Mushrooms, Metal & Second Chances
The story behind Spore City Mushroom Farm.
Hey, I’m Craig — founder, grower, and, depending on how you look at it, part farmer… part cyborg.
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After a long fall (from a 3 story roof, literally), I moved back to my hometown of Erie, PA to recover and rebuild. What followed was years of surgeries, scar tissue, and self-reinvention. Over 25% of my skeleton is now titanium, which technically makes me part Terminator. Just without the sunglasses, for now.
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I swapped a career in tech and design for hard hats and hammer drills. I kept my head down, learned a trade, and started saving every dollar I could for a future I had yet to define— don’t get me wrong, I liked my new career in construction, but I knew it had an expiration date, you can only labor for so long. Then came a crazy idea that turned into spreadsheets, and then business plans, and eventually Spore City Mushroom Farm.
Why Mushrooms?
Because mushrooms don’t need sunlight, applause, or ideal conditions to thrive.
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They’re weird, self-sufficient, and stubbornly alive. I can relate.
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But they’re also good for the rest of us.
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Our food system’s overloaded with ultra-processed junk that leaves people tired, sick, and disconnected from what real food tastes like. Mushrooms are the opposite of that — clean, whole, and alive. They remind us that eating better doesn’t have to be complicated. Grow local. Cook simple. Feed your body something that actually gives back.
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Spore City Mushroom Farm is a solar-powered, precision-controlled gourmet mushroom farm inside a pair of recycled semi-trailers. It’s a little futuristic, a little punk rock, and 100% Erie.
What I'm Building
This is a one-man farm with a big mission:
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Supply the freshest Lion’s Mane and King Trumpet mushrooms to local chefs, grocers, and markets.
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Use sustainable tech to grow year-round, right here in Erie.
You won’t find a storefront, a slick sales team, or corporate branding here — just a guy, a bunch of mushrooms, and a project built from the ground up. I’m not just here to sell mushrooms. I’m here to build something that matters — to me, to Erie, and to the people who believe food can be more than fuel.
What's Next
The trailers are being prepped. First harvest is on the way. The recipes are coming.
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This isn’t just about mushrooms — it’s about creating something honest and nourishing, in a town that shaped me, at a time in my life when I needed it most.
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Thanks for being here. Stay tuned. Or better yet, let’s cook something together.
— Craig
Founder, Spore City Mushroom Farm
