How the Mushroom Industry Got Started in Chester County

By Charles Harris

Former Executive Director, American Mushroom Institute - 1984 - 1990

Let me begin by noting the word "history" which consists of two words, "his" and "story". And that's a good place to begin this article because this is my story about the founding, growth and development of the mushroom industry based on written and oral materials available to me. Others and later histories might be written and many facts and conclusions might differ from this version - but do not be surprised because there is a general scarcity of materials on this subject and many people rely on the memories and interpretations of older living people. This can be faulty! I am always reminded of a comment made by the now deceased postmaster in Chester, PA, whom I had the pleasure to interview in 1950 on the subject of horse-drawn street cars. After several lengthy sessions he said this, "Keep in mind that a person my age - 83 years young - remembers best the things and events which never happened." He admitted that his memory was limited and often he remembered those events he wanted to and did not remember the events which were distasteful to him. Over the span of several generations - generally defined as a period of some 28 years - it is very easy to forget or have personal reactions which tend to discolor matters. This is particularly true in the oral history of a topic such as the comprehensive story of the development of the mushroom industry in this area.

With these considerations in mind let me also note the following:

Let us look at the current problem facing Chester and Delaware Counties where the industry got its start. In November 1986, it was my pleasure to serve on the Citizens' Advisory committee, Lower Brandywine Scenic Rivers Project which has the major task of returning the Brandywine River as a viable and useful body of water for local citizens. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources presented a draft report for consideration by the Citizens' Advisory Committee which stated the dilemma faced by this geographic area and I quote from the report: "Unplanned or poorly planned development can result in the loss of prime agricultural land which could be potentially more valuable to a community than the new land use since these areas are capable of providing significant economic returns to the communities in which they are located. The trend in Chester and Delaware counties is definitely away from farming and toward development. If the trend towards development keeps up, much of the valuable agricultural soils and farmlands will be lost to development. This would deplete the supply of the valuable and vital natural resource. Consequently, agricultural soils need protection."

Several major reasons for these changes are:

The economic growth of the City of Wilmington, DE, motivated by the location of at least twelve regional or national banks with nation-wide credit card operations. This has created the need for housing in Pennsylvania communities north of the city.

Central and northern Chester County has attracted many "hi-tech" industries and with white-collar employees who have been recruited from other parts of our country.

Economic impact of the agricultural industry which has created surpluses of commodities and has made the small family farm operation difficult to maintain.

The Federal trade deficit problem, which has reduced the flow of agricultural products from our nation.

The impact of the Federal Immigration and Control Act signed by President Reagan November 6, 1986, which may create serious problems for the flow of alien Mexican workers employed by the industry.

While the impact of these economic forces are viewed and evaluated, the economic viability of the industry in these two counties is in serious difficulty. In fact, there is only one growing operation in Delaware County and it was reported that 214 growers went out of business in Chester County in the period from 1980 to 1987. The remaining growing operations are successful due to strict financial guidelines being adhered to and resorting to aggressive marketing programs for the fresh mushrooms. The technological benefits of growing had enabled local growers to produce almost twice the pounds per square feet which were produced in 1981-82. Many growers are able to produce 5 Π to 6 pounds per square foot in 1987 compared with 3 to 3 Π pounds per square foot five years ago. The increase in poundage has been accompanied by an increase in consumption and these surpluses have worked, within the free enterprise system, to keep prices low - in many cases a few cents above the cost of producing mushrooms. The farmer cannot look to the processed market for relief - in many instances the sale to the processed markets brings a price of 50 - 60 cents per pound - much below the price of production. This economic difficulty has been in effect during 1985 and 1987 and farmers are hoping for relief.

Another Historical View

From an unusual source of information, let me cite a comment, which will illustrate the worker's participation in the mushroom industry. One of the best brief descriptions of the history of local mushroom growing in the Southeastern Chester County area, PA, was found in the leaflet printed by the Chester County Migrant Ministry in October 1984. In the four-page leaflet under the title, Update II, this question was raised: "Did you know the Chester County Migrant Ministry has been in existence over forty years? Through that time it has ministered to various groups of people as they came to give their labor to our land. Their backgrounds have changed - from white workers of Appalachia, to black from deeper south, to men and women from Puerto Rico, and most recently, to a large influx of workers from the economically troubled land of Mexico.

Italian-American - Why?

I have noted two recent citations to help understand the sources of labor for the industry and a pessimistic forecast relative to agricultural endeavors in Delaware and Chester County. Now let us examine another phenomenon unique to the mushroom industry - that is the large numbers of Italian-Americans who began as laborers after the turn of the century and in the 1980's own, manage or operate many mushroom farms. Many of these people, after they acquired the skills, left this area and re-located the industry to a number of places throughout the nation, some as far as California.

In general, farmers in this area were termed the "Gentle People" - those of the Society of Friends or more commonly known as Quakers. They moved from flower growing, roses or carnations, to the mushroom industry. Others became mushroom growers, as a source of ready cash, aside from dairy farming. Some returned wholly to dairy farming but several, in the 20's and 30's moved completely to growing mushrooms or to spawn making, becoming mushroom brokers, transporters or packing and selling of mushrooms. Obviously not all early mushroom farmers were Quakers but many were and their labor supply came from the local area - many were Italian-American immigrants. This is an important development because many of these immigrants learned the business and began buying farms in order to grow their own products.

It has been estimated that 75 percent of the mushroom farms in Southern Chester County and Northern Delaware (the Hockessin area) are now operated by Italian-Americans. In general they are second, and third generation people - many of whom have succeeded in this labor-intensive business.

Why are so many people of Italian-American parentage in the mushroom business? There is no single answer to the question but a general discussion of the issue provides a number of facts which when added together may give some insights of value to the discerning observer.

Many Italian immigrants were attracted to this area by employment in the flower business and probably raised mushrooms under the beds of carnations in order to supplement their food table. The experiences gathered together gave them skills which could be applied to commercially growing mushrooms when they realized how profitable it could become.

Many came into the area to work in the quarrying operations or as stone masons as these quarries were mined out or filled with water they naturally moved into the nearby farming operations. These men brought friends and relatives from the mother country, from the coal mines of Pennsylvania or from the large cities in the regional area as a source of employment in Chester County. Apparently many came from farm backgrounds (the percentage of people coming to our country were largely from agricultural areas in Europe. They came with a strong work ethic and a genuine desire to succeed and welcomed the labor intensive needs required by the industry).

The earliest settlers of Kennett Township, Chester County were largely English and Irish Quakers who were followed by the Scotch-Irish Presbyterians. Negroes appeared in the township in the early 18's - the earliest record is dated 1815. The second major wave of immigrants came to the area in the 1840's from Catholic Ireland. The next important group of immigrants to arrive in Kennett Township were the Italians who came in great numbers about 1900 via the DuPont powder mills on the Brandywine or the stone quarry complex around Avondale. A late influx of immigrants to the area were the Puerto Ricans who were brought in as mushroom workers. They were ambitious but still handicapped from being easily assimilated by the language barrier and by the lack of formal education.

One large Italian family group came from the City of Wilmington, Delaware when the Volstead Act, effective 1919, closed all legal breweries and made it necessary to seek other ways to earn a legitimate living. The mushroom industry was in stages of infancy, it required much heavy lifting and work on continual basis in order to produce a good crop. The family farm was very much in order throughout American agriculture scene and shortly the mushroom industry/business became a family farm operation.

The first person of Italian descent to build a mushroom plant in Kennett Township, Chester County was Bernard Cordivano, who came to this country about 1905. He first worked in a stone cutting mill in Toughkenamon and then worked for J. B. Swayne before building his own plant on the western edge of the township in 1912-13. He operated the first air-conditioned mushroom plant when he began using a water spray chamber in 1925.

Thus many people of Italian descent migrated to this area or moved into the mushroom business due to the economic promises of the industry but a basic question remains. Why was much of the industry located in this area before World War I? Stories about the climatic factors almost always surface but these had little to do with the matter. First and possibly foremost, several spawn dealers were located here and had been here since about the turn of the century. These included J. B. Spawn Co., Mushroom Supply Co., and L. F. Lambert Spawn Co., Coatesville, PA, and several others. Secondly, geographic factors which included being located near the markets such as Philadelphia, Wilmington, Baltimore, Washington DC, and New York City. This area was near the source of horse manure, straw, hay and other materials used in preparing compost, the source of nutrients for the mushrooms. Another reason can be cited includes excellent rail connection as well as decent roads throughout southeastern Pennsylvania and northern Delaware.

Included in the geographic factors is the gentle rolling hills, which allowed for mushroom houses to be built so that easy access could be insured for two levels of the fixed bed operation. Prior to the development of the endless conveyor belt, the heavy wet compost had to be carried by hand into the houses and the houses that were built against a hillside enabled the owner/manager an easier time filling as well as emptying the house. A good example visible even today, is the first commercial mushroom house built at Willow Street and Apple Alley, Kennett Square, PA. It was built with access on the ground level as well as the second floor from the rear door.

An adequate supply of good ground water has also been cited because mushrooms require a lot of water during the long growing cycle.

Given all these facts, there is another major reason for the heavy predominance of mushroom farms in this area. This is the knowledge of how to grow mushrooms and the sharing of information throughout the organizations such as the Mushroom Growers Co-Operative Association of Pennsylvania and position of the county extension agent. Also, the mushroom research center was established at the Pennsylvania State University in 1925 and the knowledge gained through these efforts with a viable county agent's position to work with growers, a good system for dissemination of technical information was developed at an early time and the industry benefited from this type of in-field assistance.

The Italian-Americans shared a common language and a common religion and this kept them together in a community (Southern Chester County) which was largely Protestant in background and had been involved in agriculture or agricultural related pursuits for several generations. In 1922 an Italian American Club was founded in Kennett Square with some 300 members and an additional social membership of 500 members. It was recorded that, "The purpose of the club is to promote the welfare of its members, helping them financially and morally in case of sickness or accident and giving aid to certain causes."

The start-up of social organizations of this nature was to be expected. If one looks at the social history of nearby cities such as Philadelphia, Chester, West Chester, PA and Wilmington, Delaware and many large cities in the Northeastern or near the Great Lakes before World War I, a large number of ethnic groups formed similar organizations to provide a common bond for first and second generation Americans from various parts of Europe and many other countries. Another interesting development was reported in the Daily Local News, West Chester, PA, on March 1, 1930. It reads as follows:

Chester County Mushroom Growers Association

The Chester County Mushroom Growers Association held a meeting in the Legion headquarters, Kennett Square, PA, on Friday evening, with one hundred or over present, with many kept away due to sickness and poor roads.

At this meeting the following officers were elected: President, Archie Ruggieri; Vice President, Angelo Fabrucci; Secretary, John Bacino; Treasurer, Nicholas Mattoscio and eight directors. A purchasing committee was also appointed consisting of five members.

Some of the members of the association on being interviewed stated that the purchasing committee has achieved some wonderful results in the short time they have been in existence, securing propositions from some of the supply concerns which are of considerable benefit to the members of the association.

On being interviewed a member of the membership committee stated that they now have one hundred members with a strong possibility of having two hundred members within the next two weeks. This association is composed at the present time of Italians who represent 65 percent of the growers in Chester County. It is believed (sic) of many growers that this association was organized for Italians only, but when the organizers see fit; other growers will be admitted as members.

Perhaps due to the depression (October 1929) or due to the failure to produce any immediate benefits, no other information about this grower's organization has been noted.

The number of Italian-Americans in the area continued to grow. After several abortive efforts, the American Mushroom Institute was incorporated in January 1955, nineteen of the twenty-two incorporators had Italian surnames. In fact, a listing of other growers in Avondale, Toughkenamon, Kennett Square, and nearby townships reveals the following:

The mushroom industry, like most agricultural pursuits, requires intensive labor, involves much financial risk and reflects the best traditions of the free enterprise system. The industry did not look to any governments for direct support. The farmers worked hard, saved and invested their capital and took advantage, in a legal way, of the economic system. Some have said that it's a matter of heritage. The people of Italian descent might have been tailors, carpenters or farmers in the old country but they saw the economic benefits of the mushroom industry and once in the business passed their skills on to their sons, who added to them and passed their knowledge on to their sons, sons-in-law, nephews and cousins. Then it would be the next generation's turn and so on. This clannish attitude helped them in the early periods but in the 80's they face the same basic economic dilemma faced by farmers everywhere - the need for large capital outlay and the small return on the dollar forces many third and fourth generation Italian-Americans to seek employment, particularly if they attended college or university, on other endeavors. The number of farms in Chester County in the mushroom industry has decreased in 1988 to 131 farms. However, there has been an acceleration to an increase in the per square footage production to where it is today - about five and a half to six pounds of mushrooms grown on each square foot. This contrasts with the one to two pounds per square foot which seemed to be the average yield in the '40s.

The answer to the question as to why so many Italian-Americans are in the mushroom industry in this area is obviously a difficult one to answer but I believe the major reason is the unique and positive characteristics of the Italian people. They are hard working, devoted to the business, anxious to succeed and pass on the fruits of their labor to the next generation and these traits found a fertile place in the agricultural production of the Agaricus-bisporus growing business in Southeastern Pennsylvania.

Literature Cited

• Historical Development of Kennett Township
  Privately printed, 1971
  • Dorthea Morse, Chairman
  • Edward Fahey
  • Oresto Leto, Jr.
  • Josephine McMullin
  • Warren Smith
  • Violet Thomas Tyson
  • Robert Way
• Kennett Square, PA published by Kennett News and Advertiser and the Kennett Square Chamber of Commerce, Kennett Square, PA 1958.
• Kennett Square - Unionville, Chester County, Pennsylvania
• A paper submitted by Raymond McKay, Elza Maraldo, James Walker and Grace Ann DeFazio. Submitted to Mrs. Irene Shur, December 1963. West Chester State College, West Chester, PA.
• Leaflet published by Chester County Migrant Ministry, 148 W. Gay St. West Chester, PA, October 1984.
• "Lower Brandywine Scenic Rivers Project", draft copy, prepared by The State Department of Environmental Resources, Harrisburg, PA, November 1986.
• Records on file American Mushroom Institute, 907 E. Baltimore Pike, Square, PA
• A Census of Mushroom Facilities, Operations and Housing, Chester County Intermediate Unit, Coatesville, PA November 12, 1987