“At that time it was just straight up a business opportunity, a way to get out of the rat race. ... [I] literally knew nothing about mushrooms,” he said.Frederick said he is originally from Pennsylvania and a family of farmers. In 2019, he wanted to sell hydroponic lettuce at the Tomball Farmers Market and was told there was an abundance of vendors selling greens, but the market was looking for a mushroom vendor.
Frederick said he involved his two brothers, Ben and John, and at their first Tomball Farmers Market, they sold eight pounds of mushrooms in the first 30 minutes. Now, the brothers produce about 1,400 pounds of mushrooms a week and sell to restaurants, to wholesalers, online and at four farmers markets.
“I love every aspect of it, from the process of how they grow, how fast they grow, the different varieties, the flavor they bring, the cool things you can cook with them,” Frederick said. Lone Star Mushrooms grows nine different mushroom varieties and sells mushroom grow kits, mushroom extract, jerky and coffee.
With so much production, Frederick said the business has outgrown its facilities four times since summer 2019. Lone Star Mushrooms began in the brothers’ garage. In January 2020, the business moved into a warehouse on Hufsmith-Kohrville Road, which doubled in size in April 2021. Mushroom production maxed out again this April. Frederick said they are looking to move within six months and want to find space to build a 5,000-square-foot warehouse.
“Without a doubt, I love it,” Frederick said. “I wasn’t gazing out of a window when I was a kid dreaming of the day I’d be a mushroom farmer, but I’m glad I’m here.”
Lone Star Mushrooms
17225 Hufsmith-Kohrville Road, Tomball
713-364-3332
www.lonestarmushrooms.com
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 7 a.m.-3 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.-2 p.m., closed Sat.
