News Roundup: 6 Times Mushrooms Made Headlines in 2024
Mushrooms are having a moment, and we are thrilled to see so many people taking an interest in their magic and mystery. (Perhaps it would be more accurate to say “mushrooms are having a movement” since it seems their popularity is not waning.)
Thanks in no small part to our community, more individuals understand that the fungi kingdom can benefit their health, nourish their bodies and even help save the planet. Read on for a round-up of the top six headlines about mushrooms that have created a buzz lately.
Meet A Family That’s Betting The Farm On A Wild Idea. Literally.
“After decades raising hogs in Iowa, they wanted a way out of factory farming. Their solution was a return to nature, and a lot of mushrooms.” After 28 years as pig farmers, the Faabord family now grows mushrooms for tinctures and coffee instead. They’ve also planted hundreds of native trees and a pollinator-friendly field. Fun fact: Before becoming a mushroom farmer, Rand Faabord’s “consumption of fungi had largely been limited to the occasional can of Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup.” Now he makes his own mushroom coffee! Read this one when you need some positive news.
Inside One Of The World’s Biggest Magic Mushroom Farms
“A sleepy mountain town in western Canada” is also home to the largest pharma-grade mushroom farm in the world. The company has invested millions to establish the state-of-the-art farm, as a way to get involved in the fledgling legal psychedelics industry. They’re working on new and unique strains to benefit mental health. Read the story to learn more about how the mushrooms are grown.
Magic Mushroom Chocolates Are Having A Moment. But Do They Even Contain Mushrooms?
Caveat emptor. When choosing any supplement or functional food, it’s important to do your research. While it’s easier than ever to find reputable companies offering quality-tested, potent products, there are plenty of bad players out there, too. Such was the case with some recent magic mushroom chocolates that did not contain what was listed on the label.
Los Angeles Times
Note: Rest assured that any Fantastic Fungi product is independently lab-tested for peace of mind, safety and efficacy — including tests to ensure they are free from heavy metals and microbes. (Try our mushroom chocolate instead.)
Mushrooms Help Turn Toxic Brownfields Into Blooming Meadows
A win-win for nature: “An environmental toxicologist in California is cleaning up areas contaminated with heavy metals or other pollutants using fungi and native plants.” After reading about mushrooms growing around Chernobyl, Danielle Stevenson was inspired to start fungi remediation projects on land damaged by industry and toxic waste. One project led to a 50% reduction in pollutants in three months — and undetectable levels after a year. Mushrooms will save us all!
‘People Think They’ll Smell But They Don’t’: Building Homes From Mushroom Waste And Weeds
A sustainable project aims to repurpose invasive plants to create building blocks to solve Namibia’s housing crisis. How innovative: After the plants are cut down, Kristine Haukongo uses them as substrate to grow oyster mushrooms. The mushrooms are sold to retailers as food, while the leftover substrate and mycelium are compressed and baked into building blocks. These so-called “mycoblocks” are heavier than bricks but allow for faster, easier construction of homes. And they’re both fireproof and eco-friendly. Talk about a dream home!
An Enzyme Makes Mushrooms “Magical”
Have you ever wondered what allows a mushroom to possess psychoactive qualities? A new study at a German university sheds light on the structure and evolution of an enzyme in psychoactive fungi. The research is quite impressive (and heavy on the biochemistry), offering details about the discovery of an important exchange of amino acids that allows for the creation of the substance psilocybin.
Photo Credit: Sjoukje Bos
