About Mārama's Mushrooms
We live in a time where it has never been more apparent that as a species on this planet we are in a place where we are being asked to deal with our waste both on the physical and meta-physical plains. As I have walked my life so far I dream of a time where our waste no longer pollutes our environment and we can all live happy, healthy and harmoniously with each other and our planet. For many years I have struggled working for industries where money is made without taking into consideration the true cost in how it is made. We face a great challenge right now to deal with the waste we have created if we, ourselves, and our planet is to thrive with abundance of health for all.
With the disposition given to me of being born into a mushroom growing family I was offered an opportunity by my uncle 8 years ago after feeling despondent with the livelihoods I had pursued in many jobs (not all), I realised that growing food was something I would like to sink my teeth into. Growing food made sense in my heart and my journey began with the help of my uncle, my grandad and my nana. As I explored this realm more and more it dawned on me that fungi, often deemed as mysterious and associated with death could hold some of the answers to the tensions I had felt in previous workplaces.
From plastic pollution to oil spills, poor immunity to fall-out in our waterways, stabilising eco-systems, playing a vital role in carbon sequestration and assisting in creating nutrient dense food, evidence started emerging due to the works of legendary mycologists such as Paul Stamets and others that indeed fungi could get us out of an environmental funk. It is my dream and vision to see these fungal allies adopted into our lives to enhance our existence.
I do not claim that I or fungi have all the answers. But I do believe all together working as an intelligent network, much like mycelium, we can, as humanity, work together to find solutions to the challenges we face today and that fungi are an integral part of the puzzle on this planet, that I believe is essential to a happy, healthy, harmonious way forward.
Mārama's Mushrooms is more than a company growing mushrooms. We are a team of passionate people who want wholeheartedly to make Earth a better place to live and are constantly looking for ways to do so. I am honoured to have such an amazing group of people to share this journey with me. Everyone plays a vital role for the skill sets they bring to seeing this dream realised and I could not be here sharing this story with you, without them.
Nestled in the foothills of Whakamārama, Mārama's Mushrooms invites you to join us as we journey together to see how we grow and innovate as a business to not only create delicious kai for you to enjoy but find solutions and set out to implement them in our part to heal a planet in much need of it right now. From the mountains to the rivers to the sea, there is much work to do. Let’s get to it.
Arohanui,
Billy (Mushroom) Roy
