Since about the age of 7 my mother and grandmother introduced me to gardening and foraging. As a child, i gleefully read my Golden Nature guidebooks from cover to cover until they fell apart. Over the years, I built my library to include the Peterson guides and many others. I have been have been gardening, foraging plants and mushrooms for over 45 years. I have experience foraging and growing in every zone in Michigan. I moderate several groups on Facebook most notably “Northern seed savers”, “Marquette County Foragers” and “Plant Discussion Group” as well as co maintaining the Ishpeming Lions Page and the Queen City Seed Library Page.
I am a gardener, seed saver specializing in short season growing. I worked many years for the Hiawatha forest service as a contract botanist and ecologist working on native seed collection, native plant production, native plant restorations, vegetation surveys, and invasive weed control. Next i worked as The Agricultural Specialist for the Nottawaseppi Huron band of the Potawatomi and then as the Farm Manager for Partridge Creek Farm.
I am a Michigan Certified Mushroom Expert since the initiation of the program. For 10+ years i held a pesticide applicator license in all but a few categories. I am a former Master Gardener 10+yrs and Master Composter. I primarily forage around Marquette and adjoining counties of Michigan with occasional forays in other locations as my schedule permits.
I work in Information Technology as a Network and Systems Engineer currently.
I volunteer with organizations such as the Superior Watershed Partnership, the Nature conservancy, Marquette County Conservation District, Partridge Creek Farms, Transition Marquette County, Grow K.I., the Queen City Seed Library in Marquette , the Cherry hill seed library in Ishpeming, the Gwinn seed library and with other local and regional seed libraries.
I am available from time to time to give talks and demonstrations on a number of topics such as but not limited to: Garden planning, Garden soil building, Wild edible plants, Common Wild Edible Mushrooms, Plant Breeding, Seed production, Seed saving, Seed cleaning, Season Extension, Cold Climate Gardening, Permaculture Gardening, Tree Grafting, Tree Pruning, Seed Storage, Canning (water bath and pressure), Jam making, Pretzel and Bread making, and Food Sovereignty . I can be contacted at raybush at live.com.