What began as an enthusiastic hobby collecting, identifying and eating wild mushrooms all over the Pacific Northwest evolved into a scientific pursuit learning how to cultivate mushrooms. The manifestation of this path is this farm and a love of the art of growing mushrooms and sharing that passion and its delicacies with others.

    Cascadia Mushrooms was founded in Bellingham, WA in late 2005 by Alex Winstead. The farm started as a hobby shop in Alex's basement and garage in a rented suburban home. Since those initial cramped days, the farm has completed two successful seasons at the Bellingham Farmers Market, moved to the Welcome Valley in the shadow of Mount Baker, started Whatcom County's first mushroom CSA, and insprired Bellinghamsters' interest in eating and growing their own mushrooms.

    While still a small scale farm, the company's vision is growing as quickly as the demand for its delicious mushrooms.

    Serving the local demand for gourmet mushrooms is the target audience for our products. We sell mushrooms and mushroom growing kits direct at the Bellingham Farmers Market; wholesale to local retailers like the Community Food Coop, Terra Organica; and to the best Bellingham area restaurants.

    Natural and sustainable growing practices are a top priority in the farm's vision. We are a "Toward Zero Waste Pioneer". In addition to using only Green Power on the farm, more than 90% of farm waste products are recycled locally. By delivering locally, the farm is supporting Whatcom County's strong local food system, and reducing the farm's carbon footprint by keeping the product within 100 miles of the growroom. The growing process itself uses no chemical applications. That means none of the conventional stuff that is sprayed or used on standard mushroom farms: no fertilizers, manure, brighteners, fungicides, or pesticides. 

    Cascadia Mushrooms prides itself on being able to grow mushrooms in a clean, disease-free environment without the need for chemical intervention. The largest by-product from growing mushrooms our way is fertile, clean garden compost.