancer Development Dr. Shiuan Chen’s research at City of Hope, Duarte, CA, has investigated the role of white button mushrooms on hormone dependent breast and prostate cancer for over a decade. Through its grant program, the Mushroom Festival is supporting his continued research.

Breast Cancer Findings Approximately 60 percent of premenopausal and 75 percent of postmenopausal women have estrogen-dependent breast cancer. Aromatase, the enzyme that helps produce estrogen in breast cancer cells and/or surrounding fatty

connective tissue, may influence tumor development and growth in these breast cancer patients. Our preclinical studies have demonstrated that white button mushroom (WBM; Agaricus bisporus) intake slows down the progression of Continued on Page 32

32 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

Research Update Continued from Page 31

breast cancer in both cell and animal mice models by inhibiting aromatase. In a small clinical trial, we found that the equivalent of 130 g fresh mushrooms slightly inhibited aromatase – therefore we continue to work on identifying a white button strain with higher aromatase activity.

Prostrate Cancer Findings In addition, previous preclinical research from our laboratory found that white button mushrooms contain compounds that can suppress androgen production and the spread of prostate cancer cells. In the U.S. each year about 50,000 men with prostate cancer experience a rise in prostate-specific antigen levels (PSA). In a small clinical trial, we evaluated the ability of white button mushrooms to prevent recurrent prostate cancer by slowing down the increase in PSA. We found that participants could tolerate well about 140 g of mushrooms a day and experienced about on average an 11 percent decline in PSA levels. A small number of participants experienced complete suppression of PSA. These findings suggest an important need to continue research into the role of white button mushrooms on prostate cancer.

About Dr. Shiuan Chen Shiuan Chen, PhD, is Chair and Professor, Department of Cancer Biology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, one of only 45 Comprehensive Cancer Centers designated by the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Chen focuses on cancer prevention in general, breast cancer translational research (translating findings from the clinic to the community through various health disciplines) and investigating the role of natural food products in cancer prevention. Dr. Chen received his undergraduate degree in chemistry from the National Taiwan College of Marine Science, Taiwan, Republic of China, and his Ph.D degree in biochemistry from the University of Hawaii, Honolulu. He has authored over 100 papers in the area of cancer research.

34 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

A gar-i-cus (uh-gar-i-kuhs): gill fungi having brown spores that include several edible species like button, crimini and portabella.

Por·ta·bel·la (pawr-tuh-bel-uh): a mature, very large crimini mushroom, Agaricus bisporus.

Portabellas are mature agaricus mushrooms where the veil has opened and the gills are exposed.

Oyster (oi-ster): an edible fungus having an oyster-shaped cap, Pleurotus ostreatus.

The yellow oyster is described as delicate like a daffodil and could be used as a centerpiece.

Beech (beech): crisp, firm fleshed fungi with short stems, Hypsizygus tessulatus.

In nature, the beech mushroom is found high up in the yokes of trees. It is cultivated on jars filled with corn cobs.

Royal Trumpet (roi-uhl truhm-pit): has a trumpet shaped tan cap and thick, white stem, also called King Oyster, Pleurotus eryngii.

The Royal Trumpet mushroom is the largest species of the oyster mushroom.

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Button (buht-n): a usually small white mushroom in which the pileus has not yet expanded, Agaricus bisporus

Pom Pom (pom-pom): white sphere fungi with soft spines and no stem, Hericium erinaceus

Shiitake (shee-ee-tah-key): a large, meaty, black or dark brown mushroom, other common names are Golden Oak, Black Forest and Oakwood, Lentinus edodes.

As both food and medicine, the shiitake has been revered in Asia for thousands of years.

It grows in the Far East on fallen broadleaf trees, include the “shii” tree in Japan.

Cri·mi·ni (kruh-mee-nee): an edible, dark-brown mushroom with a rounded cap, Agaricus bisporus.

The crimini is an immature portabella, picked before the gills are exposed. It is known by many names including baby portabella, baby bella, Roman mushroom, Italian mushroom and brown mushroom.

Maitake (my-tah-key): rippling, tan shaped mushroom without caps, also called Hen of the Woods, Grifola frondosa.

In Japanese “maitake” translates to dancing mushroom.

In other parts of the world this mushroom that grows at the base of trees in the wild is called Hen-of-the-Woods, Ram’s Head and Sheep’s Head.

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36 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

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40 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

Presiding over some top competition Jen Basciani organizes celebrity chefs for each year’s Mushroom Festival

By John Chambless Staff Writer Every year, some superstars of the culinary world come to Kennett Square, thanks to the year-long efforts of Jen Basciani and her team.

Basciani oversees the competitors in the Culinary Tent who are vying for a spot at the World Food Championships, as well as lining up chefs from top TV shows and competitions to share their tips with the crowd at the Mushroom Festival for the past seven years.

“I enlisted help from Lisa Keys, who is a ‘Chopped’ champion from Kennett Square,” she said. “She’s been to the World Food Championships, and has participated in it herself, so she is the one who got me in touch with them to set up the Mushroom Festival as a qualifying event.”

Contestants this year have to make a breakfast meal including mushrooms. “We have narrowed it down to the top six,” Basciani said. “They will come and participate in the Amateur Cookoff on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. in the Special Events Tent.

The judges will decide. The first place winner will get a golden ticket,” she said, holding up the gleaming ticket. “It automatically sends them to the World Food Championships in Alabama in November.”

Judging the contest each year is a revolving lineup of local chefs, dignitaries and even people in the audience, she said.

“One of the judges this year is Jennifer Daskevich. She founded Sandwich America. Lisa Keys knows her from the World Food Championships. She is coming to do some demonstrations for us, and she’s also going to do the judging.”

Since the Kennett Square competition has such prestige, Basciani gets plenty of submissions from around the country. “We threw a wrench into it this year by having breakfast as the challenge,” she said, smiling. “We had a lot of really good entries.

Some of them were really surprising. For example, a Savory Mushroom French Toast with a Warm Honey Miso Syrup. This year we had 23 entries, and we had to narrow it down to six.”

Each recipe has been taste-tested, Basciani said, guaranteeing

Photo by John Chambless

Jen Basciani, at the Basciani Mushrooms headquarters in Avondale, with a mural painted by family member Bill Basciani.

a strong field of competitors.

Basciani, who grew up in Avondale, could hardly have escaped the mushroom business. She has come from many generations of mushroom growers on both sides of her family.

Jen is married to Vince Basciani, who oversees the Growers Exhibit each year at the Mushroom Festival.

Working with a team, Vince sets up displays that explain the process of growing mushrooms, and recruits other expert volunteers to meet the public during the festival. He’s been doing it for about 17 years.

Jen is a busy mom with two young children, and she also volunteers daily at their school, Assumption B.V.M.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS 41

in West Grove. Still, she finds time each year to volunteer for the Mushroom Festival. “I love it,” she said. “The board of directors sometimes changes, but most of us have been around for a while and it’s a good group of people to work with. We start in May with getting everything together. But really, once we finish the Mushroom Festival in September, we just keep going all year. It doesn’t really stop. There is a little bit of downtime over the winter, but there’s always something to work on.”

Her contacts in the world of chefs and mushrooms opens some doors to booking celebrity chefs each year to the Culinary Tent. “They’re always so open to doing it. They all love to do it, and a lot of them are willing to come back,” she said. “And it’s good publicity for them – especially the local ones, when there’s people in the audience who want to know where they can go and get that dish, right then.”

At her own home, Jen said that some of the past mushroom soup contest winners are favorite recipes, as well as some of the mushroom appetizers. “We eat mushrooms at least once a week,” she said. “My kids love mushrooms. They want to snag some raw mushrooms as a snack. They love them just like that.”

To contact Staff Writer John Chambless, email jchambless@chestercounty.com.

This year’s schedule on the Giorgi Kitchen Stage in the Culinary Tent on Broad Street will be: Saturday, September 10 10:30 a.m.: Amateur Mushroom Cook-off (held in the Special Events Tent on Willow Street) 12:30 p.m.: Jennifer Daskevich, a World Food Champion and founder of Sandwich America.

2 p.m.: Christina Verelli, local competitive cook, food blogger, and on-air guest for KitchenAid on QVC. 3:15 p.m.: Jennifer Daskevich 4:30 p.m.: MacGregor Mann, head chef and owner of Junto in Chadds Ford

Sunday, September 11 10:30 a.m.: Robbie Jester, head chef at Stone Balloon Ale House in Newark, Del. Noon: Jennifer Daskevich 2 p.m.: John Moeller, former White House executive chef, now a cookbook author and owner of State of Affairs Catering 3:15 p.m.: Natalie Jenks, local caterer and owner of Natalie’s Fine Foods food truck

42 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS 43

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44 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

By Steve Hoffman and Maggie Horgan The Mushroom Festival is celebrating its 31st anniversary in Kennett Square in 2016, so to commemorate the special occasion, here is a list of 31 interesting facts about mushrooms.

1 2

J.B. Swayne is credited with starting mushroom-growing in the United States, and where did Mr. Swayne cultivate these mushrooms? Kennett Square, of course.

Mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of certain fungi---the equivalent of the apple, not the tree. Fungi, including those which produce mushrooms, are not plants; they are related to molds, mildews, rusts, and yeasts, and are classified in the Fungi Kingdom.

3

Mushroom farmers process a number of agricultural byproducts to create a nutrient-dense growing medium that can be used as a soil amendment after the mushroom growing process.

4

Only Pharaohs in ancient Egypt were allowed to eat mushrooms because it was believed that the mushrooms appeared magically overnight. It was speculated at the time that lightning may have created the mushrooms.

Continued on Page 46

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Mushroom Facts Continued from Page 44

5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Mushrooms were utilized initially as a kind of medicine, not as a food source.

Mushrooms have been eaten for thousands of years and can grow almost anywhere.

The first recorded effort to cultivate mushrooms occurred around 1700 in France.

Mushroom growing in the United States began after the Civil War. At first, the growing seasons were very short.

Mushroom production has also become increasingly high-tech with more and more computers being used to monitor production at each step.

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The American Mushroom Institute, which is now headquartered in Washington, D.C., was founded right here in Chester County in the 1950s.

There are literally thousands of different mushroom species grown around the world. Only twenty or so are cultivated for commercial purposes, though.

12 13 14 15

The average American eats about four pounds of mushrooms every year, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.

16

The humungous fungus: The largest living organism ever found is a honey mushroom, Armillaria ostoyae. It covers 3.4 square miles of land in the Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon, and it’s still growing!

17

According to the Mushroom Council, the United States is the second biggest producer of mushrooms. China is the number one grower of the crop.

18 19

Portabella mushrooms, known for their meat-like texture and flavor, can reach a size of six inches in diameter.

Almost any mushroom, except for the regular white, is considered to be an exotic.

One portabella mushroom has more potassium than a banana.

Fresh mushrooms don’t freeze well. If it is necessary to freeze them, first sauté them with butter or oil in a non-stick pan. Then cool slightly before freezing them in an airtight container.

Mushrooms are low in calories and contain no fat or sodium. They are a very popular ingredient in salads.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS 47

20

An extract (Lentinan) from shiitake (for centuries called “Elixir of Life” ) has been licensed as an anti-cancer drug by the Japanese FDA. Lentinan has shown some effect on bowel cancer, liver cancer, stomach cancer, ovarian cancer and lung cancer.

21

Under the proper conditions, some mushroom spores can sit dormant for decades or longer, and still grow.

22

Mushrooms are one of the most difficult commodities to grow. It is very labor intensive to produce a consistent, high-quality crop.

23

In 1990, the Mushroom Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act was passed by Congress to strengthen the mushroom industry’s position in the marketplace, maintain and expand existing markets and uses for mushrooms, and develop new markets and uses for mushrooms. In 1993, the Mushroom Council was established to achieve the goals of this act.

24 25

Mushrooms love the dark.

They thrive on it.

26

Fungi recycle plants after they die and transform them into rich soil. If not for mushrooms and fungi, the Earth would be buried in several feet of debris.

27

Mushrooms grow from spores, not seeds, and a single mature mushroom may drop as many as 16 billion spores.

28

In some ways, mushrooms are more closely related to animals than plants because they take in oxygen for their digestion and metabolism and “exhale” carbon dioxide as a waste product.

29 30

Early Romans referred to mushrooms as the “food of the gods.”

31

The national trend over the last two decades has been for more mushrooms to be grown by fewer, but larger, companies. This is because of the high costs of doing business.

There are over 38,000 varieties of mushrooms available, over 3,000 in North America alone, with varying colors, textures and flavors. There are so many varieties of mushrooms, both edible and toxic, that mass consumption is pretty much limited to those commercially-grown varieties which can be trusted to be edible. Mushrooms are available fresh, dried, and in powder form.

Mushrooms are high in nutrition and have less calories and fat than some meats.

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48 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

Spotlight on Laurel Valley Soils

Courtesy photo

Once a crop of mushrooms has been harvested, Laurel Valley Soils re-purposes and up-cycles the postharvest mushroom compost to be utilized for another round of growth.

By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer Healthy soils yield healthy crops. That’s as true in mushroom growing as it is anywhere else, and Laurel Valley Farms has played an important role helping some of the largest mushroom companies in the industry by producing a highquality compost that helps produce better crops.

“When you make mushroom compost, there’s a recipe and it’s very strictly followed because mushrooms like it a certain way,” explained Suzanne Longacre, the company’s marketing manager. That recipe includes field-grown Continued on Page 50

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Laurel Valley Soils Continued from Page 48

hay, straw, cocoa shells, horse bedding and other ingredients in smaller quantities.

Joe DiNorscia, a supervisor who has been with the company since 2002, explained that being selective about ingredients is vital because you can’t get a quality finished product without quality ingredients. “If the ingredients are not high-quality, we reject them,” DiNorscia said.

Laurel Valley Farms was founded in 1979 by a group of mushroom growers that recognized the importance of having consistent, high-quality mushroom-growing substrate for crops. Today, the Landenberg-based company is owned by five mushroom growers: Pietro Industries, Inc., CJ Mushroom, LLC, John C. Leo and Son, LLC, Phillips Mushroom Farms, Inc., and M.D. Basciani and Sons.

Having a local business that focuses on making that quality, consistent compost has proven to be very effective for the Chester County mushroom industry, which produces nearly two-thirds of all mushrooms that are grown in the United States.

In 2000 the mushroom growers that comprised the ownership of Laurel Valley Farms made a critically strategic Continued on Page 52

Courtesy photo

A little closer to home, Laurel Valley Soils manufactured the custom soil mix to ensure the success of the bio-retention basin at Central Green in the Philadelphia Navy Yard.

PA STATE & EMISSIONS • INSPECTIONS • BRAKES • TIRES • TUNE UPS This has been my life for 46 years and yet it isn't about cars, trucks, engines and their challenges. It's all about my clients in need and my ability to help them with what is best for them and their families. Being able to serve you, meet you and be part of your life as you are mine, is why I do what I do. I don't claim to be the best or the smartest but I do promise to be honest, caring, fair and provide a solution even if I need help. I believe we should all do what we can to help those in our community so I started the Holiday Food Blitz in 2008, which benefits the Kennett Area Community Service. Then the Lucky Dog Food Blitz in 2010 in the honor of my beloved “Lucky Dog” to benefit local pets and Faithful Friends. I also work with the Kennett Senior Center and volunteer with the Mushroom Festival and it's car show. Blitz sponsors the KAPRB Spring High School Basketball League also.

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52 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

Laurel Valley Soils Continued from Page 50

move to fully recycle all their post-harvest mushroom compost. They created Laurel Valley Soils, a division whose sole focus is to re-purpose and up-cycle their post-harvest mushroom compost. They understood that having an environmentally sustainable way to manage their post-harvest compost would free them up to continually grow their mushroom production business in a sustainable and unencumbered way.

Laurel Valley Soils has had the good fortune to succeed in a competitive market and has evolved into a technically advanced soil blending facility. “We manufacture custom engineered soils using our recycled mushroom compost, local native soils and other ingredients as needed to produce a wide variety of products” says Jake Chalfin, Sales Manager. Laurel Valley Soils supplies their Enriched Topsoil and Premium Compost to Garden Centers throughout the Tri-State region, as well as producing custom blended

Courtesy photo

A bulldozer at the Laurel Valley Farms site in Landenberg.

soils to specification for construction and landscaping projects. Additionally Laurel Valley Premium Compost was just recently granted inclusion as an OMRI Listed organic compost product. OMRI Listed Products can be used for organic production of vegetables as well as a variety of other

Chatham is a proud employer in the Kennett Square community.

Specializing in financial risk management advisory and technology solutions, Chatham serves companies worldwide.

235 Whitehorse Lane, Kennett Square, PA 19348

chathamfinancial.com

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS 53

Courtesy photo

Top-dressing can improve soils on a lawn.

uses when a safe and reliable organic amendment is needed.

“We’re doing so many things that are good for the environment,” Longacre said. She explained that Laurel Valley’s topsoil is high-quality because of the high percentage of organic matter that is included in the product.

Continued on Page 54

Courtesy photo

The view from a green roof at the Laurel Valley Farms site.

54 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

41 YEARS STRONG

Family Owned & Operated since 1976

Laurel Valley Soils Continued from Page 53

&P M Custom Design, Inc. CUSTOM METAL FABRICATION

M & P Custom Design expertly meets your commercial, industrial and decorative metal needs through skilled design, custom fabrication, on-time installation and on-budget production. We solve problems, outfit spaces and develop specialized equipment for a wide variety of industries.

SUPPLIES

Metal sheets, flat bar, tubing, and angles in steel, stainless, and aluminum Standard mechanical components: roller chain, sprockets, bearings, shafting, hydraulic hoses and fittings, hardware SERVICES

In-house or On-site Welding • Modification • Repairs • Installation Hydraulic hose and cylinder repair and replacements Structural projects High-pressure water-jet metal cutting available CONTACT

Call or send email to Mike DeFazio at M & P Custom Design to discuss your industrial or decorative metal requirements: PH 610.444.0244 EM mike@mpcustom.com

Jake Chalfin, the company’s sales manager for the last 13 years, has a comprehensive understanding of the complexities of composting and soils. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Colorado State University. He explained that the uses of compost are evolving rapidly, especially because of more restrictive state regulations for storm-water management. Keeping customers informed about the latest information in this increasingly complex industry is an important part of his job.

The company has earned a reputation for excellence with its high-quality quality products, and its soils have been used for a number of exciting projects. Longacre explained that Laurel Valley Soils was honored to be selected to provide the soil for growing more than 400 Swamp White Oak Trees for the National September 11 Memorial at the World Trade Center site in New York City. It was imperative that the trees be able to acclimate from their pre-growth location to the final installation without the loss of any of the trees.

A little closer to home, Laurel Valley Soils manufactured the custom soil mix to ensure the success of the bio-retention basin at Central Green in the Philadelphia Navy Yard.

Central Green is a five-acre social space to enhance the work environment for Navy Yard employees. The bio-retention basin, which looks more like a garden than an intricate storm-water management system, is a focal point of Central Green. It performs the important function of capturing water to help irrigate the grounds and divert excess water as necessary, while also helping to maintain the aesthetically

510 South Walnut Street, Kennett Square, PA 19348 OPEN DAILY MONDAY-FRIDAY 7:30AM TO 4:00PM

www.mpcustom.com NOW OFFERING In-house machine shop support provided by

EMCO ELLIOTT MACHINE COMPANY

General Machining • Reverse Engineering Stephen Schrass 610-389-1160 • elliottsms@comcast.net

Specialist in providing machine shop services for the mushroom industry for the last 20 years.

• repairs • slicing head spacers • replacement parts for slicing heads • we will work from a sample or drawings

Courtesy photo

The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society has used Laurel Valley Soils’ enriched topsoil on LandCare projects that transform vacant lots into small, but beautiful neighborhood parks or small farms like this one.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS 55

pleasing garden at the surface of the basin.

Longacre explained that the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society has used Laurel Valley Soils’ Enriched Topsoil on LandCare projects that transform vacant lots into small, but beautiful neighborhood parks or small farms.

Additionally, the company’s Premium Compost was also added to Cira Green, Philadelphia’s first elevated green roof park.

Laurel Valley Soils has earned some nice accolades for the various uses of its products. In 2013, the company was named by the U.S. Composting Council’s Composter of the Year. And as previously mentioned, Laurel Valley Soils became the first mushroom compost manufacturer in the U.S. to receive the prestigious Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) Listing. OMRI Listed products are allowed for growing certified organic food products under the USDA National Organic Program. This achievement is just one more illustration of how the company continues to evolve to meet the changing needs of its customers.

The company also takes great pride in its environmentally friendly operations.

“It’s really fulfilling to be a part of that,” Chalfin said. “I’ve always been an environmentalist at heart.”

“Sustainability is a big, big part of it,” added DiNorscia.

“It’s a testament to the ownership group—they are progressive-thinking people who saw that composting had to be handled in an environmentally responsible way.”

To contact Staff Writer Steven Hoffman, email editor@ chestercounty.com.

56 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

John R. Stinson and Sons:

Growing quality mushrooms for three generations

By Carla Lucas Mushrooms grown at John R. Stinson and Sons have a reputation of being top quality.

They tend to be a larger size and very white, all while having a longer shelf life. When asked what his secret to growing these top quality mushrooms is, Randy Stinson, president of John R. Stinson and Sons says, “a lot of love is put into every mushroom grown and harvested in our operation. Our dedication to our business makes the difference.

Quality product is what produce is about, and we’ve made quality our first priority.”

First-generation founder Ralph Stinson started growing mushrooms in 1955, along with Egger Corazzo in four doubles (mushroom growing houses). By 1959, Ralph expanded and built three of his own doubles. Looking to the future with three young boys – Randy, Chris, and Matt – he named his mushroom growing business John R. Stinson and Sons. The business expanded over time as Ralph continued to build more doubles and purchase surrounding mushroom farms.

Fifty-seven years later, John has since passed, but the mushroom growing operation continues on. Randy oversees the business. Chris is responsible for making the company’s compost. Matt and Chris together also handle the filling, trucking, and maintenance needs of their mushroom-growing operation. Randy’s son, Brent (third generation), joined the company in 2000 and handles the business aspects, which includes human resources, technology, government regulations, and helping to oversee the growing operation.

Courtesy photo

Ralph Stinson started John R. Stinson and Sons in 1959.

Courtesy photo

White button mushrooms growing in one of John R. Stinson and Sons growing rooms.

Photo by Carla Lucas

Matt, Randy, Brett, and Chris Stinson, the sons and grandson of John R. Stinson and Sons.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS 57

“Our dad instilled a work ethic in us that demonstrates why we are here today,” says Randy. “I’ve instilled that work ethic in my son, Brent.” The Stinson brothers grew up in the mushroom industry. While growing up there was an expectation that they would help around the farm and learn the art of growing mushrooms.

Randy began working at the farm at just four years old, watering the compost piles. At six years old, he was picking the mushrooms, and by eight years of age he was running a tractor and turning compost. When he wasn’t at school, he was working on the farm. “It made me who I am,” reflects Randy. “I loved it back then and still love it today.”

John R. Stinson and Sons harvests three growing rooms a week which makes up about 24,000 sq. ft. of growing room.

This equals about 150,000 pounds of white button mushrooms a week, or 7.5 million pounds a year.

Three years ago, John R. Stinson and Sons joined the Country Fresh cooperative. Country Fresh is the sales and distribution company for seven of the area’s growers. Prior to joining Country Fresh, the company sold all their mushrooms wholesale to numerous re-packers who packaged and distributed the mushrooms to their customers.

“The business is constantly changing,” says Randy. “We are always learning and moving forward, and trying to keep up with today’s times.”

The wholesale prices of mushrooms have not increased

at the same rate as labor and energy costs, so business is difficult. Growers must find ways to cut costs and increase yields while maintaining good quality. John R. Stinson and Sons has done this by staying on top of the current changes in science and technology of mushroom growing.

The Stinsons realize the key to success requires working as a team. Randy, Chris, Matt, and Brent have made this a priority, and exemplify this daily, resulting in a smooth operation and successful family business. Three generations of Stinsons are leaving their mark on the mushroom industry, with their commitment to hard work in order to grow a quality product they can be proud to send to market.

Courtesy photo

Inside the growing room at John R. Stinson and Sons.

Lambert Spawn is proud to support the Mushroom Festival on its 31st Anniversary. lambertspawn.com

CALL BECKY FOR ALL OF YOUR REAL ESTATE NEEDS

Becky Burnham 484-643-2405

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New London Twp $374,900 5 Bedroom, 3 ½ Bath MLS #6808717 Call Tammy Duering 610-306-2401

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West Chester $124,500 Beautiful 2 Acre Lot MLS # 6826928 Call Sam Kranyak 610-909-8423

Lincoln University $423,900 4 Bedroom, 3 ½ Bath MLS # 6833058 Call Jeanine Lamb 610-299-2178

Call Tim Lukk 302-367-8310 www.3StatesRealty.com

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New London $549,900 5 Bedroom, 2 1/2 Bath MLS #6791977 Call Maria 484-614-1937 or Sue Todd 610-659-1631

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS 59

Schedule of Events & Map Friday, Sept 9 Community Parade Join us for our annual Community Parade on Friday evening, September 9. Our theme: Mushrooms on Parade.

Dining and Dancing in the Streets Come into Kennett Square Borough for the parade and then stay to enjoy the sounds of Good Foot, one of the area’s favorite dance bands. State Street restaurants will have special tables lining the Community Parade route where you can watch the Parade while you enjoy your dinner. Before the parade and after the parade until 9:30 pm.

Old Fashioned Carnival Take a trip down memory lane when summer meant the carnival came to town for a couple of days. Houghton Enterprises brings their carnival and midway to the Genesis Building (South

Broad Street) with rides, games, and carnival foods bringing the sights, sounds, and scents of this great family tradition back to Kennett Square. 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Saturday, Sept 10 Street Fair Nearly 250 vendors from all over the country will line the streets with arts, crafts, food and more. Restaurants in the downtown area will prepare their mushroom specialty dishes. The Street Fair spans from Willow Street to Garfield Street. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Antique and Classic Car Show Shady and spacious Broad Street, with its numerous examples of Victorian architecture, provides the backdrop to our Antique and Classic Car Show.

This year we welcome the members from MD VOLT and the Eastern Electric Vehicle Club on the second block of

*All events are tentative, check the website: mushroomfestival.org for up-to-date information

the Car Show. September 10 is the start of Drive Electric Week! You’ll be able to compare 100 years of electric car technology from a 1916 Rausch and Lang Electric Car to all makes of modern electric vehicles and even an electric motorcycle. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Culinary Events The Culinary Tent, at the corner of Broad Street and Cypress Street (next to the Growers’ Exhibit), brings a wide range of chefs to Kennett Square to share their love of cooking with mushrooms.

Guest chefs sharing their tips and recipes on the Giorgi Demonstration Kitchen this year include: • 12:30 pm: Jennifer Daskevich, World Food Champion & Founder of Sandwich America.

• 2:00 pm: Christina Verelli, local competitive cook, food blogger, and on air guest for KitchenAid on QVC. • 3:15 pm: Jennifer Daskevich,

World Food Champion & Founder of Sandwich America.

• 4:30 pm: MacGregor Mann, head chef and owner of Junto, Chadds Ford, PA Mushroom Growers’ Exhibit See mushrooms come to life from the tiny spore to the mature, ready to eat fungi! Walk your way through the mushroom growing exhibit, where you will see how white button, shiitake, maitake, oyster, and royal trumpet mushrooms grow. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Mushroom Soup at Masonic Lodge Everyone asks for Mushroom Soup when they attend the Mushroom Festival. Our good friends at the Masonic Lodge sell a traditional mushroom soup made from a mushroom-grower’s family recipe. It’s overflowing with fresh Kennett Square mushrooms. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Continued on Page 60

60 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

D

(purchase wristbands here)

Bags are subject to inspection.

Painted Mushrooms Silent Auction Artists become very creative with these 108lb. toadstools – perfect for your garden or home. Cash prizes are awarded to the top three artists.

Everyone can vote for their Festival Favorite-- the winning artist receives a cash prize, too! Painted Mushrooms are displayed at State and Broad Streets.

10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Cute-As-A-Button (Mushroom) Baby Photo Contest Who do you think is the Cutest Button, Crimini and Portabella? Vote for your favorite contestant/photo with your pocket change in this baby photo contest near State and Meredith

Streets. New this year-- All proceeds benefit the A. I. DuPont Childrens Hospital through WSTW’s “Help Our Kids” radiothon. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Mushroom Sales All types of mushrooms can be purchased at the Mushroom Sales Booths (see map for locations).

Refrigerated trucks hold your mushroom purchases fresh until you are ready to leave the Festival. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Live in Kennett Square on the Community Stage Throughout the weekend there will be continuous live music for your listening pleasure at our music venue on

Lafayette Street.

• 12:30 pm: Davey Dickens Jr & The Troubadoors • 2 pm: Pawnshop Roses • 3:30 pm: Johnny Faye and Those Meddling Kids • 5 pm: Chris Bruni Children’s Entertainment Great entertainment is scheduled on Saturday for children of all ages. Check out the Children’s Stage on Union Street.

• 12:00-12:45 -Dan & Galla • 1:00-1:45 – Larry Denburg, Magician • 2:00-2:45 – Josh Horton, World Class Juggler • 3:00-3:45 – Larry Denburg, Magician

• 4:00-4:30 – Dan & Galla • 4:45-5:30 – Josh Horton, World Class Juggler Dan & Galla will be on hand all day as the event’s Master of Ceremonies.

Visit the Children’s Stage between performances for some extra fun with Dan & Galla.

New for 2016: Meet Samantha Hyman, StiltGirl at State and Union Streets from 1 to 3 pm.

Stanley Steamers Visiting at Union and State, a 1915 Stanley Steamer Mountain Wagon from the Marshall Steam Collection at Auburn Heights. Firing Up demonstrations at 1:30 and 4 pm.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS 61

Old Fashioned Carnival Take a trip down memory lane when summer meant the carnival came to town for a couple of days. Houghton Enterprises brings their carnival and midway to the Genesis Building (South Broad Street) with rides, games, and carnival foods bringing the sights, sounds, and scents of this great family tradition back to Kennett Square.

3 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Saturday in the Special Events Tent Amateur Mushroom Cook-off New this year — The Mushroom Festival’s Amateur Cook-off is a Qualifying Event of the World Food Championships. Watch the Finalists face-off in the Special Events Tent to see which dish wows the judges and wins a Golden Ticket to compete in Orange Beach, Alabama this November! Contestants are judged on originality, taste, presentation, and ease of preparation. Starts at 10:30 am. Judging at 11:30 am.

Fried Mushroom Eating Championship Buona Food’s original breaded fried mushrooms are a Festival favorite every year at the Mushroom Festival!

But only a few have the opportunity to eat unlimited amounts of the crunchy, mouth watering goodness during the National Fried Mushroom Eating Championship. To beat the World Record a contestant will have to eat more than 11.5 pounds of fried mushrooms in just 8 minutes!

Join us in the Special Events Tent to watch the spectacle and cheer on the contestants as they challenge the 11.5 pound World Record!

New for 2016 — A Local Champion (lives within 15 miles of Kennett Square) will be crowned and take home a $200 prize. Plus the Overall Winner will take home a $1000 prize.

Starts at 3 p.m.

Saturday Evening under the Tent – Christina Havrilla and Mason Porter Concert Extend your stay at the Mushroom

Festival with an evening concert.

Christine Havrilla kicks it off with her unique style followed by Mason Porter’s blues-rock-folk sound.

Doors open at 7 p.m. Concert starts at 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, Sept 11 Mushroom Run and Fun Gus Walk Join us for an early morning run/walk through Kennett Square. All ages are welcome. Race starts and finishes in front of Kennett High School on South Street. Registration opens at 7 a.m.

Race begins at 8:30 a.m. sharp!

Street Fair Nearly 250 vendors from all over the country will line the streets with arts, crafts, food and more. Restaurants in the downtown area will prepare their mushroom specialty dishes. The Street Fair spans from Willow Street to Garfield Street.

10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Culinary Events The Culinary Tent, at the corner of Broad Street and Cypress Street (next to the Growers’ Exhibit), brings a wide range of chefs to Kennett Square to share their love of cooking with mushrooms.

Guest chefs sharing their tips and recipes on the Giorgi Demonstration Kitchen this year include: • 10:30 AM – Robbie Jester, head chef Stone Balloon Ale House, Newark, DE • 12 Noon – Jennifer Daskevich, World Food Champion & Founder of Sandwich America.

• 2 PM – John Moeller, former White House Executive Chef, now cookbook author and owner of State of Affairs Catering • 3:15 PM – Natalie Jenks, local caterer and owner of Natalie’s Fine Foods food truck Soup and Wine Event Come enjoy part of your day at our annual Soup and Wine Event. Cast your vote for the “Best Mushroom Soup in the Brandywine Valley” presented to you by local chefs. Enjoy PA wines and vote for your favorite. There is music throughout the day, too. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Last admission 3:15 p.m.

Mushroom Growers’ Exhibit See mushrooms come to life from the tiny spore to the mature, ready to eat fungi! Walk your way through the mushroom growing exhibit, where you will see how white button, shiitake, maitake, oyster, and royal trumpet mushrooms grow. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Mushroom Judging Top growers in the county will display their best mushrooms for judging. There will be ribbons awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, although the growers are more interested in “bragging rights.”

Prize mushrooms will be available for purchase by festival attendees.

Starts at Noon; sales begin around 1:30pm Mushroom Sales All types of mushrooms can be purchased at the Mushroom Sales Booths (see map for locations).

Refrigerated trucks hold your mushroom purchases fresh until you are ready to leave the Festival. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Mushroom Soup at Masonic Lodge Everyone asks for Mushroom Soup when they attend the Mushroom Festival. Our good friends at the Masonic Lodge sell a traditional mushroom soup made from a mushroom-grower’s family recipe. It’s overflowing with fresh Kennett Square mushrooms. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Painted Mushrooms Silent Auction Artists become very creative with these 108lb. toadstools – perfect for your garden or home. Cash prizes are awarded to the top three artists.

Everyone can vote for their Festival Favorite-- the winning artist receives a cash prize, too! Painted Mushrooms are displayed at State and Broad Streets.

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Last bids taken at 4 pm.

Cute-As-A-Button (Mushroom) Baby Photo Contest Who do you think is the Cutest Button, Crimini and Portabella? Vote for your favorite contestant/photo with your pocket change in this baby photo contest near State and Meredith Streets. New this year-- All proceeds benefit the A. I. DuPont Childrens

Hospital through WSTW’s “Help Our Kids” radiothon. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Live in Kennett Square Throughout the weekend there will be continuous live music for your listening pleasure at music venue on Lafayette Street.

• 12:30 pm: Alex Allegra • 2 pm: Marlboro Road • 3:30 pm: Paul Wilkinson Children’s Entertainment Great entertainment is scheduled on Sunday for children of all ages. Check out the Children’s Stage on Union Street.

• 11:00-11:45 – Dan & Galla • 12:00-12:45 – Larry Denburg, Magician • 1:00-1:45 – Josh Horton, World Class Juggler • 2:00-2:45 – Larry Denburg, Magician • 3:15-3:45 – Dan & Galla • 4:00-4:45 – Josh Horton, World Class Juggler Dan & Galla will be on hand all day as the event’s Master of Ceremonies.

Visit the Children’s Stage between performances for some extra fun with Dan & Galla.

New for 2016: Meet Samantha Hyman, StiltGirl at State and Union Streets from 1 to 3 pm.

Stanley Steamers Visiting at Union and State, a 1915 Stanley Steamer Mountain Wagon from the Marshall Steam Collection at Auburn Heights. Firing Up demonstrations at 1:30 and 4 pm.

Old Fashioned Carnival Take a trip down memory lane when summer meant the carnival came to town for a couple of days. Houghton Enterprises brings their carnival and midway to the Genesis Building (South Broad Street) with rides, games, and carnival foods bringing the sights, sounds, and scents of this great family tradition back to Kennett Square.

3 p.m. to 10 p.m. 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Meet Fun Gus Fun Gus, the Mushroom Festival’s mascot, makes a few appearances during the Festival. Keep your eyes open for an 8-foot, red-capped mushroom strolling down the street.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS 63

Come Visit Us At

Rockee’s Mushroom Outlet Open 7 days a week Monday - Saturday: 8:00 - 4:00 • Sunday: 9:00 - 3:00

Located on SherRockee Mushroom Farm 170 SherRockee Lane Lincoln University PA 19352

We offer fresh white mushrooms, crimini, protabella, shiitake, oyster mushrooms by the pound or by the box.

We also carry dried mushrooms.

610-869-8048

64 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

Photo by Carla Lucas

Representatives from this year’s 47 organizations receiving Mushroom Festival grants gathered on the steps of the Kennett Square Inn.

Mushroom Festival grants touch the lives of many people—from the very young to the elderly population—as they help local non-profits continue to serve their constituents in the community. These grants are awarded to local social service agencies, fire departments and other emergency service agencies, local schools, animal welfare, and a wide variety of organizations dedicated to making the community a little stronger.

In 2016, Mushroom Festival grants totaling $85,000 were awarded to 47 local organizations. Since 2000, over $805,000 has been awarded through grants and donations.

Here is a list of all the organizations receiving grants in 2016, and how the funds will help each one serve the community:

2016 Mushroom Festival Grants Adult Care of Chester County received funds toward the purchase of a new shower chair, therapeutic games, and raised-bed planters.

ALS Society received funds to meet the equipment needs of Chester County patients with ALS. Avondale Fire Company’s grant will purchase a portable radio to be used for interior firefighting.

The Barn at Spring Brook Farm received funds for new equipment for each of The Barn’s five therapy horses.

Bournelyf Special Camp will use their funds for programrelated transportation costs to various off-site locations for canoeing, hiking, and other activities.

Camp Dreamcatcher’s grant will allow three HIV/ADSimpacted youth to attend summer camp.

Canine Partner for Life received funds to purchase customized hardware for the service dogs’ harnesses.

Chester County Council, Boy Scouts of America will use its grant to send scouts to National Youth Leadership Training and STEM Camp.

Chester County SPCA’s grant will be used to purchase pet food for low-income families that can no longer afford to feed their pets as a temporary solution to keep families from having to give their pets away.

Chester County Women’s Services received a grant to purchase baby supplies for at-risk parents participating in their program at Kennett Square satellite center.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS 65

Delaware Zoological Society (Brandywine Zoo) received funds for materials and supplies for their Boo in the Zoo Event and to build kestrel nesting boxes in Delaware.

Domestic Violence Center of Chester County received funds to support the Kennett Square Satellite Office.

Family Promise of Southern Chester County’s grant funds the purchase of a computer projector, screen and speakers for training volunteers and community presentations.

Friends Home of Kennett Square will use its grant to purchase two three-position electric lift recliner chairs for their patients.

Friends of Auburn Heights Preserve received funds to develop a new interactive exhibit highlighting the Stanley Motor Carriage Company.

Good Neighbors’ grant will allow it to make a critical van repair to one of their work vans.

Head Start of Kennett Square will purchase book bags and school supplies to give to their children transitioning to kindergarten with their grant.

Historic East Linden Projects’s grant will purchase a new computer for their computer lab for the Study Buddies program.

Historic Kennett Square’s grant will be used to present the Memorial Day Parade.

Jonathan Beech Memorial Concert will use its funds to cover part of the cost of putting on the event.

Kennett After Prom received a grant to provide entertainment for the after-prom event.

Kennett After School Association’s grant will be put toward after-school transportation costs for the After-the-Bell program.

Kennett High School Walk in Knowledge program received funds to provide transportation for college visits, snacks and supplies for their after-school program Kennett Area Parks Authority‘s will use its funds to produce the Summer Concert Series at Anson B. Nixon Park.

Kennett Area Parks and Recreation Board received funds for beautification at Herb Pennock Park and program expenses for the KAPRB Cross Country Race.

Kennett Education Foundation’s grant will fund educational grants for educators and students in KCSD. Kennett Fire Company received a grant to purchase two AEDs (defibrulators) for use on their vehicles.

Kennett Flash will use its grant to purchase furniture and equipment to support a variety of programs at the venue.

Kennett Area YMCA’s grant will purchase program materials and supplies and pay for field trip admissions and busing for its Kennett Borough Summer Camp.

Continued on Page 66

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These professionals will pack your items with the utmost care, arrange to have them moved by a reliable moving company, then unpack them and place them in your new home where you desire. If you are downsizing, they can help you arrange a sale of your goods or assist you in donating to the charity of your choice.

Once out of your old home, they can clean-up and make repairs so the house is ready for the new owners, or to be put on the market.

If moving is in your plans, then your first move is to call TLC Moving Services, LLC. Put these professionals to work for you and call Caen Stroud at 610-268-3243.

CaenStroud@msn.com www.tlcmovingservicesllc.com

66 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

Grant Recipients Continued from Page 65

La Communida Hispana will purchase a medication refrigerator and other equipment and supplies for the new pediatric services they are providing at their center.

Land Conservancy of SCC’s grant will provide transportation to TLC’s preserves for environmental educational programs.

Lighthouse Youth Center received funds toward purchasing incentives for students to receive upon meeting specific goals throughout the year.

Longwood Fire Company received funds toward the purchase of a McGrath MAC EMS Video Laryngoscope.

Meals on Wheels funds will provide meals to residents at Luther House, Jennersville for seniors.

Operation Homefront will use its grant to supply emergency financial assistance to military families in this region.

Oxford Arts Alliance will use its funds to purchase materials, stools and tables for a new clay/ceramic studio.

Paws for People will purchase items for a kit that will help trained pet-therapy teams to interact better with their visitors with their grant.

Po-Mar-Lin Fire Company’s grant will purchase a portable radio to be used for interior firefighting.

Congratulations on the 31st Mushroom Festival 510 W. State St. Kennett Square, PA 19348

Phone: 610-444-2170 Fax: 610-444-2173

Reins of Life received funds to cover veterinary care services for their therapy horses.

Smart Drive’s grant will purchase materials for use in their middle and high school programs.

SCC Emergency Medical Service Medic 94 will use their grant toward the conversion of a new paramedic responder Spanish Health Ministry received funds for mileage reimbursement for staff to accompany clients at medical appointments and home visits.

The Crime Victims Center received a grant to fund services, supplies and materials for their Non-Offending Parents Group and children’s program at their Kennett, West Grove, and New Garden satellite centers.

The Garage’s grant will allow them to purchase program supplies for the Kennett Square and West Grove Garages.

Tick Tock Early Learning Center’s grant will fund program supplies and special activities to enhance their curriculum and overall program services.

Unionville Fair received funds to support children’s entertainment at the fair.

Volunteers in English will use their funds for books and workbooks used during tutoring sessions.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS 67

Carozzo and Lafferty: Two names synonymous with tradition, under one roof

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer In 1973, soon after graduating from Kennett High School, Augustine “Gus” Carozzo began working in the mushroom industry, and over the course of the next 40 years, his name and reputation became synonymous with good equipment, great service and good old fashioned hard work.

When he began Hillendale Peat Moss, Inc. in 2012, he was looking for someone to serve as the general manager of his new company, an individual with a background Continued on Page 68

Photo by Richard L. Gaw

Gus Carozzo and Chris Lafferty of Hillendale Peat Moss, Inc.

68 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

Carozzo and Lafferty Continued from Page 67

in the industry who had the ability to combine experience with the intangible skills that are found in not leaving until the job is done. In short, Carozzo was looking for someone just like him.

“One day, when I was working in the family business, I was pulling out of the parking lot, and I saw Gus driving past me in his car,” said Chris Lafferty, general manager of Hillendale Peat Moss, Inc. “I called my father and said, ‘Gus just drove by. What does he want?’

“My father told me, ‘He wants you.’”

The partnership between Carozzo and Lafferty at Hillendale Peat Moss, Inc. is, in many ways, not only a perfect fit but the melding of two names steeped in the history of mushrooms in southern Chester County. Carozzo Mushrooms in Toughkenamon and P.A. Lafferty & Sons, also in Toughkenamon – from where Carozzo and Lafferty learned their trade – are pillars in the local industry, so it was not surprising that Carozzo sought a partner who, like him, grew up in the same world.

After graduating from Penn State with a degree in business management, Lafferty, the son of Tom and Kathi Lafferty, entered the family business with his father and two uncles.

Eight years later, Carozzo came calling.

“I knew how Chris worked, from my working relationship with the Lafferty family,” Carozzo said. “He’s a hands-on person who is not afraid to get dirty. He’s not afraid to give you every day of the week. If there’s something wrong, he won’t go home unless it’s fixed. There’s not many people who can immediately jump into this business, and Chris was certainly an exception.”

Within a few short years, Hillendale Peat Moss, Inc. has made its mark in the mushroom industry, employing close Continued on Page 70

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Carozzo and Lafferty Continued from Page 68

to 100 staff and servicing more than 20 farms in the area.

Every week, nearly 90 truck loads of product are distributed within a 20-mile radius of its Hillendale Road facilities.

The mushroom industry is one that never ventures very far from the heart and mind of those who work in it. The phone on Lafferty’s night stand begins ringing as early as four in the morning nearly every day of the week, and the purpose of the calls usually deal with the typical issues an industry leader faces: a machine breakdown, a labor shortage that needs fixing, or a slow delivery of the material that delays the process.

It’s a continual presence, and it’s one that Carozzo knows all too well. “You can sit down by the television at eight o’ clock, and suddenly, you begin worrying about the temperature in the growing room, or whether the trucks are all parked,” he said.

For many years, Carozzo would begin his days before five in the morning, “putting out the fires,” he said. Now it’s Lafferty’s turn to wake up at four and get to work an hour later. Throughout the day, he is involved with every aspect of the business: supervising employees, helping to maintain upkeep of the company’s machinery, and making sure that

products arrive on time and go out on time.

One of the responsibilities that is most important to Lafferty – and one that leaders in the mushroom industry are paying a lot more attention to these days – is maintaining a quality of life for their employees, which they do.

Eventually, Carozzo intends to transfer ownership of the company to Lafferty, but for now, their partnership remains a seven-day-a-week, 364-day-a-year collaboration (with one day off for Christmas), founded on their family’s history and grown on the shared idea of hard work and sacrifice.

During a short break in the day, Lafferty said that he was preparing for an upcoming one-week vacation with his family, which would allow him to leave the business for a short time.

Carozzo joked that Lafferty should leave his phone at home.

Lafferty, ever the mushroom industry veteran, chose to bring his phone with him.

Hillendale Peat Moss, Inc. is located at 519 Hillendale Road, Avondale, Pa. 19311. Phone: 610-444-5591.

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, e-mail rgaw@ chestercounty.com.

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72 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

The Mushrooms by Flavor, Preparation and Nutrition Photos by Carla Lucas

Agaricus Mushrooms

Mushrooms are the only source of Vitamin D in the produce aisle

Buttons

Criminis

Portabellas

Flavor: mild; blends with anything.

Common preparations: raw, sauteed, fried, marinated In a serving of 4-5 white buttons: • 18 calories • 0 grams of fat • 3 grams of carbohydrates • good source of the antioxidant selenium, the B vitamins riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid; and copper • Approx. 300 mg of potassium • 2.8 mg of the antioxidant ergothioneine • 15 IU of vitamin D

Flavor: deeper, earthier flavor than whites, great addition to beef, game and vegetable dishes Common preparations: saute, broil, grill, microwave In a serving of 4-5 crimini mushrooms: • 23 calories • 0 grams of fat • 4 grams of carbohydrates • excellent source of the antioxidant selenium, the B vitamin riboflavin and copper • a good source of potassium, phosphorus and B vitamins niacin and pantothenic acid • 4.9 mg of the antioxidant ergothioneine

Flavor: deep, meat-like texture and flavor.

Common preparations: grilled, broiled, sauteed and roasted; can also be used as a meat substitute.

In one medium Portabella cap: • 22 calories • 0 grams of fat • 4 grams of carbohydrates • excellent source of the B vitamin riboflavin • good source of the antioxidant selenium, potassium, phosphorus, the B vitamins niacin and pantothenic acid; and copper • 4.3 mg of the antioxidant ergothioneine

Sources: A Consumers Guide to Specialty Mushrooms and The Mushroom Council (www.mushroominfo.org)

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS 73

Other Popular Specialty Mushrooms Maitake

Royal Trumpet

Beech

Flavor: distinctive aroma and a rich, woodsy taste Common preparations: sauteed lightly in butter or oil. Use in egg dishes, pasta sauces, soups, stews, and any recipe calling for mushrooms for a richer taste.

In a serving of 4-5 maitake mushrooms: • 31 calories • 0 grams of fat • 6 grams of carbohydrates • good source of the antioxidant selenium; B vitamins riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid; and copper • more than 2 grams of fiber • more than 900 IU Vitamin D

Flavor: delicate, chewy texture Common preparation: grilled or used in stir frys. The stems can be substituted for baby scallops.

Flavor: crisp with a mild nutty flavor.

Common preparations: sliced or served whole in sautes. Soups, pasta dishes.

Pom Pom Flavor: mild, sweet taste.

Common preparations: slice and saute in butter, oil, or broth; can be used as a substitute for lobster or veal.

Shiitake

Oyster

Flavor: rich and woodsy, meaty texture Common preparations: best when cooked in stir-fry, pastas and soups.

Can be marinated and grilled.

In a serving of 4-5 shiitake mushrooms: • 41 calories • 0 grams of fat • 10 grams of carbohydrates • good source of the antioxidant selenium, providing 26 percent of the Daily Value. • a great source of B vitamins riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid; and copper

Flavor: very delicate.

Common preparations: sauteed or stir fried then used in pasta dishes, meat dishes, omelets and soups.

In a serving of 4-5 oyster mushrooms: • 36 calories • 0 grams of fat • 5 grams of carbohydrates • good source of B vitamins riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid; and copper. • more than 2 grams of fiber, nearly 10 percent of the Daily Value. • nearly 3 grams of protein, 6 percent of the Daily Value.

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WHITE BUTTON LEVEL • 6abc.com • Kennett Township • McGovern, Inc. • Mushroom Farmers of PA, AMI • WSTW/WDEL Delmarva Broadcasting Co

SHITTAKE LEVEL • Amycel / Spawn Mate • Appleby Systems, Inc. • C.T. Bartoli Mushrooms, Inc. • Beacon Technologies • Buona Foods Inc. • Chadds Ford Climate Control • Chester County Press • Comcast • Richard M. Crossan, Inc. • Diver Chevrolet • Giorgio Fresh Co, • Giorgi Kitchens • Greenwood Mushrooms • Hillendale Peat Moss • Hilton Garden Inn and Fairfield Inn of Kennett Square • Kennett Square Specialties • Landhope Farms • Laurel Valley Farms, Inc. • Needham’s Mushroom Farm • Passanate’s Home Food Service • Trash Tech • Penn Medicine • Ransome CAT • Sila Heating and Air • Specialty Packaging & Sunny Dell Foods • The Mushroom Cap • V.P. Electrical Contracting, Inc. • Waste Oil Recyclers • WHYY • YoSign Guy

CRIMINI LEVEL PORTABELLA LEVEL • Acadian Peat Moss LTD • Country Fresh Mushrooms • Genesis Healthcare • Modern Mushrooms/Sherockee • Murray Securus • Phillips Mushroom Farms LP • Sylvan America, Inc. • WDSD/WILM Clear Channel

• B B & T Bank • Basciani Foods Inc. • Bob’s Crane • Exelon Generation • M & P Custom Design, Inc. • Manfredi Logistics Service • PA Department of Agriculture/ PA Perferred • To-Jo Mushrooms & Food Products

OYSTER LEVEL

MAITAKE LEVEL

• Atlantic Tractor • Blitz Automotive, Inc. • Buck Run Builders, Inc. • C.J. Mushroom Co., Inc. • Gateway Garden Center • Kennett Glass Company • Keystone Paving and Sealcoating, Inc • LGB Properties • Mushroom Supply & Services, Inc./AgSolutions • P. A. Lafferty and Sons • Regester Mushrooms, Inc. • SECCRA • Simpers Agency • W.A.C. Mushrooms, Inc. • WSFS Bank

• Giant Food Stores • Heritage Concrete • R.L. Irwin Mushroom Company • Krafp Bus Companies • K. L. Madron Well Drilling, LLC • Masda Mushroom LLC. • John R. Stinson & Son, Inc. • Taylor Oil & Propane, Inc. • The Tri-M Group, LLC • Vallorani Mushrooms • Wolfe Supply & Services

TRUMPET LEVEL • Blittersdorf’s Towing & Salvage • Chesco Security,Inc. • Denny Electric • Griffonetti Mushrooms

• Kennett Square Mini Storage • Longwood Veterinary Center • Pik-Lites • Sam’s Sub Shop • Towne and Country Cleaners

76 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

2015’s Amateur Mushroom Cook-Off winning recipe The theme for 2015’s Amateur Mushroom Cook-Off was “Appetizers.”

Lynn Laino of Downingtown won first place with her crunchy puff pastry crackers that you dip into a delicious mushroom ragu. Try it at your next get-together!

Mushroom Ragu with Puff Pastry Dippers

By Lynne Laino • 1 sheet frozen puff pastry • 4 slices of bacon, diced • 1/2 cup shallots, diced • 3 tablespoons butter, divided • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided • 8 oz. white mushrooms, diced • 8 oz. Baby Bella mushrooms, diced • 8 oz. Shitake mushrooms, diced • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes • 1/3 cup dry red wine • 3 tablespoons tomato paste • 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated Unroll puff pastry sheet and cut into approximately 1-by-2inch rectangles and bake at 400 degrees for 14-16 minutes, until golden.

Put diced bacon in a large, non-stick frying pan over medium high heat and cook until crisp. Remove to several layers of paper towels with a slotted spoon. Remove bacon fat from pan, leaving 1 tablespoon, and add the shallots.

Cook over medium heat until soft and lightly golden and remove to a large bowl.

Add 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and add the white and Baby Bella mushrooms to the pan in thirds, moving the cooked mushrooms to the edge of the pan to make room for the next addition. Remove to bowl with onions.

Add the last tablespoon of butter and olive oil to the pan and add the Shitake mushrooms, cooking until they begin to crisp.

Add the onions, mushrooms and bacon back to the pan and stir in the red pepper flakes.

Add the red wine and simmer until it is absorbed into the mixture.

Stir in the tomato paste and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese.

Spoon the Ragu into serving bowl and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese.

Split the puff pastry crackers in half horizontally and serve with the Mushroom Ragu.

All Photos by Becca Gray

Above: Lynn’s dish is judged by celebrity chef Fabio Viviani and local food blogger Lisa Keys.

Right: Lynn Laino (center) is awarded the first place plaque and a $500 prize by Fabio Viviani (left) and contest organizer Jen Basciani (right).

Below: Mushroom Ragu with Puff Pastry Dippers won the 2015 Mushroom Amateur Cook-Off.

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The Soup and Wine Event tries to answer that very question

Photos by Carla Lucas

By Carla Lucas Correspondent Who makes the best mushroom soup in the Brandywine Valley? Each year, guests at the Soup and Wine Event get the opportunity to sample the mushroom soups of participating local restaurants and vote for their favorites. The restaurant that collects the most votes wins the title of “Best Mushroom Soup in the Brandywine Valley” – and bragging rights for the whole year.

“It’s about relaxing, chilling, and trying something new,” said Gina Puoci, organizer of the Soup and Wine Event. “You can listen to music as you talk with friends, and enjoy great soups and wines.”

In Chester County and the surrounding region, mushroom soup is found on many menus. Participating restaurants are asked to make 50 gallons of their special mushroom soup to serve at the event. Each one is different. “It’s interesting to sample each of the soups,” Puoci said. “They are all really good and some years it’s hard for me to pick my favorite. Many years there are only a couple of votes that separate the winning soup.”

The soups are so popular that Puoci recommends guests come early to taste soups from all the restaurants before they run out.

This year’s contest for the best in the Brandywine is shaping up to be a real battle. The Restaurants at the Desmond Hotel, of Malvern, Pa., took the title for the last two years. They will be challenged by at least six other restaurants, including Capozzolli’s Catering (official caterers at the Red Clay Room), Foxfire at the Stone Barn, Hilton Garden Inn of Kennett Square, Westtown School, Ole Tapas, and Giordanos Bar and Grill.

Creating a flavorful, well-balanced soup is important to chef John Ellwanger, The Restaurants at the Desmond Hotel’s purchasing director, executive sous chef, and creator of their winning mushroom soup. “Ours is a nice, flavorful old-fashioned cream of mushroom soup seasoned with fresh herbs,” he said. He credits their wins to seasoning the soup in small batches at the last minute with a secret mix of fresh herbs.

Mike Capozzolli, executive chef at Capazolli’s Catering, is looking to win the title back. Their mushroom soup was crowned “Best of the Brandywine” in 2013. “We serve our soup at banquets and events and everyone loves it,” he said. Their cream-based soup has lots of Kennett Square’s fresh mushrooms. They add some bacon, truffles and mascarpone cheese. Their standard recipe uses portabella, button, and shiitake mushrooms. They plan to add crimini to the mix to boost the flavors even more.

Returning champs, The Restaurants at the Desmond Hotel, in Malvern, are defending their ‘Best Mushroom Soup of the Brandywine Valley’ title again this year.

Ole Tapas, from Newark, Del., is a Soup and Wine Event veteran competitor.

Jamie Richie stands before N.C. Wyeth’s ‘The Giant,’ in Westtown School’s dining room. Mushroom soup is on the menu regularly at the school.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS 79

Capozzoli’s Catering is the official caterer at the Red Clay Room in Kennett Square. They are tweaking their traditional recipe a little this year to try and win the title back.

Franco Alvisi, executive chef at Foxfire at the Stone Barn, is confident the crowds will like the mushroom soup he brings.

Westtown School, a Quaker day and boarding school in West Chester, is proud of the mushroom soup they make.

The school’s cafeteria is a 100-percent scratch kitchen, and much of what chef Jamie Richie uses to prepare meals are locally sourced ingredients, including local cream and Kennett Square fresh mushrooms. He builds the soup with a stock he makes from the exotic mushroom stems. The twist to his recipe is sherry and blue cheese.

Chef Kyle Cassell uses a slow-cook method to extract the

General manager Tyler Mikos, and food and beverage manager Kyle Cassell, of the Hilton Garden Inn, are looking to earn the bragging rights for best mushroom soup this year.

most flavor out of the mushrooms for the Hilton Garden Inn of Kennett Square’s mushroom soup. He also uses a mix of portabellas, buttons, shiitake, and crimini mushrooms for the base. The secret ingredients in their soup include apple cider vinegar and nutmeg. Tyler Mikos, Kennett Square Hilton’s general manager, added that the soup is gluten free and vegetarian.

Giordano’s, one of Kennett Square’s landmark eateries, is Continued on Page 80

80 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

Soup & Wine Event Continued from Page 79

entering the competition for the first time, although they’ve had mushroom soup on their menu for years. It will be interesting to see how their version stacks up against some of the newcomers.

Chef Franco Alvisi, of Firefox at the Stone Barn, in Unionville, is still deciding which of his three mushroom soup recipes will be served at the Soup and Wine Event. The restaurant’s Sunday brunch soup is a traditional cream of mushroom soup. They also serve an exotic mushroom broth-based soup made with portabella, shiitake, oyster and white button mushrooms. “I may combine these soups and bring a flavorful, mushroom soup that’s creamy but not too heavy,” he said. Or he might go in another direction with a mushroom chowder with bacon.

Ole Tapas, of Newark, Del., usually brings a Mediterranean interpretation of mushroom soup to the Soup and Wine Event. This multi-year competitor is always near the top in votes. Will this be the year they get the win?

With a cup of soup here, and a sip of wine there, and a little music thrown in -- all under the shade of the Special Events Tent -- the Soup and Wine Event is a great way to experience the Mushroom Festival. And your vote will help

Photo by Steven Hoffman

Giordano’s Bar and Grill

determine which of these great mushroom soups gets bragging rights.

The Soup and Wine Event is on Sunday, Sept. 11, starting at 11 a.m. Music is provided by Jump Start, a Pennsylvania jazz trio. The last admittance is at 3:15 p.m., and voting ends at 4 p.m. The winning restaurant and wines are announced shortly thereafter. The cost is $20 for soup and wine tastings and a souvenir tasting glass (while supplies last), and $10 for soup only.

Continued on Page 82

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Continued from Page 80 Photos by Carla Lucas

Pennsylvania’s wineries are producing a variety of highquality wines. The wine side of this event gives guests the opportunity to sample a few of them. Guests can then vote for their Favorite Red and Favorite White. Galer Estate Vineyard and Winery took the title last year, and will return to defend their title. To date, Paradocx Vineyards, Black Walnut Winery, Flickerwood Winery, Borderland Vineyard and Harvest Ridge Winery are on board for tastings and friendly bragging rights competition.

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Over the last several years, Kennett Square’s Monty Wiradilaga has been a fixture on the entertainment scene, as a talk show host and competitive eater. He’s bringing the energy and enthusiasm of his alter ego to this year’s Mushroom Festival

All aboard The Moe Train

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer Imagine, if you can, what it must feel like to be moments away from emerging from the darkened tunnels of a massive indoor sports arena, where the only light you see is out there – in the bursting spectacle that you are about to be a part of.

In the dark, you hear them, the more than twenty thousand people who have come to see the big event, and they are drowning out whatever is left of the voice in your head that tells you that this is what an athlete must feel, or a rock star, who stand momentarily in the catacombs of silence, before the bell rings or the buzzer sounds or the first note is struck.

Continued on Page 86

Courtesy photo

Wing Bowl participant Monty “Moe Train” Wiradilaga of Kenntt Square will serve as the master of ceremonies for this year’s fried mushroom eating contest at the Kennett Mushroom Festival.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS 85

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86 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

Moe Train Continued from Page 84

About the only thing you can feel inside your body are your nerves and your heart, and they are both competing to see which of the two will be the first to burst out of you. An usher comes up and asks if you are ready. You nod, the curtain is drawn back, and you enter a place generally reserved for very few, and the noise you hear is like thunder and ocean waves, and you disappear into it. On the early morning hours of Jan. 31, 2014 -- and again the following year -- Monty “Moe Train” Wiradilaga of Kennett Square entered into an avalanche of lights and sound at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia to compete in Wing Bowl 22 and 23, the annual tribute to gastronomy and debauchery that pits competitive eaters in a contest to see who can consume the most chicken wings. Wiradilaga, adorned in a handsome black suit, sugar skull makeup, and his signature red bandanna, stood atop a float that served as a facsimile of a train. The next year, he entered the arena on a float that was a tribute to Mardi Gras.

After a successful debut in Wing Bowl 22, Wiradilaga made it into the second round of competition by consuming 108 wings in the first round and 72 in the second, and finished in 8th place, overall. If his first appearance at Wing Bowl served as the introduction of the Moe Train, then

his second cemented his place as one of the event’s most recognizable personalities.

“It was an incredible experience, an amazing party atmosphere that’s absolutely insane,” said Wiradilaga, “I’ve always likened Wing Bowl to Courtesy photos Wrestlemania.

When Wiradilaga posed with his Moe Train posse at a recent Wing Bowl. you roll into the arena and see twenty thousand people screaming ‘Moe Train!’ it was like a light switch had just clicked on. It’s pure madness, and it’s all happening at six o’clock in the morning.”

It’s the same kind of energy that Wiradilaga will bring to this year’s Mushroom Festival, where he will serve as the master of ceremonies at the festival’s fried mushroom eating contest. This year’s event will no doubt resemble that of previous contests, but with a kicked-up sense of showmanship that Wiradilaga has become known for, beginning with the Continued on Page 88

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Moe Train Continued from Page 86

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fact that he will be in full Moe Train regalia.

“I will intentionally turn on the intensity and really play up the crowd -- to get people on the Moe Train,” he said.

“When I put the make-up on and go into character, it’s almost like I embody the persona that’s a combination of The Ultimate Warrior and The Rock.

“The fried mushroom eating contest is definitely a highlight of the festival, and when the organizing committee asked me my interest in serving as MC of the contest, they asked me if I had any worries about being able to do this. I told them that if I can get in front of twenty thousand people atop an eight-foot float and play to the entire crowd like it was nothing, I know I can do this.”

In addition to the Moe Train persona, Wiradilaga will infuse a few other new things to the contest. Through his contacts in the competitive eating field, he has recruited a number of professional eaters in the Pennsylvania-Delaware-Maryland-Virginia area to compete, which adds a lot of local flavor to the event. By August, he was already on pace to break the record of eaters, and increased the prize money for the top three finishers, as well as included bonus awards for those in the local eating category. Wiradilaga has been working not only with the festival committee but with Buona Mushrooms in Landenberg, who will donate their delicious fried mushrooms for the contest.

Every year, the Kennett Square Mushroom Festival serves as a love letter to the local mushroom industry, as well as to the people who call Chester County home, so it is only right that Wiradilaga take on the role of hosting one of the festival’s showcase events. A father of three, Wiradilaga grew up in Kennett Square, where as a young boy, he realized that he had a love for performing in front of people. He was in the school play, he practiced his Michael Jackson dance moves, and he excelled at baseball. By the time he entered West Chester University, he was a Major League prospect, and although an arm injury curtailed his pitching career, he was the lead singer in a punk-reggae band.

Being in the band and performing after giving up baseball was not a step down but a climb back up -- energy, simply transferred, and achieved before an audience. After graduating, Wiradilaga created Moe Train’s Tracks, a Podcast music show that regularly drew thousands of listeners per month, and regularly had a quarter of a million listeners on iTunes. As part of the broadcast, he would travel to major music festivals like Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Rothbury and Mayhem Fest, and interview the likes of Chuck D from Public Enemy, Ziggy Marley, Bob Weir from the Grateful Dead, and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “Throughout my life, I have chosen to go huge or just don’t Continued on Page 90

90 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

Moe Train Continued from Page 88

do it,” he said. “When I started the Podcast, I quickly found that people really enjoyed my shows, telling stories and talking about music and entertainment. I wanted to show my viewers what these entertainers are really like, when it’s more than just question after question. It was there that I learned the art of conversation.”

Wiradilaga has brought the skills of conversation back home. He’s hosting “Moe Train Eats: Kennett Square” a three-episode video series that will be broadcast on Podcast, Youtube and social media, begining in the fall. The show, produced by MAKE Productions in Wilmington, will capture Wiradilaga as he explores the food, fun and nightlife throughout Kennett Square.

In each hour-long episode, the team will visit five locations, and so far, the roster of the places he will visit reads like a who’s who of Kennett Square must-sees: Kennett Design, The Creamery, the Kennett Brewing Company, the Half Moon Restaurant & Saloon and La Michoacana.

The second episode in the “Moe Train Eats” series will take Wiradilaga to the Victory Brewing Company, the Galer Estate and Winery, the Summer Concert Series in Anson B. Nixon Park and other locations. The third episode will showcase the 2016 Mushroom Festival.

For those who attend this year’s fried mushroom eating contest, they will not only get to see Moe Train in action, but a long-time friend of Kennett Square.

“My vision is to bring an electric atmosphere to the festival, an energy level that will give more to the community than just an hour of entertainment,” Wiradilaga said. “I want the crowd to come to the event knowing that they’re not just getting a great show, but something they will walk away from talking about for the next year.”

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, e-mail rgaw@ chestercounty.com.

Courtesy photo

Wiradilaga is the host of “Moe Train Eats: Kennett Square,” a threeepisode series that explores the culture and nightlife of the town.

92 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

A photo essay

by Carla Lucas Kennett Square Specialties is one of the country’s largest producers of growing logs and bags for cultivated exotic mushrooms such as maitake, shiitake and oyster. Dr. Qing Chen, head of exotic mushroom production, took me on a tour of their process from start to finish on growing these exotic mushrooms.

Making mushroom spawn

It starts with Sawdust In nature, maitake, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms all grow on trees. To replicate that in commercial cultivation, the process begins with sawdust. Lots of sawdust. Most preferred type of sawdust – red oak. The sawdust wharf has about 120 tractor-trailer loads of sawdust that are constantly being moved through the aging process. It takes about 4 months for a load of sawdust to be ready for use.

Mushroom spawn is like a seed, explains Wendy Chen, Kennett Specialties’ microbiologist.

She leads Kennett Specialties’ spawn growing operations from a former mushroom house turned into a clean room. At this site she creates the mycelium spawn (what mushrooms grown off of) that is used in all growing done at Kennett Specialties and the growing logs that are sold to other growers across the country. Each day 500 bags of raw material are sterilized and inoculated with spores to begin the growing process. Chen stands in the

refrigeration chamber where the spawn develops. Depending on demand, spawn can stay in refrigeration for up to 60 days.

Call for 2016 Brochure!

*Reservations suggested.

Murder Mystery Train October 7 at 7:00pm Hunter’s Den Dinner Train October 11 at 7:00pm Hayride Express October 14 & 28 at 7pm Halloween Express October 30 at 12:30, 2:00 & 3:30pm

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS 93

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Stages of mushroom spawn The stages of spawn growing can be seen by the color of the bags. Brown bags are the freshly inoculated bags. The bags turn tan as the mycelium begins to grow. The white bags are ready to harvest. It takes 15-18 days from start to finish for shiitake spawn, 15 days or less for maitake spawn, and 9 to 12 days for oyster spawn.

C

Continued on Page 94

94 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

Photo Essay Continued from Page 93

1

Making the Growing Logs Maitake, oyster, and shiitake mushrooms each require slightly different nutrients in the growing logs for quality results. Maitake and shiitake are grown on the small “logs� shown below, while oyster mushrooms are grown in longer, rounder bags, more like a tree trunk.

The team at this log production facility processes six batches of 944 bags each day.

Enough raw materials to fill the 944 bags for a batch are loaded into the drum and mixed together. The growing medium is a mixture of sawdust and three grains.

2

When the raw materials are properly mixed, the bags are filled, weighed, and placed on carts. The carts are placed in an autoclave for sterilization.

3

After the bags of growing medium are sterilized the mushroom spawn is added to the log.

Continued on Page 96

Book a walking food tour of Kennett Square, and visit several of our town’s restaurants and markets, as well as a winery and craft brewery. Sample sweet and savory food samples and local wines and beer on your guided tour.

Leave with a satiated appetite and a taste of what makes Kennett Square so unique!

Visit our website for more information and to book your tour!

www.tastekennett.com Our town...Our restaurants...Our hospitality

Proud Partners of the

Taste Kennett Food Tour

Visit our website to book your tour!

96 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

Photo Essay Continued from Page 94

5

The spawn is mixed into the growing medium by flipping the bags around.

6

The sealed bags are loaded onto trays and the trays are loaded into a truck for delivery to a growing house.

4

The bag is sealed and it travels down a conveyor for final processing.

Continued on Page 98

E

PPORTS TH

PROUDLY SU

31ST

ANNUAL

OM M U S H R OA FESTIV L 749 Norway Rd, Chadds Ford, PA 610-388-9500 • www.greenwoodmushrooms.com

98 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

Photo Essay Continued from Page 96

Growing Maitake, Shiitake, and Oyster Mushrooms Kennett Square’s mushroom growing houses, called doubles, were originally built to grow agaricus mushrooms – buttons, crimini, and portabellas. Kennett Square Specialties adapted these doubles to grow their exotic mushrooms.

The process begins with a clean and sterilized growing room.

The growing logs are placed on shelves in a dark, temperature and moisture controlled growing room. These are maitake bags.

Qing Chen checks oyster bags that were recently placed in a growing room.

Mycelium (white, looks like roots) begins to develop on the maitake logs.

Continued on Page 100

100 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

Photo Essay Continued from Page 98

An opening is cut in the plastic bag where a nip has grown.

The edible part of the maitake mushroom will grow from this nip.

Close-up of shiitake log.

Shiitake mushrooms line the shelves of the growing room. These shiitake had their first harvest and more continue to grow.

Soaking the shiitake logs in water after the mushrooms stopped growing yeilds a new crop. Each log can grow three crops.

Oyster mushrooms begin to emerge from the small holes in the growing bag.

Closeup of oyster mushrooms.

Continued on Page 102

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS 101

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Shop Willowdale Town Center, Kennett Square, PA • Corner of Rt. 82 & 926

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Sip cider and enjoy gourmet treats while you indulge your senses with the tastes, sights and scents of Fall at The Carriage House

We’ve gathered an inspired collection of unique handcrafted furniture, florals, antiques and seasonal accents to add that touch of Autumn warmth to your home and garden. From Bath & Body to Braided Rugs, Pumpkins to Pottery, this charming shop meets all your decorating & gift giving needs.

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102 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

Photo Essay Continued from Page 100

Immature royal trumpet or king oyster mushrooms in the growing room.

Harvested shiitake are taken to the distribution center for sizing and packaging.

Grower Ronnie Winchester demonstrates how the royal trumpet are harvested.

The caps of the royal trumpet mushrooms have matured. These are almost ready for harvest.

Mature maitake will be harvested soon.

Continued on Page 104

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS 103

104 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

Photo Essay Continued from Page 102

Harvested oyster boxes are weighed and topped off in the refrigerated loading dock.

They will be taken directly to the distribution center for shipping.

These oyster mushrooms are harvested directly into five-pound bulk boxes.

Most logs receive multiple pickings. Once the logs are done the logs are removed from the growing room. The plastic is removed and the growing medium (called spent substrate at this point) is recycled.

You can see the growing process and talk with the growers about the various stages of mushroom production at the Mushroom Festival’s Growers’ Exhibit, located at State and Broad Streets, during the Festival.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS 105

VISITORS’ GUIDE

106 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

By www.brandywinevalley.com History was created here in Chester County. When looking for things to do in the Brandywine Valley, consider traveling back and remembering the events and spaces that formed a country.

Brandywine Battlefield Park On September 11, 1777, approximately 30,000 British and American soldiers fought in the Chadds Ford area in what is known as the Battle of the Brandywine. This historically rich environment represents many aspects of American life, especially in the 18th century. Today, the Brandywine Battlefield historic site sits on 46.5 acres of the location that was the Continental encampment and offers many different programs and tours to the public in order to bolster the appreciation for historical thinking and preservation. We offer daily tours of Washington’s Headquarters, a 20-minute film on the battle, and a trip through our museum.

Battlefield tours and special programs are also available.

1491 Baltimore Pike Chadds Ford, PA 610-459-3342 www.brandywinebattlefield.org

Courtesy of brandywinevalley.com

Revolutionary War history happened right here in Chadds Ford, where a museum interprets the events of 1777.

Brandywine Valley Tourism Information Center Originally the Longwood Progressive Quaker Meeting House and once involved in the Underground Railroad, our Information Center offers information on the entire Brandywine Valley attractions, restaurants, accommodations and special events. Located near Longwood Gardens.

300 Greenwood Road Kennett Square, PA 484-770-8550 www.brandywinevalley.com

Chadds Ford Historical Society Guided tours, bread baking and cooking demonstrations at John Chads House and Barns-Brinton House, a rare colonial tavern; Exhibits in the Barn Visitors Center and special events throughout the year; Chadds Ford Days in September, The Great Pumpkin Carve in October and Candlelight Christmas in December. The Chadds Ford Historical Society works to share the history of Chadds Ford. We have three 18th-century buildings that are open to the public seasonally -- the John Chads House, the Chads Springhouse, and the Barns Brinton House. We also offer a variety of fun and educational programs, special events, summer camps, and group tours. We invite you to visit us at our Barn Visitors’ Center to begin your historic experience in Chadds Ford!

1736 N Creek Rd. Chadds Ford, PA 610-388-7376 www.chaddsfordhistory.org

Courtesy of brandywinevalley.com

Colonial artisans are part of the annual Chadds Ford Days celebration.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS 107

Uncover the intrigue of the past at the Chester County Historical Society. Learn the stories of regional heritage through permanent and changing exhibits, including the award-winning, hands-on History Lab. Open Tuesday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. top 4:30 p.m.

The History Center houses the museum, library and photo archives, and the Cultural Center. It is the site where most CCHS programs are held.

225 N. High Street West Chester, PA 610-692-4800 www.chestercohistorical.org

May 29 through Sept. 4, 1 to 4 p.m. Candlelight Tours are traditionally offered the first full weekend in December.

Admission is $3 (children under 10 free).

1 Park Road Wagontown, PA 610-383-3812 Continued on Page 108

Hibernia Mansion Hibernia Mansion is a restored 19th-century mansion. The mansion, as you see it today, reflects the changes of lifestyle and social status of its various owners for over 200 years. Long the home of ironmasters, it expanded with their increased prosperity. Hibernia is on the National Register of Historic Places and the Pennsylvania Inventory of Historic Places.

Open to the public for regular tours Sundays,

VISITORS’ GUIDE

Chester County Historical Society

Courtesy of brandywinevalley.com

The Brandywine Valley Tourism Information Center offers information on the entire Brandywine Valley attractions, restaurants, accommodations and special events.

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VISITORS’ GUIDE

108 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

Historic Sites

Kennett Underground Railroad Center Learn about the history all around us, here in this hotbed of abolitionism. One of our guides will be glad to join you in your car, bus, or van and lead a tour for a modest donation. Call 484-734-0079 to make arrangements for a tour. Tours will depart from the Chester County Visitors Center near the entrance of Longwood Gardens.

KURCRR@gmail.com

Continued from Page 107

National Iron & Steel Heritage Museum

Courtesy of brandywinevalley.com

The Barns Brinton-House is one of the oldest buildings in Chadds Ford.

Proud sponsor of The Mushroom Festival

B A N K I N G

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Historic homes of the Lukens and Huston families, founders Lukens Steel Company. Tours by appointment.

The museum is a project of the Graystone Society, whose mission is to promote an understanding of the iron and steel history of Coatesville, Chester County, Southeastern Pennsylvania and the region to audiences of all ages and interests by collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting iron and steel’s history and its relationship to the region and nation beyond. Open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Weekday Guided Tours between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday Guided Tours at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m.

50 S. 1st Ave. Coatesville, PA Continued on Page 110

H Hilltop illtop Crabhouse Restaurant & Bar All You Can Eat BIG FAT BLUE CRABS Available YEAR ROUND

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Happy Hour Wed.-Sun. 4pm - 7pm Discounted food & drinks

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Excludes Alcohol • EAT IN ONLY Offer expires 12/31/16

8980 Gap Newport Pike • Toughkenamon, PA 19374 610-268-2766 • www.hilltopcrabhouse.com

VISITORS’ GUIDE

110 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 Continued from Page 108

By www.brandywinevalley.com Come for the great wine, and stay because you can’t get enough of it! Pennsylvania’s climate and terrain provide some of the best growing conditions on the east coast, allowing Brandywine Valley to be one of the state’s premier wine regions.

Brandywine Valley’s bucolic countryside is home to many fine wineries. Make a stop at Chadds Ford Winery, the largest wine producer in Pennsylvania, for any of their special events or wine tastings. Or go to any of the unique, family farmed wineries along the Brandywine Artisan Wine Trail. With vineyards and wineries lining the rolling hills, and special events and tastings all throughout the area, you’ll be wondering what took you so long to get to here, and more importantly, when can you come back!

Black Walnut Winery Located in a 200-year-old bank barn in Chester County. The owners have renovated the facility for wine tasting and events, but kept that old world feel to reflect the historic craft of winemaking. We also have a Tasting Room located in downtown Phoenixville. Black Walnut Winery has the ability to host private parties and special events at our Sadsburyville location.

3000 Lincoln Highway Sadsburyville, PA 610-857-5566

Photo courtesy of brandywinevalley.com.

Chaddsford Winery

Chaddsford Winery Visit our nationally acclaimed winery to tour the winemaking and barrel-aging cellars and taste our premium, award-winning wines such as Chardonnay, Merlot and Pinot Grigio. Chaddsford Winery’s main facility, housed in a charming 17th-century dairy barn, is located in Chadds Ford, between world-famous Longwood Gardens and the Wyeth family’s Brandywine River Museum. www.chaddsford.com

Galer Estate Winery Galer Estate Winery is a prestigious, award-winning boutique winery located just behind beautiful Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square. Offering wine tastings, wine sales, art shows and live music, we are open to the public Thursday through Sunday.

700 Folly Hill Rd. Kennett Square, PA www.galerestate.com Continued on Page 112

Photo courtesy of brandywinevalley.com.

Galer Estate Winery

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VISITORS’ GUIDE

112 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

Wine lovers

Penns Woods Winery

Continued from Page 110

AJ. Maki Winery Home of America’s best champagne and Ice wines; also world class premium dry red and whites.

200 Grove Rd. Elverson, PA 610-286-7754, www.jmakiwinery.com

Kreutz Creek Vineyards & Winery Experience the ultimate wine experience; Awardwinning wines; Visit our tasting room in West Chester. Built on dreams with determination, Carole and Jim Kirkpatrick began making wine in 1989. Together with their friends and families they have captured the art of the wine making process, from vine to bottle.

553 S. Guernsey Rd. West Grove, PA www.kreutzcreekvineyards.com

Paradocx Winery & Vineyard Join us at our winery, tasting room, retail shop located on the same property as our home vineyard and winery! Enjoy the view of 100 rolling acres of picturesque land, 30 of which are under vine. This location offers a beautiful and unique setting for weekend wine tastings (choose from 15 varieties), concerts, private parties, corporate functions, weddings, and lots of fun for all!

1833 Flint Hill Rd. Landenberg, PA 610-255-5684, www.paradocx.com

Visit our tasting room at our vineyard! Hours of operation change seasonally, so please check our website for updated hours. Penns Woods Winery is a family-run Pennsylvania Winery. With over 40 years of experience in the wine business, winemaker Gino Razzi, and his daughter Carley Mack, produce award-winning wines from Pennsylvania-grown grapes. Penns Woods wines can be found in restaurants throughout Philadelphia and its surrounding suburbs. The tasting room in Chadds Ford provides an allaround vineyard experience and hosts live music, food and wine pairings, and other exciting events each weekend.

124 Beaver Valley Rd. Chadds Ford, PA www.pennswoodsevents.com

Stargazers Vineyard A family winery based on European model of growing and making wine. Tasting room hours are noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday (other times by appointment). Our tasting consists of five samples for a $5 fee. For groups of ten or more, we offer a different package. Inquire for details.

At the intersection of Route 162 and Stargazers Road www.stargazersvineyard.com

Va La Vineyards Our small farm is devoted to the production of four dry table wines. Each wine is made from a blend of northern Italian varieties in the ancient methods of ‘vins de terroir.’

8820 Gap Newport Pike (Route 41) Avondale, PA 610-268-2702, www.valavineyards.com Continued on Page 114

Photo courtesy of brandywinevalley.com.

Paradocx Vineyard and Winery

Photo courtesy of brandywinevalley.com.

Va La Vineyards

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS 113

VISITORS’ GUIDE

114 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 Continued from Page 112

From www.brandywinevalley.com With a tradition of horticulture going back 300 years, it’s no surprise that Philadelphia is America’s Garden Capital. The area boasts 30 public gardens within 30 miles, many of which are located in Chester County. From the stately grandeur of the famed du Pont family-founded Longwood Gardens to the rustic beauty of area arboretums, these outdoor escapes feature renowned horticultural collections, rare plants, wildflowers, ancient trees, and extensive hiking trails. Get outside and explore the natural wonders around every corner. Chester County is your garden trail destination.

Chanticleer Garden

Jenkins Arboretum & Garden

Chanticleer is a 35-acre garden featuring lush courtyards of tropicals, perennials, containers, cut flower and vegetable garden; water gardens, ponds, exotic woodlands and spectacular ruin garden. The Chanticleer Foundation owns 47 acres, 35 of which are open to the public. The remaining acreage is in agriculture, woodland, service areas, and staff housing. The main path is just under a mile in length.

Open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Fridays until 8 p.m.

786 Church Rd. Wayne, PA www.chanticleergarden.org

A botantical garden, preserving and nurturing 46 acres of Chester County’s rapidly disappearing natural environments. Jenkins Arboretum & Gardens is one of eastern Pennsylvania’s great horticultural and environmental assets.

As a botanical garden, the Arboretum maintains a collection of trees, shrubs, wildflowers and ferns in a tranquil, naturalistic landscape. In addition, the Arboretum features a diverse collection

Photo courtesy of brandywinevalley.com

Longwood Gardens is one of the most acclaimed gardens in America.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS 115

Longwood Gardens Longwood Gardens offers a new experience every day, with special events, concerts, and cuisine; The 1077 acres of woodlands, gardens, conservatories and fountains are open everyday of the year.

Regular gardens admission is $20 for adults, $17 for seniors, $10 for students ages 5 to 18 or any age with valid student ID, free for ages 4 and younger.

1001 Longwood Rd. Kennett Square, PA www.longwoodgardens.org

Mt. Cuba Center Located on nearly 600 acres, dedicated to the study, conservation, and appreciation of plants native to the Appalachian Piedmont Region through garden display, education, and research. Our woodland wildflower gardens are recognized as the region’s finest.

3120 Barley Mill Rd. Hockessin, DE 302-239-4244, www.mtcubacenter.org

Nemours Mansion & Gardens Alfred I duPont’s French-style chateau furnished with fine examples of antique furniture, rare rugs, tapestries and outstanding works of art is set among spectacular French formal gardens. Owned and developed by our founder, Alfred I. duPont (1864-1935), Nemours Estate comprises an exquisite, 77room mansion, the largest formal French gardens in North America, a Chauffeur’s Garage housing a collection of vintage automobiles used on the estate, and nearly 200 acres of scenic woodlands, meadows and lawns.

850 Alapocas Dr. Wilmington, DE www.nemoursmansion.org

VISITORS’ GUIDE

of rhododendrons and azaleas from around the world. The unique landscape and diverse plant collections provide sanctuary for a variety of birds, insects and other wildlife.

631 Berwyn Baptist Rd. Devon, PA 610-647-8870 www.jenkinsarboretum.org

Continued on Page 116

PACK N SHIP “Quick and Easy” Shipping DHL, FedEx, UPS, Priority Mail Copying, Faxes, Laminating, Gift Boxes and Gift Items Available

Southern Chester County authorized Drop-Off Center for DHL, UPS, FedEx Mon-Fri 10-6pm, Sat 10-2pm

Kennett Square

610-444-9048

Jennersville

610-345-9070

116 CHESTER COUNTY PRESS - MUSHROOM GUIDE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016

Gardens Continued from Page 115

Tyler Arboretum Admission is free... the experience is priceless

Fall Calendar of Events Saturday 9/24 • 2pm “All Things Being (almost) Equal: The Autumnal Equinox” Outdoor Celebration Stateline Woods Preserve

Sunday 9/25 • 10am Mariachi Flores Live Performance Anson B. Nixon Park

Sunday 10/2 • 2pm

The Arboretum features beautiful exhibits of heritage magnolias, cherries, crabapples, hollies and lilacs, as well as 11 acres of rhododendrons and azaleas. Herbs are featured in the Fragrance Garden and the Vegetable Demonstration Garden promotes healthy and delicious eating. Tyler Arboretum is a non-profit public garden in Delaware County.

One of the oldest arboreta in the northeastern United States, Tyler encompasses 650 acres of renowned plant collections, heritage and champion trees, historic buildings and 17 miles of hiking trails through woodlands, wetlands and meadows.

515 Painter Rd. Media, PA 610-566-9134 www.tylerarboretum.org

Welkinweir

London Grove Friends Meeting

At the heart of a 55-acre arboretum of mature specimens of rare and unusual trees and shrubs and formal gardens is an historic estate house that spans three centuries, designed to complement the natural beauty of the secluded valley.

Listed on the National Register, the 200-acre permanently protected property features forested, riparian, and meadow hiking trails.

1368 Prizer Rd. Pottstown, PA 610-469-7543, www.welkinweir.org

Saturday 11/5 • 6pm

Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library

Wilmington Drama League Children’s Theater Pillow Play, The Apple Kennett Friends Meeting

Sunday 10/23 • 2pm Fall Frolic Story Time & Sing-a-Long

“A Hip Hop World Order: Critical Listening, Visual Literacy & Verbal Prowess in the 21st Century” Lecture International Cultural Center, Lincoln University

Saturday 11/19 • 2pm Pack Up Your Sorrows – The Documentary Sykes Theater, West Chester University

Saturday 12/10 • 7pm Celtic Christmas Concert featuring Seasons Patton Middle School Auditorium

610-444-1855 | www.Hadley.org

The premier museum of American decorative arts, with an unparalleled collection of nearly 90,000 objects made or used in America between about 1640 and 1860. The collection is displayed in the magnificent 175-room house, set amidst a 1,000-acre preserve of rolling meadows and woodlands. Its 60-acre naturalistic garden is among the country’s best.

5105 Kennett Pike (Route 52) Winterthur, DE www.winterthur.org.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 MUSHROOM GUIDE - CHESTER COUNTY PRESS 117

“Wild Bunch” Oil on Panel 9” x 18”

Since 1925, the Basciani family has been growing fine quality mushrooms.

4th Generation William Basciani classically paints them in still life. William's paintings have been collected in personal collections across the U.S. and some internationally. Whether it be on trips to Europe, at his studio in Chadds Ford, or out on the farm, he paints wherever he may be. Basciani continues to pursue his passion for capturing the beauty of life.

See more of Basciani’s work at www.basciani.com William Basciani | 610-637-2544