The first gourmet mushrooms, including Blue Grey, Golden, Pink and King Oyster and Lion's Mane, have been harvested and sold from a pioneering mushroom farm set up last year on the Blenheim Estate.
Following a five-star Food Safety hygiene rating from West Oxfordshire District Council, the farm is now able to sell its gourmet mushrooms, all of which have been grown on spawn-inoculated substrate, a sustainable growing base made from sawdust and recycled coffee grounds from the 440,000 cups of coffee sold at Blenheim Palace every year.
When the mushroom farm is running at full capacity, 15kg of mushrooms will be sent each week to the kitchens at Blenheim Palace, including the popular Walled Garden Pizzeria; the remaining 100kg will be sold locally through the OxFarmToFork platform and local farmers' markets.
OxFarmToFork is a collaborative project led by Good Food Oxfordshire that connects Oxfordshire caterers directly with local agroecological food producers. By simplifying the supply chain, this empowers producers, enhances food security, and helps institutions source sustainable, local produce that support our community and planet.
Read more at Oxfordshire Guardian