On a quiet stretch of Adams County countryside, John McGrain and Mel Murphy have built something unexpected inside a converted shed and a basement. Charming Meadows Mushrooms is a thriving gourmet mushroom farm that supplies restaurants, farmers markets, and community-supported agriculture programs across the region.
What began as a backyard hobby inspired by an article in "Mother Earth News" has grown into a full-time enterprise. McGrain credits Murphy's mother with sparking the idea. "She gave me an article about growing mushrooms in your backyard just for yourself, and I thought it was fascinating," he said. "We started with a few beds in the woods, and then it just got out of hand from there."
McGrain's background in the restaurant industry, where he endured grueling hours during the height of the pandemic, played a role in shaping the business. "I was one of two people keeping the restaurant open, working open to close every day," he recalled. "Meanwhile, the mushroom thing was becoming a possibility. It felt like a way out."
In 2022, the pair officially launched their farm. They quickly scaled from producing 10 or 20 pounds of mushrooms weekly for one restaurant to more than 300 pounds each week, serving eight to ten restaurants and three farmers markets. Their products now appear on menus at restaurants across Adams County.
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