Gourmet Mushrooms at Home

RENO THOMAS is a mycologist, horticulturist, and educator with over fifteen years of experience cultivating gourmet and medicinal mushrooms. He holds a degree in Plant Science from the University of Vermont, where his research focused on the symbiotic relationships between fungi and forest ecosystems. After completing his studies, Reno worked as a farm manager at a small-scale organic mushroom operation in the Pacific Northwest, where he developed sustainable cultivation methods for shiitake, oyster, and lion’s mane mushrooms.

In 2015, he founded the Home Fungi Project, an online platform dedicated to teaching people how to grow mushrooms in small spaces. Through detailed tutorials, video courses, and live workshops, he has helped thousands of beginners harvest their first flushes. His approach emphasizes low-cost, accessible techniques that work in apartments, urban gardens, and off-grid homesteads alike.

Reno is a frequent speaker at gardening conferences and mycology symposiums, and his articles have appeared in *Mother Earth News*, *Grow*, and *Mushroom Magazine*. He is also the author of *The Backyard Mycologist*, a guide to identifying wild edible fungi. When not teaching or writing, Reno manages a small experimental farm in upstate New York, where he tests new substrate formulations and strains. He lives with his wife and two children, and his kitchen is always stocked with fresh mushrooms from his own fruiting chambers.