ESPARTO, Calif. — Mushroom farmer Sam Shin says growing up in a small town in South Korea was very different from his current home in Northern California, but his memories of mountains and rice paddies are still sweet.

“My memories from those days are filled with the sight of agricultural products and farmers working,” he said.

He started to learn about farming in elementary school.

“After the Korean War was a time when there was a shortage of food cultivation for farmers, and all young students from the fifth grade of elementary school had to learn farming by working on the school’s practical farm,” he said.

In 1968, Shin participated in an experimental mushroom cultivation project and learned about the exotic fungus for the first time.

Manager Dong-Yeol Cha of the Mycology Department of the Rural Development Administration in South Korea began the experimental cultivation of mushrooms for the first time.

“In 1972, I immigrated to the U.S. and began growing mushrooms because I craved them, and I enjoyed the compliments from people around me,” he said. “Now, this has become my main job, and I cultivate about 10 different types of mushrooms.”

The list includes shiitake, oyster, royal trumpet, lion’s mane, maitake, shimeji, enoki, maitake, nameko, portobello and white.

These mushrooms, which once grew wild in natural environments, can now be cultivated indoors and outdoors.

In natural settings, the fruiting body forms only once a year. However, with advances in science, it is now possible to adjust the seasons indoors, allowing for year-round cultivation and higher yields.

In the past, indoor cultivation often failed due to contamination, but now, with advanced scientific facilities in place, fungal contamination can be prevented, making it less of an issue, he said.

“I eat a lot of mushrooms, and my favorite is the Shitake,” Shin said.” I frequently enjoy Shitake steaks and add Lion’s Mane mushrooms to various dishes, which enhance both the taste and aroma. These two types of mushrooms are my favorites for cooking.”

In California, there are about 12 specialty mushroom farms that grow exotic varieties, but the state’s cooks still rely heavily on imported products.

The popularity of eating mushrooms has soared but there are challenges, especially higher costs.

“Before the pandemic, the average cost of growing exotic mushrooms in California was around $3.75 per pound,” Shin said. “Now, after the pandemic, the cost has risen to $5.90 per pound due to factors like increased labor, materials and fuel costs.”

Domestic farmers also face significant challenges due to the influx of cheaper imported mushrooms, which are sold at below-market prices, he said.

To protect local agriculture, government intervention through policies such as tariffs or subsidies may be necessary to level the playing field and support sustainable farming, he said.

Sam Shin

Hometown: Esparto, Calif.

Occupation: Mushroom farmer, Solano Mushroom

Website: solanomushroom.com

Quote: “To protect local agriculture, government intervention through policies such as tariffs or subsidies may be necessary to level the playing field and support sustainable farming.”