The backyard mushroom growers supplying Melbourne restaurants
Julia Laidlaw is the newest addition to Melbourne's backyard commercial mushroom-growing community.
A single mother of two, Laidlaw has long been involved in researching food security and local food systems.
Julia Laidlaw runs a commercial mushroom farm out of her Carlton car port.Credit:Justin McManus
"I'm aware of the potential and interest we have here in Melbourne," she says.
Struggling to keep up with work-family demands, she wanted to bring her job home by starting a small business out of the carport of her Carlton terrace. Using mostly recycled equipment and solar power, her set-up comprises a small greenhouse and storage facility.
Illustration: Matt GoldingCredit:
"Since I started, I've been producing six kilos a week and selling all of it."
The 41-year-old grew up in Victoria's western farming district and says she's always had a green thumb but learning how to grow mushrooms is a whole other ball game.
Every Thursday, Lailor is up at six in the morning to tend to her fungi colony. Between pasteurising the hay, sterilising the buckets and collecting the yield, the environment needs to remain humid and clean for the product to succeed.
