When farmer Richard Lainchbury realised that he would have to diversify if he was to continue farming, he decided to go for mushrooms. That was more than 14 years ago and the British mushroom industry has undergone many changes since then. There was a time when there were many excellent mushroom farms in the UK, but mushroom farmers in Poland began to flood the market with a cheaper product, making it difficult for our farmers to compete. Now there are very few mushroom farmers in the UK.

Richard and his wife Wendy saw this coming, and decided to sell their mushrooms at farmers’ markets and to discerning chefs instead of producing them commercially. This move has paid dividends as they now specialise in several different varieties.

This enterprising couple are also experimenting with fresh mushroom products that can be sold alongside their freshly harvested mushrooms. During the winter months, Wendy makes mushroom soup, which she sells in pint pots. She spent hours experimenting before coming up with a recipe that really worked, as she explained.

“I found that quite a number of our customers wanted a soup that did not contain fat; others were looking for gluten-free products. What I came up with was a delicious recipe made mostly from chestnut mushrooms, which could be mixed with cream if people wanted to. Those looking for a fat-free soup could enjoy it as it is.”

Now that the days are getting warmer, Wendy is experimenting with mushroom paté recipes and getting very excited by some she has tried. “By using the misshaped mushrooms up this way, nothing is wasted.”

Richard grows his mushrooms throughout the year in six poly-tunnels on their 100-acre farm in Moreton Pinkney, Northamptonshire. The varieties he grows are chestnut, oyster, shiitake and the common cultivated. The chestnut mushroom proves the most popular.

As mushrooms are capable of doubling their size every 24 hours, he sells them in different sizes. Compare a button mushroom with a large flat open mushroom and you will find the only difference between the two is a few days’ growth. If you want to use fancy names, a baby button chestnut mushroom is called a portabellini whereas the big flat open chestnut mushrooms that can be stuffed and cooked as a complete meal are called portabello.

Richard says that more than 90 per cent of mushrooms sold in supermarkets are the common cultivated mushroom, the Araricus bisporus, but his customers have come to appreciate the extra deep flavour you get from a chestnut mushroom, which, as its name suggests, is a glorious brown colour He said: “The chestnut mushrooms are far more aromatic than the common mushroom; they have a meatier texture too.”

Because the mushrooms Richard and Wendy sell are harvested on the very morning of the farmers’ markets, they are highly sought after.

“Providing people keep them packed in a paper bag – not plastic as that makes them sweat – they can last for a couple of weeks if stored in the vegetable section of the fridge.

“Actually, I have some regular customers who say that because they are so fresh, they can keep them for a couple of weeks if they want to. Though most people enjoy them so much they are eaten quickly.”

Their oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) prove popular, too, mainly because of their shape. Oyster mushrooms have a broad, fan or oyster-shaped cap and come in colours that range from white to grey or brown. This mushroom that is frequently used in Japanese and Chinese recipes. Shiitake mushrooms (Lentinula edodes) feature in Oriental and Japanese recipes, too, enjoyed for their distinctive flavour. They taste particularly good in an omelette. However, Richard and Wendy find that they don’t sell as well as the chestnut mushrooms.

As I have vowed to eat only local or British food throughout 2009, I was delighted to discover the Moreton Mushroom stall at Oxford Farmers’ Market, which takes place every second Thursday in Gloucester Green. They smelt so fresh, I found myself cooking them within hours of purchase.

It is important not to wash mushrooms before cooking, as they will absorb even more moisture than they already contain and turn soggy. If you are concerned about cleanliness, wipe each mushroom with a piece of moist kitchen paper, or use a soft brush. I don’t peel them either, as the peel contains a great deal of flavour.

When adding mushrooms to a stew or casserole, I tend to chop a few very small and add to the pot in the first stages of cooking, then toss in the rest just a few moments before the dish is cooked. This way you add both flavour and texture, as those added at the end are delightfully crunchy.

I also add sliced fresh mushrooms to salads from time to time but admit that my favourite way of serving them is on hot buttered toast, having lightly cooked them in a little butter first. Now I have discovered Moreton Mushrooms I am able to indulge myself with this dish frequently.

You will find Richard and Wendy selling their mushrooms at Oxford Farmers’ Market and Deddington’s Farmers’ Market, which takes place in the centre of the village on the fourth Saturday of every month. They also attend a great number of markets in Northamptonshire.

Wendy admits that attending farmers’ markets takes up a great deal of their time, as market rules dictate that only those involved with producing their mushrooms are permitted to sell them, however they enjoy the experience. “We get quite a buzz when regular customers seek us out time