Meet Steffen Mehnert | Mushroom Farmer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Steffen Mehnert and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Steffen, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Since my two boys were in the 8th grade and we toured an aquaponic garden in Denver with their school classmates, I have been fascinated with taking agriculture to a new level. When I moved to Eagle County, I became friends who some folks who have farms, and through their encouragement, decided to pursue farming.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
As a young child, I was already interested in business. I would continuously ask my parents about different professions and what career they thought I should pursue. They obviously noticed an entrepreneurial side of me and encouraged me to start little ventures. From the lemonade stand, I grew to have a route where I collected aluminum cans from the neighbors and got paid to recycle them.
The next step was to have not only 1 paper route, but 2. Rocky Mountain News in the morning and Denver Post in the afternoon. Between throwing papers, I mowed lawns and shoveled snow.
I was always proud to have my own money and, with the advise of my parents, one of the first places I spent my money was investing in a company called NBI. I bought 10 shares and quickly watched that company go under. Good lesson at an early age.
I remember the pride when I bought my own gear and got to go backpacking with my father.

Fast forward to adulthood, where I have always had side hustles and business ventures. Some successful and others were dismal failures, but I was never afraid to try something new and was always learning. I believe Edison gets the credit for saying “I have not failed, not once. I’ve discovered ten thousand ways that don’t work”
All businesses have similar aspects and it is amazing how what I learned in one industry applied well to a completely different industry. But at the bottom of it all, I came to understand relationships and that customer service is paramount!

When I moved to Eagle County (at the beginning of the recent pandemic and supply chain issues), I saw a need and an opportunity to provide healthy farm to table foods to local restaurants. As such, I began to dabble in possibilities, out of which grew me building a mushroom farm from which I can produce about 500 pounds of various varieties each week.

I have foraged wild mushrooms my whole life and love being able to watch the growth cycle and deliver fresh, quality product on a consistent basis.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Most folk, myself included, move to the Vail Valley for the lifestyle it provides! We have approximately 55,000 full time residents, so at some level, everyone knows everyone and most all are outdoor enthusiasts! It is a great community and there is always friendship, and support to be found. There is a saying that says you come to the Valley for the summer, but stay for the winter.

Friends who come to visit in the winter are always invited to join for a moonlight snowshoe or AT (Alpine Touring) adventure. There is something magical about the glistening snow and being able to hike at midnight only by the light of the moon. And the hot chocolate always tastes better outside in a snowy meadow laying on your back watching for falling stars.
And on any given “powder day” (6 inches of fresh snow or more) you will note a significant increase in work absences and more locals in the lift lines at Vail and Beaver Creek! Lol. so skiing with friends is always a good time, especially when you get to enjoy a picnic on top of the world at Belle’s Camp (deck on top of Blue Sky Basin) on a sunny day, or your day is followed by a good apres. Perhaps at Los Amigos on the deck sipping margaritas watching nearly everyone slip and slide on their bottoms down Pepe’s Face (ski run at Vail) and then watching the weekly fireworks in Beaver Creek!
And going to soak in the Glenwood Hotsprings is always a winner way to wrap up a friend’s visit.

In summer there is never enough time to enjoy it all. From rafting, to hiking to mountain biking to summer concerts to wildflower viewing to farmers’ markets – where by the way you will be able to find baskets of fresh Noldin Farm mushrooms- there is always more to do than there is time to do it.

And lastly- the shoulder season of Fall will alwasy provide you a color show of changing aspen that just can’t be described!!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Shout out to all those that love the land and nurture and cultivate it to produce healthy farm to table alternatives! I greatly appreciate those that have gone before me to help coach and mentor me and mostly to my two boys who are great businessmen and encouraged me to pursue my dreams!

Website: www.noldinfarm.com