101. Adam and Jordan on Thriving Mycologically

Have you ever considered taking a completely different kind of farming journey? Adam Cohen and Jordan Jent join us today from Texas Fungus, hailing from Fort Worth and supplying all of Northern Texas. Jordan started Texas Fungus in the Fall of 2016 and now grows the most premium mushrooms in the area and beyond. The original farm began in a one-car garage and has since relocated to Arlington, TX in a 2,000 sq.ft. facility after Jordan partnered with Adam in January 2019. The farm has been expanding and thriving ever since. Join us to learn all about how they cultivate the best damn mushrooms in Texas!   You’ll hear: How Jordan and Adam got started working with mushrooms 1:06 What makes growing mushrooms different from other crops 10:06 What a typical day at Texas Fungus looks like 11:45 How much time Jordan and Adam spend on the farm 16:41 How they prioritize important tasks 18:00 The most difficult thing they’ve encountered after starting their business 22:04 How Jordan and Adam advise learning about mushroom production to newcomers 29:38 How roles are divided on Texas Fungus 36:29 Which of their products sell best in Fort Worth and surrounding areas 50:26 What the whole growing process looks like 56:01 The biggest mistakes Adam and Jordan see newer farmers making 1.03:25 Their favorite farming tool 1.11:20 How Jordan and Adam feel about the prospect of starting a new farm today 1.15:53 Where you can learn more about Adam, Jordan, and Texas Fungus 1.19:36 What they’re currently doing with their grow kits 1.20:53   About the Guests:Adam Cohen is a former school teacher (Math, Science, Agriculture), who spent much of the last 15 years working with hydroponics and aquaponics. Struggling to find a way to balance the time needed to be an effective teacher with the needs of running a successful farm, Adam kept looking for ways to be more efficient and to do more with less. A chance meeting in late 2018 introduced him to Jordan Jent and the two partnered up to build Texas Fungus, a small artisan mushroom farm in the heart of the DFW Metroplex. Jent, a former Chef with a self-professed "black-thumb" had been growing mushrooms for a short time and was looking to find a way to bring a new connection to the DFW food-scene that had not existed in the area prior. Since January of 2019, Adam and Jordan have overcome a number of challenges and growing pains as they work to bring the #bestdamnmushrooms to DFW. In the fall of 2017, Jordan Jent received a mushroom kit as a gift that didn't fruit out. About that same time, he was also looking for a way out of the 9 to 5 corporate rat race. As a former chef, he still found himself looking for ways to be connected to the local DFW food scene. After the failed kit, Jordan stumbled upon mushroom growing and went down the rabbit hole. One year later in 2018, Jordan decided to go all-in and leave the simplicity of a 40-hour work week and good benefits for a life of mushroom farming, providing the #bestdamnmushroomsindfw to local chefs. After partnering up with Adam Cohen in the beginning of 2019, they expanded from 5 restaurants and 50lbs per week to 30+ restaurants and 250lbs per week by the end of 2019.Resources:Website - www.texasfungus.com Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/texasfungus/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/texas_fungus/