Last updated October 28, 2026
About 10 minutes outside downtown Ellijay, there's a farm where you can walk right into the grow houses and watch gourmet mushrooms pop out of logs. Ellijay Mushrooms grows shiitake, oyster and lion's mane mushrooms that end up at Whole Foods and in restaurants all over Atlanta, and they let you explore the whole operation on your own, for free.
I've been a few times now, and I think it's so cool to go someplace where you can actually see how your food is grown. Here's what to expect, what to buy, and how to make an afternoon of it.
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The Quick Basics
Where: 2269 Old Flat Branch Road, about 10 minutes outside downtown Ellijay
Hours: Monday to Thursday noon to 4 PM, Friday to Sunday 11 AM to 5 PM
Cost: Free to walk the farm. You only pay for flowers, ice cream and whatever you buy in the shop.
What to do: A self-guided farm tour, u-pick flowers, a playground and the Farm House shop, with gem mining coming soon
Best for: Families, foodies, and anyone curious about where their food comes from
Pair it with: Roo Mountain Vineyards, about 2 minutes down the road
A Real, Working Mushroom Farm
This isn't a show farm. Ellijay Mushrooms has been family owned and operated since 2018, on 171 acres in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains that it shares with a Buddhist retreat. It's certified organic and grows shiitake, blue oyster, golden oyster, king oyster and lion's mane mushrooms on a big scale. And they just let you walk around, explore and learn about fungi.
Walking the Grow Houses
Every mushroom here starts as a log made of hardwood sawdust. The logs get sterilized, inoculated with mushroom spawn and misted over time, and in about two weeks the mushrooms start popping out. Then somebody comes along and picks every single one by hand.
Inside the air-conditioned grow houses, water mists down from above to keep the mushroom blocks nice and cool. There are rows and rows and rows of mushrooms everywhere, from baby ones just starting to pop out to full clusters ready to pick. Each house runs about 50 yards, so take your time walking through. And close the door behind you so the cool air stays in. Got to be a good Samaritan.
The crazy thing is that all of it is done by hand. The mushrooms are picked by hand, packed by hand and moved by hand. There's no machinery to make it easier, so it takes a whole crew to keep a farm like this running. A lot of what you're looking at is headed to Whole Foods, or to a restaurant you might eat at in Atlanta.
Want to see it for yourself first? Here's my video walking through the farm:
A few things I didn't know before my visit:
No pesticides. The mushrooms attract little gnats, so instead of spraying, they hang organic gnat traps.
Almost nothing goes to waste. When the logs are done producing, a machine breaks them up for compost. Step inside the "Mushrooms at work" house to see the mycelium breaking down the old logs. It's dark in there, and pretty fascinating.
They can't use the creek. A creek runs right through the farm, but they're not allowed to use that water, so they dug a well.
You can take the farm home. On one visit, Howard, who runs the farm, gave me a log, and I kept growing mushrooms from it at home.
Summer vs. fall: in the heat of summer, some of the original grow houses without air conditioning sit empty because it's too hot to grow mushrooms in them. You can feel the heat coming off them. Once Georgia cools off, more of the houses fill back up, so fall is a great time to see the farm in full swing.
More Than Mushrooms: U-Pick Flowers and a Playground
This place is slowly becoming somewhere to spend the day instead of just grabbing mushrooms and heading out. They keep adding things your kids and your whole family will enjoy.
U-pick flowers: Buy a cup and pick your own zinnias, cosmos, sunflowers and dahlias, while they last. I saw butterflies all over the flower beds, and there are beehives on the property too.
Gem mining (coming soon): The new gem mining area, with a platform and a recirculating water sluice, isn't open yet, but it looked just about ready when I visited. I have to bring my daughter back for this one.
A new playground: Let the kids run around and get some energy out.
A fire pit by the creek: A nice spot to sit for a minute.
A photo op: The Ellijay Mushrooms sign with the giant butterfly chairs is a must for pictures.
Heads up: the path to the gem mining area gets muddy, so skip the white shoes. I learned that one the hard way.
Don't Skip the Farm House Shop
My daughter loves the Farm House because they put the ice cream right at the front of the store. Inside you'll find mushrooms fresh off the farm, fresh-made meals cooked with their mushrooms, and their own mushroom coffee. There's also art, shirts and goods from local artists, plus things they make right on the farm. On my last visit, they'd just added a grab-and-go Foraging Picnic Box and Lion's Mane coffee in the sunroom.
Give the bookshelf a look, too. Mushroom field guides and cookbooks sit right next to North Georgia hiking and waterfall books, with carved wooden mushrooms and little felt mushroom ornaments mixed in.
How should you cook them? I'm not a mushroom guru. I just know they taste good. Marinate them nice and good, then sauté them in the pan. Can't make the drive? They ship their shiitakes and offer weekly, bi-weekly and monthly subscriptions.
Make It an Afternoon
Roo Mountain Vineyards is about 2 minutes down the road for a drink with a big mountain view (21 and up only). The orchards on Highway 52 and downtown Ellijay are close too, and if you're coming up for the Apple Festival in October, this is an easy add. For the full day, see my Ellijay guide.
Want the whole weekend planned? Ellijay is one of five trips in North Georgia Weekends ($79): a Saturday planned hour by hour, plus Friday night and Sunday, three places to stay and a rain plan for every stop. Just want one great day? Start with 5 Perfect North Georgia Saturdays ($9.99).
Know Before You Go
Weekday hours are shorter. It closes at 4 PM Monday to Thursday.
Wear shoes that can get muddy. Especially on the path out by the gem mining area.
Gem mining isn't open yet. Check their website before you promise the kids.
Close the grow house doors behind you. The mushrooms need that cool air.
Summer heat empties some houses. Fall is the best time to see the farm in full swing.
Flowers go fast. U-pick is while supplies last.
Ellijay Mushrooms FAQ
Can you tour Ellijay Mushrooms? Yes, and it's free. Self-guided tours are open during farm store hours, and you can walk right through the grow houses.
What mushrooms do they grow? Shiitake, blue oyster, golden oyster, king oyster and lion's mane.
Do they use pesticides? No. They use organic gnat traps instead of spraying.
Is Ellijay Mushrooms good for kids? Yes. There's ice cream in the Farm House, a playground and u-pick flowers, with gem mining coming soon.
What are the hours? Monday to Thursday noon to 4 PM, and Friday to Sunday 11 AM to 5 PM.
Can you buy Ellijay Mushrooms online? Yes. They ship shiitakes and offer subscriptions.
How far is it from downtown Ellijay? About 10 minutes.
More in North Georgia, or find a trip by drive time. Want company on the trail? The Explore Georgia Hiking Club is free, and every pace is welcome.