Mushroom Farm in Croatia | Cultivated Mushrooms for Food and Tinctures

I recently had the opportunity to visit a local mushroom producer here in Croatia, and I'm still feeling inspired by the experience.

Behind the business is a young couple who, after many years in Canada, chose to move back home. In Canada, their lives were full of work and high housing costs, which had to be offset by expensive insurance. When they came home from work, they were tired and wondered what the point was if they didn't have energy left to be present with their children. When the pandemic hit, they saw their chance to make a change. They moved back to the village in the mountains outside the capital and started anew.

Once back in Croatia, they seriously started thinking about their next step. Cultivation is something they had always done, as a hobby, even during their years in Canada. They first considered a vineyard, as the area they live in Croatia is a beautiful wine district. But grapes are heavily sprayed, and they weren't interested in that. Then they saw the absolutely wonderful film Fantastic Fungi (highly recommended), and that's how it all began.

What struck me most was their drive. There's nothing half-hearted here. Everything is well-thought-out, from cultivation methods to the types of mushrooms they choose to work with. They cultivate, among others, oyster mushrooms, lion's mane, reishi, and shiitake.

Mushrooms are not only beautiful and fascinating in themselves but have been used for thousands of years for their special properties and their place in traditional herbal knowledge.

Stepping into their cultivation facility was like entering another world. Humid air, stillness, and rows of growing life in various stages. There's something almost meditative about the process, and at the same time, something very concrete and artisanal.

Cultivating mushrooms in Croatia is not common. The more they delved into the world of mushrooms, the more impressed they became. Now they test their mushrooms on the entire village. The best way to get direct feedback. The neighbors are sure to say what they think :-). Within the family, they mostly use mushroom powder, as it provides a good umami flavor. Everyone uses mushrooms during the winter half of the year, as it provides strength throughout the dark season.

I leave the visit with a strong sense of respect for what they do. And perhaps this is the beginning of something more. We'll see what the future brings, but it's not impossible that their mushrooms will also find a place at Örtfabriken. I also brought with me a whole basket of fresh mushrooms. It made for the most delicious mushroom meal I've ever had. I fried the mushrooms and then grilled them in the oven with garlic, Parmesan and Gouda cheese, and walnuts.

Look at the beautiful Lion's Mane:

It is in encounters like these that I am reminded of why small-scale, thoughtful, and passionate work means so much. Food produced on a small scale has high nutritional value and tastes better, but we must be prepared to value it correctly. I often think that we have become speed-blind and believe that everything should cost what it does in the big supermarket chains.

Thank you, dear Tomislav and Jelena, for the wonderful visit!