COLORADO: Pagosa Mushroom Growers Using Controlled-Climate Farm to Grow Healthy Food
A Pagosa Springs-based small business that uses a controlled-climate container farm to grow culinary and functional mushrooms is now certified organic.
Behind the Tooth & Gill Mushroom Co. brand is husband-and-wife team Aaron Carter and Lauren Hawksworth, both of whom left the corporate world to pursue their passion for improving community access to healthy food in the form of gourmet mushrooms.
These particular mushrooms are grown entirely in the confines of an insulated, tech-assisted shipping container farm built by Colorado-based FarmBox Foods.
Tooth & Gill Mushroom Co. launched last year and has made quite an impression through consumer-facing pop-ups, deliveries, farmers markets in Pagosa Springs and Bayfield, and food hubs like Terra Walk Farm and Valley Roots Food Hub. It has also forged partnerships with local restaurants.
“It’s about local food systems, and people are starting to show interest in rebuilding those,” Lauren said. “We see it here in our community, which is really cool.”
Now being officially certified as organic enables Tooth & Gill to get on the shelves of local grocery stores. As interest in where food comes from and support for local farmers grows, there are opportunities for independently owned enterprises to fulfill the demand and help educate the public about the many health benefits of mushrooms. Lauren began incorporating mushrooms into her diet in her mid-20s and leaned heavily on lion’s mane mushrooms during her recovery from severe heatstroke a few years ago. For Aaron, the foray into container farming is a return of sorts to his family’s agricultural roots in Nebraska.
Due to the climatic and capital challenges associated with starting a traditional farm in the mountains, the founders of Tooth & Gill discovered FarmBox Foods and realized the shipping container model gave them a path forward to growing sustainably year-round in a rugged region where farming isn’t typically viable. They were drawn to mushrooms while exploring holistic and functional ways to heal and saw how underutilized gourmet mushrooms are as a wellness food.
In addition to a variety of fresh mushrooms, Tooth & Gill recently created its own line of powder extracts and dehydrated mushrooms available via online order. Lauren’s career was in marketing for a supplement company, and there’s been a noticeable change in approach over the years.
“Wellness has shifted. People want to take care of themselves, but you also want to treat yourself. It has to taste good,” she said.
With that in mind, Tooth & Gill has a collection of recipes on its website that incorporate mushrooms into everyday dishes. To learn more about Tooth & Gill or to schedule an interview with the owners, send an email to hello@toothngill.com or call 602-828-8153. If you own or manage a store and want their products on your shelves, use the above contact information to reach out.
About Tooth & Gill Mushroom Co.
Recognizing Pagosa Springs’ need for fresher options, locals Lauren Hawksworth and Aaron Carter combined their passions to launch Tooth & Gill Mushroom Co. Their mission extends beyond offering locally cultivated mushroom varieties; they aim to nurture your well-being and support your health journey through these wholesome, nutrient-rich super foods. Tooth & Gill believes that good food and good health go hand in hand. Each mushroom variety cultivated, from the brain-boosting lion’s mane to the robust and earthy king trumpet, is carefully grown with love and dedication, and packed with natural goodness.
Quietly tucked away in Aspen Springs, their repurposed container farm reimagines agriculture by transforming a pre-used shipping container into a state-of-the-art mushroom cultivation environment. They merged innovation with the tradition of farming to bring the freshest, most flavorful mushrooms from their container to your table. Tooth & Gill’s 40-foot container features three specialized rooms — a lab, colonization room, and fruiting room — with precise climate control for optimal growth.
Only the absolute freshest mushrooms make their way from their sustainable container farm to your kitchen. They take pride in knowing you’ll savor the difference and appreciate the love and care that goes into Tooth & Gill’s produce.
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