| Mushrooms are a tasty ingredient for any meal. | | | | prices! That's why growing oyster mushrooms for |
| They're a popular item at restaurants, farmers' | | | | profit is a great way to make some extra cash. |
| markets and super markets. Did you know you can | | | | After your oyster mushrooms are all grown, they're |
| make good money growing mushrooms for profit? | | | | ready to be sold. Mushrooms generally do best when |
| Here's how: | | | | they're sold right away when they're fresh. If you can't |
| Oyster mushrooms, a type of exotic mushroom, are | | | | sell your entire supply soon, freeze the remaining |
| enjoying a high level of demand. Last year in the United | | | | mushrooms, and you can sell them sometime in the |
| States, more than a million and a half pounds of exotic | | | | future. For the ones you're ready to sell now, you have |
| mushrooms were grown. And that high level of | | | | several ways to do it: |
| demand isn't expected to drop off anytime in the | | | | Restaurants love using fresh mushrooms. Visit some |
| foreseeable future. | | | | local restaurants and hand out free samples to their |
| In addition to the high demand, oyster mushrooms are | | | | chefs. If they like what you have, you might see a lot |
| fairly easy to grow. They takes about six weeks from | | | | of business come your way. |
| start to harvest. That's one of the reasons they're the | | | | Farmers' markets are fun events that attract big |
| perfect mushroom for the part-time grower. To be a | | | | crowds looking to buy from the best local growers. |
| successful oyster mushroom grower, you don't need | | | | Set up a stand or booth and get ready to sell a lot of |
| to have a full-time commitment. You can work a | | | | mushrooms. Spots often fill up fast, so if that happens, |
| full-time job or have other commitments. If you can | | | | consider asking another grower if you can share a |
| spare a few hours a week, then you have enough | | | | stand or booth with them. |
| time to be a successful mushroom grower. | | | | Grocery stores frequently stock exotic mushrooms. |
| So what kind of money can you make as a grower? | | | | Many get their mushrooms from out-of-state |
| Oyster mushrooms are currently selling for around $6 | | | | distributors. Because oyster mushrooms taste much |
| a pound. A growing area of around 200 square feet | | | | better when fresh picked, stores prefer to buy local |
| can produce 800 pounds per crop, or 5,000 pounds of | | | | whenever possible. |
| mushrooms per year - worth $30,000 at current | | | | |