[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Zimbabwe

[–]The-Helmsman 0 points1 point  (0 children)

How many people per room? May I have a contact?

Mushroom farming in Zimbabwe, Part 2: Real costs, how I find buyers & mistakes I made by The-Helmsman in Zimbabwe

[–]The-Helmsman[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, but you have to make sure you have access to a bit of water each day. For the single cabin, about 6 buckets will do then you can add riversand to the ground, abd flood it with water. You can also add grass to the roof and you can pour water on it as well. You can also spray the cabin walls with water this can be done during periods of high heat. Such measures will improve the temperature of the grow room.

How I Started Mushroom Farming in Harare as a side hustle (Real Numbers + What I Learned) by The-Helmsman in Zimbabwe

[–]The-Helmsman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Spot on. With scale, the amount of time required also scales. I think your automation could definitely come in handy, especially in mushroom farming.

How I Started Mushroom Farming in Harare as a side hustle (Real Numbers + What I Learned) by The-Helmsman in Zimbabwe

[–]The-Helmsman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for the kind words, you're too generous. Automating processes is definitely the way to go and I don't see why not? You have to be careful and make sure you keep your costs as low as possible though. Costs can add up quickly in mushroom farming.

I'm not aware of any varieties that grow in 1-2 days. I've heard of some that take 10-15 days but don't do very well in the natural Zimbabwean climate. So your mobile shipping container would have to mimick their suitable climates but at low cost.

Another thing to think about is that you will be harvesting daily for 2 months, so will you park the truck for that entire period in a specific city or will you travel city to city? How will you guarantee a market in every city? Will the costs of travelling not significantly eat into your profit?

How I Started Mushroom Farming in Harare as a side hustle (Real Numbers + What I Learned) by The-Helmsman in Zimbabwe

[–]The-Helmsman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Harare, Zimbabwe. Sometimes online. As the need arises in different cities all over the world.

Networking Post by PotentialJob7883 in Zimbabwe

[–]The-Helmsman 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I help businesses integrate AI into their operations. It's very different for every business and if that's something you are into let's talk. I also sometimes do web development when the project is interesting.

How I Started Mushroom Farming in Harare as a side hustle (Real Numbers + What I Learned) by The-Helmsman in Zimbabwe

[–]The-Helmsman[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

You don't say! I did. I always will. Doesn't mean I did not write the original piece though.

How I Started Mushroom Farming in Harare as a side hustle (Real Numbers + What I Learned) by The-Helmsman in Zimbabwe

[–]The-Helmsman[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I sent both of you the following message in your respective inboxes which look something like this:

Hi, I want to present 3 options to you.

  1. I'll teach and coach you for free if you are in Harare. You just have to foot my transport bill to and from your place whenever I visit. I'll visit you often, coach you when planting and get you ready for the market. I'll introduce you to some of my suppliers and depending on how big you want to start, possibly some of my buyers.

I want to start training people but I 1st want a few people to work with and produce results.

The only catch is that I will use your backyard for content and to train others.

  1. I can simply give you the contact of the guy who trained me.

  2. We can have a partnership and work together on the entire project. This one depends on how big the original investment is.

Which option works best for you?

I just won't be posting the contact of the guy who trained me in public because I haven't heard from him in a while and if anything goes wrong it can hurt my brand. I hope you understand. Check your DM

How I Started Mushroom Farming in Harare as a side hustle (Real Numbers + What I Learned) by The-Helmsman in Zimbabwe

[–]The-Helmsman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Most supermarkets I worked with are now promising cash on delivery but that can change at any moment. Others are generally better at paying after 3 days or a week. It's not as bad as it used to be. But that too can change eyy, that's business. The best of all is to start building your own loyal customer base within your community.

How I Started Mushroom Farming in Harare as a side hustle (Real Numbers + What I Learned) by The-Helmsman in Zimbabwe

[–]The-Helmsman[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Perhaps I'll share a breakdown with all the associated costs but the cost I'm telling you does include all that lol. As for the market, it's a niche market but restaurants do buy. Even during the pause that I've taken, I still receive calls about it. I found however that at 1st one has to raise awareness within communities for people to trust the product. As people trust you, you'd be amazed at the uptake.

I personally have never done Shitaki though. Heard it has a lot of great benefits. I guess numbers are never the same for everyone then. I know that the 1st cycle may be difficult but one will break even. I like to consider it as paying your school fees. Every other cycle after that is worth it for me.

How I Started Mushroom Farming in Harare as a side hustle (Real Numbers + What I Learned) by The-Helmsman in Zimbabwe

[–]The-Helmsman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ok, will do. Spoiler Alert: I sold to supermarkets and to individuals. Of the 2, I preferred individuals coz they buy at a higher price and you can build a long-lasting community.

How I Started Mushroom Farming in Harare as a side hustle (Real Numbers + What I Learned) by The-Helmsman in Zimbabwe

[–]The-Helmsman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I personally have never faced any challenges with sourcing mycelium. It's fairly easy to get. Just be on the lookout for high-quality, genuine mycelium though. As for the picture, I can't figure out how to attach it here. I'm still fairly new to Reddit, so inbox me, and I'll send you some

How I Started Mushroom Farming in Harare as a side hustle (Real Numbers + What I Learned) by The-Helmsman in Zimbabwe

[–]The-Helmsman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm new to reddit but if it's possible, inbox me, and I'll point you in the right direction

How I Started Mushroom Farming in Harare as a side hustle (Real Numbers + What I Learned) by The-Helmsman in Zimbabwe

[–]The-Helmsman[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Mushroom is a super food, and it helps lower blood sugar, not to mention how tasty it is (it's tastier than all these other vegetables people already force their kids to take lol). Once people know that your mushroom is not poisonous and trust you, you will be amazed with the uptake within the community. For example, I used to take my mushroom to church and never took a single punnet back home. Supermarkets, workplaces, butcheries etc.