C. J. Mushroom Co., LLC is a Family Farm.
Clint Blackwell operates a family business. His farm, C. J. Mushroom Co., LLC, on Pine St. in Toughkenamon, PA includes not only his immediate family of son Tyler and daughter Carla McKinney actively running the farm but also an extended family, his employees. “We value our employees and consider them as part of our family,” he said. Tyler said, “We have families within the company. The employees and their families are close to us. We all have roles to play to make our business successful.” C. J. Mushroom’s employs about 45 people, including Artemio Camacho, head grower, who has been at the farm about as long as Clint.
After marrying his wife Rosa, Clint began working with his father-in-law, Carl Paloni who was a mushroom grower. They started with two rented sites, six doubles (mushroom growing rooms), a tractor and a dump truck in the fall of 1969.
“My father-in-law was gracious,” Clint said. “I was young at the time and a carpenter by trade. I worked with my father, also a carpenter, but Pop never expanded his business so there was never a future there. Carl taught me how to grow mushrooms. He was 57 when we started the business and he died in 1973. I had his help for four years and then I was on my own and I’ve been on my own until Carla and Tyler decided to become part of the operation.”
Clint moved the farm to its current location in 1976 and has added to the original parcel of land through purchases from neighbors and building additions to the property. He was also a member of the original group forming Laurel Valley Farms, a cooperative composting facility in Avondale, PA. “I’ve been a mushroom grower for 37 years,” he said. “This has been a good business for us. It has always fed my family. In hindsight, we would have done some things differently, but we’ve done fairly well here. We’re preparing for family members to take over and we’re looking at options to expand.”
The future, according to Tyler, involves the utilization of technology and continuing to increase production. “I like farming and I want to be prosperous,” Tyler said. A graduate of the University of Delaware, as is his sister Carla, he said, “I could have done a lot of things with my education, but I want to stay in mushroom farming.” He is concentrating on the growing side of the business. “I’ve learned a lot in the past two years – from my dad, sister and employees. We all work well together,” he said.
Carla also had other career options yet wanted to work on the farm. Since she excelled in math, her focus is primarily on managing the company but she often helps her dad and brother with the growing end. Carla is also in charge of employee human relations. She hires, fires and disciplines the employees as well as caring for them on a more human level. “Our employees are mostly Hispanic and are in a different culture here,” Carla said. “So, sometimes they need help with everyday things, from understanding health insurance to fixing the windshield on their car. I try to help them wherever I can.” “My father was busy working and if I wanted to see him I had to be on the farm,” Carla said. “We lived just a few miles away. I remember following my father around and going through the mushroom houses with a flashlight. They were dark, and to a six year old, they were fun.” One of her best friends during her childhood was Hivon Evans, the daughter of the farm’s head grower, Artemio Camacho. Carla said they have remained friends and Hivon was a part of her wedding. In college, she said, she was searching for a discipline to study and decided on agriculture. “I was talking to my mother one day and said I would like to work on the family farm but I wasn’t sure dad would allow me. My mother said he might surprise me. In fact, he did allow me and was excited to have me interested.” “I never had a college education and I always thought an education was essential. I insisted that my kids go to college but never insisted that they come into this business. They both made their own decision to work on the farm and they bring an educated energy that will guide us into the future,” said Clint. Carla said at first some of the other mushroom farm owners were unsure about her being involved in the business. “It was a little bit of the old-boy network. That created some initial uneasiness,” she said. “I’ve since gained acceptance and respect and will continue to receive it as long as I earn it.” Carla has two children, a three-year-old daughter Allie and a 20-month old son Christopher. Family is a top priority for her. She enjoys the flexibility of the farm environment that allows her to spend time with her family. She has also talked to area groups about the mushroom industry being safe for children. “Other people in the community seem to be at ease after they talk to me. Mostly, I think, because I’m a living example. I’m healthy and my children are healthy, how can you argue with that?” said Carla. Clint, Carla and Tyler are active members of the American Mushroom Institute (AMI) and its Community Awareness Committee (CAC). Clint has served on the AMI and CAC Board of Directors, Carla is a member of the scholarship committee and Tyler volunteers at the Unionville Fair, coordinating the mushroom exhibit and judging contest. Carla is also the vice chairperson of the Mushroom Council, the national mushroom promotion, research and consumer information order.
As to the outlook for mushroom farming in the area, Clint said farms have to continue to produce crops efficiently. “We’ve been our own worse enemy at times,” he said. “We have over produced. While the price has increased over the years, it has not increased in proportion with costs, so we have had to produce more to stay afloat. We lost a lot of growers in the past few decades and the numbers are still decreasing. To be profitable, you need to be efficient and your business needs to grow.” C. J. Mushroom Co., LLC grows mainly the White Agaricus variety of mushrooms. We are looking at new technologies, Tyler said. “There are innovative growing techniques out there and the industry is ready for a major change.”
A lot of hard work goes into running a family business. “I got married in June and my wife, Erin, is learning to cope with the long hours we all put in at the farm,” Tyler said. “It’s very different than working for someone else.” Clint said “I have not done everything right over the years. In 1982 and 1983 we almost went broke, as did a number of farms in the area. I built homes to get a cash infusion for the business and to get us through the rough times. My wife and mother-in-law helped in the early days. We packed mushrooms and we did whatever he had to do. The whole family chipped in.” With the next generation on farm, C. J. Mushroom Co., LLC is making plans for the future. “You can’t be afraid,” Clint said. “You need to move forward.”
Clint Blackwell operates a family business. His farm, C. J. Mushroom Co., LLC, on Pine St. in Toughkenamon, PA includes not only his immediate family of son Tyler and daughter Carla McKinney actively running the farm but also an extended family, his employees. “We value our employees and consider them as part of our family,” he said. Tyler said, “We have families within the company. The employees and their families are close to us. We all have roles to play to make our business successful.” C. J. Mushroom’s employs about 45 people, including Artemio Camacho, head grower, who has been at the farm about as long as Clint.
After marrying his wife Rosa, Clint began working with his father-in-law, Carl Paloni who was a mushroom grower. They started with two rented sites, six doubles (mushroom growing rooms), a tractor and a dump truck in the fall of 1969.
“My father-in-law was gracious,” Clint said. “I was young at the time and a carpenter by trade. I worked with my father, also a carpenter, but Pop never expanded his business so there was never a future there. Carl taught me how to grow mushrooms. He was 57 when we started the business and he died in 1973. I had his help for four years and then I was on my own and I’ve been on my own until Carla and Tyler decided to become part of the operation.”
Clint moved the farm to its current location in 1976 and has added to the original parcel of land through purchases from neighbors and building additions to the property. He was also a member of the original group forming Laurel Valley Farms, a cooperative composting facility in Avondale, PA. “I’ve been a mushroom grower for 37 years,” he said. “This has been a good business for us. It has always fed my family. In hindsight, we would have done some things differently, but we’ve done fairly well here. We’re preparing for family members to take over and we’re looking at options to expand.”
The future, according to Tyler, involves the utilization of technology and continuing to increase production. “I like farming and I want to be prosperous,” Tyler said. A graduate of the University of Delaware, as is his sister Carla, he said, “I could have done a lot of things with my education, but I want to stay in mushroom farming.” He is concentrating on the growing side of the business. “I’ve learned a lot in the past two years – from my dad, sister and employees. We all work well together,” he said.
Carla also had other career options yet wanted to work on the farm. Since she excelled in math, her focus is primarily on managing the company but she often helps her dad and brother with the growing end. Carla is also in charge of employee human relations. She hires, fires and disciplines the employees as well as caring for them on a more human level. “Our employees are mostly Hispanic and are in a different culture here,” Carla said. “So, sometimes they need help with everyday things, from understanding health insurance to fixing the windshield on their car. I try to help them wherever I can.” “My father was busy working and if I wanted to see him I had to be on the farm,” Carla said. “We lived just a few miles away. I remember following my father around and going through the mushroom houses with a flashlight. They were dark, and to a six year old, they were fun.” One of her best friends during her childhood was Hivon Evans, the daughter of the farm’s head grower, Artemio Camacho. Carla said they have remained friends and Hivon was a part of her wedding. In college, she said, she was searching for a discipline to study and decided on agriculture. “I was talking to my mother one day and said I would like to work on the family farm but I wasn’t sure dad would allow me. My mother said he might surprise me. In fact, he did allow me and was excited to have me interested.” “I never had a college education and I always thought an education was essential. I insisted that my kids go to college but never insisted that they come into this business. They both made their own decision to work on the farm and they bring an educated energy that will guide us into the future,” said Clint. Carla said at first some of the other mushroom farm owners were unsure about her being involved in the business. “It was a little bit of the old-boy network. That created some initial uneasiness,” she said. “I’ve since gained acceptance and respect and will continue to receive it as long as I earn it.” Carla has two children, a three-year-old daughter Allie and a 20-month old son Christopher. Family is a top priority for her. She enjoys the flexibility of the farm environment that allows her to spend time with her family. She has also talked to area groups about the mushroom industry being safe for children. “Other people in the community seem to be at ease after they talk to me. Mostly, I think, because I’m a living example. I’m healthy and my children are healthy, how can you argue with that?” said Carla. Clint, Carla and Tyler are active members of the American Mushroom Institute (AMI) and its Community Awareness Committee (CAC). Clint has served on the AMI and CAC Board of Directors, Carla is a member of the scholarship committee and Tyler volunteers at the Unionville Fair, coordinating the mushroom exhibit and judging contest. Carla is also the vice chairperson of the Mushroom Council, the national mushroom promotion, research and consumer information order.
As to the outlook for mushroom farming in the area, Clint said farms have to continue to produce crops efficiently. “We’ve been our own worse enemy at times,” he said. “We have over produced. While the price has increased over the years, it has not increased in proportion with costs, so we have had to produce more to stay afloat. We lost a lot of growers in the past few decades and the numbers are still decreasing. To be profitable, you need to be efficient and your business needs to grow.” C. J. Mushroom Co., LLC grows mainly the White Agaricus variety of mushrooms. We are looking at new technologies, Tyler said. “There are innovative growing techniques out there and the industry is ready for a major change.”
A lot of hard work goes into running a family business. “I got married in June and my wife, Erin, is learning to cope with the long hours we all put in at the farm,” Tyler said. “It’s very different than working for someone else.” Clint said “I have not done everything right over the years. In 1982 and 1983 we almost went broke, as did a number of farms in the area. I built homes to get a cash infusion for the business and to get us through the rough times. My wife and mother-in-law helped in the early days. We packed mushrooms and we did whatever he had to do. The whole family chipped in.” With the next generation on farm, C. J. Mushroom Co., LLC is making plans for the future. “You can’t be afraid,” Clint said. “You need to move forward.”
C.J. Mushroom Co., LLC
Overview of Mushroom Farming l Economic Importance
Environmental Importance l Nutritional Importance l Farm Profile
Environmental Importance l Nutritional Importance l Farm Profile
Clint Blackwell & Family
Tyler, Clint & Carla
Christopher, Carla & Allie
Rosa & Clint
Clint & Tyler
Clint, Bandit & Tyler