I passed as an educated mushroom grower.

But four years later, it invalidated the assessment on mushroom growers.

That decision was followed by another three years ago that invalidated a federal assessment on mushroom growers.

A strike by 140 Mexican workers seeking to be recognized as a union by one of the region's many mushroom growers has failed.

The company also owns Sylvan Foods Inc., a mushroom grower.

All this has led to intense interest among mushroom growers across the country.

Chester County's 85 mushroom growers, who represent about half the nation's growers of white mushrooms, weren't always considered bad neighbors.

He was able to keep the company going through the later 1930s when he allowed mushroom growers to set up shop in the abandoned Beach Mine.

"A mushroom growers' association of Manhattan," he said, "to exchange growing and harvesting techniques."

That's a hazard to all mushroom growers.