A. Gross Income Projection

If I had the health to start a mushroom growing business, I would try these steps.

Choose to grow oyster mushrooms to begin with:
          Oyster mushrooms retail for $10/lb fresh.
          They grow on substrate of straw, which is cheap and easy to get.
          They should be kept between 60-70 F which is manageable.
          Can produce first harvest in just a month.

 

Before starting

    Plan on getting 1.0 lbs/sq ft of growing area/month.
        A 5 gallon bucket fills 4 square feet.
        Industry norm is 25 lb/sq ft/yr = 2 lb/sq ft/month.
        Planning on 1 lb/square foot/month allows for things going wrong.

 

    Find and negotiate space in storage area behind a retail store
        Four months rent free to get started
        ASSUME rent of $20/sq ft/yr. Call it $2/sq ft of floor space/month.
        ASSUME only half of floor space can hold islands (growing areas).

First Month

    Buy or scrounge beginning supplies
        Pallets, Styrofoam sheets, Plastic bags or sheets,
        Tools, Bleach, Sealant/Paint, Straw or Wood, Spawn (Seeds)

    Clear and clean space to the bare walls
        Bleach everything and seal walls, ceiling, and floor
        Put out rat and bug traps
        Insulate walls with styrofoam as available

    Build first island
        4′ wide by 16′ long = 64 sq ft footprint
        5 shelves/beds one foot high = 320 sq ft of growing area
            Growing in beds, not in buckets
        Build from pallets to get free wood
            Guestimate need 22 pallets per island

Following months
    Harvest and sell
    Continue marketing
    Build one island each month
    Start paying rent at end of fourth month