On a quiet stretch of Adams County countryside, John McGrain and Mel Murphy have built something unexpected inside a converted shed and a basement. Charming Meadows Mushrooms is a thriving gourmet mushroom farm that supplies restaurants, farmers markets, and community-supported agriculture programs across the region.
What began as a backyard hobby inspired by an article in “Mother Earth News” has grown into a full-time enterprise. McGrain credits Murphy’s mother with sparking the idea. “She gave me an article about growing mushrooms in your backyard just for yourself, and I thought it was fascinating,” he said. “We started with a few beds in the woods, and then it just got out of hand from there.”
McGrain’s background in the restaurant industry, where he endured grueling hours during the height of the pandemic, played a role in shaping the business. “I was one of two people keeping the restaurant open, working open to close every day,” he recalled. “Meanwhile, the mushroom thing was becoming a possibility. It felt like a way out.”
In 2022, the pair officially launched their farm. They quickly scaled from producing 10 or 20 pounds of mushrooms weekly for one restaurant to more than 300 pounds each week, serving eight to ten restaurants and three farmers markets. Their products now appear on menus at restaurants across Adams County.
Inside their operation, science and craftsmanship meet. The farmers cultivate roughly ten mushroom varieties, including oysters, lion’s mane, chestnuts, pioppinos, and specialty hybrids like king blue. The work is meticulous: sterilizing grain spawn in pressure cookers, mixing oak sawdust and soybean hull pellets into six-pound blocks, steaming them in a converted walk-in cooler, and finally inoculating the blocks with mushroom cultures under sterile conditions.
“It’s trial and error,” McGrain explained. “There’s no one right way to grow mushrooms. You get the basics, then keep experimenting until it works.”
The process requires both precision and patience. Some varieties, like oysters, can be ready in two weeks, while shiitakes may take up to three months. Each block can yield several flushes before it is “spent.” Even then, the used substrate is recycled to local farms as compost, ensuring nothing goes to waste.
Specialty mushrooms are having a cultural moment. Once viewed as niche, they are increasingly embraced by chefs, health-conscious consumers, and even those reducing meat in their diets. “They give you that meatiness to a dish, and they’re packed with protein, vitamins, and beta-glucans,” McGrain said. Research suggests the mushroom market in the U.S. is set to outpace the general economy severalfold by 2030.
The farmers have also begun selling powdered mushroom blends and dried products, extending shelf life and appealing to customers who prefer to add mushrooms to smoothies, rubs, coffees, or soups without dealing with texture. “Not everyone likes the feel of mushrooms,” McGrain laughed. “The powders give them the health benefits without the chew.”
The Gettysburg area has embraced the farm’s offerings, especially through the Adams County Farmers Market.“Mushrooms are one of the only fresh things people can really get in the winter,” said McGrain. “They’re a fall and winter food, and restaurants love that.”
At the market, the farmers trade products with neighboring stands, creating a circle of support among small producers. “We’ll swap mushrooms for vegetables or cheese,” McGrain said. “It’s good community building. We get what we need, and they get fresh mushrooms.”
Running a mushroom farm is labor-intensive and relentless. Harvesting happens twice a day, every day, and maintaining sterile environments requires constant vigilance. “It’s like dairy farming,” McGrain said. “You can’t ever really leave.” Still, he finds satisfaction in the rhythm. “I grew up in a working family. Long days are nothing new. But the goal is to eventually bring someone on to help manage the farm so I can focus more on the business side—and maybe take a day off.”
Four years into market sales, the pair is optimistic about the future. They plan to expand their production capacity, invest in better equipment, and continue experimenting with new varieties. They also hope to grow their partnerships with restaurants and explore value-added products like mushroom jerky.
“The market is only expanding,” McGain said. “People are curious, they want to try new things, and mushrooms fit perfectly into healthier, more sustainable diets. We’re excited to keep growing with that.”
For now, their farm remains a place where science, sustainability, and community come together—one block of oak sawdust and one flush of mushrooms at a time.
Charles (Chuck) Stangor is Gettysburg Connection's Owner, Publisher, and Editor in Chief. I would like to hear from you. Please contact me at cstangor@gettysburgconnection.org.