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Two Harvard grads grow a tastier, healthier mushroom in a Hudson Valley pine forest.
Updated November 24, 2025
For years now, publications have been touting mushrooms as “ingredient of the year” and as an essential food for a move to plant-based eating. The woodsy “umami” or savory flavor of mushrooms make them a natural and satisfying substitute for red meat, and demand has been growing. Most commercial mushrooms are grown indoors, but those being grown in operations outside in woods and forests are being hailed as both nutritionally superior and with even fewer impacts on the environment.
Truman French and Tucker Pforzheimer founded MVM on Martha’s Vineyard 10 years ago (thus the “MV” in their name, which originally was MV Mycological), after meeting in a mycology class at Harvard. Both were studying something different and had no idea their futures would involve a farm of stockpiled wood and deliveries of mushrooms to dozens of chefs and markets. A couple years ago, they relocated to Amenia in New York’s Hudson Valley.
MVM grows shiitake mushrooms — a prized Japanese mushroom known for its medicinal qualities and flavor — on thousands of four-foot oak boughs. They don’t require irrigation or soil, fertilizer, or feed — making these mushrooms significantly less environmentally impactful than animal proteins, and among the most efficient forms of protein in terms of land and water use.
Shiitake, meaning “oak mushrooms” in Japanese, is the second-most produced mushroom in the world, following the common button mushroom. Truman and Tucker draw on the authentic Japanese growing methods on natural oak logs, where the mushrooms feed on the minerals and complex sugars in the oak itself, increasing nutrients, fiber, protein — and the flavor as well.
Shiitakes have been grown this way in Japan for generations and command a good price on the market, says Dr. Ken Mudge, a professor emeritus of horticulture at Cornell University, who researches and teaches courses on forest farming and mushrooms. A few years back, he led a project in conjunction with the Center for Sustainable Agriculture at the University of Vermont to train forest owners in shiitake production that drew nearly 100 participants. Other specialty mushrooms, such as lion’s mane, oyster, and wine cap can be grown successfully outdoors, says Mudge, but only log-grown shiitakes can be grown consistently enough to supply the market. This is due to the unique ability shiitake logs have to be soaked, or “forced” to fruit by being immersed in water for 12 to 24 hours, which stimulates fruit production.
Mudge wrote the groundbreaking guide Farming the Woods about growing food and medicinals in forests with Steve Gabriel, a mushroom educator at the Cornell Small Farms Program and a mushroom grower himself at Wellspring Forest Farm in New York. Gabriel grows lion’s mane and oyster mushrooms at his farm in a solar-powered greenhouse and shiitakes outside on logs, and offers a mushroom CSA. “Mushrooms are absolutely the protein source with the lightest ecological footprint,” Gabriel says. He has taught thousands about the ways farming and forestry can be combined to benefit both the ecology and economies of small farms. The pair has helped establish a mushroom resource center at Cornell to provide research, training, support, and online training for both mushroom enthusiasts and those who are considering a business. Cornell also maintains a food forest farm on campus.
“The trends are skyrocketing; there’s a ton of interest in it,” Gabriel says. Fifteen years ago, there were no mushroom farmers in the area, he says, and now he knows of about 100 other mushroom farms in the state of New York, where he lives, and a good number in Vermont. Most have 1,000 to 2,000 logs in production. “I think it’s still an emerging field,” he says. “People are still learning how to do it well.”
Mudge says it’s important to him that mushroom log production allows forest landowners an additional way to make money off their forest and thereby sustain the land. But this type of farming is labor intensive, he notes. “It’s a superior product and an opportunity for people to put a wood lot to good use, but it’s a lot of work, a lot of lifting. You have to be very serious.”
‘Mushrooms are absolutely the protein source with the lightest ecological footprint,' Gabriel says. He has taught thousands about the ways farming and forestry can be combined to both benefit the ecology and economies of small farms.
On Martha’s Vineyard, MVM had 45,000 logs in production, producing about 200 pounds of mushrooms each day. They worked with local businesses and construction companies to salvage island oak and cut limbs into specified four to five-foot lengths.
“We always try to think ahead, like everyone in agriculture does,” Tucker told Bluedot recently about MVM’s move to New York. “The building boom that was supplying us lots of logs [to inoculate with our mushrooms] through land clearing on the Vineyard was going to dry up soon — we knew it was inevitable.”
Tucker says they didn’t want to incentivize unnecessary tree cutting, and knew that to ensure the long-term viability of their eco-forward operation, the farm would need to be attached to a sustainable forestry operation. “Like mushrooms, we are opportunists, and we noticed this untapped potential in other areas,” Tucker says.
After a search around the Northeast for another place, they found a pine farm with mature trees in Amenia that had been abandoned 40 years ago. The farm offered ideal conditions for building a traditional shiitake operation, Tucker says. “We learned when we went to Japan to visit our spawn and equipment suppliers a few years back that the traditional shiitake operations are established using mature stands of pine trees.”
This past season in Amenia, MVM had 35,000 logs in production, producing about 115 pounds daily. The crew — which includes Tucker’s brothers Jack and Ross — hand-inoculates each log in multiple spots with one of several strains of heirloom mycelium, propagated specifically for log cultivation. The inoculated logs sit stockpiled for at least a year while the strain colonizes the wood. When they are ready to go, the crew removes a section of logs, soaks them overnight in water to stimulate the fruit production, and sets them out in the shade tents, leaning upright.
In six days, mushrooms begin bursting through the bark of the oak, ready for harvesting. The crew hand-cuts the mushrooms, then rotates out those logs to maintain a continuous production May through November. After being used multiple times, the spent logs are left to fully decay back into topsoil. “This constant rotation is significantly more labor intensive than leaving the logs in stacks to fruit on their own,” Tucker says, “but allows for the consistent production that restaurants and consumers need to plan out their dishes and shopping trips.”
This contrasts with today’s commercial mushrooms being grown indoors in vast rooms on sterilized manure, sawdust, or a composted mix of ingredients like corn cobs or cottonseed hulls. Commercial shiitake growers specifically pack sterilized oak sawdust into plastic hulled manmade “logs” placed in climate-controlled rooms that produce shiitakes in about four months compared to two to four years.
Even still, the Mushroom Council, which represents commercial growers, points to energy savings in growing mushrooms, especially when compared with raising cattle. In The Mushroom Sustainability Story, the Council calculated one acre of land can produce one million pounds of mushrooms. Mushroom beds stacked vertically in growing facilities allow a high volume of mushrooms to be grown in relatively small spaces, while using a limited amount of water and a “soil” made of composted materials.
According to Professor Mudge, independent blind taste tests have found forest- or log-grown shiitakes to be superior in flavor, freshness, and nutrition compared to the sawdust-grown shiitake mushrooms commonly found in supermarkets.
MVM mushrooms contain double the fiber than those commercially produced and a significant 1/2 gram of protein per cap. That may be less than the concentrated 45 to 50 grams of protein found in an eight-ounce steak (with 10 to 16 grams of fat), but Tucker finds “gram for gram, shiitakes are a healthier, more sustainable source.” Shiitakes are also rich in lentinan, a substance (shown in studies to bolster the immune system and aid in fighting cancer) that gives the shiitake that woodsy umami — like wild mushrooms — with a hint of garlic.
Other specialty mushrooms, such as lion’s mane, oyster, and wine cap can be grown successfully outdoors, says Mudge, but only log-grown shiitakes can be grown consistently enough to supply the market.
Chefs love MVM mushrooms. One told me they’re “the best mushroom product in the country” and another, a top chef in Boston, said, “They are the best shiitake mushrooms I’ve ever had.” As a chef myself, I couldn’t agree more. It’s tough to go back to the commercial store versions; the flavor is bland. There’s a meaty denseness the MVM mushrooms get from feeding on real wood, along with a creamy smoothness characteristic of shiitakes.
Tucker says restaurants from the Hudson Valley, New York City, and Boston had their mushrooms on the menu. One Martha’s Vineyard chef combined fresh and dried MVM mushrooms for a very popular mushroom Bolognese, and another created a delicious mushroom taco.
He says it was extremely gratifying for him to see his mushrooms as the center-of-plate protein option. “Our goal is to help people move away from animal protein without feeling they need to compromise on enjoyment.”
Find dried wild harvest shiitakes available to ship anywhere in the U.S. on the MVM website.
Read more: The Mushroom Council’s Mushroom Sustainability Story, and Farming the Woods about growing food and medicinals in forests, by Dr. Ken Mudge and Steve Gabriel.
Lucas Thors contributed reporting to this story.
Takeaways
- Log-Grown Superiority: Shiitake mushrooms grown on natural oak logs, as done by MVM, are considered superior in flavor, freshness, and nutrition compared to commercial sawdust-grown varieties.
- Eco-Friendly Protein: Log-grown shiitakes are hailed as an efficient and sustainable protein source with one of the lightest ecological footprints, requiring no irrigation, soil, fertilizer, or feed.
- Labor-Intensive but Consistent: While log production is labor-intensive, MVM’s constant rotation method (soaking logs to force fruiting) allows for the consistent, reliable production that restaurants and consumers need.
- Growing Market: Forest farming of specialty mushrooms is an emerging field with growing interest; there are now hundreds of mushroom farms in New York and Vermont, allowing forest landowners an additional way to make money off their land.
RECIPE: Mushroom and Vegetable Stir Fry
- Yield: Serves 2–3 1x
Description
This classic stir-fry becomes a healthy weeknight dinner treat with shiitake mushrooms. You can also add sautéed tofu or tempeh, if desired, or substitute other seasonal veggies like napa cabbage or baby bok choy. My game plan: I make the sauce and rice first (see note for how I make coconut jasmine rice), then stir-fry the vegetables.
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsps soy sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tsps cornstarch
- 1 Tbsp mirin or rice cooking wine
- 2 Tbsps packed brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp gochujang, sriracha, or hot sauce
- 1 Tbsp dark sesame oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced on a microplane or ginger grater
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil, coconut oil, or olive oil, or more if needed
- 1/2 head broccoli, about 4 cups, cut into small florets
- 1 red or yellow pepper, very thinly sliced
- 1 cup snap peas, strings removed and tough ends clipped
- 1 carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
- 2 cups (or more) fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, sliced
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, water, cornstarch, mirin or rice cooking wine, brown sugar, and something spicy hot. Set aside.
- In a small or medium saucepan, heat the dark sesame oil on low, add the garlic and ginger, and sauté for less than a minute. Add the soy sauce mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and mix occasionally until thickened, 4 to 5 minutes. If it’s too thick, simply add a bit more water. Set aside while you stir-fry the vegetables.
- Heat your largest thick skillet or wok on medium-high heat. Add the oil, broccoli, pepper, snap peas, carrot, and mushrooms, and using tongs, constantly move the veggies. Stir-fry until the vegetables are crisp tender, 5 to 7 minutes. If the heat seems too high, reduce. Mix in the sauce and serve over rice.
Notes
Make coconut jasmine rice: Combine 1 cup jasmine rice with 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan with 2 pinches of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to low, cover, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Then, mix in a little butter and coconut oil to taste, using a fork to break up any clumps of rice.
RECIPE: Shiitake and Cherry Tomato Pasta
- Yield: Serves 2–3 1x
Description
This is an easy meal since the sauce comes together quickly as the pasta is cooking. Add in fresh herbs for even more flavor. (Here are some tips for growing your own!)
Ingredients
- 8-12 oz pasta
- 3 cups fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
- 2 Tbsps olive oil
- Salt
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes (about 2 cups), cut in half
- 2 tsps fresh oregano (optional)
- 1 cup chicken or mushroom stock, or pasta water
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 2 Tbsps fresh herbs, parsley or basil, or both
- 2 Tbsps Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, and more to taste
Instructions
- Bring water to a boil, then add the pasta and cook according to package instructions.
- Meanwhile, sauté the shiitake mushrooms in olive oil until cooked, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt.
- Add the garlic and sauté about a minute or until fragrant. Add the tomato halves and fresh oregano, if using, and continue to sauté until tomatoes start to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock or pasta water and butter, and stir until butter is melted.
- When the pasta is done, add to the sauce along with the parsley, basil, and cheese. Gently mix and serve hot. Garnish with additional cheese.
RECIPE: Ramen Noodle Soup with Shiitakes
- Yield: Serves 4–6 1x
Description
This is a favorite soup, good anytime of the year, and comes together very quickly. The ramen, or whatever pasta you choose, keeps best when cooked on the side and drizzled with sesame oil to keep strands from sticking.
Ingredients
- 1 whole leek, cut in half lengthwise, rinsed and sliced
- 1 1/2 cups fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, sliced
- 2 Tbsps dark sesame oil, coconut oil, or olive oil, divided
- 2-3 tsps fresh grated ginger (a microplane grater works nicely)
- 7 cups chicken stock or homemade mushroom stock (see note), or water
- 1 carrot, peeled, thinly sliced into matchsticks
- 2 cups kale or baby kale, stemmed and thinly sliced
- 1 cup tofu, cut into small cubes
- 1 8-oz package of noodles — fresh Chinese noodles, ramen, udon, or your favorite Asian noodle
- 2 Tbsps soy sauce, or more to taste
- 1/2 tsps sriracha or other hot sauce
- 2 limes, quartered
Instructions
- In a soup pot, sauté the leek and mushrooms in 1 tablespoon of the oil, stirring often. After 3 to 4 minutes, add ginger.
- Once ginger is fragrant, add in the stock or water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, add the carrots, kale, and tofu, and cook for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the noodles al dente in a large pot of salted water according to package directions. Drain and shake the strainer until all the steam has been released, so the noodles don’t continue to cook or get sticky. Drizzle with the other 1 tablespoon of oil to help flavor and keep them separate. Set aside.
- After 10 minutes, or when vegetables are cooked, season the soup with the soy sauce and sriracha to taste.
- Place the noodles into bowls and ladle the soup over the noodles. Place wedges of lime on a plate and pass around the table to squeeze into the soup.
Notes
DIY mushroom stock: Soak 1/4 to 1/2 cup of dried shiitake or porcini mushrooms in 7 cups of boiled water to flavor. Strain liquid. You can finely chop some of the mushrooms to use in the soup, along with the fresh mushrooms.
