Gary and Michele established Shoalhaven Mushrooms at Termeil 18 months ago and now have growing mushrooms down to a fine art.

It has involved a lot of hard work and a fair bit of trial and error but the pair have now established a market for high quality mushrooms up and down the coast.

Their white mushrooms (including buttons, mediums, cups and flats) and Swiss brown mushrooms are supplied on a daily basis to restaurants from Nowra to Bermagui including Bannisters in Mollymook, Pier One in Batemans Bay and the River Café in Moruya.

They are also regulars at the Capital Region Farmers' Markets and Southside Woden Markets in Canberra.

Gary and Michele admit Shoalhaven Mushrooms is a very small operation, describing it as a "fish egg in the sea" compared to some other mushroom producers and probably the smallest in NSW, if not Australia.

They are currently producing half a tonne of mushrooms a week - compared to the 10 to 200 tonnes being turned out by some of the larger producers - but the small scale of their operation allows them to focus on the quality of their product.

Gary was involved in the electronics industry in Sydney before turning his hand to mushroom farming using a number of insulated rooms on a property at Termeil.

And it's not just a case of waiting for the mushrooms to pop up before picking them, packaging them and bundling them off to local eateries.

Gary and Michele, a chef by trade, have sourced what they believe are the best ingredient products from Australia and overseas and carefully control everything from air temperature and humidity to watering levels to produce what they believe is the perfect mushroom.

Their mushrooms have a unique taste but are also picked and delivered on the same day to maximise shelf life (up to two weeks) - unlike mushrooms from Sydney which can arrive more than a week after they have been picked.

They are produced in the most hygienic of conditions to reduce the risk of pest and disease and are chemical free.

Gary says the mushrooms are 'delicate' little items demanding his attention seven days a week.

"You can't turn your back on them," he told the Times.

Food and wine show this weekend

SHOALHAVEN Mushrooms will be one of the exhibitors at the Shoalhaven Regional Food and Wine Show in Nowra this weekend.

Gary and Michele will be selling mushrooms and Michele will be cooking up some mushroom flavoured treats.

The food and wine show will be held at the Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre this Saturday (January 9) and Sunday (January 10) and will feature cooking demonstrations by celebrity chef James Reeson from Alive and Cooking.

Shoalhaven mayor Paul Green said the show would provide local producers with a chance to get together and show their foods and wines to local residents and the many local people who visit the city during summer.

He said he was looking forward to seeing the broad range of producers producing "some of the best foods that you will in Australia".

There will also be live music, entertainment and plenty of giveaways.

More information is available over the Internet at www.regionalfoodandwineshow.com.a u

OTHER EXHIBITORS:

- Berry Boers: suppliers of Chevron and Capretto goats to the national and international market;

- Cuttaway Creek Raspberry Farm: specialising in raspberries, blackberries and blueberries;

- Small Cow Farm: producers of premium cheese craft on the farm at Robertson;

- Spring Hill Beef: 100 per cent grass fed, pure, hormone free grown angus beef;

- Bed Rock Oysters: fresh oysters grown in the pristine waters of the Shoalhaven;

- Coolangatta Winery, Tertine Wines, Kladis Estate and Blue Metal Vineyard.