We grow nutrient dense culinary mushrooms sustainably in an outdoor forest setting.
Mushrooms are a medicinal powerhouse and nature’s superfood!
Unlike mushrooms grown indoors in a controlled environment, our mushrooms are grown in harmony with nature in an environment where mushrooms have evolved to thrive: the old growth forests of the Pacific Northwest. Our mushrooms are grown organically on locally sourced hardwood logs and wheat straw under a canopy of maple and fir trees on a wooded acre of our property in the hills of Washougal, WA.
We cultivate mushrooms seasonally on Mother Nature’s schedule. That means mushrooms will fruit and are ready to harvest when conditions are just right, usually 2-3 times per year. We believe that fresh mushrooms are most delicious and nutrient packed when foraged from the wild or forest cultivated.
Mushrooms that are grown outdoors are loaded with beneficial compounds, including higher levels of vitamin D. They also have a better depth of flavor compared to those grown indoors on sawdust by most mushroom growers. Earthy, aromatic hints of oak, maple and alder trees are captured by the mushrooms as their mycelium grows through and decomposes the wood.
Log-based cultivation is sustainable in that the locally harvested logs improve forest health and are renewable. It takes 1-2 years for a log to produce mushrooms after inoculation, then it will produce for several years before becoming compost and added back to the soil. Our natural methods do not depend on high energy inputs for sterilization, incubation and fruiting. The use of plastics and non-renewable resources is negligable.
Our mushrooms integrate with the diverse and fantastic fungal ecosystem of the land bringing nature’s superfood to your plate. You can truly taste the essence of the forest!
Explore our varieties below and sign up for the Delgado Homestead Newsletter to get first dibs and updates on seasonal Mushroom Pop-Ups.
Fresh Mushrooms By the Pound
We sell fresh mushrooms for farm or in-town pick-up and Mushroom Pop-Up location in Washougal, WA only. Online ordering is available for farm or in-town pick-up below when mushrooms are in season.
Lion’s Mane
$20 USD / pound
Softball sized clusters with cascading long spines make Lion’s Mane one of the most breathtaking mushrooms, typically fruiting in the fall.
Their distinctive flavor and texture is reminiscent of crab and lobster but with a more firm and chewy texture than other mushrooms. They are delicious cooked over high heat, covered, until the fingerlike teeth are singed brown and become crispy. Then, simmer with soy sauce and chopped onions adding butter at the end. While Lion’s Mane grown in sawdust culture is sometimes slightly bitter, our log-grown Lion’s Mane is almost always sweet and succulent.
Studies suggest Lion’s Mane has neurotrophic capabilities by stimulating your body to produce nerve growth factor to help regenerate nerve cells, defending against neurodegenerative disease. Eating Lion’s Mane can help with clarity, focus and memory. A great source of iron and potassium, Lion’s Mane supports a healthy immune system.
Wine Cap
$18 USD / pound
The Wine Cap mushroom, a.k.a. Garden Giant, King Stropharia, or Godzilla mushroom, is known for its port wine colored caps and white stalks. They have an earthy almost potato-like flavor, firm buttons and edible stem. They are great for braising, sauteeing or grilling. They can grow to an enormous size but are picked during the small button stage for best flavor.
Wine Cap mushrooms grow quickly and fruit 2-3 times per year, primarily late spring to early fall.
Wine Cap mushrooms are a great source of protein, calcium and iron. As with many mushrooms, they contain chemical compounds that have the potential for medicinal use as suggested by modern research.
Shiitake
$18 USD / pound
Shiitake mushrooms are well known for their excellent flavor and medicinal qualities. They are earthy, hearty and rich and pair well with other vegetables. Throw stems in a freezer bag and add them to your next vegetable broth. It will be the most hearty and rich broth ever!
They are one of the most popular cultivated mushrooms and have been grown for centuries in Asia. We have taken centuries-old log cultivation methods and adapted them for use on our farm. Shiitake mushrooms produce abundantly and fruit every few weeks throughout the growing season.
Health benefits of Shiitake mushrooms are well known in Asian medicine and modern research. They are known to have powerful medicinal qualities as an antibiotic, antiviral and anti-cancer immune modulator. Shiitakes eaten regularly can help regulate blood lipid levels and reduce blood glucose levels.
Oyster Mushrooms
Pleurotis ostreatus
Oyster mushrooms have a mild, nutty flavor that becomes stronger the longer they are cooked. We love tearing the flesh into strips, pan searing them in olive oil with salt and pepper until crispy, then finishing off with garlic herb butter. Basting the whole mushroom in a miso marinade then broiling to crispy perfection is also a delicious preparation.
Health benefits of Oyster mushrooms are numerous and well researched. Not only are they packed with vitamin D, minerals and antioxidants, they are shown to protect the immune system, reduce blood pressure, regulate cholesterol levels, build strong bones, reduce inflammation, have anti cancer properties, and can defend against neurodegenerative disease.
Blue Oyster
$17 USD / pound
This stunning Oyster makes beautiful clusters of blue-grey mushrooms that fruit prolifically in cold weather, especially after the first near-freezing temperatures in autumn.
Summer White Oyster
$17 USD / pound
This large, cream-colored Oyster fruits during warm rainy spells late spring through late fall and is one of only two strains that can fruit mid-summer.
Golden Oyster
$17 USD / pound
This luminous citrine yellow mushroom has a tangy flavor perfect in small quantities and brightens in color when sauteed. Golden Oysters fruit naturally late spring and again in late summer.
PoHu Oyster
$17 USD / pound
The PoHu Oyster is a heavy producer and grows many ocher to white colored mushrooms in thick clusters with multiple fruitings throughout the growing season, including summer.