AUSTRALIAN-MUSHROOMS-JOURNAL-2021-EDITION-4

signi cant. We jokingly say that we had mushrooms, and I will keep pushing the didn’t think far enough ahead about
a mid-life crisis – some people buy a percentage of mushrooms up until I nd it all. It was frustrating, but you think
Ferrari, we bought a farm. I am sure that what works and what doesn’t. about a solution, and then move on and
some people thought we were crazy get it done.
because we had no experience. Ironically WHAT IS THE BEST LIFE
I spent the rst 18 years of my life in ADVICE YOU HAVE BEEN WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?
Pennsylvania and never knew 60% of GIVEN?
the mushrooms in the United States are Our motivation is not only the product
grown there! I like the old saying - Mile by mile, life is a but the people. We are unashamedly
trial; yard by yard is not so hard; inch by local, and we don’t sell anywhere o the
WHAT WAS THE CRAZIEST inch, life is a cinch. One of my neighbours Fraser Coast. The great thing about our
THING YOU HAVE EVER told me that, and I think it encourages business is the feedback we get from
DONE? you to step back and not worry about our customers at farmers markets,
the big stu , focus on now, be present cafés and the restaurants we supply.
David and I met 20 years ago in 2001. and do what is in front of you and the It is all very personal, and we go into
We were both divorced, with ve kids next step. the cafés and restaurants, talk to the
between us, and we wanted to get chefs, and go to two markets a week
married. We had a party at our house CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT and have that face-to-face contact with
with family and friends, and at 10:30, the YOUR POSITION IN THE our customers. We also enjoy growing
limo to the airport rolled up, and we ew BUSINESS? a nutritious, natural product. While we
o to Vegas to get married. are not organically certi ed, we grow
We are partners in a small farming organically, and we don’t use chemicals,
DO YOU HAVE A NICKNAME, enterprise, and we do not intend to pesticides or fungicides, and we don’t
AND IF SO, WHAT IS IT AND grow an empire, particularly as our use chemicals to clean the rooms. This
WHY? lifestyle is important to us. We produce aspect has been very well received by
probably around 500kg per week, so we locals at the farmers’ markets and local
People will call David Gus at the are pretty small. restaurants.
markets – as in fun/gus, which I guess
goes with the territory when you are WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME OF WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR
growing mushrooms. I have never had a YOUR FAILURES AND WHAT GREATEST INSPIRATION?
nickname. HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM
THEM? We enjoy what we do, how we do it,
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE and the lifestyle we have, so I guess we
MOVIE? When we rst started, we worked hopefully inspire each other.
14 hours a day, seven days a week,
True Lies - it is an Arnold modifying the shed we used for the WHAT IS THE ONE PIECE OF
Schwarzenegger movie with Jamie Lee limes, with David building the shelving ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE
Curtis that is a good bit of fun. and all of the cool rooms and the air ow TO OTHERS HOPING FOR A
systems. And when we built them, and SUCCESSFUL CAREER?
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE it was working, we thought that was
MEAL? cool, and then when we expanded with A person said to us at a farming course
double the amount of compost, we that we did once - don’t let perfect get
Either risotto or lasagne, and now that found we didn’t have enough fresh air. in the way of good. Because you can
we grow mushrooms, I just throw them So, we had to rebuild that system and wait and think about things, but if you’re
in whatever we are cooking. I did a then modify it again and install a bigger not doing anything, you’re not making
Blend Burger the other day, using 30% fan. It was a learning process, and we any progress.

Australian Mushrooms Journal | Issue 4 -2021 49

INFORMATION
RESOURCES

The levy funded project MU16003 Pest Scienti c reports covering all aspects • Fact Sheet 3 – Penicillium hermansii –
and Disease Management and Research of mushroom research and delivered by Smoky mould
Services produces and distributes a the International Society of Mushroom
range of materials on mushroom pest Science (ISMS) are also available. www.bit.ly/factsheet-
and disease management. The following smokymould-3
information provides summaries of Through an arrangement with the ISMS,
diseases, disorders and advances in Australian industry participants can • Fact Sheet 2 – Action points to control
research to assist growers and farm access the full ISMS reports on request. Sciarid & Phorid ies
sta with on-farm management. 
The AGORA site contains a selection of www.bit.ly/factsheet- ies-2
FACT SHEETS those reports covering a range of topics
of interest to industry participants. • Fact Sheet 1 – Syzygites megalocarpus
The Fact Sheets are designed to be This listing will be updated as new – Troll doll
downloaded and printed as an e ective information from the upcoming ISMS
grower resource. As each Fact Sheet e-Congress becomes available. www.bit.ly/factsheet-trolldoll-1
is published an email alert is issued to
provide immediate access. To be placed AVAILABLE FACT
on the email list please contact Judy SHEETS
Allan: [email protected]
• Fact Sheet 7 – Internal
LIBRARY Stipe Necrosis

The Library section of the AGORA www.bit.ly/factsheet-
website contains a range of industry internal-stipe-7
information resources.
• Fact Sheet 6 –
The Library includes the Australian Lecanicillium fungicola –
Mushrooms Journal and the Industry Dry Bubble disease
Update e-newsletter. If you have
misplaced your copy or just want www.bit.ly/factsheet-
to search though back issues for a drybubble-6
particular article then this is a good
place to start. • Fact Sheet 5 – Getting the
best from your cookout
The Technical Reference section has
been established as a handy area for www.bit.ly/factsheet-
those wanting more detailed technical cookout-5
information. The section is organised
under subject headings including • Fact Sheet 4 –
Hygiene and Mushroom Quality Issues. Cladobotryum spp. –
Cobweb disease
A range of industry videos have been
produced and are also available though www.bit.ly/factsheet-
the Library section of the website. Links cobweb-4
to those videos can also be found on
Page 51.

50 Australian Mushrooms Journal | Issue 4 -2021

INDUSTRY
VIDEOS

The Mushroom industry
communication program
(MU18001)works closely with
other projects and industry to
produce videos on a variety
of topics. When the videos
are nslised links are sent via
the monthly Industry Update
newsletter and through updates
in this Journal.
To view any of the videos below
just enter the link in your website
browser. If you experience any
problems in accessing the videos,
please contact Chris Rowley
([email protected]).

Australian Mushrooms Journal | Issue 4 -2021 51

52 Australian Mushrooms Journal | Issue 4 -2021

Australian Mushrooms Journal | Issue 4 -2021 53

The Australian Mushrooms Journal is produced as part of the Mushroom Industry Communication program (MU18001). This project has been funded by Hort
Innovation, using the mushroom research and development levy and contributions from the Australian Government. Hort Innovation is the grower owned, not-
for-pro t research and development corporation for Australian horticulture. Advertising within this publication is maintained by the Australian Mushroom
Growers Association under an agreement with Horticulture Innovation Australia. This Association welcomes advertising within the Journal. The booking
deadline is 6 weeks prior to the publication date. For further information, please contact AMGA on (02) 4577 6877 or via email at [email protected]