How to Grow Gourmet Mushrooms & Build a Small-Scale Mushroom Business | Basil’s Fungi Farm

In this episode of Yours For The Making, host Robin Johnson is joined by Robbie Kelly, founder of Basil’s Fungi Farm, a thriving gourmet mushroom business based in Hastings. From culturing mycelium on petri dishes to supplying chefs across the UK, Robbie shares his remarkable journey from teenage curiosity and chef life to pioneering sustainable urban mushroom farming.Discover the science behind mushroom cultivation, how mycelium networks connect ecosystems, and why mushrooms might be the future of food, medicine, and environmental innovation. Whether you're a chef, grower, biohacker, or sustainability advocate, this episode delivers rich insight into one of nature’s most fascinating organisms—and the What You’ll Learn in This Episode:How Robbie built a gourmet mushroom farm from his spare bedroomThe difference between oyster, lion’s mane, Cordyceps & moreHow to propagate and grow mushrooms using myceliumThe challenges of launching an agri-startup with zero fundingWhy mycelium networks are the “internet of the forest”Tips for DIY mushroom growing at homeHow to build a purpose-led, resilient micro-businessWhy taking risks matters—and how to survive the startup phaseIn this show, we discuss:Gourmet mushroom farming, how to grow mushrooms at home, mycelium cultivation, sustainable agriculture uk, oyster mushroom kits, lion’s mane recipes, mushroom growing startup, urban farming UK, Cordyceps mushroom health benefits, DIY mushroom grow kits, small-scale farming, food entrepreneur podcast, fungi and ecology, how to grow lion’s mane, mushroom spore propagation, mushroom farm business uk, regenerative food systems, soil biology podcast, artisan food growers, mushroom farming tips for beginnersKEY MOMENTS: 00:00 – Why taking risks is worth it  01:20 – Meet Robbie Kelly from Basil’s Fungi Farm  02:00 – What are gourmet mushrooms?  02:45 – Saprophytic mushrooms and species overview  03:40 – Robbie’s journey: from chef to grower  04:30 – Starting a mushroom business from a bedroom  05:15 – The Hastings mushroom yard setup  06:00 – How to grow mushrooms using sawdust & straw  07:00 – Understanding mycelium: cloning & propagation  08:20 – Using Petri dishes, grain, and culture slants  09:20 – The underground network: mycelium & ecosystems  11:00 – From petri dish to pounds of sawdust  12:00 – Mushroom fruiting: how long it takes  13:20 – Grow room conditions: humidity, temperature, air  14:45 – Always learning: growing vs. running a business  15:40 – The toughest part of starting up  17:00 – Selling to chefs and scaling up locally  18:30 – Could he hire staff? Scaling challenges explained  20:30 – Long-term vision: small-scale, human business  21:30 – Mushroom grow kits for home use  23:00 – Can you grow mushrooms in your garden?  24:00 – Medicinal mushrooms & supplements: do they work?  25:30 – Growing Cordyceps: tricky but possible  27:00 – Why some mushrooms can’t be grown sterile  28:30 – Home mushroom growing: kits vs. DIY  29:10 – Robbie’s favourite mushrooms to cook with  30:30 – Markets, meetups & mushroom visibility  31:30 – Why local home delivery is tricky  32:20 – Best advice for new growers  33:30 – Where to learn mushroom cultivation  34:30 – The hidden risks of mushroom farming  35:30 – Spores, mold & building a culture lab  36:15 – Why Robbie loves mushroom growing  36:35 – Where to buy Basil’s Fungi Farm mushroomsEnjoying the show?Leave a review, follow us, and share the episode with a fellow maker. New episodes every week with artists, designers, craftsmen and creators from around the world.Yours for the Making with Robin Johnson is the podcast that celebrates creativity, craftsmanship, and the art of making. Hosted by Robin Johnson - founder of Johnson Bespoke and BBC presenter on shows such as The Travelling Auctioneers, The Restorers, Woodland Workshop this podcast dives into the stories of makers from all walks of life. From woodworkers, metal fabricators, and chefs to artists, designers, and hobbyists, each episode offers real conversations with the people behind the things we love.Whether you're a hands-on creative, aspiring artisan, or simply curious about how things are made, this podcast offers inspiration, insight, and practical wisdom. Expect behind-the-scenes stories, lessons in process and passion, and a celebration of the maker movement in all its forms. Subscribe now and follow Yours for the Making wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.