We interviewed one of PFM’s newest vendors, Arizona Mushroom Company, and got the scoop from owners Eric and Lyndsay Ludden about their latest passion- all things mushroom!
Tell us about Arizona Mushroom Company: We are a small family farm located in Cornville, Arizona. I [Lyndsay] began attending PFM in December 2025 as a weekly vendor. At our farm, we grow a variety of mushrooms for cooking, nutrition, and overall wellness.
Each mushroom has its own unique flavor and texture, and they can be used in countless ways in the kitchen. Whether featured as the main ingredient or added to your favorite dishes, mushrooms are one of the most versatile foods you can cook with.
Mushrooms are widely recognized as a nutrient-dense food. They are naturally fat-free, cholesterol-free, gluten-free, and low in calories. They provide important vitamins and minerals such as B vitamins (including riboflavin and niacin), selenium, potassium, and copper. Mushrooms also contain protein and many of the essential amino acids.
In addition to our fresh mushrooms, we make tinctures from three carefully chosen functional mushrooms: Lion’s Mane, Chaga, and Reishi. We selected these because they’re among the most respected and researched mushrooms for supporting overall wellness.
Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus) is known for supporting brain health, focus, and memory.
Chaga (Inonotus obliquus) is valued for its high antioxidant content and immune support.
Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) has a long history of traditional use for immune balance and stress support.
Our tinctures are double — and triple — extracted. That means we use both hot water and alcohol to pull out the full range of beneficial compounds, including beta-glucans and triterpenes. This creates a more complete, full-spectrum extract.
We chose these three mushrooms intentionally and craft our tinctures with the same care and attention we give to everything we grow.
What do you sell at PFM? We sell fresh gourmet mushrooms, medicinal mushroom tinctures, medicinal mushroom powders, mushroom coffee alternative, and umami seasoning.
How would you describe one of your products to someone who has never tried it before? Our gourmet fresh mushrooms are nothing like the basic button mushrooms most people get at the store. They’re tender, meaty, and deeply flavorful–almost like the cross between a vegetable and a protein. When cooked, they develop rich, savory (umami) notes that elevate simple meals. Even people who “don’t like mushrooms” are usually surprised by how approachable and delicious they are.
Our medicinal tinctures and powders are made to support the body gently and consistently, not to act like a quick stimulant. They work more like daily nourishment–helping with focus, stress, resilience, immune balance, and overall vitality.
How do your products differ from store bought products? Our mushrooms are all organic and harvested weekly at peak ripeness, so they’re more flavorful, aromatic, and tender. We also grow a wide variety that you cannot get at the store. Store bought mushrooms are often picked too early and shipped long distances while being treated with preservatives to extend shelf life.
Our medicinal powders and tinctures offer higher quality and potency than store bought. Our medicinal products are made ONLY from mushrooms we have grown and harvested– when beneficial compounds are most concentrated. Most store bought products are mass produced with inconsistent quality and often contain low mushroom content with lots of fillers.
What is special about your business? At Arizona Mushroom Company, we are not just growing mushrooms; we’re stewarding health, land, and community. Every mushroom is grown by us, on our farm, with hands-on care from start to harvest. We don’t rush growth or mass-produce. That patience shows up in the flavor of our gourmet mushrooms and the strength of our medicinal products. Our mushrooms are both food and medicine–while most places either do one or the other. We also care deeply about locally grown food and commit our farm to raising animals, growing organic vegetables, and making quality farm products for our community. Lastly, nothing goes to waste. We pride ourselves on composting all of our spent mushroom substrate, turning waste into nutrient-rich organic matter for our soil.
What are your business plans for the future? We want to provide as much as we can for our community and help with the wellness of others.
Why is supporting local agriculture and business important to you? Supporting local agriculture and small businesses matters to us because it keeps the food honest, the community connected, and money circulating where we live.
Do you have a “fun fact” about yourself, your business, or product? A “fun fact” about us is that we sold everything we owned to start a small farm in Cornville to focus on health and nutrition, but soon it became a wonderful business where we now get to share everything we do with our community.
How do you typically prepare to attend the market? As farmers, we have to prepare for the market months in advance. There are no short-cuts.
What else would you like customers to know about you and your business? We are very transparent and would love for anyone in the community to come to our booth, view our products, and ask whatever questions they have.
Do you vend at other markets? Yes. In the winter season, we are at the Sedona Farmers Market and Old Town Scottsdale Farmers Market. During the summer season, we are at Payson Farmers Market, Verde Valley Farmers Market, Sedona Farmers Market, and Flagstaff Community Farmers Market. You’ll find us at PFM all year long!
How can customers stay in touch? Follow Arizona Mushroom Company on Facebook and Instagram, and visit us in person on Saturdays at PFM, usually in the inner south row.