"A few years ago they couldn't get rid of [mushroom compost]," Davis says. "Now they can give it away. We hope the next step is they can market it." One company, Laurel Valley Soils, already has a contract to provide mushroom soil to the 9/11 memorial in New York City to prevent structures from getting dotted with stains.
The question now is whether these innovations save Needham's mushroom operation. "It would be a great thing," he says of Royse's double-cropping. "It would save a lot of material...and make us more efficient." The cost of straw went up by 30 percent last year, Needham reckons, which represents the biggest increase in the cost of mushroom production.
All this talk about mushrooms gets him excited, but Needham finally comes clean: West Grove recently brought in a real estate developer to convince him and his sons, ages 39 and 45, to abandon the fight. "They gave us a price that would have a tendency to make us move," he says. He would not reveal the winning offer, but the supreme court case has been delayed five times, as the developer has struggled to obtain investors for his proposed retirement community, which includes, fittingly, a new sewer system. "As soon as things begin to turn," Needham adds, "this farm will be sold."
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7 Comments
Add Commentif you don't like the smell of agriculture, stay in the city?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thiscities stink! I'll take the smell of agriculture in the country any day. if you don't like smell of manure don't buy a house down wind.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThis sulfur emitted by the compost business is toxic. We have had several environmental tests done in this area and they KNOW it's toxic, but the township has been fighting archaic agricultural laws to get these industrial farmers out. This is not your run-of-the-mill "farm". It's like having a toxic waste dump in your back yard. We were here BEFORE this new greatly increased polluting method of composting was introduced. We are trying to save our environment while the mushroom compost folks are systematically destroying it. We have encouraged composters to use new technology to cut out the odors, and some mushroom compost farmers have done so with great success. Needham refuses. He should not be allowed to endanger our kids whose school air lies in the path of the fumes he emits. Its noxious and unsafe, and our kids are out playing on a football field that reeks. Its unhealthy and has driven countless other businesses, as well as homeowners, out of town. Property values plummet and Needham gets rich. We are wasting tax dollars as Needham drags his feet forcing this never-ending court case to continue. How does he sleep at night??
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thiswhy make them enviromentaly friendly? they are fungi and they tast desgusting anyway.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thiswhy make them enviromentaly friendly? they are fungi and they tast desgusting anyway.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this"farm odors are a national problem that are pitting agricultural economies against a deluge of suburbanites who thought they wanted a piece of the country lifestyle."
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWhy is an aspect of prior use not entirely grandfathered in the zoning laws? People who move into the country should be made to be accepting of the fact they may see and smell cows.
Or they can stay in the city.
Why would you choose to live in an area where you know this is what you will live with? This farm has been there for generations, much longer than most of the houses nearby. If you want them to build the modern, odor reducing systems to compost, perhaps you should donate $20,000,000 plus or minus to help them get it done. I am sure in this economy it wont be a problem. People move out to the country and all they do is whine about the odors, the bugs, how far it is to the store, etc....
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI recommend moving.