At MycoLogic, we love partnering with new growers to help them establish their mushroom businesses. Over the past six weeks, we’ve been working with Local Mushrooms in Acworth, GA, to set up a grow tent and document their journey—from obtaining a permit to selling their first harvest.
Growing
Wesley and Erin from Local Mushrooms began their journey by purchasing a Boom Room II from North Spore. They’ve had a positive experience so far, particularly highlighting North Spore’s excellent customer service:
“North Spore has the best customer service I have ever received through a company.” — Wesley
Setting up the grow tent was straightforward; within 30 minutes, they had it up and running. Since then, they’ve successfully fruited seven mushroom varieties, with their yields detailed below. Note that individual results will vary depending on growing conditions, expertise level, and substrate source.
After running their unit continuously for six weeks, they encountered some challenges, including rust on the brackets and moisture buildup leading to mold growth. To mitigate this, they adjusted the humidity settings 3–4 degrees lower than the recommended levels, which significantly reduced condensation inside the tent. In hindsight, they would have also cleaned the unit after each flush rather than waiting. They noted that the cleaning process only takes around 30 minutes and is well worth the effort.
Permits
As of February 2025, the process for legally selling culinary mushrooms remains unclear, with little official online documentation. Wesley and Erin resorted to direct outreach to local representatives to clarify requirements.
The regulations vary by state, so we recommend contacting your [State] Department of Agriculture to determine specific requirements for selling cultivated mushrooms. Here are some key takeaways from the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s response:
- – No license is required for growing, harvesting, packing, or holding fresh produce if it remains in its natural state and only a single cut is made from the harvestable portion.
- – If growing sprouts, a food sales license is required regardless of revenue.
- – Selling at farmers’ markets requires packaging to include your farm’s name and address.
- – Making additional cuts (e.g., slicing, dicing, freezing) may classify you as a processor, requiring a food sales license.
- – To sell ready-to-eat produce, you must complete a Produce Business Plan and a Farm Data Collection Form.
- – Farms with annual gross sales under $25,000 are currently exempt from the Produce Safety Rule.
- – If expanding beyond a hobby farm, completing Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) training is recommended.
While the process can be unclear, a good starting point is obtaining a business license and reaching out to your local department of agriculture for compliance guidance.
Selling
When starting sales, the easiest approach is selling small quantities within your community—leveraging personal connections to gain traction and gather market insights on pricing, variety preferences, and delivery methods.
Local Mushrooms first introduced their mushrooms at a nearby head spa, generating interest through organic conversations before creating a formal sales sheet showcasing their offerings. This approach quickly led to selling out their inventory.
They have since begun exploring local restaurant sales, finding demand for 2–4 lbs per week at a restaurant new to specialty mushrooms. Based on industry experience, restaurants that already incorporate specialty mushrooms into their menus typically purchase 15–35 lbs every 1–2 weeks, depending on their size and menu needs.
Conclusion
Through their journey, Wesley and Erin have gained valuable insights into growing, licensing, and selling mushrooms.
Their experience with the Boom Room II highlights how easy it is to get up and running and begin producing diverse mushroom varieties. However, they also learned the importance of maintaining ideal humidity levels and implementing a regular cleaning schedule to prevent mold and rust issues.
Navigating the licensing process was a challenge, with little clear online documentation. Their persistence in contacting local agricultural authorities provided much-needed clarity, and their experience underscores the importance of checking state-specific regulations before selling mushrooms commercially.
On the sales front, starting small and leveraging personal networks proved to be an effective approach. Their initial success at a head spa built momentum, and their restaurant outreach demonstrated that demand can vary widely depending on whether a restaurant is new to specialty mushrooms or already using them.
As they continue to scale, Local Mushrooms plans to transition from the Boom Room II to MycoLogic’s Spore 40 Fruiting Module to meet increasing demand. For new growers, their journey emphasizes the importance of starting with a manageable system, refining processes, and strategically expanding as market demand grows. By following these lessons, aspiring mushroom growers can set themselves up for long-term success.
