With culinary and medicinal uses, mushrooms have been used for centuries by different cultures. Owners of Willow Creek Mushrooms, Nikki and Jason Geib, have cultivated a variety of mushrooms fitting a wide range of needs. Founded in January 2020, the small business began selling at the Greeley farmer’s market. “Greeley responded very well to fresh gourmet mushrooms,” Nikki states. From its humble beginning, the business has grown to be featured in farmer’s markets all across northern Colorado.
Willow Creek Mushrooms carry two forms of mushrooms. The first form of mushrooms are the ones used for culinary uses. The culinary mushrooms grown by Willow Creek Mushrooms include oyster mushrooms, chestnut mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms and lion’s mane mushrooms. “Each mushroom is going to be unique in its taste and texture,” Nikki emphasizes. You can purchase these mushrooms fresh to use in any of your culinary dishes. Dehydrated mushrooms are also available for sale and are perfect to add to any recipe you are trying to elevate. Mushrooms can help a dish become rich in flavor and texture and are useful in a meatloaf or stew.
The other variety of mushrooms grown by Willow Creek Mushrooms is tincture mushrooms. Tinctures are extracted from the mushrooms and are known for medicinal purposes that help with anxiety, depression, high cholesterol, low energy and many other medical issues. Tinctures are available for purchase in 1oz bottles and can be used directly or added to a drink or soft food.
Each tincture mushroom is going to provide different benefits. The lion's mane tincture helps with cognitive function and nerve damage repair. “This tincture helps with repairing the nerve connections in the brain making it easier to recall facts and details,” Nikki explains. The reishi and turkey trail tinctures have anti-cancer and anti-tumor properties. The chaga tincture is highly anti-inflammatory and a cell detoxer and repairer. Lastly, the cordyceps tincture is a great energy, endurance and stamina booster.
What makes Willow Creek Mushrooms unique from other local businesses is its environmentally conscious practices. “We want to be good stewards of the land we have been given to grow the mushrooms,” Nikki states, “Everything on our farm is multi-use limiting the amount of waste produced.” The farm also practices regenerative grazing with a few cows and creates its own compost to keep up the health of the soil. You can find Willow Creek Mushrooms at the Greeley farmer’s market to check out the different products they have to offer.
