|
Abstract: Practices and concepts in the marketing of fresh mushrooms are many and varied. Each grower or co-operative group follows procedures which it has found practical for its particular situation and conditions. Each is probably correct to the degree that the grower remains financially solvent with normal production. The techniques and procedures described in this paper are based entirely on our experiences at Butler. We have found them practical for our particular situation. All of our mushrooms are sold 'fresh' in the sense that we do no processing. At least half, however, are sold to retail stores, for re-sale to the general public in the fresh state, and to hotels and restaurants. It is this half we will talk about today although, except for packaging, similar practices apply to our 'Process' customers. Butler County Mushroom Farms, Inc. is located in Western Pennsylvania, 35 miles north of Pittsburgh. We currently employ 900 persons year-round. Much of our operation is underground, in abandoned limestone mines. We have two farms. At Winfield we have about 25 miles of rooms and roads underground; at Worthington we have about 125 miles. When we speak of 'fresh market mushrooms' we are inseparably linked with 'high quality fresh mushrooms'. No amount of money or technique is going to make a good fresh package out of poor quality mushrooms. As Jonathan Swift said a long time ago, 'You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear'. All phases of mushroom culture must be oriented to a quality product, but let us begin with the picking.
Full text download: ISMS subscribers
ISHS members & pay-per-view
Translate:
   |