The journey of MyCountyMushrooms began long before it had a name — in the remote forests of Siberia, where I grew up as a little girl. That’s me in the photo, holding a mushroom almost bigger than my head — one of many treasures found during long walks in the wild with my aunt and uncle. They taught me to see the forest not just as trees and trails, but as a living, generous world full of flavor, medicine, and wonder.

As I got older, mushroom hunting became my own quiet ritual — a way to stay grounded, to listen to nature, and to bring something beautiful home. A basket of mushrooms was never just food; it was peace, purpose, and pride.

When I moved to the United States, I didn’t expect this old love to come rushing back. But it did — in the quiet of the woods, in the richness of American nature, in the earthy scent of the soil. I realized I wanted to make mushrooms not just part of my life again, but part of something I could share.