Meet Vint, he grew up in Ohio where his fondness of foraging came from picking blackberries as a kid. At the age of 18 he moved to Berkeley, California. He was able to explore his love for the outdoors, working at a camping store. Vint’s traveled coast to coast and all of the lower 48! He’s been hunting morels for 20 years now, but it was his move to the Oregon Coast in 2010 that grabbed his interest in mycology from exploring the coastal range. Vint’s hobbies are beekeeping, rock hounding, foraging, herbalist farming and kayaking. He also makes art from nature; floating macrame end tables, mushroom shelves and plant hangers. Sometimes you’ll find him in his garage, crafting with wood and screen printing spore print designs on clothes. All of which will be on display and for sale at the Ohio Mushroom Festival. He’s blessed with 2 nature loving kids, Miles and Marin, his muses are coastal lines, good eats and the trusty woods!

Kevin is an educator in topics ranging from mathematics to food literacy. His passions include foraging and local ecology. He has foraged wild mushrooms for 15 years, a hobby that Kevin’s eternally grateful for in how it brings him closer to nature. Kevin teaches mathematics in both high school and college. For his graduate thesis, he built a mathematical model to describe the symbiosis between ectomycorrhiza and trees in a forest ecosystem. He loves teaching others about the natural abundance around us and the benefits of sustainable local food systems. Kombucha fermentation has been a very fulfilling hobby from both a health and culinary perspective. Kevin enjoys the versatility of mixed culture fermentation and the innumerable possibilities for new applications. 

Mike grew up in northeast Ohio about a half mile from the Rocky River Metroparks. He spent a lot of time as a kid camping and hiking throughout Ohio. He’s always been extremely curious and interested in the mechanics of nature. So naturally right away, Mike was attracted to mushrooms, and their enigmatic ways!    He has 20 plus successful years hunting and foraging edible wild mushrooms and other wild edibles, all over the United States. 

Amy Adams Mushroom Spice Demo Join Amy Adams, owner of Peace Blends LLC (and official OMF caterer), for a mushroom curry spice blend demo! Amy will lead you through the process of making curry powder and curry sauce using locally foraged wild mushrooms. Attendees will receive a sample of curry sauce, a take home bag of the curry blend made during the demo, and all the free smells!

Desiree Harvestlove Marketing Director ​ Meet Desiree HarvestLove, a nature enthusiast and foraging expert on a mission to connect people with the beauty of the natural world. With a background in horticultural botany and environmental science, Desiree is not just an educator but a passionate advocate for sustainable living. Utilizing multiple platforms and resources, Desiree puts her skills to work to support community growth emphasizing the importance of traditional food and medicine.