Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Schatte.
Michael, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Over the past few years, I’ve come to love fungi and what it can do for us. My real passion for growing mushrooms is starting with a kit I purchased with my kids. We happen to stumble upon a mushroom growing kit at Home Depot and decided to give it a shot. My kids loved to watch how the mushrooms grew so rapidly in just a couple of days. It was very exciting to see how mushrooms can develop in just a day. With that excitement, I dove straight into researching mushrooms and how to grow them.
My passion for mushrooms grew even more when sharing them with friends and seeing how much they love them. That’s when I knew this was the business I wanted to build. I started very small but with the intention of making this into a business. Early on I simply focused on my processes and techniques. Growing mushrooms is completely unlike growing plants. They require a sterile environment and substrate because we only want our intended fungus to grow. Without sterility, you face issues like molds taking over the substrate before the fungus can. That’s why I worked tirelessly in perfecting my techniques. The name Midnight Mushroom Co actually came from many late nights working on my business.
After a few months of developing my processes and systems, I got a random call from a restaurant owner wanting to buy mushrooms each week. Of course, I was ecstatic! It was my first customer and some validation that things were going right. Almost two years later, and we’re more than 10x the size of how I started. We are now focusing our efforts on educating the public and showing them how easy it is to grow their own mushrooms. We offer kits that will grow mushrooms within 7-10 days. We also now offer more advanced mycology supplies for those wanting to take their learning further.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It’s been a somewhat challenging and very unclear journey. Most businesses have been done before so you have processes and equipment available. However, with growing mushrooms, you have to scour the internet for information and build your own specialized equipment. I’ve devoted most of my time to learning the microbiology behind growing mushrooms. Just as with any field of study, it can seem like a mountain to learn. Just take it one step at a time.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Midnight Mushroom story. Tell us more about the business.
We are a small gourmet mushroom farm in Burleson, TX. The term farm is used fairy loosely since we don’t actually grow mushrooms outside in a field. Everything is grown indoors in a controlled environment to ensure consistent crops. We focus on growing specialty mushrooms not generally available locally. This includes Blue Oyster, Pink Oyster, Yellow Oyster, Italian Oyster, Chestnut, Pioppino and Lions Mane. Other species of mushrooms may be available upon request.
We also offer mushroom growing kits for those interested in growing their own. These kits included everything needed to successfully grow gourmet mushrooms and can be shipped anywhere in the US. We are actively working on building our educational materials to offer classes.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Luck, whether it be good or bad, is of your own making. Some of the luckiest people are the most dedicated and hard-working.
Pricing:
- Mini Mushroom Farm Kits – $35+
- Fresh Oyster Mushrooms – $16/lb
- 3lb Grain Bags with Injection Port – $20
- Pre-Poured Sterile Agar Plates – $2 each
Contact Info:
- Address: 1204 Juniper Lane
Burleson, TX 76028 - Website: www.midnightmushroomco.com
- Phone: 817-231-9446
- Email: michael@midnightmushroomco.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/midnightmushroomco
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/MidnightMushroomCo
Image Credit:
Michael Schatte
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