At the June 15, 2025 meeting of the Rotary Club held at A&W West End Grill, Rotarian Penny Thomas introduced guest speaker Traci Bretz, a graduate of Gannon University and owner of Mill Creek Market on East Second Street.

Bretz spoke passionately about the concept of food sovereignty, which she described as the ability for people to decide what, when, and how they eat. Unfortunately, she noted, this is not the reality for many Pennsylvanians. Approximately one in five residents across the state experiences food insecurity, and in rural communities such as ours, the number may be as high as one in four children going to bed hungry. Bretz emphasized her goal of helping ensure that every household in the county has access to adequate food.

When she first launched Mill Creek Market, Bretz anticipated that revenue from the local Farmers’ Market would be an important part of her business model. However, she soon discovered that the market was not generating enough income to sustain local vendors, forcing her to adapt her business plan. She stressed that the lack of a robust Farmers’ Market is not only a local issue but also a statewide concern. Bretz explained that vendors face numerous hurdles when attempting to accept EBT and SNAP payments, limiting accessibility for many families.

She encouraged community members to support local vendors at the Farmers’ Market, located on the lot next to Fickinger’s. The market is open Fridays from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and on selected Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Bretz and her husband utilize Controlled Environmental Agriculture to grow mushrooms commercially. During her presentation, she guided Rotarians through the fascinating lifecycle of fungi. She compared mushrooms to apples on a tree—the mushroom itself is the fruiting body, while the larger fungal organism exists largely unseen beneath the surface.

She explained that wild mushrooms can be contaminated and that producing safe, marketable mushrooms requires a lengthy process to obtain and maintain pure strains. Bretz displayed examples of the various substrates used during different growth stages of mushroom-producing fungi and showcased a lion’s mane mushroom, which has gained attention for its potential cognitive health benefits.

Among Mill Creek Market’s most popular products are mushroom-growing kits that allow customers to cultivate mushrooms at home. Bretz offers guidance for individuals interested in growing mushrooms indoors or directly in the ground.

The presentation also highlighted the broader environmental benefits of fungi. Bretz discussed how certain fungi can help clean and restore contaminated soils and waterways. She shared the remarkable example of a black fungus growing at Chernobyl that absorbs radiation and converts it into energy. As research continues to expand, she noted that mycology, the study of fungi, is becoming an increasingly important and fascinating field.

For more information about Mill Creek Market or mushroom cultivation, Traci Bretz can be reached at millcreekmarketpa@gmail.com.