Farm Tour at Flyway Family Farm

06/05/2019

Flyway Family Farm is a family owned mushroom farm, tucked along the winding hills of Makanda, Illinois, three hours from Common Ground. A flyway is named for the zone of diverse natural area that migrating birds pass over, that can usually spanning continents.

 

The farm happens to be located around the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge in the Shawnee Hills, which make it wooded and teeming with wildlife. The farm is operated by Michael and Jessica Hatfield while caring for their two kids. Their farm’s mission is “The health and happiness of our plants, fungi, animals, and soils are our top priorities. We strive to provide nutrient dense, organically grown mushrooms year round.” The mushrooms from Flyway are by far the most beautiful gourmet mushrooms you can find in the Midwest. The farm specializes in oyster, shiitake, maitake, chestnut, nameko, and pioppino mushrooms. They have been cultivating mushrooms for more than 10 years and their indoor production is incredible to witness all stages of mushroom cultivation fruiting from the inoculated bags of sawdust and bean hulls. One of our staff referred to the farm as a picturesque scene out of Snow White, since all the animals comfortably live among one another. Bunnies, ducks, chickens, dogs, and kittens all have a space to frolic on this homestead alongside their caretakers. Seeing the happy family behind this mushroom operation made us want to support them all the more and spread the word for others to support them in their mission to produce and sell beautiful and delicious mushrooms.

 

Flyway Family Farm mushrooms are found in our Co-op’s produce section whenever available. The farm also supplements Sola Gratia Farm and Blue Moon Farm’s CSA shares, where you can receive mushrooms as an add-on. They are also available at Urbana’s Market in the Square and at the Farmers Markets and several restaurants in Carbondale in Southern Illinois.

 

Back