MUSHROOM MADNESS

MUSHROOM MADNESS MUSHROOM MADNESS

Feeding the Fungi Frenzy at Lost Bay Farm And Gardens

By Nicole Willis

If you have been on social media or done some online shopping recently, you may have noticed the abundance of mushroom-themed products. Social media influencers, foodies and health gurus alike are raving about the life-changing benefits of incorporating mushrooms into their lifestyles. From hundreds of new mushroom-infused beauty products on Amazon to health supplements, tinctures, topical creams and more, mushroomrelated products are being sold practically everywhere. To get the scoop on the latest craze of mushroom madness and to learn more about why people are implementing mushrooms in their daily lives, we went local and spoke with self-taught mycologist Troy Groff of Lost Bay Farm And Gardens at 11545 Sorrento Road in Pensacola.

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Groff has been growing mushrooms since 2016 when he took on mycology (the study of fungi) full-time by reading books, watching videos and experimenting. He has grown mushrooms commercially since 2018 and has worked at Pensacola’s Lost Bay Farm And Gardens for over a year. Groff first connected with Lost Bay owners Brian Barr and Bill McLendon after his own growing operations were shut down as a result of the pandemic. Barr and McLendon invited Groff 22 | NOVEMBER 2022 to move his operation to Lost Bay and the team has been working together ever since. Lost Bay grows a colorful assortment of mushrooms—several types of tree oysters including blue, pink and golden oysters, as well as black pearls, king trumpets, lion's mane and more. They currently sell eight types of gourmet edible mushrooms, but are working on growing new types to begin selling in the near future. According to Groff, lion’s mane is the most sought-after species of mushroom. “Lion's mane is probably our number one seller right now,” he said. “It has erinacines in it, which are really good for your brain. It helps with memory and focus. They're actually trialing it on dementia and Alzheimer's patients,” he explained. You do not have to eat mushrooms with every meal to reap their benefits. Lost Bay also offers lion’s mane tinctures, capsules and powder for adding into things such as coffees, teas and smoothies. Lion’s mane is not the only type of mushroom with health benefits, however. “Almost all mushrooms have vitamin D and different vitamin Bs, they have beta-glucans in them (which support blood sugar and cholesterol regulation), ergothioneine which are good cancer fighters, plus iron, protein and fiber,” Groff explained. Many people are also consuming mushrooms for their unique flavors and not just for their health benefits. Groff explained that some people prefer to eat mushrooms in a more traditional way by utilizing them when cooking, and often as a meat substitute as well. The protein and iron content of mushrooms coupled with their umami flavor and versatility make these delectable fungi desirable for just about any type of plant-based cooking.

Lion's Mane Mushroom

Lost Bay Farm And Gardens' Grow Blocks

Because mushrooms are sought after for a bounty of reasons, Lost Bay grows and cultivates more than 100 lbs. of mushrooms per week, and Groff says they hope to triple that number in the near future. To accommodate such high production, a new and much larger growing lab was recently constructed. The lab is a critical component for the farm’s overall growing operation, as mushrooms must be grown in a controlled and sterile environment in order to successfully grow healthy mushrooms. “Contamination is one of the biggest issues in growing mushrooms,” Groff said.

Inside the lab, Groff propagates mushrooms from various cultures. A mushroom culture can be taken from spores or the tissue of another mushroom. “We grow our mushrooms from cultures and we have Petri dishes that we grow our cultures on,” he explained. “We also have a liquid culture that we use to grow our mushrooms on and then we transfer that to sterilized grain and from the sterilized grain it goes into our bulk substrate. That's basically how we grow our mushrooms.” The overall growth process can be long and depending on the type of mushroom, this process can take anywhere from one to four months.

To cut out the lengthy process for those looking to grow their own mushrooms at home, Lost Bay offers grow blocks that include all of the necessary supplies and materials for growing your own mushrooms. “We make it super easy for people– all they have to do is cut the bag open, spray it and you have mushrooms. We have about five different kinds that you can get,” Groff said. The grow kits are available for purchase at Lost Bay Farm And Gardens or at the Palafox Market on Saturdays at which they are a regular vendor at. Lost Bay also pops up at various events and markets throughout town, most recently at the Vegan Market at Trader Bo’s. In addition to the grow kits, they sell a variety of other mushroom products, including the lion’s mane tinctures and powders, dehydrated mushrooms, and freeze-dried mushrooms that have a long shelf life. Whichever form of mushrooms interest you, Groff can certainly help you find a product that fits your lifestyle.

Lost Bay Farm And Gardens at the Palafox Market

If you are interested in learning more about the wondrous world of mushrooms, you can stop by the Palafox Market or visit Lost Bay Farm And Gardens located at 11545 Sorrento Road in Pensacola. You can also find them online at lostbayfarmandgardens. com or follow Lost Bay Farm And Gardens on Facebook.

Pink Oyster Mushroom

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