By ROD KING

For Northwest News

Josh’s Jungle/The Process, 14547 Lima Road at the south edge of Huntertown, is branching out. The store, which specializes in small-batch canning and fresh produce, is now producing and selling mushrooms.

The first harvest went on the cooler shelf last week. The store, operated by Josh Cockram and his wife, Eve, opened for business a little over a year ago.

“We were just able to start harvesting over the weekend,” Josh Cockram said Thursday. “We’ve been able to harvest about 7 and a half pounds so far, and as things are going it looks like we’ll be able to have a continuous harvest every week.

“The first are gray dove oyster mushrooms. That’s the staple, but we are going to start some lion’s mane and shiitake mushrooms.”

The couple hadn’t planned to get into mushroom farming until their supplier in Fort Wayne closed up shop. Cockram said his wife has been lobbying to start growing mushrooms for some time. Until they get a building lined up so they can grow them year-round, they are raising them outside in buckets and special racks.

The Cockrams, who are starting the mushroom venture from scratch, have been researching the subject hot and heavy for months. In the process they found that mushrooms are neither a vegetable nor a fruit but in fact, a fungus. Most of their information came from YouTube videos posted by mushroom farmers around the country.

According to Josh, mushrooms grow quickly. “We’ll be growing them in three 10-by-seven-foot grow tents in order to control temperature and humidity. They’ll be planted in hay, wood pellets or wood shavings. The bedding must be totally clean because mushrooms are very particular where their environment is concerned. So, we’ll be putting the grow mixture into coolers and pouring 180-degree water over them. After 24 hours, we’ll pack buckets with holes in the side with the mix and plant oyster and lion’s mane mushrooms. In the trays we’ll grow shiitake mushrooms.”

“Since they grow quickly,” he said, “we’ll be able to harvest weekly. We’re starting with 30 buckets each of the oyster and lion’s mane mushrooms. They grow through the holes in the side of the buckets. After three harvests we’ll change the grow mix. Our plan is to have them for sale here in our store, take some to the farmer’s market in Fort Wayne and market any extras to groceries and restaurants.”

“Mushrooms,” said Eve, “are versatile in food preparation and have many health benefits. We chose to grow our own mushrooms because we didn’t want to lose our regular mushroom customers.”

In addition, the Cockrams grow vegetable starts, tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers and herbs used for canning. Their canning operation includes pickled vegetables, relishes and salsas. Their shelves are lined with relishes, salsas, jams, jellies and hot sauces that they make as well as products from 25 other local vendors. The Cockrams started buying extra product from farmers at the farmer’s market and now partner with them to grow specifically for the canning business.

Cockram, a Michigan native, said his parents had a big garden and did canning. “Since I had to work in the garden as a kid,” he quipped, “it was mostly a chore. I never would have thought I’d make a business from it.” His wife, Eve Brindle, was born and raised in Huntertown.