Chris Pacheco is a CT Farmer Veteran supplying top restaurants across the state, from Mystic's Oyster Club to trendy spots in Hartford and Fairfield. He grows more than ten varieties (shiitake, maitake, blue oysters, golden oysters, lion's mane, and more!) totaling 600 to 800 pounds a month in a meticulously controlled wonderland of damp shipping containers. Pacheco was recently awarded a $280,000 federal grant from the Rural Energy for America Program, known as REAP, as well as a $27,608 Climate Smart Agriculture Grant* from CT RC&D, to install a 199.6 kilowatt solar system to help with the high energy costs of temperature and humidity controlled mushroom farming.

These "Alice in Wonderland" mushroom assortments boast amazing flavors and potential health benefits, fueling Connecticut's growing love for local, gourmet mushrooms. As a testament to the company’s growth, Seacoast Mushrooms won Vendor of the Year through the Connecticut Restaurant Association 2023 CRAzies awards.

But who's the mastermind behind this tasty operation?

Meet Chris Pacheco, a former Navy engineer who caught the farming bug early on his family's Rhode Island apple orchard. After serving on the Groton-based USS Hartford submarine, Chris brought his passion for fungi to Connecticut, opening Seacoast Mushrooms in Mystic.

Support local, embrace unique flavors, and explore the wonderful world of mushrooms! Seacoast mushrooms is all about education and nutrition to help incorporate these new ingredients into your meal plans.

Visit seacoastmushrooms.com to shop online or find the farmers markets they participate in!

*The Climate Smart Agriculture Grant is administered by the Connecticut Resource Conservation & Development Area, Inc. and funding for this project was paid for by the Climate Smart Farming: Agriculture and Forestry Grant. Funding awarded and administered by the Connecticut Department of Agriculture.