In 2022, Ariel Bonkoski of Duluth, Minnesota started Ariel’s Mushroom Company. She teaches classes about mushrooms, leads guided hikes, and does land surveys so people know what’s growing on their property. She’s also author of a book called “Mushrooms & Fungi for Kids: An Introduction to Mycology.”

Early in the pandemic, when people were interested in doing more outdoor activities, Bonkoski said interest in foraging mushrooms rose.

“I am seeing it slow down a little bit, and financial times are uncertain for a lot of people these days,” Bonkoski said. “When I started foraging mushrooms, an interest for me was how can I cut food costs? I think that’s a question that’s on a lot of people’s minds and learning to forage is one great way to cut food costs.”

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