31 Sustainability plays an important role in the mushroom growing process. Even before sustainability became a buzz word, Giorgio Mushroom Co. was operating sustainably. “We were the original composters,” Caldwell declared, “We’ve been doing it for more than 100 years.” The company uses local agricultural waste products such as corn cobs, stems, and stalks, wheat straw, hay, poultry waste, and coco shells to create their own compost. In the Berks County area of the country, Caldwell explained, they use the coco shells from the local chocolate companies to make a blend of compost. “Mushrooms are a very delicate and sensitive organism,” Caldwell explained, “by creating our own compost, we’re able to add nutrients to the soil that mushrooms like while excluding everything they don’t. This allows us to make the perfect environment for the mushrooms to grow.” Caldwell explained that there is a major problem in the U.S. and around the world regarding the disposal of animal waste products, which normally end up in the landfill, “but it makes great fertilizer for our product,” he stated. “We resolve a lot of environmental challenges by putting these waste products together and making a good wholesome food product.” The compost is then pasteurized much like milk is, being put into tunnels and set at various temperatures for specific amounts of time, which eliminates all the pathogenic organisms to make “a very product specific compost,” Caldwell relayed. The company uses a lot of water, which is critical for mushroom growth. “One of the reasons that mushrooms have low fat, calorie, and cholesterol content,” Caldwell explained, “is because they are ninety-two percent water.” The mushrooms and compost get watered every day, yet when the company looked into the sustainability measurement criteria of other fruit products, mushrooms were “one of the two products with the lowest water use per pound of product.” Caldwell further stated that every one of their farm operations captures all the water that hits the floor which then gets stored for reuse. “What water we don’t recycle is in the product,” Caldwell relayed. After the 10-week growing cycle, the compost is taken out and “used as an all-organic certified soil amendment for organic farmers around Berks and the surrounding counties,” Caldwell explained. Mulch companies throughout the Northeast will also buy the used compost in order to make special blends of organic material. This returns the compost back to the soil to recapture the carbon causing a negative carbon footprint for this portion of the business. Giorgio mushroom was the first to develop and pioneer the first IBM integrated pest management system, reducing the use of chemical pesticides. They also use a parasitic wasp to reduce unwanted insects, which prevents contaminates from getting into the soil and the mushrooms. The wasp has a life span of only a month, but is effective for the health of both the mushrooms and compost. The company is also starting to branch out into gaining certificates for their natural pollinator fields, as well as purchasing and developing additional pollinator fields. “When I started in the food business,” Caldwell began, “I made a conscious decision out of college to go into the food business and got hooked by two things: The community of people that I work with, which have become like family, and the fast pace. I love it,” he exclaimed. “The comradery of people that work together in this industry is strong and that’s where a lot of job satisfaction comes from.” Addressing the students directly, Caldwell explained that different jobs call for different requirements and “you’ve got to find out what opportunities you like, and that fit your mold, but a lot of times you don’t know what they are yet.” There are many industries out there, he continued, “and these choices are all before you right now.” He encouraged the students to keep their eyes, ears, and minds open, “and look for those opportunities that you may not have thought about before,” he explained, “all companies want you to learn more about the business then one particular position. That is how you move up in your career, by taking on additional responsibilities.” Professor George Rogol, Dr. Gary Chao, Joe Caldwell, Dr. Anne Carroll
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzcxOTE=