In The Cradle of Texas Independence – Gonzales, Texas – fresh white button, baby bella, and portabella mushrooms are harvested daily, and usually within hours, are packaged and shipped fresh to grocery stores and restaurants. These tasty fruiting bodies are then used to add flavor and nourishment to fine meals throughout Texas.

Kitchen Pride is the family owned and operated mushroom farm located in Gonzales. The folks at Kitchen Pride are beginning their 18th year of farming mushrooms at this location. Each week of the year, they prepare a new crop of compost that will produce mushrooms in approximately two and a half months. A mushroom farm’s demands are much like that of a dairy - the mushrooms never take a day off! A successful crop requires attention 24/7. The mushrooms are grown on shelves in environmentally-controlled rooms where the growing temperature is maintained between 59 and 64 degrees. Many variables are monitored and managed in order to grow these healthful little morsels. The mushrooms are harvested daily and whisked away to a cold room where they are quick-chilled to 34 degrees. They are then packaged and loaded on refrigerated trucks which depart in the evenings and make deliveries throughout the night. The mushrooms are often at your local grocer or favorite restaurant within 12 hours of harvest. Now that’s fresh!

Through research sponsored by The Mushroom Council, much is being learned about the health benefits of mushrooms. Like other fruits and vegetables, mushrooms offer their own unique contributions to better health. Mushrooms are high in potassium and contain three of the hard-working B-complex vitamins. They are also one of the best vegetable sources of the anti-oxidant selenium. Fresh, healthful, and delicious! Kitchen Pride markets their mushrooms under the “Texas Fresh” label.

Kitchen Pride Mushrooms was an active part of the Whole Foods downtown farmers market established by Pamela Boyar in 1995-96. One year ago, they decided to re-establish the relationship and join the Sunset Valley Farmers Market. It was important to the folks at Kitchen Pride to give back to the community all of the support they received over the years by making their product available through this market every Saturday. The Farmers Market has been key in the success and growth of thier connection to Austin.