About the Farm
Fat Moon Mushrooms began with a simple grocery store grow kit and a mushroom-loving child, transforming into a decade-long commercial operation that supplied acclaimed chefs and distributors across New England. Founded by Elizabeth Almeida, who started as a vegetable farmer in Massachusetts' Merrimack Valley in 2011, the farm pivoted to mushrooms in 2016 when the prohibitive cost of farmland led her to seek a crop that didn't require sunlight or extensive acreage. The eureka moment came when she bought her son a mushroom kit from Wegmans, realizing she could cultivate these specialty crops commercially.
For ten years, Fat Moon Mushrooms specialized in organic gourmet varieties like golden oyster, lion's mane, pioppino, chestnut, and shiitake, earning recognition for exceptional quality that graced plates at James Beard and Michelin-starred restaurants. The COVID-19 pandemic initially devastated the business, wiping out 85% of their restaurant customers overnight, but Elizabeth pivoted to wholesaling mushrooms to farmers and small food businesses, meeting the surge in demand for local food. This experience reinforced her commitment to supporting viable local food systems and ensuring everyone has access to safe, healthy, affordable local food.
In 2025, Elizabeth made the strategic decision to close the commercial growing operation and transition to two focused missions: making restaurant-quality mushrooms accessible to home growers through premium grow kits, and helping other small farm and food businesses navigate their own transitions through consulting. Drawing on her decade of hard-won farm business experience, enhanced by business management skills from the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program, she now combines traditional farming wisdom with modern AI tools to help other agricultural entrepreneurs. Elizabeth's deep roots in community service, including roles on the Westford Agricultural Commission and Select Board, plus her founding of the Westford Community Garden and Flowers to Empower nonprofit, reflect her ongoing commitment to food justice, environmental sustainability, and empowering others to grow their own food.
Fat Moon Mushrooms began with a simple grocery store grow kit and a mushroom-loving child, transforming into a decade-long commercial operation that supplied acclaimed chefs and distributors across New England. Founded by Elizabeth Almeida, who started as a vegetable farmer in Massachusetts' Merrimack Valley in 2011, the farm pivoted to mushrooms in 2016 when the prohibitive cost of farmland led her to seek a crop that didn't require sunlight or extensive acreage. The eureka moment came when she bought her son a mushroom kit from Wegmans, realizing she could cultivate these specialty crops commercially.
For ten years, Fat Moon Mushrooms specialized in organic gourmet varieties like golden oyster, lion's mane, pioppino, chestnut, and shiitake, earning recognition for exceptional quality that graced plates at James Beard and Michelin-starred restaurants. The COVID-19 pandemic initially devastated the business, wiping out 85% of their restaurant customers overnight, but Elizabeth pivoted to wholesaling mushrooms to farmers and small food businesses, meeting the surge in demand for local food. This experience reinforced her commitment to supporting viable local food systems and ensuring everyone has access to safe, healthy, affordable local food.
In 2025, Elizabeth made the strategic decision to close the commercial growing operation and transition to two focused missions: making restaurant-quality mushrooms accessible to home growers through premium grow kits, and helping other small farm and food businesses navigate their own transitions through consulting. Drawing on her decade of hard-won farm business experience, enhanced by business management skills from the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program, she now combines traditional farming wisdom with modern AI tools to help other agricultural entrepreneurs. Elizabeth's deep roots in community service, including roles on the Westford Agricultural Commission and Select Board, plus her founding of the Westford Community Garden and Flowers to Empower nonprofit, reflect her ongoing commitment to food justice, environmental sustainability, and empowering others to grow their own food.
Type of Foods Inside
Pantry/Other
- Shiitake Grow Kit
- Oyster Grow Kit
- Lion's Mane Grow Kit
Pantry/Other
- Shiitake Grow Kit
- Oyster Grow Kit
- Lion's Mane Grow Kit
Photo gallery
Products
Producers
