Growing Mushrooms: A History

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If You’re really curious about something, you start to ask yourself things like,

“What is it exactly? Where can I find it? How do I
use it?” and a plethora of other questions. As a writer for a company that
grows and sells mushrooms, I eventually have to ask myself a few basic
things. When and why did we start using mushrooms and how have they spread
across America?

It appears that the Egyptians were the first civilization to
harvest mushrooms about 4,600 years ago. The pharos believed they were a
source for immortality and found them so delicious that they decreed that
no commoners would eat them. Soon, many other civilizations started using
mushrooms in their rituals and many believed that they could give you
super-strength and lead your soul to the gods.

Sometime during the 1600’s, cultivation of mushrooms began, and
France was leading the way. It’s been speculated that Louis XIV of France
may have been the first mushroom grower, using caves near Paris. From
France, mushrooms spread to England and then the US. Louis F. Lambert was
the first producer of pure culture virgin spawn under the American Spawn
Company. The French mycologist introduced the production of brick spawn
across the country and received a silver medal for it at the Universal
Expedition in 1904.old mush

The mushrooms industry rapidly expanded throughout the US
during the early 1900’s, but particularly in Pennsylvania. In 1930, 350 out
of 516 mushroom growers lived in Chester County, Pennsylvania and
distributed around 85% of the nation’s mushrooms. While Pennsylvania still
produces more mushrooms than any other state, farming has now spread much
further thanks to better spawn, synthetic manure developments, improvements
to growing houses, and of course, promotions.

The American Mushroom institute was legally incorporated as a
non-profit organization in 1955. They made it their goal to promote the
consumption of cultivated mushrooms by advertising, educating consumers,
and holding relations with the government, among other things. AMI was
central to spreading recipes that used mushrooms in everything from
appetizers to casseroles. Today, the promotion of fresh mushrooms is
heavily assisted by the government-organized Mushroom Council. Thanks to
their work, not only has the consumption of mushrooms steadily increased,
but September has been named National Mushroom Month.

Mushrooms are now grown in a variety of ways all across the
nation. Farming mushrooms using brick spawn has become so simplified and
clean that you can even grow some yourself
Click HERE For More Info On Growing Mushrooms At Home. Although
they don’t really grant the ability to live forever, their delicious
flavors and textures are enough to make me glad that mushrooms have become
popular enough to be a regular part of my meals.

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