Skokomish Ridge Mushroom Growers’ Cooperative. In this issue, use your local savings coupon to receive 50¢ off any purchase of fresh Skokomish Ridge Mushrooms in our produce department! Skokomish Ridge Mushroom Growers’ Cooperative (and its individual grower members) cultivate delicious specialty mushrooms. Currently, they produce shiitake, maitake, lion’s mane and king trumpet.

Bob and Harriet Ames established the cooperative in 2016. With more than 12 years of experience in mushroom production, their business model eliminates many costs faced by commercial mushroom growers. Unlike the one owner commercial model, which requires investments in many acres of land for contiguous growing structures and produces unpleasant odors when managed on a large scale, Skokomish Ridge Mushrooms grower members build smaller facilities on their own property.

The cooperative provides technical support and materials at cost, including bags containing a sterilized substrate inoculated with the mushroom species king’s trumpet mushrooms to be grown. After performing lab work and attending to other preparation, the cooperative purchases the mushrooms produced by their member growers. The support doesn’t end there, because the cooperative also packages, markets, and distributes the fresh gourmet products of the member growers’ labor. Growers receive monthly payments and annual bonuses for their participation. Four of the seven grower members have constructed grow rooms and are receiving income from the production of their high quality specialty mushrooms.

The Olympia Food Co-op is proud to support this local organization, and to promote their successful cooperative model by offering you savings on the mouthwatering and nutritious results of their valued labor.

Photo by Bob Ames