Over recent years, there has been a push for more sustainable, environmentally friendly, and cruelty free sources of protein. As a perfect representation of this, an old chicken farming facility in Norfolk, England, has now been turned into a mushroom growing facility.
The initiative was led by Derek Sarno, a chef, and Veganuary ambassador who joined forces with The Little Mushroom Company and Smithy Mushrooms to begin this unique project towards sustainable and ethical agriculture. Chef Sarno, who is vegan and advocates for plant-based cooking, has emphasized the importance of collaboration between farmers, chefs, and local communities to ensure the sustainable production of more nutritious food. He also stated that this wasn’t just about replacing chicken with mushrooms but also changing farming and culinary practices for the better. He hopes that the lessons they have learned can help others around the country—and the world—learn how farms can be repurposed into those that are more sustainable, cruelty-free, and plant-based.
Mushroom farming requires less water, less land, and less input than chicken farming, and the mushrooms it creates are on par nutritionally with meat.
The mushrooms that the farm produces will be sold to restaurants, retail, and directly to consumers in their homes.
Those wishing to learn more about the kind of recipes you can use mushrooms in, as well as why the switch to plant-based options is so important, should check out Chef Sarno’s YouTube channel. He even has a documentary about the farm conversion!
