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.
After a long fall (from a 3 story roof, literally), I moved back to my hometown of Erie, PA to recover and rebuild. Recovery meant surgeries, physical therapy, and a whole lot of titanium. Today more than a quarter of my skeleton is now titanium, which technically makes me part Terminator. Just without the sunglasses, for now.
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.
Construction paid the bills and gave me a second shot, but I knew it couldn’t last forever. Bodies wear out. Plans evolve.
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.
They’re weird, resilient, and stubbornly alive. I can relate.
But mushrooms aren’t just fascinating organisms. They’re also incredibly good food.
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.
The Farm
Spore City Mushroom Farm grows gourmet mushrooms inside a pair of recycled refrigerated semi-trailers.
Inside those trailers is a precision-controlled growing environment where Lion’s Mane and King Trumpet mushrooms can thrive year-round. The system is powered by solar energy and designed to produce fresh mushrooms every week, right here in Erie.
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 Erie chefs, grocers, and markets.
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Use sustainable technology to grow food year-round in an unexpected way
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Build something honest and lasting in the city that raised me
You won’t find a storefront, a slick sales team, or corporate branding here.
Just a guy, a pair of trailers, and a lot of mushrooms.
What's Next
The trailers arrive soon, and the first harvest won’t be far behind.
When the mushrooms are ready, they’ll start showing up in local kitchens, grocery stores, and farmers markets across Erie.
This farm is still young, but the goal is simple: grow great food, build real connections, and prove that small local agriculture can still surprise people.