Meet Our Vendors: Shroom Champ
Taking on jobs that are part science lab, part hay bailer, and part marketing director, son and father Matt & William Williams make up the dream team behind Shroom Champ Mushrooms. Matt studied biology in school and has always been fascinated by mushrooms, which seem to live somewhere between the plant and animal kingdoms. He started using his biology skills to grow mushrooms about 10 years ago, but it wasn’t until his dad, William, suggested that he start his own business that Shroom Champ was born.
Growing mushrooms differs from traditional farming in a few key ways. All of their growing happens indoors in various rooms or areas designed to simulate different parts of the mushroom’s lifecycle. In this regard, it is a very controlled practice. “The whole process is basically a cycle,” Matt says, explaining how their workflow follows the same cycle that the mushrooms do.
“A lot of people just think mushrooms are those things that pop out of the ground. The reason why they're popping out is underneath the ground is this vast organism that's called mycelium. So that's what we're developing when we do all those processes,” William says. The level of control they have over the growing process alleviates many of the traditional challenges associated with farming, like pests or unpredictable weather events, but they still have to be diligent with every step of the process.
After 10 years of growing mushrooms, Matt and William have a deep appreciation for the magical properties of mushrooms and the magical world they inhabit. Matt talks excitedly about the various benefits that mushrooms offer; everything from regulating blood pressure and inflammation to being a great alternative source of protein for vegans and vegetarians.
He’s especially fascinated by Lion’s Mane and its property called “nerve growth factors.” The research is still ongoing, but Matt explains: “it helps regenerate neurons in your brain, or within your fingers. So if you take it consistently you can kind of help slow down things like dementia or like neuropathy. We actually also make capsules with this mushroom in it and I have a friend who has MS and we'll send her some and it kind of helps relieve some of those symptoms.”
Aside from the healing properties of mushrooms, the Williams’ appreciate the interesting flavors and richness that mushrooms can add to a meal. With mushrooms being so versatile, they want to help inspire their shoppers to come up with delicious recipes to use their mushrooms in. They have a delicious vegetarian “crab” cake recipe, and are working on developing some meal kits to sell at farmers markets.
You can follow Shroom Champ’s journey at the Lake City and Capitol Hill Tuesday markets later this year, and on their website.
