Small World Mycology

Small World Mycology: London's Local Mushroom Grower and Forager

At the Covent Garden Market in London, Ontario, Darcy Small runs a mushroom operation that covers the full spectrum. Small World Mycology grows, forages, and retails specialty mushrooms, all locally sourced, and has carved out a following among the chefs and home cooks who pass through one of southwestern Ontario's most established market halls.

Growing, Foraging, and Selling

What sets Small World Mycology apart from many mushroom vendors is the combination of cultivation and wild foraging. The business doesn't just grow mushrooms in a controlled environment and bring them to market. It also sources wild-foraged specimens, which means customers get access to varieties that indoor growers simply cannot produce. That dual approach requires two distinct skill sets: the technical precision of indoor cultivation and the deep ecological knowledge that serious foraging demands.

The cultivated side of the operation produces gourmet varieties including lion's mane and wine cap mushrooms, among others. These are grown using sustainable farming practices that Small World Mycology emphasizes as central to how the business operates. The foraged side taps into Ontario's rich fungal biodiversity, bringing seasonal wild mushrooms to a customer base that increasingly understands their culinary value.

The Covent Garden Market Connection

London's Covent Garden Market has been a fixture of the city's food culture for over 175 years. Having a regular stall there, open Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., places Small World Mycology at the center of a community that takes local food seriously. The market draws a mix of dedicated regulars and curious newcomers, and a specialty mushroom vendor tends to attract both.

For Small World Mycology, the market provides more than just a sales channel. It's a place where Darcy can talk directly with customers about how to use unfamiliar varieties, what's in season for foraging, and how different mushrooms behave in the kitchen. That kind of direct education is hard to replicate through any other retail format, and it builds the kind of loyalty that keeps a small operation sustainable.

Spawn and Supplies

Beyond fresh mushrooms, Small World Mycology has expanded into cultivation supplies. The business sells spawn bags containing robust mycelium cultures, targeting both beginners who have never grown a mushroom and experienced cultivators looking for reliable genetics. The spawn bags come with step-by-step instructions designed to simplify what can otherwise be an intimidating process for newcomers.

This supply side of the business reflects a broader trend in the Canadian mushroom industry: experienced growers becoming educators and suppliers, helping the next wave of home cultivators get started. It's a smart diversification strategy that generates revenue beyond the seasonal rhythms of fresh mushroom sales.

A Quiet Force in Southwestern Ontario

Small World Mycology isn't trying to be the biggest mushroom operation in the province. The business operates at a scale that allows for quality control at every stage, from substrate preparation to harvest to market display. A perfect 5-star rating across its reviews suggests that customers notice the difference.

London's food scene has been growing in sophistication for years, and operations like Small World Mycology are part of that evolution. When a city's market vendors include someone who can explain the difference between a cultivated lion's mane and a wild-foraged chanterelle, that's a sign of a food culture that's maturing in the right direction.

You can find Small World Mycology at London's Covent Garden Market or online at smallworldmycology.ca.