The Mushroom Farm

What The Mushroom Farm does

The Mushroom Farm is a California-based regenerative agriculture organization founded in 2019 that operates a 753-acre coastal property in Pescadero, CA, comprising a 110-acre former Campbell's Soup mushroom production facility (built 1957 with 250,000+ sq ft of industrial infrastructure) and a 643-acre ranch. The entity is 100% certified organic and functions as a nonprofit with fiscal sponsorship through Faraway Project, monetizing through monthly Rhize donation tiers ($25-$1,000/month), agricultural space leasing of 8 grow houses with 96 grow rooms, one-time project sponsorships ($5,000 Adopt a Goat; $25,000 Adopt a No-Till Garden Bed; $65,000 Electric Tractor), and institutional grants including a CARB FARMER Program award covering 80% of electric tractor costs.

The organization's core technology stack centers on regenerative agriculture and permaculture, including a proprietary phyto-myco-remediation process that uses hemp to bio-accumulate heavy metals from Campbell-era contaminated compost substrate, then converts the processed hemp into on-site mushroom grow bags, packaging molds, and building materials. Supporting technical infrastructure includes no-till regenerative garden practices, an on-site mushroom lab operated with Core Remediation for mycoremediation and inoculated straw wattles, and the FARM Microgrid integrating hybrid solar/wind with indoor controlled-environment agriculture.

The Mushroom Farm serves four primary segments: underserved California Coastal communities receiving organic produce donations via nonprofit partners Puente and Essential Food and Medicine (EFAM), agricultural tenants leasing indoor and greenhouse space, students and educators participating in experiential workshops, and environmental foundations supporting climate and restoration research. Its go-to-market is community-led, anchored by the Rhize donation program, restoration volunteer days, and hands-on workshops, while research partnerships with Cal Fire, NRCS, Resource Conservation District, UCSC, and State Parks advance mycoremediation and post-fire (2019/2020 CZU) watershed restoration. The organization is currently formalizing executive leadership through an active Executive Director search.

Name

The Mushroom Farm

Legal name

The Mushroom Farm

Website

https://themushroom.farm

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Mushroom Farm operates a 753-acre regenerative agriculture nonprofit in Pescadero, California, transforming a former Campbell's Soup facility into a closed-loop farming hub with 250,000+ sq ft of indoor space. It serves food-insecure coastal communities via produce donations, agricultural sublease tenants, students, and researchers through its Rhize program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regenerative Agriculture Services

NAICS

Mushroom Production (111411), Food Crops Grown Under Cover (11141), Vegetable and Melon Farming (1112), Greenhouse, Nursery, and Floriculture Production (1114)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Allium Vegetable Farming (Onions, Garlic, Leeks, Shallots, Chives) (AFAGADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mushroom & Fungi Production (Indoor/Protected) (AFAGAHAK), Greenhouse Vegetable Production (Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Peppers, Leafy Greens) (AFAGAHAA), Nutrient Stewardship & Soil Fertility Management (4R Nutrients, Compost, Biofertilizers) (AFAGAMAE), Sustainable/Regenerative Agriculture & Conservation Practices (EDAOAOAO)

Keywords

• Regenerative agriculture
• Agricultural space leasing
• Mycoremediation services
• Experiential farm education
• Community food donations

Headquarters

HQ city

Pescadero

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Memberships (Rhize Program): Monthly recurring donations and one-time contributions through the Rhize nonprofit program. Tiers range from $25/month (Root Nourisher) to $1,000/month (Resilience Regenerator), supporting food donations and regenerative agriculture programs.
2. Agricultural Space Leasing: Indoor warehouse and greenhouse space leased to agricultural tenants, benefiting from facility infrastructure that drives lower cost of production and promotes year-round cultivation.
3. Project Sponsorships: One-time donations for specific projects including Adopt a Goat ($5,000), Adopt a No-Till Garden Bed ($25,000), and Sponsor Electric Tractor Program ($65,000).
4. Grant Funding: Funding from programs like CARB FARMER Program (covering 80% of electric tractor costs) and other institutional research grants for regenerative agriculture and ecosystem restoration.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Mushroom Farm operates a 753-acre integrated regenerative agriculture campus in Pescadero, California, combining certified organic farming, ecosystem restoration, and experiential education. It sells agricultural space leases and educational programming while funding community produce donations through its Rhize nonprofit membership and sponsorship tiers. The site doubles as a living laboratory for phyto-myco-remediation, no-till cultivation, and a FARM Microgrid integrating renewable energy with indoor AgTech.

Product overview

The Mushroom Farm operates as a unified regenerative agriculture enterprise centered around the Rhize Program, its core non-profit initiative that combines regenerative agriculture operations with community resilience goals. The F.A.R.M. (Future Agriculture & Regenerative Movements) serves as the facility development vision, transforming the former Campbell's Soup mushroom production facility into an agricultural incubator. Supporting programs include the Electric Tractor Program for clean energy farming, Research & Demonstration projects in ecosystem restoration and mycoremediation, Experiential Education workshops, and Produce Donations to underserved communities. The organization offers various membership tiers (Root Nourisher, Community Resilience Supporter, Soil Steward, Resilience Regenerator) and one-time sponsorships (Adopt a Goat, Adopt a No-Till Garden Bed) as donation mechanisms. The Mushroom Farm also operates an onsite mushroom lab for mycoremediation services and offers farm experience programs for community engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Rhize: Nonprofit program that supports the critical expansion of regenerative agriculture operations at The Mushroom Farm, donating organic produce to those in need while serving as a hub for research, demonstration, and education on regenerative science practices and ecosystem restoration.

Products and services

• Rhize Program A nonprofit program supporting the expansion of regenerative agriculture operations at The Mushroom Farm, donating organic produce to those in need while serving as a hub for research, demonstration, and education on regenerative science practices and ecosystem restoration.
• F.A.R.M. (Future Agriculture & Regenerative Movements) An incubator for technological, ecological, and agricultural solutions to food security challenges, designed as a replicable agricultural park model for communities worldwide, featuring 250,000+ sq ft of indoor agriculture and 140,000+ sq ft of planned greenhouse space.
• Organic Produce Donations Organic produce donation initiative distributing farm-fresh produce to local food banks, underserved communities, and economically impacted populations through partnerships with Puente and Essential Food and Medicine organizations.
• Experiential Education Programs Living laboratory curriculum melding conservancy, ecology, and technology, featuring ecosystem restoration days, hands-on workshops in regenerative gardening, mycology, animal husbandry, and herbal remedies.
• Farm Experience Programs Ecosystem restoration days featuring hands-on workshops and private farm days for teams or community groups, offering participation in ecosystem restoration, regenerative gardening, mycology, animal husbandry, and herbal remedies activities.
• Research & Demonstration Ecosystem restoration and remediation research hub featuring projects in fire restoration, phyto-myco-remediation using hemp for heavy metal accumulation, regenerative agriculture experiments, analogue agroforestry, and vegetation management in partnership with Cal Fire, UCSC, and Resource Conservation District.
• Agricultural Space Leasing Indoor warehouse and greenhouse spaces (8 grow houses with 96 grow rooms) leased to agricultural tenants working at all levels of the agricultural value chain, benefiting from facility infrastructure that drives lower cost of production and year-round cultivation.
• Mycoremediation Services On-site mushroom lab services growing mushrooms for mycoremediation efforts, producing inoculated straw wattles for fire restoration and watershed maintenance, with research on heavy metal removal from spent compost substrate using hemp bioaccumulation.

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Core RemediationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Core Remediation for onsite mushroom lab running mycoremediation efforts. Growing mushrooms for a mycoremediation project to produce inoculated straw wattles for coastal neighbors. Collaboration on phyto-myco-remediation using hemp to bio-accumulate heavy metals from contaminated spent compost substrate.
• Cal FirecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Cal Fire for vegetation management projects to eradicate invasive species and control out-of-balance advancing conifers on coastal prairies. Also collaborated on fire restoration following 2019 and 2020 fires, including cutting fire breaks and supporting restoration efforts.
• Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with NRCS for comprehensive fire restoration and ecosystem remediation planning. Collaborating on mycoremediation for removal of heavy metals and toxins after fire events, along with fire restoration training for erosion control techniques.
• Resource Conservation District (RCD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with RCD for vegetation management projects and fire restoration efforts. Collaborating on comprehensive reports for mycoremediation and ecosystem restoration in the coastal region.
• University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for research and demonstration of regenerative science practices and ecosystem restoration. Collaborating on fire restoration training and erosion control techniques.
• State ParkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with State Parks for fire restoration efforts and watershed protection. Collaborating on comprehensive reports for mycoremediation and helping guide bulldozers to cut fire breaks on state park land.
• Kiss the GroundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKiss the Ground Northern CA Outpost hosting educational immersive art installation. The partnership educates on solutions for broken agricultural systems and climate crisis, reconnecting participants to their relationship with soil. Kiss the Ground supports farmers, cultivates leaders, and creates media shifting cultural narratives towards regeneration.
• Buckminster Fuller InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHub and library hosted at The Mushroom Farm where the Institute offers educational workshops, design labs, and online courses accelerating regenerative practices. Program Regenerosity.World works with Rhize to accelerate regenerative agriculture projects through global network learning. Design Science Studio works closely with Rhize to tell the story of regeneration.
• PuentecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal community partner serving as the region's only Community Resource Center for disproportionately impacted immigrant and LatinX members of the bioregion. Receives organic produce donations from Rhize program to support food security.
• Essential Food and Medicine (EFAM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBay Area nonprofit committed to building individual and communal immunity by providing access to essential foods and medicines to most vulnerable people. Receives organic produce donations from Rhize program.
• Amah Mutsun Tribal BandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndigenous communities who have historically managed the land. The farm honors the memory of their sacred fire and looks forward to sharing opportunities with them. Partnership for fire restoration training for erosion control techniques.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Smallhold: Indoor mushroom farming company operating distributed mini-farms and growing specialty mushrooms for restaurants and retailers. Direct peer in commercial mushroom cultivation, particularly specialty varieties like oyster mushrooms that align with The Mushroom Farm's production focus.
• Soul Fire Farm: Nonprofit BIPOC-led farm in upstate New York offering regenerative agriculture training, food sovereignty programs, and youth education. Comparable in mission-driven nonprofit structure, regenerative farming practices, food justice focus, and educational programming model.
• Pie Ranch: Bay Area nonprofit regenerative farm in Pescadero, CA focused on youth education, sustainable agriculture, and food justice. Highly comparable given proximity (both Pescadero-based), nonprofit model, regenerative practices, and education-driven mission serving underserved communities.
• Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture: Nonprofit regenerative agriculture center in Pocantico Hills, NY that combines on-farm production, educational programming, and ecosystem restoration research. Most comparable to The Mushroom Farm given its nonprofit structure, experiential education mission, and integration of farming with research and public engagement.
• Cascadia Mushrooms: Pacific Northwest specialty mushroom farm producing gourmet and medicinal mushrooms. Comparable in scale and product category, with similar focus on specialty varieties, direct-to-consumer channels, and integration of mushroom production with sustainability messaging.

Broad incumbents

• Plenty: Indoor vertical farming company using proprietary technology to grow leafy greens. Comparable in controlled environment agriculture infrastructure and indoor farming technology investment, though venture-backed at significantly larger scale and focused on leafy greens.
• AeroFarms: Indoor vertical farming company using aeroponics to produce leafy greens at commercial scale. Comparable in indoor controlled environment agriculture technology and infrastructure-heavy farming model, though focused on leafy greens rather than mushrooms.
• Gotham Greens: Venture-backed controlled environment agriculture company operating commercial greenhouses producing leafy greens and herbs nationwide. Comparable in greenhouse vegetable production, indoor agriculture infrastructure, and controlled environment technology, though at significantly larger commercial scale.
• Monterey Mushrooms: Largest fresh mushroom grower in North America operating multiple production facilities. Comparable as a commercial-scale mushroom producer, though operating as a conventional for-profit enterprise rather than the regenerative nonprofit model of The Mushroom Farm.

Others

• Kiss the Ground: Nonprofit advocacy organization promoting regenerative agriculture and soil health. Partner organization of The Mushroom Farm hosting the Northern CA Outpost. Comparable as a regenerative agriculture movement leader with educational and media focus, though focused on advocacy rather than production.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/themushroomfarmCA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mushroom-farm-ca

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Mushroom Farm