For the first time since its inception, the Otzarot HaYa'ar mushroom farm in Betzet, Western Galilee, has ceased operations. Shaked Ben Shitrit Barnea, the farm's caretaker, along with her daughter, evacuated to Tiberias at the onset of the conflict in Gaza, leading to the shutdown. "I'm the only one who knows how to care for the mushrooms on the farm, and when my husband was called up for reserve duty, and we were asked to evacuate, I had to close everything down. Everything is gone now," she expressed. The farm, founded eight years ago by Uri and Miriam Ben Shitrit, transitioned from an organic to a boutique mushroom establishment, cultivating varieties such as Shiitake, Maitake, Hericium, and special forest mushrooms.
Ben Shitrit Barnea, inheriting her mushroom cultivation expertise from her late father Uri, has been pivotal to the farm's operations. Following a tragic accident that claimed her father's life, she, alongside her mother Miriam, now the farm's owner, has sustained the business.
The farm's recovery is anticipated to be lengthy, necessitating extensive cleaning and disinfection to prevent infections, a critical aspect of mushroom cultivation. "It will take a long time to recover and reopen because we not only need to restore the farm but also rebuild our customer base. Fortunately, our customers have found other solutions because there are other mushroom farms, and I'm not the only one in the country," Ben Shitrit Barnea stated, highlighting the challenges ahead.
Source: ynetnews.com