Reminiscences of a Fungi - John Miller

1998 – Ken and Lola Clark, Trenton, Rhonda and Peter Brown, Pebbly Automatic mechanical compost turning machine. Built for Clark
Hill Road, Cattai and Brown by Bob Rumery, Maraylya

Lola Clark’s son Peter Brown and his son Trenton have taken over running the farm these days and they are AMGA
members. They keep up with the latest technology on their farm, on the corner of Pebbly Hill and Reedy Roads,
Cattai.

On Pitt Town-Dural Road, Maraylya, in about 1955, Jack Cox and his wife Eileen started growing mushrooms in
ridge beds between their fruit trees to diversify their farm away from fruit growing which was no longer
economically viable. The beds were covered with straw and bags after spawning and casing. A skinner irrigation
pipe system would water the top to stop wind blowing them off.

c1955 – Jack Cox picking mushrooms L-R – John and Jack Cox 2002 – Daphne and John Cox
off ridge beds at Pitt Town Dural and unknown mushroom picker
Road, Maraylya

When the ridge beds were finished cropping, the compost was ploughed into the ground to fertilize the orchard
and vegetable crops!

Their son John would help on the farm after school and during school holidays. When John left school in 1957, he
decided to accept his parents offer to join them in mushroom farming and started in 1958. John decided that he
would make mushroom farming his life. That is what he has done very successfully. He joined AMGA in 1966 and
has been a director six times.

Outdoor ridge beds were the first method of growing. Later on, a bush pole shed with corrugated iron cladding
covered the ridge beds to protect people and the mushroom crop from the weather. The beds were about 100
yards long each row.

Compost made from straw, poultry and cow manures were hand turned until a “Swinnerton” elevator turner filled
by front-end loader was purchased in c1967. A self-propelled auto “Cook” type turner was purchased a few years
later. John joined a custom composting group and the compost was made offsite, in bulk ,for the group.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 45

In c1967, three new purpose built mushroom growing rooms were built with 4 x 4 ft growing trays. A separate
peak heat room was built and a steam boiler was installed. More growing rooms were added later on. Archie and
Shirley Douglass taught Jack and John how to carry out a successful peak heat. As a result, their crops increased in
yield dramatically. Marketing of the crop was through canneries initially, and increasingly quantities were
provided to the fresh market as cannery requirements declined. After John’s parents passed away, he took over
the farm operations with his wife Daphne, taking over the office administration and accounts responsibilities.

1975 – Australian Mushroom Growers’ Co-operative Society, “Windsor Farm Foods” Group Ltd, Mileham Street, Windsor
“Windsor Farm Foods”, Windsor Road, Vineyard (formerly “Rosella” cannery)

The Cox family were part of the group
that formed “Windsor Farm” cannery,
which was set up in c1975 as Australian
Mushroom Growers’ Co-operative
Society at Vineyard. Later it relocated
to Mileham Street, Windsor (in the old
“Rosella factory) as Windsor Farm
Foods Pty Ltd. Originally, there were
thirteen members of the group as board
members. The board numbers were
later reduced.

Aerial View of The Cox Farm, Maraylya Mushrooms were also sold on the fresh
market through Peter Jones and
through a national marketer, Col

Muffett.

John and Daphne Cox have travelled to a number of international conferences overseas, to study the latest
technology. We had a great time with them in 1978 when we went to Europe to promote our Congress for 1981.
Daphne used to call me “Pappa” because I bought a family ticket in the train for all of us with Rob and Norah
Tolson. The rail guard asked where were my children. I pointed to the group. He then looked at them and
shrugged his shoulders and punched my ticket!

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 46

1978 – Gossau, Switzerland, Hauser Sinden Co. L-R – Norah Tolson, Dr James Sinden, 2003 – L-R – Wesley and Michael Hill
Daphne and John Cox

John and Daphne Cox retired from mushroom growing in 2002 and the farm was taken over by Mike Hill, from
South Africa, and his son Wesley. Mike came to Australia in 1994 with his family and worked on mushroom farms
in the Hawkesbury Valley.

On the eastern side of John Cox’s farm were his Uncle Alf
and cousin Richie Cox who also grew mushrooms and on the
western side, were the Smith family. Around the corner of
Pitt Town-Dural Road and Fisher Road were American
Double mushroom farms owned by Bill Crowe and Norm
Clark.

Ray McKenzie who carted mushrooms to Edgells at Bathurst

was on the corner of Boundary Road where his depot was

located. Col Muffet the fresh mushroom marketer’s depot

2003 – Ray McKenzie’s former “Edgells Mushroom Depot” was next door on Boundary Road, Maraylya.
for growers. Corner of Boundary and Pitt Down Dural Fred Fletcher was further south along Boundary Road
Roads, Maraylya

opposite Maraylya School of Arts when he started growing mushrooms in ridge beds in 1955. His daughter Dee

married Ron Carter in 1953. They eventually built a tray farm in fibro-insulated sheds on Scheyville Road in c1972.

It was next door to Adam Wosachlo who had an American double shelf farm on the corner of Neich Road,

Maraylya, which he had built in the 1960s. Most of the crops were sent to canneries until that market declined

and fresh marketing became essential for the industry to survive.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 47

c1960 – Mal Manning c1950 – Clive Brown

A spawn plant, mushroom growing farm and spawn laboratory was set up in c1957 by Mal and Dot Manning on the
corner of Pitt Town and Wolseley Roads at McGraths Hill. Mal built seven fibro sheds and grew fourteen crops per
year. The sheds were filled twice per year, primarily for the cannery market. Compost was turned by hand and
pitch fork, throwing the compost through a spinning drum on wheels that was pulled along by hand.

A peak heating system was installed about 1963 using what was called
“Pyrotenax” cables which were electric and installed by Clive Brown and his
apprentice Geoff Morley along the walls of the peak heat room. Compost was
placed in baskets on pallets. The compost had to be fairly wet, as it would dry out,
with the fan blowing the dry electrically heated air around. The wire baskets of
compost after being peak heated to 140F (60C) would be taken to the growing
rooms and tipped into concrete troughs on the floor, which were flat beds, six
inches deep. The beds were spawned and later cased. When Graham and Carol
Price later took over the farm, they doubled production by putting in racks.

Mal Manning was a foundation member of AMGA, and was elected as a
committeeman on the Steering Committee of the inaugural meeting of AMGA 25
March 1961. A constitution for the official establishment of AMGA was drafted
and confirmed at the 1st Annual General Meeting of AMGA on 2 September 1961.
Mal Manning was elected as the President at that meeting. He made a major
contribution to bringing together the various district mushroom growers into the
one organization.

2003 – Geoff Morley

Mal’s very constructive thoughts contributed to the formation of a unified industry. He devised the voluntary
spawn contribution fund to build up funds for research and promotion for the future. It took until c1968 to get
started, however, it was Mal Manning who initially pushed the idea to give AMGA a sound financial base. Although
the levy was voluntary, this farm chose to not sell any spawn without the levy! Thus lending stability to the AMGA
funds budgeting!

By 1966, Mal and his wife Dot were ready for retirement to Queensland as they had been growing mushrooms at
Cabramatta for many years before they came to McGraths Hill. They offered the business to Graham and Carol
Price who had been growing mushrooms on ridge beds at Scheyville Road, Maraylya, after they married in 1964.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 48

Mal Manning unfortunately died in 1968 after he retired.

c1969 – Graham Price c1969 – Carol Price

Graham joined AMGA in 1964, and is now a life honorary member. Carol joined in 1978. In 1966, Graham and
Carol accepted an offer by Mal and Dot Manning, to be trained in spawn making and mushroom growing
techniques at Penn State University, USA.

c1960 - Hand turning compost – L-R – David Keys; Graham Price “Swinnerton” barrel or drum type compost turner. This one
was Roy Sanders’ machine originally and is in John Miller’s

collection. Restored by Rob Rumery.

Graham and Carol’s children, Geoff, Stephen and Alison all helped on the farm as children. Geoff, after leaving
university, became Mushroom Industry Advisory Officer (MIDO) . Graham and Carol brought the family heirloom
with them to Manning’s mushroom farm and spawn laboratory; their spinning “Swinnerton” drum compost turner.
Graham was thrilled to be able to turn the compost on concrete, which was a real luxury, as he only had a dirt floor
in the paddock on his old farm at Scheyville, which became pretty muddy and boggy when it was wet. He built his
own tractor loader fed elevator turner in 1968.

The first “Cook” type automatic travelling compost turner in the Hawkesbury Valley. Built under licence in
England, it was originally developed and patented by Gordon Griffin in Tasmania. The “Tasma Turna”, as it was
known, was imported by Graham from England in April 1970. The beginning of the custom composting business
was in 1971, when Graham and Carol supplied their first customers, John and Beryl Miller, with ready mixed
compost ready for peak heating delivered on site to their farm. Keith Morrison, at Dural, was the next customer.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 49

People started to realise that you could grow good crops of mushrooms from the Price’s ready mixed custom
compost. So the business expanded as the quality of the compost improved with new ingredients such as
cottonseed hulls and meal being added with the poultry manure lime gypsum and baled wheaten straw. A very
consistent mix came on stream, thankfully.

1970 – Graham Price with baby Stephen, taking delivery of “Cook” 1970 – a young Geoff Price sits up on the straw to read the
automatic compost, turner and gets read to turn the first heap of straw and instruction manual for the “Cook” compost turning machine!

manure compost

c1972 – Graham Price’s plastic bag growing system for mushrooms on 1970 – Graham Price’s “Cook” automatic compost turner in action.
racks indoors in insulated air-conditioned growing rooms The first in the Hawkesbury Valley.

Custom compost helped small farmers to increase production to compete against imports. Unfortunately, the
urban sprawl eventually pushed them out of business. Councils allowed houses to be built close to farms without
providing a buffer zone between the conflicting uses. Complaints about noise and odour gradually became an
issue and the established farms and compost sites were forced out – poor planning!

Most of the crop on the farm was sent to Edgells at Bathurst. By 1973, canned mushroom sales were falling rapidly
and growers had to turn to the fresh market for sales and economic viability to compete against imports. The

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 50

AMGA was to play a vital role in promoting increased consumption of fresh mushrooms, particularly in the summer
months. In 1972, the farm was converted to bag growing.

Graham was a member of Windsor Rotary Club and every Thursday night, Rotarians would empty the sheds of
bagged compost. 700 to 1400 bags were donated and sold through Millers’ Garden Centre from 1984 to 1999.
$250,000 was raised for youth projects!!

Graham Price was one of the early public relations officers on the committee of AMGA in 1967, when he launched

a very successful promotional campaign to increase sales. Graham has been a Vice President, President and

Director of the board, Treasurer and Chairman of the Research and Development Committee for three terms.

Carol has been a director for 8 years and was the first woman Chairman and

Vice chairman of

AMGA for two years.

She took all the notes

and typed them up for

Dr Jim Sinden’s

excellent short course

in 1977, when he

visited us from

Switzerland. Dr

Sinden’s visit to

Australia was pivotal

to the success of our

c1979 – Bert and Beryl Tolson of 1998 – Pamela and Denny Mitchell, Cattai, NSW local industry. Every
Cattai grower attended his
short course. We

finally learnt how to grow mushrooms and make compost successfully from the “Master”. Jim Sinden was

knowledgeable, likeable and a great communicator!

My wife Beryl and I caught up with Graham and Carol with Pieter Willemse Snr and his wife Leny at Gossau in
Switzerland, with Dr Sinden the following year. We were on our way to the international congress in France, to bid
for the ISMS congress to be held in Australia in 1981, which we subsequently won.

Dr Sinden showed us his environmentally friendly farm on the edge of town with trout fish swimming in a stream
near his compost heap! No leaching from the site.

Dr Sinden took Beryl and I in his Mercedes car up to the Swiss Alps with the Prices and Willemses following in their
Peugeot car driven by Graham. For a bit of fun, we all had a great snow fight up there in the Alps! On the way
back, Jim got the devil in his eye and said “I’m going to give Graham a race down the mountain back to Gossau”.
His eyes were flashing as he looked in the rear vision mirror and he was grinning from ear to ear. At 76 years of
age, he was racing down the steep mountain road with a big drop off on the side. I have never been so terrified in
my life. He was a big kid at heart! He beat Graham to the bottom of the mountain – and we were still intact!

In 1956, Bert and Beryl Tolson and their twelve children, Rob, Pam, Helen, Fay, Geoff, Jill, Jim, Peter, Don, Max,
Trevor and Val, were vegetable farmers at Cattai in a year of seven floods. They never got one crop of vegetables
off their farm that year due to the number of floods. They were forced to go up onto their high land and start
growing mushrooms.

Warren and Harold Midson who had the whole block of land bounded by Midson, Maguire and Boundary Roads at
Oakville, had a big part in initially teaching the Tolson’s how to grow mushrooms on ridge beds. Roy Sanders had
taught the Midson's in 1953, they grew mushrooms on ridge beds with Harold’s wife Vera’s help.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 51

The Tolson family combined with Denny and Mervyn Mitchell at Cattai. Denny had lost his citrus crop in the 1956
floods (he eventually won and married Pamela Tolson in 1959, his greatest asset!). Each family farm group, under
the supervision of Warren and Harold Midson, would take their turn to help the other to make compost by hand
turning, filling and ramming the compost, with a broom handle with a piece of 3 x 2 on the end. The ridge bed 16
foot long formwork was the length of the truck tray,

Compost turning usually started about the last week in February each year. Spawn was inserted into a hole
punched by a hand operated pointed stick pushed into the compost at six inch spaces. High humidity at that time
of the year made the spawn grow like mad. After the spawn had run well through the compost after a few weeks,
soil for casing the beds was gathered from the swamps at Little Cattai Creek. It was usually fairly heavy soil. The
flood debris, grass and topsoil were lifted off first and the clean soil underneath was chopped up fine and mixed
with lime with a rotary hoe. The soil was then hand shovelled into a truck within two hours and taken to the ridge
beds where it was shovelled on and palmed up by hand over the beds on your knees, grovelling along between the
rows of beds.

1957 – Harold Midson, Oakville 2003 – Vera Midson, Oakville 1977 Denny Mitchell with 16ft ridge bed formwork, the
(from “The Land” Newspaper”, length of the table top truck, which he shared in turns

September 1957 article with the Tolson’s

IXL gave them a cannery contract in 1956 and Norm Newton was the carrier until 1961 picking up from Bert
Tolson’s farm at Cattai and other mushroom farmers at Oakville and Maraylya. Rob Tolson took over the contract
of IXL from Norm Newton in 1961 to get extra income to establish his new farm at South Maroota. He had the

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 52

1962 – R-L – Norah and Rob Tolson 1962 – Rob Tolson hand watering ridge beds, Maroota, NSW
with friend Kathy Griffin. Ridge bed

mushroom farm at Maroota

contract until IXL closed in 1975.

Rob and Norah Tolson were married in 1961 and moved into a
temporary dwelling on their own farm at South Maroota. His
brother Geoff joined later, making compost by hand with a
five pronged fork, three or four heaps of 20 tonne each taking
an average 3 hours each (Geoff and Kris Sorrenson had the
record of 2 hours 20 minutes), and growing mushrooms on
ridge beds indoors and outdoors.

Everyone agrees that c1965 – Robert Tolson (aged about 12 months) mushroom growing was hard,
physically exhausting checking the crop on ridge beds, Maroota, NSW work in those days, with what we called
“mushroom growers’ back”, an

occupational hazard. Chiropractors eventually did quite well out of the results later on!

The mushrooms were bulk picked and soil cut off in a packing shed.
Norah picked, cut and cooked for the men until she had babies
Robert (1964) and Sharon (1965). She couldn’t get down to pick
when she was pregnant, so she would stand and cut the soil off the
mushroom stalks in the shed. Thank goodness we had women in
the mushroom industry like this who have helped their husbands
survive. There are many stories of such commitment to the family
farm.

Bert and Beryl went into ridge beds in sheds and back to vegetable 1975 - Australian Mushroom Growers’ Co-op
growing later on in the Upper Hunter Valley with members of the Cannery, Windsor Road, Vineyard
family.

In 1962, all the IXL growers got together to try and get IXL to increase the prices given to growers, as the other
canners had raised theirs. Rob Tolson was elected to be spokesman to approach IXL management, which he, on
reflection, foolishly accepted because no one else would do it. For his efforts on behalf of other growers, and to
get square with him, IXL would not give Rob a contract that year and cut him back to one third of his previous
contract. As a result, he concentrated on the fresh market and found out he could make more money. Most of us
were going to learn that lesson in the 1970s, when imports were going to make competition tougher for the
cannery growers.

Rob joined AMGA in 1963 and served as Chairman/President for at least ten
terms and twenty three times on committees. He is a life honorary member of
AMGA. Rob was a member of the group who formed the Australian Mushroom
Growers’ Co-operative in 1975, at Vineyard and is still a shareholder.

In his first term as AMGA Chairman in 1968-69, Rob recommended to members
that all States of Australia should be encouraged to set up branches of AMGA
and have a share of spawn funds for promotion and mutual benefit. The
incoming new committee were to investigate this idea.

1970 – Rob Tolson In 1966, Rob and Geoff Tolson built their new purpose built tray farm at Wallace
Road, Vineyard, consisting of 6 fibro insulated sheds of about 5,000 square feet
of bed area and a separate peak heat room.

Tragically, Geoff Tolson was killed in a bulldozer tractor accident on 17 March 1968. Geoff had only
recently married Roy Sanders daughter, Narelle, who was expecting their first child. A son
Geoffrey, was born two months after Geoffrey snr died.

c1S9a6n7de–rsG)eTooflfsaonndWRNeeadmrdeilinlnegi,(snSceteences of a Fun’gi 53

Matthews Anglican Church,
Windsor

Rob and Norah Tolson built their new house on Windsor Road, Vineyard, after moving from Maroota in late 1966.
The Elf Mushroom Farm in Wallace Road, Vineyard, has expanded many times in new insulated panel growing
rooms in trays. Rob and Norah carried on the farm in partnership together after Geoff died.

Rob and Norah have attended an enormous amount of overseas conferences and congresses to absorb and apply
the latest technology to maintain a competitive edge. They have made their farm available many times for open
day “farm walks” and to share their knowledge with other members of the AMGA.

Their sons, Kevin (born in 1969) and David in 1971. Elder son Robert had early experiences in the mushroom
composting process when aged about 3 and a half years he got his hand caught in the cog and chain of an elevator
type compost turner. Robert’s second adventure was into the depths of a compost “goody pit” as we called the
underground tank at the end of the drain in the compost shed. A workman fixing the roof just happened to see
Robert’s head disappear under the water and raised the alarm. Luckily, Geoff Tolson was nearby and grabbed him
by the hair as he bobbed up again and pulled him out. This is not recommended as a growth stimulant as Robert
didn’t grow any bigger than his brothers!

c1967 – Rob Tolson checking mushroom c1975 – Rob and Norah Tolson’s mushroom c1985 – Aerial view of Elf Mushrooms Pty Ltd, Wallace Road, Vineyard,
growing trays in new indoor insulated farm Elf Mushrooms Pty Ltd, Wallace Road, NSW
growing rooms with natural air flow,
Wallace Road, Vineyard Vineyard, NSW

The three boys went on to operate their own individual farms
each with his new wife, in their own typically individual ways,
with three different styles of mushroom culture. Robert and
Buffie at Glossodia with Dutch type shelf system, Kevin and Jane
at Londonderry in igloo and sandwich panel structures and
Dutch shelf growing system. David and Karen have a tray
growing system on the original Elf Mushroom Farm at Wallace
Road, Vineyard. The boys were all members of AMGA like their
dad Rob and became the third generation of Tolson mushroom
growers. They have all served on various AMGA committees.

Rob Tolson senior was a member of the organising committee of
the ICMS Congress in Australia for six years before it was held
successfully in Sydney in 1981. He has travelled many times
overseas, to many countries to study the very latest
technological advances in the mushroom industry.

c1991 – Buffie and Robert Tolson with their new All compost for the group and other mushroom growers is now
Dutch-type shelf system of mushroom growing made at the substrate production plant Elf Farm Supplies,
indoors on their “Premier Mushrooms” farm, Mulgrave.

Boundary Road, Glossodia, NSW

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 54

All spawn for the group is purchased from a company called Sylvan Australia, which was incorporated in 1994 and
officially opened at Londonderry in 1996 by the Minister for Primary Industries, the Hon John Anderson. Rob is
chairman of Sylvan Australia and a shareholder along with about eight other mushroom growers.

Kevin and Jane Tolson David and Karen Tolson

2004 – Elf Farm Supplies Pty Ltd – Mulgrave Road, Mulgrave, NSW. 2004 – Elf Farm Supplies Pty Ltd – L-R – Rob Tolson (Chairman),
Substrate production plant with latest technology now being installed Paul Ryan (Substrate Production Manager), Above: David Thain

(operator of “Traymaster” pre-wet turning machine)

Premier Mushrooms Farm indoors with environmentally controlled Regal Mushroom Farm, Londonderry Road, Londonderry. Kevin and
growing rooms, Glossodia, NSW Jane Tolson operate a new indoor Dutch-type, environmentally
controlled shelf system of mushroom growing

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 55

The Tolson Family – L-R – David, Robert Jnr, Norah, Robert Snr, 2004 – Elf Farm Supplies Pty Ltd, Mulgrave Road, Mulgrave NSW.
Kevin Mushroom compost/substrate production plan

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 56

Geoff Price became the first General Manager of
1996 until 1999. He was
Sylvan Australia Pty Ltd in Carol Price. Marion
General Manager in 2000.
the son of Graham and of Martial and Anne
mushroom growers at
Lawson took over as started their partnership
fortunate to have these
Marion was the daughter daughters of mushroom
contribution to the future
Lawson, veteran industry.

Helensburgh when they

in c1953. We are most

excellent sons and

growers making a great

of the mushroom

In 1956, George and Marion Lawson – General Manager, Sylvan Australia Pty Ltd Norm Johnson began

growing mushrooms in ridge beds (taught by Alan Cragg and Des Ogden of Oakville), on the family dairy farm

“Winnifredbank” at McGraths Hill. They turned compost made from straw, poultry and cow manure from their

dairy farm. This was initially done the hard way, by hand, then progressed through to drum type spinners and

eventually elevator type turners. Migrant women from Scheyville hostel plus George’s wife Sylvia and Norm’s wife

Betty, picked and packed mushrooms off the ridge beds. George and Norm both joined AMGA 29 September

1961.

In c1963 the Johnson brothers had a fibro American double shelf shed built with live steam boiler for peak heating
their two 4,000 square foot sheds. They had made the decision to go indoors. Bill McNamara of Riverstone built
the sheds. It was completed in time for the 1964 flood, which inundated it! It was located on Old Hawkesbury
Road, McGraths Hill. Brian and Ian Norman of Hawkesbury Refrigeration built a new cool room for the Johnson
brothers to keep the mushrooms in good condition.

1957 – L-R – George and Norm Johnson c1960 – L-R – Betty, Sylvia and her daughter Des, Daphne and Tom Ogden, Oakville, NSW
picking mushrooms off ridge beds at Susan picking mushrooms off ridge beds, Old
McGraths Hill, NSW
Hawkesbury Road, McGraths Hill, NSW

In c1966, a new farm was built on higher ground on Pitt Town Road, McGraths Hill as a tray farm in smaller rooms
of 1800 sq ft each and separate peak heat room. A 50 tonne air conditioning system was installed c1968 for year
round production. Stable bedding was carted from Randwick on an international truck with a grab loader for
compost making which was done on site with a cook turner, until a group of growers got together in 1979 and
formed a company called Mushroom Composters Pty Ltd at Ebenezer. Ready mixed compost, or custom compost
as it was called, was made to the requirements of the members of the group. Complaints from neighbours to
Hawkesbury Council forced it to close and relocate to Mt Thorley near Singleton, increasing transport costs to

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 57

mushroom growers in the Hawkesbury valley. This took jobs from the area and a competitive edge against
imports.

As the traditional mushroom canneries gradually reduced contracts, and started importing canned mushrooms,
with local Australian labels on them, the Australian mushroom growers had to take action to survive.

In 1975, the Johnson brothers and a group of mushroom growers formed the Australian Mushroom Growers Co-op
at Vineyard and later in the old “Rosella” cannery in Windsor, to can their own mushrooms. It has now relocated
to Cowra .

Johnson brothers’ mushrooms were also marketed fresh through Peter Jones in the Sydney Produce Markets to try
and compete against canned imports coming into restaurants and supermarkets.

George and Norm’s children all worked on the farm doing various jobs over the years to help the family enterprise.
George’s sons worked full time on the farm, Darren from 1985 and Bradley from 1986. Sadly, Darren passed away
on 17th September 1993, aged 26 years.

1973 Mushroom pickers at work on 1973 –Weighing and packing 1993 – Mushroom Composters Pty Ltd. Custom compost
G&N Johnson’s indoor, mushrooms at G&N Johnson, Pitt preparation site, Post Office Road, Ebenezer, NSW
Town Road, McGraths Hill, NSW
environmentally-controlled tray farm

Peter Jones, Fresh Mushroom 1992 – Bradley and Darren “Windsor Farm Foods” Group Ltd, Mileham Street, Windsor
Market Agent, Flemington Johnson (formerly the old “Rosella” cannery
Markets
58
Reminiscences of a Fun’gi

Norm Johnson snr, George and Norm’s dad, started a direct mushroom delivery run to shops in the Manly area
when he and his brother Albert stopped dairy farming. He was a great promoter of fresh mushrooms.

Spawn was bought initially from Wally Klepetko at R. Mas Laboratory in Sydney, Arthur Robottom at Castle Hill,
then Mal Manning at McGraths Hill, Edgells in Windsor, Bob Harris, and Vince Pace at Pendle Hill.

Over the years, the farm’s growing capacity has expanded many times over the years in 4 x 4 ft trays with
mechanical filling and emptying, spawning and casing machines. More recently, a Dutch mechanised shelf system
has been installed built on a new site nearby. It has now been taken over (in 2001) by Russell Isemonger, a South
African migrant who arrived in Australia in 1994 who prior to taking over the Johnson farm, worked on local
mushroom farms. He is converting it to a mechanised Dutch shelf plastic block system.

c1957 – Wally Klepetko and Ian Longworth Spawn c1971 – Vince Pace, spawn maker, Pendle 2003 – Russell Isemonger with Dutch
Laboratory of R. Mas, George Street, Sydney Hill, NSW shelf system of mushroom growing, Pitt

Town Road, McGraths Hill, NSW

c1974 – George Johnson, McGraths Hill 1982 – VIP farm visit to G&N Johnson’s farm. L-R – John c1974 – Norman Johnson, McGraths
Miller (AMGA General Manager), Norm Johnson, Jack Hill
Hallam (MLA, Minister for Agriculture), George Knowles
(DG) and Rob Tolson

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 59

George Johnson has served as president of AMGA in
1970 and on committees seven times up to 1983.

Norm Johnson has been c1998 – Betty and Norm Johnson President in 1976, on
committees seven times, plus Chairman of research
and development three times up until 1984. He has
been awarded life honorary membership of AMGA.
Norm made a major contribution from 1982 to
1984 in setting up and following up results of the
research program at the Biological and Chemical
Research Institute (B&CRI) division of NSW Agriculture
at Rydalmere, NSW.

My wife Beryl and I travelled with Norm and his wife Betty to the International Congress on Mushroom Science
(ISMS) in Japan and Taiwan in 1974. We were with a representative group of AMGA members going to make a
bid for the next congress to be in Australia. We were unsuccessful in that attempt – France won. However, we
had the opportunity to see the huge volume of mushrooms being produced in Taiwan with workers being paid $1
per day. As we travelled through Hong Kong, Thailand and Malaysia, we realised that we were going to have fierce
competition with imports, particularly from Asia. We saw huge investments in mushroom farms in those regions.

In 1978, we travelled to France to the ICMS congress and made another bid for the the 1981 congress to be held in

Australia. We were successful. We joined George and Sylvia Johnson, and Rob and Norah Tolson in England after

the congress and had the opportunity to meet the great mushroom book writer Fred Atkins, who wrote our early

Australian mushroom grower’s bible “Mushroom Growing Today” . It was first published in 1950 and had nine

revised editions up to 1973. Fred Atkins’ books

gave many of us a great starting point for our future in the

mushroom industry. He possibly gave us the first clue about

what we called “peak heating” and he quoted Lambert from the

USA on the method of “pasteurisation” of compost to

“condition” and sweeten the compost to improve yield. We all

had dinner with Fred in the historic Peterborough Hotel, where

the first international congress of ICMS was held in 1950. On

our way to Peterborough, we took a wrong turn at “Royal Ascot”

race course roundabout and finished up on the Queen’s royal

route drive, with people waving flags at us waiting for the

Queen to drive by. We didn’t disappoint them and gave the

royal wave from our hire car. George made an excellent c1998 – Sylvia and George Johnson
chauffeur!

Meeting many English mushroom growers and the executive director of the Mushroom Growers Association, Denis
Locke, gave us all great connections for the future benefit of our AMGA. They are all a part of the world’s
mushroom family that we are so fortunate to have. We are unique in this field.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 60

1978 – Visit by AMGA members to England, UK – L-R – Geoff Ganney 1978 – L-R – John Cox takes photograph of Dutch machinery filling
(UK), Beryl and John Miller, George Johnson, Rob Tolson, Jim sheds and George Johnson takes notes.
Gooding (UK) with Dutch Thilot Mechanical Compost Turner

According to Ron Bennett of Kurrajong, the Kurrajong area had an early start in c1952 when Pixie Mushroom Co.,
on Bells Line of Road, Kurrajong, was formed with a partnership of Ralph Lewis, Dr John Lewis and Ron Bennett as
the grower. Growing technique was learnt by trial and error from American books.

Ron Bennett built the first two fibro American double growing rooms in
1952 consisting of 2000 square feet each of shelf bed growing area .
The sheds were insulated with sawdust filled walls and ceilings. The
sawdust and mites that lived in the ceiling, caused problems as the
joints expanded and contracted when live steam peak heating was
introduced c1958. John Bonus of Ebenezer installed the 30 hp boiler
from an old traction engine machine located at Duffy’s sawmill.

c1958 – Pixie Mushroom Co., Bells Line of Plans for the sheds and information on peak heating technology was
Road, Kurrajong. 30HP steam donkey obtained from American mushroom growing books that Ralph Lewis
engine for steam peak heating (Phase II) had purchased in the USA. In the 1960s another six rooms were built,

compost each being 4,000 square feet of shelf bed area. Spawn was initially

purchased from Raymon Mas in Sydney, and later on from Vince Pace,

at Pendle Hill. Marketing was mainly fresh direct to Woolworth’s and Sydney fresh markets. The balance was sent

to Edgells at Bathurst.

In 1970, Jim Vincent built an American double shelf shed at the bottom end of Vincent Road, Kurrajong, however it
was only used for a short period. They were 2000 square feet each.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 61

2003 – John Bonus, c1964 – John Bonus and Dave Button with baby Julie and Richard Bonus.
boilermaker, Sackville Road, Ebenezer, standing alongside Truck loaded with 6x5ft portable trays for Roy Sanders, Windsor
his old mushroom shed (c1955). John grew mushrooms in

shelves

Mushroom growing at Ebenezer
commenced when John Bonus
started in a shed next door to the
Ebenezer primary school in c1955
with 1200 square feet of bed area
in wooden shelves. John was one
of the early builders of many
compost-turning machines. He
installed boilers and elevator type
compost turners for Roy and Vic
Sanders and built Roy’s portable
6x5ft tray growing system at
Windsor (c1964).

John Bonus on Sackville Road built
Kris Sorrenson’s first shed in the
c1960’s. Errol Fletcher took over
from Kris Sorrenson in the 1970s.

c1968 – Kris Sorrenson’s mushroom growing rooms being erected by John Bonus. Sackville Ray and Ann Clark built a very
Road, Ebenezer

successful tray farm on Sargents Road, Ebenezer in 1971 and sold it to Les and Pat Williams, and Noel Arrold in

1988. Ray was one of the few people I know who loved turning compost by hand. He was so particular in the way

it was done. Ray was on the Board of AMGA eight times from 1977, and was journal editor and treasurer for a few

terms. Anne told me that they cracked a bottle of champagne with the new owners of their farm at our national

conference in 1988 at the “Hawkesbury Lodge” motel (now the Sebel) in the spa tub and pool before retiring

happily to North Queensland.

c1984 – Ray and Ann Clark, Ebenezer 2003 – Les, Pat and son Leslie Williams c1998 – Noel Arrold

Pitt Town Bottoms farmers John and Pat
Ryan were severely flooded seven times in
1956. John Ryan told me that they were
suffering financially and were going bad.
Mushrooms were their salvation. They made

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 62

c1959 – “Bona Vista” orchard paddocks were used by John and Pat Ryan in
Johnston Street, Pitt Town, to grow mushrooms on ridge beds. The beds were

ploughed in when the crop finished.

a deal with Don Johnston at “Bona Vista” at Pitt Town on high flood-free land. It was leased on the condition that
the ridge beds were ploughed into the orchard as fertilizer. Environmentally sustainable agriculture in action!!
This is an excellent example. Their mushrooms were sent to Edgells for canning. Roy Sanders supplied them with
straw each year from Sydney Show for composting by hand.

c2003 –John Ryan standing in front of “Bona Vista” paddocks where John and Pat Ryan in front of the old family barn, 134 Bathurst Street,
he grew mushrooms with his brother Pat Pitt Town

Pat Ryan John Ryan Norbert Flynn

Norbert Flynn started mushroom growing in ridge beds in the late 1950s and joined AMGA on 29th September
1961. He was in partnership with Bill Lannen who joined AMGA in March 1962. Their indoor growing rooms were
on Commercial Road, Kellyville.

Norbert Flynn was one of the first to introduce oil seed residues into the composting process. He was secretary of
AMGA from 1965 to 1968 and newsletter/bulletin/journal editor from the first edition in 1965 to 1972. Norbert
was an excellent writer and conveyor of information to members, a great communicator with many articles being

published. He served on committees and boards fourteen times!

In 1966, Norbert prepared a submission on behalf of AMGA to the Tariff Board
in Canberra regarding the threat of Asian mushroom imports. He is a life
honorary member of AMGA for outstanding service rendered to the mushroom
industry.

JH (Jack) Baker snr of Baulkham Hills was a foundation member of AMGA in
1961 and inaugural president and was made a life honorary member. He
commenced mushroom growing experiments in his son John’s shed at home in

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 63

1977 – J.H. (Jack) Baker Snr.
“Glenian” Mushrooms, Roseberry

Road, Kellyville, NSW

c1956, until he purchased the old Parramatta sewerage tank site on River Road, Parramatta, on the banks of the
river. He was a good friend of Ralph Lewis, the optometrist at Windsor, who started Pixie Mushrooms at
Kurrajong. Two of the concrete tank walls were opened up, cleaned out and sanitised to prepare them for
mushroom growing. Jack Luke grew crops there with him for a few years. There was no peak heat and crops were
poor.

On the 1st October, 1959, Wally Klepetko and Ian Longworth, who had been running the spawn plant for Edgells, at
McEwen's Arcade, George Street, Windsor (which was taken over by Ken Trevitt) came to join Jack Baker and
formed the new company, Parramatta Mushroom Co. They set up a spawn laboratory. Wally having been trained
by Raymon Mas, of George Street, Sydney, acted as advisor.

Mas was the original commercial mushroom grower in 1933, who had tunnels at Circular Quay Sydney and Bowral.
He had sold his business in the mid 1950s to Edgells. Wally was further trained in spawn making by Dr McGee of
NSW Agriculture. Wally Klepetko had previously graduated from Hawkesbury Agricultural College at Richmond
with studies in microbiology and food technology diploma courses.

c1958 – Ian Longworth and Wally Klepetko in Edgells Spawn c1976 – Wally Klepetko takes over as President/Chairman of AMGA at
Laboratory, McEwans Arcade, George Street, Windsor National Conference in Tasmania

Wally Klepetko and Ian Longworth were both foundation members of AMGA. Wally was made a life honorary
member later on in 1992 after serving six terms on the board and one as President.

Mushroom spawn cultures were brought in from Penn State University and Stoller from USA. In c1970, Wally
brought in a strain from Prague in Europe. It was a very successful strain for many years known as Parramatta 32 a
white strain. I asked Wally what did the number 32 mean, was it something with a scientific meaning? Wally said
“No! It was the size of my underpants – I was very slim at the time!” In later years, hybrid strains were brought in
again from Penn State University, called US57, a short cropping hybrid and US58, which was more between hybrid
and white strains.

Compost initially made on site on the concrete slab roof of the growing rooms, was made to what was called the
MRA formula which was originally developed by the Mushroom Research Association Ltd (MRA , Yaxley,
Peterborough, England (see report by Dr RL Edwards, Mushroom Science I, pages 62-63 at the ICMS Congress in
May 1950).

The MRA formula was made from chopped wheat straw, dried blood and trace elements. Tractor and elevator
type turners turnedthe compost. Unfortunately, the yields were poor and by the late 1960s, Wally changed over
to stable bedding, poultry manure, cottonseed hulls and meal with gypsum. This mix was used successfully until
1976 when he changed over to custom compost from Elf Farm Supplies at Mulgrave.

Initially, small trays 2x3ft and 2.6x3ft were used to fit in with the size of the underground growing rooms. In 1973
they changed to 6x4ft trays. The first two crops were unsuccessful because they had no peak heat facilities. The

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 64

heat coming from the exposed concrete roof of the rooms made successful mushroom culture difficult to control.
They cleaned out four more concrete tanks to give them a total of six growing rooms and excavated a site for a
peak heat room. They had plenty of steam for the spawn laboratory and peak heat room.

In 1960, Jack Baker, who was an engineer, introduced chilled water air conditioning. These were possibly the first
air-conditioned mushroom houses in NSW. This certainly improved the growing conditions in the old concrete
tank rooms; however, Wally always found the rooms far from ideal.

Crop yields were about 250-300 tonnes per year, averaging 30kg per square metre, being mainly marketed to Big
Sister cannery and to Peter Jones at Sydney Markets for fresh sales. “Paramount” brand mushroom kits for home
growing were a successful sideline and sold through nurseries, hardware stores and supermarkets all over
Australia. Wally Klepetko was a rock solid supporter of the Spawn Contribution Fund to raise money to finance
AMGA objectives of promotional and research projects to benefit all mushroom growers. He was an active
member of the Research Committee and the 1981 Sydney ICMS organising committee. Wally retired from
Parramatta Mushroom Co in January 1993. Jack Baker’s son Doug and grandson Glen Baker took over running the
company after Wally retired.

2003 – Parramatta Mushroom Co Spawn Laboratory, River Road, c1967 – “Baker Barrel” Mark I. Totally enclosed revolving
Parramatta. Centre: Glen Baker, Right: Glen’s wife Natalie and his compost turner

sister Sue Campbell.

c1965, Jack H Baker built a new mushroom farm at Rosebery Road, Kellyville, with purpose built air conditioned
mushroom growing houses, made from sandwich panels of fibro sheeting and polystyrene. His son John W Baker,
a life honorary member who became an AMGA member in 1965, joined him in this venture known as Glenian
Enterprises. It was named after Jack’s two grandsons, Glen and Ian Baker.

Jack pursued his dream of developing consistent synthetic compost. He built his enormous barrel-composting
machine. The idea came from a visit he made to New Zealand where he observed urban garbage waste being
transformed by a “Dano” barrel type composting machine into garden compost.

The “Baker Barrel” as it was called, was built after Jack erected his number one priority, a huge workshop. He was
an engineer and considered that a well-equipped workshop was necessary for a modern mushroom farm.
Everything was built on site.

After experimenting with an early small barrel, a huge 50x15ft barrel made from waterproof ply and held together
by steel bands, revolving on huge aircraft wheels, driven via an army tank differential and gearbox, with a capacity
of 10 tonne of compost.

Wheaten straw bales were wet down and put through a “Gehl” chopper and blown into the barrel. A synthetic
mix of poultry manure, cottonseed meal, gypsum and dried blood were added. Live steam was injected into the

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 65

barrel (it was later found that the dried blood wouldn’t breakdown in the process and deliver the nitrogen levels
required).

When the compost was ready, it was filled and spawned direct into the growing trays initially, as peak heating
wasn’t considered necessary at the time. Eventually, a separate peak heat room was built with laminar airflow
filtered system installed. It was more successful. Crop yields were 3 to 3.5lbs per square foot. In later years,
custom compost was purchased from Mushroom Composters Pty Ltd at Ebenezer, to increase capacity of
production as more growing rooms were built - five in total. The yield jumped from 3.5 to 5lb per square foot with
the custom compost.

1973 – “Baker Barrel” Mark II was built for controlled composting 1975 – larger capacity “Baker Barrel” Mark II revolving compost
conditions with 10 tonne capacity of compost turner. John W Baker Jnr operating the machine indoors.

Jack’s son John, on reflection, thinks that further development of the barrel composter would have fitted in well
with the new Dutch mechanised shelf system, a lot less work and handling than his small tray system. Jack had
developed an air operated spawning and casing line to make things easier, however, it required fork lift trucks and
a lot of movement of trays on the farm.

The bulk of the mushroom crop from day one was picked up on farm and marketed through Peter Jones at Sydney
Markets. Cannery contracts were obtained later on, as the farm expanded with Big Sister Foods and Edgells to
maintain a high level of quality mushrooms going into the fresh market.

John W Baker jnr, served on a least ten committees of AMGA including four
terms as secretary from 1967 and as President in 1972 to 1973, when he was
instrumental in initiating talks between all members in all states in Australia to
come together as a national body and elect state representatives to the national
AMGA organization. This was following a recommendation from previous
president, Rob Tolson’s recommendation in his Annual Report to members in
1969.

1970 – John Baker Jr, Glenian John asked me, as voluntary AMGA public relations officer in 1973, to go and
Enterprises Pty Ltd, Roseberry organise meetings with growers from Tasmania, South Australia and Victoria.
We did this and had a joint meeting of representatives at Tullamarine airport in
Road, Kellyville Victoria - a meeting I will never forget, that went through until 1.30am next
morning to forge an agreement on spawn levy payments and state promotional
programmes. We were trying to get the Victorian and southern states up from
5c to 10c per quart of spawn. After many hours, by 1.30am, Hank Young said,
“for goodness sake let us pay him the bloody 10c and get home to bed!”

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 66

In 1968, John was also instrumental in gaining interest from NSW Agriculture, Biological and Chemical Research
Institute (B&CRI). He arranged to have Dr Lillian Frazer, Chief of Biology Branch at Rydalmere, come out to see his
farm and get a greater understanding of the mushroom industry and its problems.

Dr Frazer, in earlier discussions with John on the phone, said that she didn’t think that the mushroom industry was
important enough to have special research projects dealt with at B&CRI. That was her first mistake! John Baker
informed her of his capital investment in the mushroom crop, at that time an enormous amount of $500,000. Dr
Frazer was shocked and arranged to come out the next day to see this extravagant claim.

With John’s persistent and

persuasive manner, it wasn’t

long before Dr Frazer

arranged for the

appointment of Dr Tan Nair

in 1969, with a joint grant

and funding arrangements

with AMGA to investigate

virus problems with the

mushroom industry. This

Dr Tan Nair, Plant Pathologist Dr Alan Clift, Entomologist, B&CRI, was the beginning of many
B&CRI, Rydalmere, NSW Rydalmere, NSW research programmes and
the building of a research

unit at Rydalmere and the eventual appointment of

entomologist, Dr Alan Clift in 1975, thanks to Chief of Entomology Branch, Max Casimir, to deal with insect pests.

John Baker jnr organised successful short courses with Professor Lee Schisler (USA) and Dr Joe Hussey also Dr Hans
Tschierpe in Australia and took a delegation to North America. He was a member of the organising committee of
the ICMS congress in 1981 and was a chairman of speaker sessions during the congress, which was very successful.
John had many good connections in the USA, which helped our members.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 67

1970 – Members of AMGA at a Short Course at B&CRI, Rydalmere, NSW.
Guest Speakers were Dr Joe Hussey (UK and Dr Lee Schisler (USA)

1970 – Members of AMGA at a Short Course at B&CRI, Rydalmere, NSW.
Guest Speakers were Dr Joe Hussey (UK and Dr Lee Schisler (USA)

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 68

Glenian Enterprises Pty Ltd was a true family farm, as most of us were at that time. Jack Baker snr, John jnr and his
children Patricia, Ian and Julie all participated in the operation of the farm, a major factor in keeping the farm
going.

The encroachment of residential development in the Hills District eventually forced the farm to shut down, as the
Council would not allow the Bakers to expand their farm and build more sheds to remain economically viable. This
was another example of poor town planning by Council. There should be a buffer zone between farming land,
which are the food producers of this country, and residential areas.

It is very expensive for a mushroom farm to relocate and build a new operation. Transportation of compost and all
other goods and services rise in cost dramatically as you move further out. Increased costs are reflected in prices
paid by consumers in the end, and make it difficult to compete against cheap Asian imports.

Glenian Enterprises Pty Ltd mushroom farm closed for good in 1997. It nearly broke John Baker’s heart to see his
life’s work and his dream disappear as the demolishers slowly cleared the site.

1954 – Eric Marland’s first boiler

1953 – R:L – Eric and Don Marland, Georges Hall, NSW

Eric Marland started growing mushrooms at Georges Hall in 1952, in outdoor ridge beds with his wife Jean and
initially with his brother Don. He was originally a market gardener and was a foundation member of AMGA in
1961.

Compost was made out in the open on a dirt floor, which became very boggy when it rained. Eventually he had
the luxury of a concrete slab to turn the compost on. Something all of us can relate to! Plus a roof over it, oh,
what a luxury!

Compost was made from stable
bedding from Tommy Smith’s racing
stables, and poultry manure and
gypsum were added. It was turned
every week for six weeks. He
eventually found it better to turn the
compost every four days. He did try
running 50 pigs on the stable bedding
for a week to build up the manure and
nitrogen levels. Eric reckons that it
made a good, active compost.

1946 – Truck operated by Marland Bros 69

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi

There were existing poultry sheds on the farm and they painted hessian potato bags with a cement-water slurry to
cover the front wire walls of the poultry sheds allowing a two inch gap at the bottom to allow air flow. If it were
windy, he would block the holes up. These made great indoor mushroom growing houses for winter crops - in
ridge beds and eventually in used banana boxes (they had thousands of them), which were dipped in a fungicide
between crops. In 1972, the farm changed to plastic bag growing.

Spawn was purchased from Arthur Robottom and Ben Balk of Castle Hill initially, and Mal Manning from McGraths
Hill. Eric thinks that Robottom may have had the first peak heating set up in an early American double shed that
was built in the 1940s. Eric installed his peak heat steam boiler in 1954.

All the mushrooms were picked at midnight, so that the truck could be loaded by 5am for the fresh market in
Sydney. You would get an extra shilling (10c) per pound by having fresh quality available for the shops. Jean
would weigh up the boxes and start loading the truck while Eric had his breakfast and then he would go to market.

1998 – Derek Marland c1975 – Phillip Marland 2003 – Les, Pat and Leslie Williams

In 1952, son Derek started going to the markets with his father when he was 2 years of age. Derek left school in
1964 to work full time on the farm six days per week. He would go to the markets, when they moved to
Flemington, from midnight to 1am, as they were producing a lot of mushrooms. They had their own stand at
Flemington markets.

Eric’s wife Jean and another son, Phillip, and daughter Patricia worked on the farm with Les Williams who was to
become Patricia’s husband. Derek, Phillip and Les Williams were all members of AMGA and have served as
directors of AMGA Board. Phillip was Treasurer when he was tragically killed in a speedboat accident in 1977.
Derek’s wife Robyn started working on the farm c1976. When Derek took over the farm in 1989, Robyn took over
supervision of the pickers.

American double shelf growing houses were erected in the early 1960s. These were hard work to fill and empty
and were eventually used as peak heat rooms with live steam. Derek’s son Neal came into the business working
on the farm in 1993. Another son Troy came into the marketing side at Flemington in 1998. Custom compost was
purchased from Elf Farm Supplies from the early 1980s. Due to residential development surrounding the farm and
complaints from residents, the farm closed down in 1998.

In 1999 plans for a new family farm at Singleton in the Hunter Valley were being made to produce fresh
mushrooms and spawned compost in plastic bags, for what is now called satellite mushroom growers. Derek has
been to the Dutch training school three times to improve his knowledge. He has been to Ireland to study their
methods of phase II composting and plastic bag growing to improve his techniques in this area.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 70

Derek’s wife Robyn and their sons Neal and Troy are all
involved in the new farm development, which is intended to be
a model farm with bulk pasteurisation of compost. They are
shareholders in Mushroom Composters Pty Ltd who are now
located at Mt Thorley, near Singleton, in the Hunter Valley,
after being pushed out of their original site at Ebenezer, in the
Hawkesbury Valley due to residential complaints to Council.
Marland’s buy their entire compost ready made as custom
compost for use on their farm.

c1998 – the Marland Family. L-R – Derek, Robyn, Jean, Eric, Troy and Neal Marland

Bob Harris and David Pulsford were both foundation
members of AMGA in 1961. David was President of AMGA in
1965 and served seven terms on committees. He was made
the first Life Honorary member in 1965 and he has
contributed a lot of time in the setting up of AMGA in the
early stages of its formation. Bob and David were partners in
an agricultural laboratory growing legume inoculation
cultures at Sefton NSW.

David lived at Kurrajong and Bob At Baulkham Hills. In 1954,
they were invited by Dr Charles McGee of NSW Agriculture,
Biological Branch to try commercial spawn making for the
mushroom industry. The mother strain came from Dr James
Sinden in the USA.

None of the mushroom grower customers had peak heat c1998 - David Pulsford of Kurrajong, NSW
facilities to remove ammonia from the compost. As a matter
of fact, very little was known at that time about the effects of
ammonia in the compost on the spawn.

Compost was turned for 4-6 weeks by hand, hoping to make compost suitable for a good spawn run. There were
many unsuccessful crops. The number of small growers scattered around made the spawn business not
economically viable.

They ceased supplying commercial growers with spawn in c1956 and commenced commercial mushroom growing
in tunnels at Picton and later at Otford.

The partnership broke up in the early 1960’s with David Pulsford taking over the legume inoculation business and
Bob Harris taking over the mushroom growing tunnels.

References:

1. Circular contract letter from Vic MacAllister, Lillis and Co (Big Sister Foods) to Bill Wiese, 1956.
2. Gordon Edgell and Sons, Contract for John and Alf Hession, 1956.
3. NSW Agriculture Bulletin, “Mushroom Culture” , No S17, page 40, 1966, John Conroy.
4. AMGA Minute Books 1961-1997.
5. Mushroom Science I, pages 62-63, ICMS Congress 1950, report by Dr R.L. Edwards, Mushroom Research

Association (MRA), England.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 71

6. AMGA Oral History Interviews, 1997-1999, John and Beryl Miller.
7. “Mushroom Growing Today”, F.C. Atkins, UK, 1950 and reprinted and revised nine times up to 1973.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 72

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 73

Chapter
5

MUSHROOM GROWERS UNITE

The canneries were beginning to flex their muscles and imports were of some concern. In 1961, there were
informal talks among mushroom growers on the possibility of forming a grower
association.

There could be no association formed officially until a constitution was approved for
the establishment of what was to eventually become the Australian Mushroom
Growers Association, known as AMGA.

To facilitate the establishment of the organisation, a Steering Committee was set up by
holding a special inaugural meeting of the AMGA on 25th March 1961, at 7.30pm at the

Lennox Hotel, Parramatta, NSW.

J.H. (Jack Baker Snr – 1st The proceedings of the meeting are as follows in extracts taken from the minute book:
Provisional President of

AMGA – 25/3/61

(Note: As the minutes of the meeting do not list everyone’s name, but only states that
eighteen growers were in attendance, we will get as close as we can by listing the names of elected officers,
nominations and seconders to motions present and membership records. J.M.)

Minutes of the Inaugural Meeting of the Australian Mushroom Growers Association held
at Lennox Hotel, Parramatta, NSW, 7.30pm, 25th March 1961

JH (Jack) Baker K. Barton V. Cameron
John Daley Adam Ducats Bob Harris
Wally Klepetko J. Larkins Ian Longworth
Martial Lawson Mal Manning Keith Morrison
Des McCord Eric Marland Dave Pulsford
Tom Paskin J. Wakelyn-King JW Watt

Mr JH (Jack) Baker was chosen as temporary chairman.

After considerable discussion it was resolved “that a body be formed along the lines of the overseas mushroom growers’ associations for the
general good of the industry and that it be called the Australian Mushroom Growers Association”. Carried unanimously.

It was further resolved that the Secretary should write to the British MGA and American AMI asking for guidance in the framing of a
constitution.

The following provisional office bearers were elected until a constitution is framed.

President JH (Jack) Baker
Vice President J. Wakelyn-King
Secretary JW Watt
Treasurer K. Morrison
Committee: J. Daley
K. Barton
Auditor: M. Manning
M. Lawson
LW Watt

Membership: It was resolved that all new members must be proposed and seconded by two members and be accepted by
the committee before they can be admitted. Carried unanimously.

Resolved that membership fees were to be five pounds per annum. Carried unanimously

Future meetings are to be held at 7.30pm on the last Friday in the month at a convenient place to be arranged by the secretary.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 74

The meeting was closed at 10.10pm.

C1961 – Mal Manning – AMGA President – 1st Official AMGA Annual
General Meeting – 2nd September 1961

Mal Manning, a member of the steering committee and a mushroom grower/spawn maker from McGraths Hill,
wrote to other mushroom growers setting out the ideal aims of the constitution being formulated for the new
organisation of AMGA. He wrote on 1st May 1961 the following letter:

“Dear Member,

Herewith my own ideas on what the chief aims and establishment of the AMGA
should be:

To provide the organization facilities required to enable mushroom growers
throughout Australia who are genuinely dedicated to the business of growing
mushroom to forgather regularly, exchange ideas, experience, and conclusions with
a view to increasing our general knowledge and efficiency.

This to be and remain the primary objective of the association while at the same
time enabling full use of all opportunities so provided socially. To this end great
care must continually be exercised to prevent the entry of undesirable elements, viz;
these individuals who would only use the Association for selfish interests and not be
prepared to put anything back into it. Therefore, I think it most essential to have
some rigid screening process before anyone – including those presently attending be
admitted to full membership.

Once established and as we grow in strength financially and commercially many
programs for the mutual benefit of all concerned be undertaken such as research,
publicity and sales promotion, in compost disposal ways, and means and raising
finance for the use of the Association. Informative lectures from kindred sciences
e.g. biology, farm walks, etc. etc. I feel them main thing at this stage is to embody
into the constitution machinery to insure that all members admitted be genuinely
dedicated to promoting the advancement of the industry in general realising that by
so doing they are helping themselves as well. When you get down to printing things
on paper I would be glad to assist your committee in any way possible.

Regards
Signed Mal
(Mal Manning)”

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 75

1st Official Annual General Meeting of AMGA

On the 2nd September 1961, the constitution of AMGA was officially approved and
this allowed the holding of the 1st Annual General Meeting of the Australian
Mushroom Growers Association. Nineteen members present.

The election of office bearers took place and the following people were elected.

President: Mal Manning
Vice Presidents: JH (Jack) Baker
Arthur Thomas (a new member)
Secretary: Ian Longworth
Treasurer: Keith Morrison
Auditor: J. Larkins
Committee: JW Watt
John Daley
Dave Pulsford

The secretary was requested to obtain a quote for 100 roneoed copies of the
constitution and a copy to be forwarded to each member.

The meeting closed at 12.20am.

References:
1. AMGA Minutes 1961

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 76

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 77

Chapter
6

PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE

Future meetings were to be held once a month. Various matters arose over the following years to be dealt with
were as follows:-

Discussion evenings between members every second meeting and
for each alternate meeting speakers to be invited to lecture or
screen films on subjects such as:

• Bacteriology in relation to composting
• Mycology
• Processing
• Materials handling
• Entomology
• Building problems
• Air conditioning

A committee was formed to investigate a standard marketing
container for mushrooms, following a request from NSW
Department of Agriculture. Recommendation to be made to next
meeting.

Marsh Lawson Mushroom canners to be advised of the existence of the AMGA and
that they may join as associate members if they so desire.

A Farm Walk (the first of many) was to be held at Parramatta
Mushroom Company on 24th February 1962, followed by a dinner
(Note: farm walks were to become a regular thing, JM)

Re standard container for marketing mushrooms. The Department
of Agriculture to be advised that this type of packaging is in an
experimental stage and AMGA feels it is too early to introduce a
standard pack. (Note: it was going to take nearly another 30 years
before a reasonably standard container and weight contents were
agreed to nationally, JM)

Imports of mushrooms. Request to Department of Trade enquiring
as to what precautions can be taken against the possible import of
low priced processed mushrooms into this country under future
common market conditions. (Note: this is the first time growers
were aware that their future could be affected by imports, JM).

David Pulsford

Promotion. AMGA to approach the Royal Agricultural Society (RAS) re obtaining space for an Association exhibit at
the RAS Easter Show in 1963.

X Disease. Department of Agriculture to be approached on the possibility of banning imports of spawn to avoid
entry of disease into Australia.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 78

26/4/63. The Royal Agricultural Society (R.A.S.) allowed AMGA space to set up a promotional stand for the
mushroom industry. Marsh Lawson and David Pulsford were to organise the event with a committee and Mrs
Gellert did cooking demonstrations. Parramatta Mushroom Co provided growing trays of mushrooms.

Anne Lawson – the original fairy wand used with “Virginia” the dummy model fairy on the AMGA stand at Sydney Royal Show in 1963

31/5/63 Promotion. It was resolved that Peter Jones be asked to supply the cookery staff of “Woman’s Day” and
“Women’s Weekly” with fresh mushrooms. Costs to be charged to AMGA.

29/11/63 Spawn Levy. Secretary to investigate the new British Mushroom Growers’ Association system of levying
growers on basic square footage of the farm.

A Promotional Committee was elected consisting of the Secretary, Marsh Lawson, President Arthur Thomas and
two members, Peter Jones and John H Baker to organize future promotion campaigns.

1964 March – April and August – Meetings with Spawn Makers to try and organize a Spawn Contribution Fund
(SCF) to finance AMGA activities.

27/8/65 “ Recent research into the nematode pests of cultivated mushrooms”. Guest speakers Dr C.B. Blake PhD,
B.Sc.Agr and N.P. Arrold, B.Sc.Agr.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 79

References:
1. AMGA Minute Books 1961-1965

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 80

Chapter
7

FUNDING RESEARCH, PROMOTION AND ADMINISTRATION

By early 1964, the committee of the AMGA could see that it was impossible to do all the things that mushroom
growers required for the future success of their farming business without further financial assistance.

There was an urgent need to raise funds equitably from all mushroom growers for their own benefit so that
programs could be implemented for Research, Promotion and eventually a paid part-time secretary to take the
pressure away from our volunteer Honorary Secretary who had a mushroom farm to run.

The Royal Easter Show was coming up and AMGA members volunteered their time on a roster basis. Growing
trays and product were provided and a home economist, Mrs Gellert, had to be employed on a part-time basis and
paid for her services. A ten-pound per grower levy was to be requested to pay these costs.

Pest and disease problems were increasing as the industry expanded and became highly concentrated in the area.

There was an urgent need for the appointment of a Department of Agriculture specialist in the mushroom industry
for research advice.

The NSW Department of Agriculture was to be informed of the economics of the mushroom industry and our need
for assistance.

It was resolved at the committee meeting of 22nd January, 1964, to contact all spawn makers to see if they would
be interested and prepared to enter into a Spawn Levy Scheme in principle.

Meetings were held with spawn makers in March, April and August 1964. without unanimous support for the
scheme, made it impossible to implement at that time.

The Department of Agriculture had offered us a subsidy grant for a specialist graduate within the Department if we
could provide matching funds. Due to the unsuccessful negotiations with the spawn makers in 1964, we had to
decline this opportunity.

The President of the AMGA sent the following circular to growers, seeking their support.

Raising financial support was to be no easy task and it was going to take many frustrating meetings and
negotiations up to 12th September 1968, to agree to 5c per quart being imposed, payable to AMGA to commence
on 1st January 1969, to start the ball rolling. The ball wasn’t going to roll very far at this rate, as canners started to
cut contracts and reduce prices to growers. Imported mushrooms (canned and dried) from Asia were being sold
by our traditional Australian canners replacing the local growers’ product.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 81

AUSTRALIAN MUSHROOM GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION SPAWN SUBSCRIPTION
FUND

12TH FEBRUARY 1965

Dear Grower,

At a meeting of the Australian Mushroom Growers’ Association held on 12th February last, a resolution
was adopted instituting a voluntary Spawn Subscription Fund. This step was taken only after prolonged
efforts to establish a general spawn levy failed because one spawn maker would not participate.

Already the Australian Mushroom Growers’ Association has done much to help all commercial growers
and the industry as a whole, and, with funds at its disposal, can and will do much more.

We feel that many growers perhaps are not aware of what the Association has already done, and would
like you to remember that whatever we as an association may be able to do in any field – RESEARCH –
PROMOTION – etc., must inevitably be of benefit to all who grow mushrooms. In the few short years of its
activities, for example, it has:

• Been directly responsible for a reduction of 10/- per bale in imported peat moss.
• Raised and spent well in excess of 1,000 pounds in publicity and promotion. This money was raised

by direct subscription by members – 30 odd only in number.
• Organized and maintained a very creditable exhibit in the Main Agricultural Hall of the Royal Easter

Show over the past two years. This was only made possible by members individually giving up much
of their time to the actual construction, organizing and manning the exhibit.
• Has conducted negotiations at Government level to prevent the importation of cheap canned
mushrooms from Formosa.
• Is in active negotiation with the establishment of a Mushroom Research Organization within the
framework of the Department of Agriculture.
• Is at present considering ways and means of supporting an investigation of eelworms in mushrooms
to be carried out at the Sydney University over the next 3 years and at present sustained only by a
grant of money from the Commonwealth Bank.
• Mainly through our Show Exhibit and many radio and television interviews this Association has
gained widespread recognition, and has done much to make the public more fully aware of our
industry.

As a mushroom grower you will be only too well aware of the need for research. You have now an
Association doing its best to help you in your problems and to protect your interests, but before we can
hope to achieve any spectacular results we need two things:

Finance. We feel some kind of levy on spawn is the only equitable way for each grower to make a
contribution in proportion to the size of his operation.
Co-operation. We need your co-operation, and, if possible, your active membership in our Association.

We feel confident that the idea of this voluntary Spawn Subscription Fund will appeal to all as a very
worth-while scheme. For those wishing to participate in the Fund the amount of contribution is 6d. per
quart on all spawn purchased.

This is the opportunity for you to invest in your future security and at the same time to guarantee the
security of the industry of which you form a part. We commend the scheme to you and confidently await
your support.

To enrol in the scheme, merely sign the enclosed slips and forward one to the Secretary, Australian
Mushroom Growers’ Association, P.O. Box 15, Helensburgh, and the other (s) to your Spawnmaker(s).

Yours in Service to our Industry,

M. Manning

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 82

President

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 83

Extracts from minutes were as follows:-

26/3/65 Resolved that Spawn Levy “Letter of Authorization” is to be sent to all
spawnmakers authorizing them to collect the spawn levy on behalf of AMGA
and advising them that they are entitled to a 5% collection fee.

28/5/65 Spawn Contribution Fund (SCF) was the new name designated for this
collection system.

An annual meeting shall determine the allocation of SCF monies and all
contributors shall be invited to attend, and that all present shall have voting
powers on a sliding scale according to their contributions.

30/7/65 Hawkesbury Extraordinary Meeting was held, Windsor. The minutes were as
follows:-

AUSTRALIAN MUSHROOM GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION
Minutes of extraordinary General Meeting held above George’s Café, Windsor,

30th July 1965

Total of forty-six (46) in attendance.

1. Address of welcome by President – M. Manning .
2. History of Association and SCF, together with aims in prepared statement by
President.
3. Reading of resolution constituting SCF and amending resolutions by N. Flynn.
4. Prepared statement by K. Morrison on cost of research and alternatives
possible.
5. Prepared statement by M. Lawson on promotional activities of Association.
6. Prepared review of highlights of tour to and from 6th International Mushroom

Science Congress by A. Thomas. Colour slides of some aspects and warning on
die-back disease.
7. A statement made by W. Wiese from floor that he would not favour
promotional activities but wanted research.
8. Opinion expressed by R. Lewis that he favoured greater expenditure on research
than promotion.
9. All growers urged to support fund by K. Trevitt.

Light refreshments supplied to all per favour of M. Manning with contribution of 1
pound each from all other members present.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 84

By October 1972 the Spawn Contribution Fund (SCF) Annual Income was $7,650.00 pa. The AMGA Auditor and
Trustee for the Spawn Contribution fund (SCF), Mr George Swan, was requested to meet with all spawn makers,
discuss any problems with the system and report back to our general meeting on 10/4/1973.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 85

The unedited report was as follows:-

REPORT BY MR G.R. SWAN – MEETING WITH SPAWN MAKERS – 10/4/1973

I was requested to chair a meeting of spawn makers to discuss their problems re: spawn levy collection and
must admit I had little background to these problems. My position as trustee of the monies and confident of
individual information of production. I was then requested honoraly with your secretary, to visit each of the
spawn makers, discuss their problems, help them accounting wise, if they required, and report to the
committee.

Discussions with the various spawn makers took place on the following dates: March 9th, 16th, 28th, April 3rd.

A letter was sent to the interstate makers 27th March 1973 and a reply was received (obviously we could not
attend).
We covered all general aspects of the spawn levy and the individual accounting methods were discussed in
some detail if required by the members. No changed methods were introduced.

Our overall impression as a result of this work is that some growers are not paying the spawn levy.

This was confirmed by the fact that certain spawn makers found it impossible to collect from some growers.
Some spawn makers advised that it was impossible to collect because their opposition made no effort to
collect same and they were therefore placed in a position where they could not sell their products at a higher
price that the dissenting maker.

It is imperative that the growers appreciate the purpose for which the levy is made and realise this voluntary
levy is for the common good of the largest and smallest growers in the industry.

Obviously there are certain policy and personal factors involved in the administration, and also the way in
which money collected is expended may not be satisfactory to every grower, but it must be understood that
the collection and distribution of these funds, I consider, should be split themselves into 2 individual
categories:-

Collection of funds – must be a moral obligation to contribute to the association’s operation for the good of
all, individually and collectively.

Expenditure – the funds collected may not be spent (in the opinion of some members) wisely but this does
not give him a right to withhold his contribution. He or they have every right to attend meetings, write to
the association or join the executive and express his or their views on the way in which the money is being
spent and then the majority of opinion should be accepted.

We feel the association and the confidential manner in which the money is collected is necessary for the
good of all members.

We consider this has been a worthwhile exercise, which we carried out having regard to the improved
continuity of funds now becoming available.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 86

Hank Young, Victoria Doug Heley

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 87

Under the direction of AMGA President, John W Baker, Honorary Liaison Officer, John Miller, travelled interstate to
Victoria to meet with mushroom growers from Victoria and South Australia at Tullamarine Airport as an AMGA
Branch meeting of the states on 28th June, 1973, to discuss the Spawn Contribution Fund and promotion as a joint

effort.

Geoff Izard L-R – Peter Jones (NSW) and Herman van Schajik (VIC), Melbourne
Show, 1970
The extract of the minutes were as follows:-

MINUTES OF MEETING OF AUSTRALIAN MUSHROOM GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION HELD AT
TULLAMARINE TRAVELODGE, VICTORIA ON 28TH JUNE 1973

Messrs F Sannen, T Reed, D Trimboli, H Young, H van Schajik, G Spiel, G Izard, D Heley, J Miller

Mr J Miller introduced Mr T Reed, Sales Promotion Manager for Southern States of ACTION
the COD. It was explained by Mr Reed how his organization operated on a full-time H. Van Schajik
basis erecting point-of-sale advertising material in fruit and vegetable retail outlets. H. Van Schajik.

It was agreed that Victoria would be covered by this service during a period
commencing late August 1973 and extending through September – October 1973 at a
cost of $500. Mushroom Week will be held in Victoria during the Show period. Date
to be advised by H van Schajik.

It was moved by H. Young and seconded by D Heley that H van Schajik be the official
contact for publicity in Victoria. Carried.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 88

J Miller reported that the AMGA Committee had negotiated on a national basis with D Trimboli
the COD (Committee of Direction of Fruit Marketing) head office in Brisbane, to erect G Spiel
material in stores. Each state will be entitled to their share of material and G Spiel
merchandising services. The “Weight Watchers” organization were celebrating their
4th anniversary in Australia and would be holding rallies in Sydney on 16th, 20th July, H. Van Schajik
Brisbane 26th July, Melbourne Town Hall 29th and 30th August, Adelaide Town Hall on
October 15th. Special slimming recipe leaflets will be produced to hand out at these H. Van Schajik
gatherings. The cost of these promotions and advertising material will be paid for out G Spiel
of ‘Spawn Levy Funds’.

It was agreed that D Trimboli and G Spiel work together to organise the ‘Weight
Watchers’ rally in Adelaide together with other mushroom growers they may contact.
G Spiel to compile a list of retail stores and contact Tom Reed direct so that plans may
be made for the South Australian promotion.

G Spiel to contact J Miller direct to set date for promotion after discussion with South
Australian growers. This information will be required by 30th July so that material and
radio may be booked.

J Miller reported that it was necessary for spawn makers to break up their levy returns
into separate statements for each state. This would then allow the National Committee
of the AMGA to budget its expenditure on Sales Promotion equitably between all states.
H van Schajik agreed on behalf of Victorian Spawn Laboratories to send spawn levy
returns monthly with total amounts of each state separated for use in advertising
budgeting.

A discussion was held concerning the payment of advertising levy by Victorian growers
to the National AMGA.

It was then moved by H Young that the fully levy of ten cents per quart be paid into the
Spawn Levy Trust Fund of the AMGA, as from 1st July 1973 for a period of twelve
months and subject to review. The funds collected in Victoria will be used pro-rata for
National advertising and the balance to be used for Victorian advertising and
merchandising services. Seconded by G Izard. Carried.

J. Miller reported on the move by NSW growers to establish a Mushroom Marketing
Board. A petition has been sent to the Minister for Agriculture requesting a ballot for
NSW.

H Van Schajik agreed to investigate the matter of the procedures necessary to form a
Board in Victoria and report back to growers in that State for consideration of what
action should be taken.

G Spiel agreed to take a similar course of action concerning South Australian growers.
It was requested by those present that the following matters be considered by the
National Committee of the AMGA.

COPY OF ALL MINUTES TO BE SENT.
1. Notice for meetings too short, and should have agenda set out.
2. Balance sheet be sent each year.
3. Membership forms be sent and given to growers who are not members.
4. No AMGA Journal has been sent for six months.

THE MEETING CLOSED AT 1.30AM.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 89

Another meeting was called with spawn makers at Windsor NSW to finally resolve any problems and
implement a 20c per quart levy. The extract of the minutes were as follows:-

AUSTRALIAN MUSHROOM GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION

Report on the determination of a meeting of spawn makers held at the Windsor
Country Club on Wednesday, 5th September 1973

PRESENT: CHAIRMAN – G.R. Swan, W. Wiese, B. Balk, J. Baker (Parramatta Mushroom Co), G. Price, H.
Van Schajik (Victorian Mushroom Laboratories), J. Miller.

APOLOGIES:M. Lawson

SPAWN LEVY: The meeting discussed the various alternatives for the collection of funds for the

Australian Mushroom Growers’ Association.

Following the recommendation of the Association it was agreed by each and every spawn maker present
that the spawn levy be increased to 20c per quart. This levy to be charged and collected by them on each
and every invoice cash or credit inclusive in the price as from 1st October 1973.

A rubber stamp to be supplied to them stating that the 20c was payable to the Association.

It was moved G Price and seconded J Baker that John Miller as full time paid Secretary/Marketing
Manager of the Australian Mushroom Growers’ Association, have joint access, in confidence with Mr G
Swan, of the Spawn Levy Trust Fund account.

SIGNED AS A TRUE RECORD

G.R. SWAN
CHAIRMAN

1973 – John Miller, AMGA Hon. Liaison Officer (NSW) John Miller was appointed Secretary and Promotional Officer
(eventually General Manager) at the AMGA Annual Meeting
on 25th September 1973 and was made joint Trustee of the
Spawn Levy Trust account with George Swan, as agreed by
the spawn makers at Windsor on 5th September, 1973, with
confidential access to all records of spawn fund
contributions.

This helped us to monitor payments by all concerned and
ensured that funds came in regularly each month as contact
was maintained with George Swan and spawn makers.

It was going to take until October 1973 to raise the Spawn
Contribution Levy to 20c per quart, or 25c per kg when metric
conversion applied (in July 1974) to make AMGA more
effective in dealing with members’ needs. All states
supported it!

George R Swan and Co were to transfer funds monthly into
AMGA bank account so that we could meet and plan our
budgetary commitments on time as from 16th October 1973.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 90

Interstate mushroom growers gradually came around to realizing that a fully funded and supported National
organization, such as AMGA was to become, was the most effective way to obtain matching grants from the
government for joint research and do national advertising for mushrooms in women’s magazines etc.

The Spawn Contribution Fund was a success story and was to go into the future to fund many research and
promotional projects that benefited mushroom growers all over Australia.

The SCF rate was reviewed and voted on for increases at the AMGA National Conference each year in a democratic
manner.

References:
1. AMGA Minute Books 1964-1973
2. AMGA President’s circular letter to mushroom growers 12th February 1965
3. John Miller’s personal experiences 1967-1992

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 91

Chapter
8

THE DEVELOPMENT OF AMGA ADMINISTRATION, PROMOTION AND
RESEARCH

The first “Permanent Promotional Committee” was elected on 29th November 1963. The Committee was to
consist of the Secretary, M. Lawson, President D Pulsford, P. Jones and J.H. Baker. Promotion was mainly the
Sydney Royal Show and with the Gas Co, during “Gas Cooking Week”. In 1967 Graham Price was elected as Public
Relations Officer.

In December 1967 it was resolved that:

A Promotional Sub-Committee be formed and that the Public Relations Officer is organizing secretary and financial members of
the Association to be elected. The duties of this Sub-Committee would be to formulate ideas for promotional and sale activities.

Promotional Committee:
Peter Jones
Martial Lawson
Bob Jorgenson
Eric Marland
Arthur Thomas
George Johnson
John Miller

The committee headed by Graham Price did a great job of promotion with little money. They initiated the first
“Mushroom Week” promotion.

1967 – Graham Price George Johnson

They hired three “Mushroom Girls” who called on shops promoting “Mushroom Week”. Recipe leaflets were
handed out and posters erected.

In 1969 when I was first elected to the position of Hon Public Relations Officer for AMGA I was still a full time
commercial mushroom grower. We were all being affected by imported canned mushrooms from Asia and
cannery contracts were being cut.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 92

There wasn’t any assistance coming from the Government that was going to reduce the volume of imports coming
into Australia, so we decided to take direct action ourselves and promote fresh mushroom sales direct to the
consumers.

1966 – Mushroom Week Girls organised by Graham Price for promotion

A Promotion Committee was formed consisting of Rob Tolson, Norbert Flynn and Dave Pulsford and public
relations officer, John Miller under the direction of new President Peter Jones.

Peter Jones David Pulsford Norbert Flynn

There were very little funds available for promotion as the spawn levy contributions were only 5c per quart which
gave us a maximum of $6,500 per year, plus membership subscriptions of $2,700, which gave us a total of just over
$9,000 for R&D and promotion by 1971.

We already had an R&D commitment to B&CRI Rydalmere to partly fund Dr Tan Nair’s position to research virus
problems of mushrooms at an annual cost of $4,000.

Our only way to pursue the promotional track was by personal footwork and a lot of phone calls. The foundations
of our future success in our promotional strategy were laid when we made personal contact with the trendsetters
of the day who had credibility with the housewife.

The cookery editors and food writers of national women’s magazines and newspaper recipe column writers.
Electricity and gas showroom cooking demonstrations, television cooking segments by people such as Bernard King
who also did shopping centre shows and taught people how to eat mushrooms raw in salads, microwave or
barbecue them.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 93

Food appliance demonstrators used mushrooms in many ways. All it cost was fresh mushrooms supplied free of
charge by AMGA and my voluntary time to do it. We should be forever grateful for the great support of all these
people gave to the industry.

One of the great initial highlights in the promotion are was our 1st 16-page lift out mushroom cookbook in 4 colour
print in the Australian Women’s Weekly with a 1 million circulation Australia-wide in March 1971, to start off
“Mushroom Week” nationally. This was to be followed by many more lift-outs.

Many AMGA members gave voluntary assistance to me by going to Sydney Markets at 3am in the morning to put
promotion leaflets for “Mushroom Week” under the windscreen wipers of retail shopkeepers trucks while they
were there to purchase their fruit and vegetable supplies. This created great awareness for retailers and sales
rocketed.

Sometimes we would do a TV interview at Channel 7, Epping or Channel 10 at North Ryde to promote our
“Mushroom Week” on the way home and then go and run our farm operations.

This started to take its toll after a while. As a mushroom grower and you could notice your farm running down and
cultural production problems arising due to lack of constant attention. You can’t spend too much time away from
your farm doing promotion work, or you end up in physical and financial trouble.

Our social life on the farm always revolved around the family and we had animals, which we bred and showed
locally. Holidays were over December and January as mushroom growing was seasonal at the time and we closed
down December & January, until we installed air conditioning and commenced year round production.

I remember one year we went to Barrington Top Guest House, and enjoyed horse riding over the mountain range.
The kids swimming in the rock pools. Farm stays and horse riding at O’Connell, Thredbo in summer with a little
snow on the mountain tops, toboggans on the mountain side, North Coast and Beach holidays in QLD were always
a favourite. Visiting Poll Hereford cattle properties in NSW were also a great interest for us and our children who
enjoyed showing cattle at the local shows.

From February to December (the working year) it was total involvement in the mushroom industry and very little
time for sport or social functions other than friends and at conferences. I am grateful for the tolerance and
understanding of my very supportive wife and family during my years of total involvement in the mushroom
industry.

Due to back injuries, and the lack of physical ability to carry on, we eventually sold our farm in late 1971. We
unsuccessfully went into dairy farming and beef cattle at Tamworth for a year when cattle prices slumped and the
drought came. This was a fairly distressing time for my family and me and I was forced to sell the property.

In late 1972 I took on a job with Peter Jones calling on mushroom growers and selling them raw materials,
chemicals and safety equipment and any other product that could be suitable for the mushroom industry.

Appointment of Public Relations and Liaison Officer

In September 1972, I was elected Public Relations and Liaison Officer in an honorary unpaid position for AMGA.
These two jobs opened up a whole new world for me at the time. I was meeting growers on their farms, and
talking over their day-to-day problems. These were cultural cropping problems, pests and diseases, marketing of
fresh and canned mushrooms; award wages negotiations, import competition, research priorities, and
environmental issues. All of these things were of great concern to members.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 94