By growing mushrooms in communities around the country, we’re helping people reconnect with their food, environment, and farmers.

Smallhold team member making a silly face with mushrooms

Cultivate community far and wide

You can find mushrooms everywhere—and everywhere you find mushrooms, you’ll find mushroom people. The first thing we do when we set up a new farm is tap into the mycelium-like network of mushroom growers, eaters, and activists that share our interests and values.

Our goal is to build direct connections with mycophiles, artists, farmers, ranchers, and others looking to celebrate fungi, build soil fertility, and grow their own food and plants.

Mushroom growth cycle illustration

Be elfish, not selfish

Mushrooms were here long before us, and they’ll be around long after us. They are the ultimate connectors. We take inspiration from them daily.

To that end, we strive for circularity in everything we do—particularly our farming practices.

We grow mushrooms on substrate that is primarily made of sawdust, which just so happens to be a waste byproduct of the lumber industry. One person's trash is another person's mushrooms.

After mushrooms are harvested and hand packed into our home compostable packaging, 100% of our spent substrate is either composted or redistributed to our communities.

shiitake mushrooms
Smallhold farm with smallhold patented technology

Technology: the key to our kingdom

Know what button, crimini, and portobello mushrooms have in common? Literally everything, because they’re the same type of mushroom. But since they’re the only ones available in most stores, many Americans are missing out on an entire kingdom of flavor, texture, and nutrition. No shade to button mushrooms, but there's a lot more edible fungi to explore.

With our cutting-edge farming tech, we’re able to create optimal conditions for the specific needs of all different types of gourmet mushrooms.

This tight control not only allows us to be Certified Organic and of course pesticide-free, but also ensures maximum efficiency of water and energy usage for our hyperclean, efficient farms.

beautiful oyster mushrooms with a pink hue
Credit: Toros Köse

Foray without fear

Doing things differently has been our mentality since we set up our first farm in a Brooklyn shipping container. We encourage everyone at Smallhold to believe in themselves and those around them, to trust in their talents, and to work together to overcome unexpected challenges. Take risks, dare to innovate, and be brave enough to embrace change.

Our Impact

We put our mushrooms where our mouths are and lead by doing—here’s how:

  • Substrate to Soil

    Smallhold farms work to foster regenerative agricultural loops, utilizing sawdust, seedhulls and organic grains to grow mushrooms. Then, by working with networks of innovative partners and farmers, we create rich composts and soil mixes that go back to the soil, supporting and enhancing soil fertility and ecological resilience.

  • Organic and Sustainable

    We believe that agriculture must enhance both the environment and human health. All of our mushrooms are 100% Certified Organic and we always strive to partner with farms and food producers that share these values.

  • The Future Is Fungi

    Mushrooms can play a critical role in improving the climate and restoring ecosystems, while improving the health of our food system. Our education and arts initiatives support people and organizations that are working to activate fungi wisdom to enhance their community and environment.