Welcome to Blue Ridge Chaga Connection! My name is Kevin Krzyzaniak, I am the owner, operator and only employee. I offer the best in locally foraged Chaga and other medicinal mushrooms from my home in Asheville, North Carolina, part of the Appalachian mountain range. Using 100% sustainable methods of foraging, processing and packaging. In this page you’ll find a range of Chaga products along with other wonderful mushrooms such as Reishi, Turkey Tail, Lions Mane, Maitake, Indian Pipe, Cordyceps, Mullein, Birch Polypore, Usnea, and Shiitake. When in season, fresh Chicken of the wood, Chanterelles, Milk Caps, Maitake, Beef Steak, Lobster, Black Trumpet, Boletes and other edible mushrooms. I also lead mushroom and plant ID tours in the Blue Ridge mountains covering a wide range of medicinal and edibles that grow in this most diverse region of the world. I love to share the knowledge I have gained over the years, in the tradition of our ancestors and Native cultures that existed before us. All my products come straight from the natural forest, are 100% wild foraged, with care for the environment.
The passion of hunting the diamond of the forest, Inonotus obliquus (I no notice) or commonly known as Chaga mushroom, started in 2009 when I first moved to North Carolina and discovered the Blue ridge mountains. Mushrooms were everywhere! I began learning as much as I could about them all, but once I learned about Chaga it became my main focus. Only growing on birch trees and in high elevations it is a challenge to find, hence the name, but I was up to it and developed what I call Chaga eyes. Foraging Chaga can be quite challenging and require the climbing of trees to reach it, from there the process of breaking down, powdering and drying the large chunks can very time consuming and hard work. Hiking these mountains is a truly fulfilling, meditative, rewarding experience for me, I have learned to respect and value the land and its many treasures. I took classes in Horticulture and Botany in college as well as gaining much knowledge and experience from local experts of mycology, botany, and Chinese Herbs, learning the arts of foraging, identification, tincture, tea making and the many uses and values of medicinal and edible plants and mushrooms in our region. Chaga topped every list. It’s medicinal values are numerous and it treats a variety of conditions. I have been drinking the tea everyday for many years, finding it especially helpful for the Arthritis I have in both my knees. It can also be made into a tincture to get even more wonderful properties. Chaga opened the gates to dig into other amazing medicinal mushrooms. Reishi, Turkey Tail, Lions Mane, and Maitake grow abundantly in our region and have amazing health benefits as well. These mushrooms also became a main focus for me and a regular part of my foraging and teaching. The more we learn about the medicinal benefits of mushrooms, the possibilities seem endless for what they can treat and provide for our health!
I wanted to bring the medicine of the forest to the people. Since my curiosity only heightened and my knowledge still continues to grow all the time. I have come to know over 80 medicinal/edible mushrooms and plants, their different uses and tastes!
If your local find me at one of several tailgate markets, my products are also in a few health food stores or I can meet you anywhere in Asheville. Sometimes I deliver directly. If not local I ship my products anywhere. All my mushrooms come straight from the Blue ridge mountains here in Western North Carolina, it is 100% sustainably harvested, 100% organic and processed by hand the old fashioned way. I do forage Chaga from more northern regions such as VA, NY, VT, MI and ME. I have great respect for our mother nature and the environment so I take special care in the harvesting process, always leaving a percentage that regrows and a percentage for the ecosystem to regenerate and give thanks to every tree that gives this precious gift of healing medicine.
