AVONDALE — After ringing in the New Year, festivities will continue at the 2020 PA Farm Show, January 4-11 in Harrisburg, at the PA Farm Show Complex, featuring the state’s number-one cash crop, Pennsylvania mushrooms. Delicious, nutritious and highly versatile, mushrooms feature prominently at America’s largest, not-to-be-missed indoor agricultural exhibition.
For the 2020 Show, Mushroom Farmers of PA revamps the Mushroom Booth area, creating a wharf-to-table experience. Visitors will be able to walk through the life cycle of a mushroom, from the compost wharf to the kitchen table. Along the way, there will be interactive experiences, like a live mushroom growing display and information on the composting process, mushroom varieties, ways to use mushrooms in the kitchen, and more.
- Composting and Raw Materials: Learn how mushroom compost is made and the various raw materials used.
- Mushroom Growing Area: Visit the mushroom-growing area to see firsthand how the mushrooms found in the grocery store are grown. Popular varieties like white and brown mushrooms will be on display – and growing! – during the show, as well as specialty and exotic mushrooms like Shiitake, Maiitake, Trumpet, and many others.
- People Behind the Product: The PA mushroom industry is made up of a host of people who love what they do. This year, the Mushroom Booth will feature “The People Behind the Product,” a photo series to showcase the diversity of people and jobs in the industry.
- Focus on Fungi: Researchers from Penn State University will be on hand with microscopes and more to help visitors get an up close and personal look at mushrooms.
- Consumer Uses – Imagine the Opportunities: This year’s Farm Show theme is ‘Imagine the Opportunities,’ and the perfect way to highlight the many ways to use mushrooms. In the Consumer Uses section of the booth, visitors will see the myriad ways to incorporate mushrooms into their diet – from main dishes to snacks and powders – along with the promising research about the benefits of mushroom consumption and more.
And it doesn’t stop there: This year’s Mushroom Food Booth has many of the perennial favorites, plus a new item and new look to complement the Mushroom Booth in the main hall.
“We can’t wait to share with Farm Show attendees what is sure to become a new mushroom-fan favorite – The Philly Port Sandwich featuring our world-class Pennsylvania portabella mushrooms on a quintessentially Philadelphia hoagie roll,” said Gale Ferranto, president of Buona Foods. “Coupled with our new interactive displays and traditional crowd-pleasing mushroom treats, the 2020 Farm Show promises to be the best yet. Be sure to visit and sample our mushroom delicacies at the Mushroom Food Booth!”
- NEW! Philly Port Sandwich: 100% beefy Pennsylvania Portabella mushrooms chopped and seasoned for a flavorful plant-based alternative. Offered with cheese on a hoagie roll.
- Original Breaded Mushrooms: Our best-selling mushroom item since 1978, with more than 6,000 pounds prepared annually, the Original Breaded Mushrooms are crispy, whole white mushrooms breaded in 100% vegetable oil and served with ketchup and ranch dressing on the side.
- JUICY Blended Mushroom Burger: VOTED #1 BEST food at Farm Show 2019, the Blended Mushroom Burger is a national trend that has consumers blending everything from burgers, tacos, meatloaf and more with their favorite mushroom. A mix of 70% ground beef and 30% chopped mushroom, topped with American cheese on a Martin’s potato roll served with lettuce, tomato and onion on the side.
- RoRo’s Mushroom Salad: A longtime favorite, this 100% gluten-free, vegetarian dish is a bowl full of marinated mushrooms with chopped onion, celery, carrots and olives in olive oil and vinegar seasoned with salt, pepper and parsley.
- Cream of Mushroom Soup: Loaded with mushrooms made with real milk, butter, onions, vegetable broth, and seasonings, this soup is the quintessential mushroom dish.
- Mushroom Day on Saturday, January 4 features Culinary Connection delights all day on the stage!
