Forage Guides
Crystal Davidson
Crystal Davidson Ohio based, fungus obsessed, Wrinkled Peach smelling, amateur field identifier. On the board of directors for Ohio Mushroom Society, and admins several popular mushroom identification groups on Facebook, including Ohio Mushroom Enthusiasts, Ohio Morel Mushroom Hunters, Mushroom Identification, and many others.
James Mann
James Mann, naturalist, says he has always felt at home in the woods. Hiking, camping, and exploring were a big part of his childhood. Unfortunately there was not much opportunity so he decided to move to the city and become a chef. After toiling in restaurants around Columbus for almost 10 years, and interning at a Michelin-star restaurant in Sweden, he was burnt out and wanted to go a different route. He worked for a small, local mushroom farm for four years and learned the art of growing mushrooms. This re-sparked his love for the woods. Now, he has started his business Spicebush Woodcraft and Foraging to pursue his two greatest passions; teaching others about foraging and the natural world around them, and how to help and be a steward of the land. When he is not doing those things, he is working on building custom furniture and other wood-based crafts using native, sustainably sourced woods and primarily uses hand tools. He enjoys working on his homestead that was built with his partner Sarah and him. They call their home Cottonwood Hollow Homestead.
Mycology Mike
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.
Cara Monigold
Meet Cara Monigold, owner of Thieve of the Woods Apothecary + creator of Sporin' Around mushroom group in Ohio near the WV + PA border.
She has been sent on a mission the past few years to connect as many folx as she can to the healing wonders nature has to offer. Whether it's leading a plant or mushroom foray teaching about the edible + medicinal value of our natural kin or by bringing nature to others by way of her locally foraged medicinal offerings.
Cara grew up freely roaming the woods as a little one living in the Foothills of the Appalachians. Helping her family garden using indigenous land practices, selling the family's pumpkins + freshly pressed apple cider on the side of the road. They grew up bartering, trading + naturally sourcing whatever they needed at the time to be able to sustain their livelihood. She's excited by the fact that the presenters + workshops provided at the Ohio Mushroom Fest will offer similar tools of self-sustainability as she learned growing up + way beyond given this time in existence where humans are returning back to the woods for nourishment, wisdom + health!
Unsure about what she will be presenting at the festival, because her teaching tends to focus on community medicine that's influenced by seasonal living, informed by current needs + events of her surrounding bio regional area, which is constantly in flux! Cara will be moderating end of the day Panel discussions between all of our speakers, engaging audience participation.
Kevin McLane
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.
