Quietly, constantly,  the Fifth Kingdom -- Fungi-- works just below our feet providing a vast and intelligent, communication network connecting, transmuting organic matter into crucial nourishment for  our plants, trees, soil, microorganisms and more…. This week we humbly welcome mycologist and Founder of Boulder Mushroom, Zach Hedstrom in a candid dialogue around restoring our inner and outer landscapes through the magic of mushrooms! Zach opens up about his lifelong fascination with fungi, the beginnings of Boulder Mushroom (from  a 100-square-foot cabin in the Colorado mountain to the rainforests of Ecuador), why healing from the mycorrhizae up works, and how his recent research shows how profound the impact of implementing native fungi into forest ecosystems for environmental restoration and fire mitigation can be.  Zach shares how we can begin educating ourselves on the diverse health and environmental benefits of mushrooms, his open-minded approach to foraging and mushroom cultivation, and why simply slowing down and listening to the mycelial web is essential.  This conversation unveils nature-based solutions to climate change, and the interconnectedness of the mycelium kingdom with the human family, making it a must-listen for those of us hoping to unlock the potential for remediating our land and our hearts. Thank you Zach, for sharing your grounded wisdom and reverence for our Pacha Mama! CONNECT With our guest Zach here: Boulder Mushroom | IG Host @nitsacitrine @soundfoodspace twitter  Subscribe to Mercurial Mail (our monthly newsletter) NOURISH This podcast is made possible by your donations and the symbiotic support of our partners: Offer a donation to us here LIVING LIBATIONS: enjoy 15% off all botanical beauty alchemy with this link https://livinglibations.com/soundfood (discount automatically applied) MIKUNA: enter SOUNDFOODFAMILY for 25% off clean, single-sourced plant protein products Mikunafoods.com SUPERFEAST: enter CITRINE for 10% off our favorite tonic herbs, mushrooms  + superfoods superfeast.com LIVING TEA:  SOUNDFOOD for 15% off all tea nourishment livingtea.net OSEA: enter CITRINE for 10% off oseamalibu.com sea-to-skin magic CHRISTY DAWN: 15NITSA for 15% off farm-to-closet christydawn.com LAMBS: use code CITRINE for 10% off your EMF protective gear getlambs.com MENTIONED  Common Ground Kauai  Colorado Mycological Society  Can Mushrooms Prevent Wildfires?  Boulder Mushroom Tinctures  The Fungal Dimension: Living in Service to the Fungi with Giuliana Furci  Mycelium Running by Paul Stamets  The Earthly Journeys of Maria Sabina  Mikuna Steven Donzinger Articles: Washington Post: Can Mushrooms Help Prevent Wildfires? The Times: Meet Zach Hedstrom, The Entrepreneur Fighting US Wildfires With Mushrooms Boulder Reporting Lab: Mushrooms to Be Deployed as a Weapon Against Wildfires in Boulder Boulder Weekly: Cultivating Solutions Radio: BBC: How Mushroom Compost Can Help Stop Wildfires in the Forest KCBS: Can Mushrooms Prevent Wildfires? Sacha Samai links for fundraising P.S. We would be so grateful if you felt inspired to leave us a review on APPLE OR  SPOTIFY! Takeaways: [6:56] Zach joins the show and discusses his journey into becoming a mycologist. [9:46]  How Zach’s time in the forest in his early teenage years shaped his interest in mushrooms, and later joining the Colorado Mycological Society. [12:15] How can we grow mushrooms in our garden? [14:46] Nitsa’s visit to Common Ground Kauai. [14:57] The role that fungi play in soil health. [17:08] How Zach defines the fungi kingdom and that they are actually more closely related to animals than they are to plants. [19:13] Mycology as a field is often underfunded and an undervalued field of research. [20:22]  Fungi as an ethereal force of nature, which is responsible for kind of maintaining some degree of homeostasis. [21:38] How d