Let’s grow our own mushrooms

For generations, many Filipinos believed that mushrooms sprout only after a thunderstorm. “Kapag kumulog, may kabute” (when it rains, expect mushrooms), our elders would say, a poetic observation of nature’s rhythm that has long shaped rural life.

And many of us who grew up in rural areas would harvest mushrooms at the crack of dawn, carefully ensuring we picked the non-poisonous kind.

But today, science and technology are quietly rewriting these stories.

The Mushroom Research and Production Center (MRPC) of Laguna State Polytechnic University (LSPU) is showing that through innovation, mushrooms no longer need thunder to grow. MRPC is proving that with the right temperature, humidity and care, mushrooms can flourish in any season, in any place; even within the walls of a small urban home.

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, my plantita daughter started growing mushrooms from fruiting bags. It was fascinating to watch how mushrooms grow overnight, are harvested daily and cooked into delicious dishes like mushroom sinigang and my favorite – mushroom tempura. Mushroom powder is added to flavor sinangag, omelets, soups or used in baking.

The mushroom fruiting bags became so valuable that she used to bring them with her when we went out of town.

My interest led me to LSPU Siniloan to learn more about mushroom growing. Along with president Mario Briones, campus director Beltran Pedrigal and MRPC project head Charmyne Sanglay, I was introduced to and tasted the white, brown, black and pink varieties of Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushroom).

What started as an academic project has grown into an important initiative that combines science, livelihood and sustainability. With support from the Department of Science and Technology, LSPU developed a deployable mushroom-growing house an automated, collapsible and climate-resistant structure designed to maintain optimal growing conditions all year long.

This innovation allows growers to produce mushrooms regardless of weather patterns. The myth about thunder and mushrooms actually hints at a natural truth: mushrooms often appear after rain and thunder because lightning and moisture stimulate growth in the wild.

But thanks to scientific knowledge and applied technology, we can now simulate these conditions without waiting for the sky to roar. Controlled environments, temperature sensors and humidity systems now do what nature once dictated.

I observed how LSPU MRPCs latest project, the fabrication of Hobbyist Mushroom Chamber, advances this concept further. Made as a compact, automated cabinet-style setup, it allows individuals, schools and small businesses to easily grow mushrooms.

This should interest small entrepreneurs, young people, housewives and plantitos and plantitas to grow mushrooms at home.

This LSPU-MRPCs project showcases science meeting daily life, transforming curiosity into productivity. Beyond economic gains, it promotes food security, environmental awareness and mental well-being, serving as a gentle reminder that growing food can also be an act of care and creativity.

Mushroom production offers a short-cycle, nutritious, high-value crop that supplements household income. It can be introduced to many families as a livelihood that grows quietly but steadily, symbolizing resilience in uncertain times.

The LSPU-MRPC also incorporates vermiculture and circular farming systems, improving waste recycling and promoting sustainable production. Meanwhile, value-added initiatives, such as producing mushroom powder, can expand market opportunities and create new income streams for local producers.

The next step is to commercialize and collaborate with processors to expand mushroom production across Laguna and nearby provinces.

Interested? You can visit the LSPU Siniloan campus to buy fresh mushrooms for P350 per kilo, or choose fruiting bags for P50 each and grow them at home. The processed mushroom powder is also available for P100 per 60-gram pack.

LSPU also welcomes the public to visit its facility. You can contact Prof. Charmyne Sanglay ([email protected] or [email protected]) to visit and see their research breakthroughs and buy their mushroom products. LSPU Siniloan is 78 kilometers from Quezon City Hall via the Manila East Road.

In every sense, mushrooms have become a metaphor for what we strive for in Philippine agriculture: adaptability, regeneration and growth even in the most unexpected places.

Science and technology are more than just tools; they serve as equalizers. They hold the promise of progress for farmers, families and future innovators.

When people learn that mushrooms no longer need thunder to grow, they see that empowerment doesn’t require miracles; it demands knowledge, collaboration and trust in innovation.

In every fruiting bag and growing chamber, LSPU is nurturing more than just mushrooms. They are cultivating hope and proof that when science works for the community, even the quietest fungi can roar with possibility.

Join them and start your own journey in mushroom cultivation.

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