Agricultural Development Division

Hamakua Heritage Farm, Inc.
P.O. Box 205
Laupahoehoe, Hawaii 96764

Contact: Janice Stanga, Owner
Phone: (808) 962-0017
Fax: (808) 962-0300
E-mail: [email protected]
www.fungaljungle.com

Founded in September 2000, Hamakua Heritage Farm is the home of Hawaii’s “gourmet fungal jungle” — where local gourmet mushrooms are grown. “Hamakua Heritage Farm is the only commercial mushroom growing farm in Hawaii,” says Bob Stanga, owner. “Our state-of-the-art automation equipment is one of only two in the United States.”

Hamakua Mushrooms are cultivated on locally grown hardwoods without the use of chemicals, synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides or hormones. The mushrooms grow inside Hamakua Heritage’s 16,000-square-foot facility and are therefore unaffected by weather conditions. The facility houses six growing rooms, which makes it possible for the farm to grow a variety of species. The Stangas, and their 17 employees, use the Japanese bottle cultivation method to grow the mushrooms, which form bouquets that offer a longer shelf life and different culinary presentations.

New at Hamakua Heritage Farm is the pepeiao, or wood ear. It is Hawaii’s first commercially grown indigenous fungus. Hamakua Heritage Farm produces a variety of mushrooms, including shiitake, gray cluster oyster and alii oyster.

Hamakua Mushrooms can be purchased at Costco, KTA, Don Quijote, Marukai, Foodland, Sack ‘N Save, Times Supermarket, Healthways, Abundant Life Foods, Island Naturals Market and at the Hilo and Waimea farmers’ markets.