Meet your mycelial community at The Berkshire Mushroom Festival!
Something is happening in the woods…
I recently spoke on stage at the annual Berkshire Mushroom Festival, along with Ayamama (the wife of Carlos Tanner), moderated by Cassandra Purdy, CEO and award winning product developer of Sweetgrass Botanicals. We were going to speak about “business” but we ended up speaking about edgier topics: money in the psychedelic space, Ayni and reciprocity, the wild west of the psilocybin facilitator space and all the ayahuasca retreat centers out there, accessibility and freedom to do psychedelics with or without a facilitator, cognitive liberty, and all the hot controversial topics one has to navigate when you work as a psychedelic therapist, facilitator or guide. Phew!
You’ve heard the joke about God creating mushrooms, “This one tastes delicious, this one cures cancer, and this one brings you to visit me for five hours.”
Of course, it doesn’t end there.
There are mushrooms for dying fabric, mushrooms support the eco system, mushrooms can help you fight off sickness, and mushrooms that can be used for bioremediation. So potential benefits, nutrional, medicinal, ecological. Too many mushroom benefits to list here!
Fungi are quietly involved in the health of our planet, and are available to support our physical, emotional, and mental health. We’ve seen that just as an underground network of mycelium connects the health of the entire forest, our community connections offer a chance for positive relationships, mutual growth, and social upliftment. This this end, I’m happy to let you know that I’ll be participating in this year’s Berkshire Mushroom Festival.
The Berkshire Mushroom Festival is a celebration of mycelial connection, of all things mushroom. Over the weekend of August 22nd and 23rd, we’ll cover a wide variety of fungal topics. There will be something for every mushroom lover.
Come for a guided foraging walk in the morning, stay for a workshop on cultivation or natural dyeing in the afternoon, and end the day in a conversation about mushroom medicine.
- Mycology 101
- Natural Dying Demonstration
- Cultivation Workshops
- Integration and Preparation for Spiritual Journeys
- Making Medicines with Functional Mushrooms
- Local Vendors
“The goal of the Berkshire Mushroom Festival is to offer something that’s both fun and deeply meaningful,” says Daniel Shankin, founder of Tam Integration and co-organizer of the event. “We’re creating a space where people can connect more deeply with nature, with themselves, and with the fascinating world of mushrooms.”
The Berkshire Mushroom Festival is an annual two-day celebration for mushroom lovers, nature enthusiasts, wellness seekers, and curious families alike. Hosted at the historic Dewey Hall in beautiful Sheffield, MA, this gathering invites attendees to explore the many dimensions of fungi— ecological, culinary, artistic, and medicinal and spiritual..
Last year I also spoke at the Berkshire Mushroom Festival, a weekend-long, in-person celebration of fungi, community, earth wisdom, and deep mycelial magic:
This isn’t just a festival. It’s a living invitation to remember your connection with the Earth… to gather with foragers, medicine makers, artists, healers, scientists, and seekers… and to explore the sacred (and sometimes silly) world of mushrooms together.
I’ll be joining an amazing lineup of speakers and guides—from mycologists and psychedelic practitioners to chocolate alchemists and ecological artists. Together, we’ll be exploring the spiritual, ecological, culinary, and healing dimensions of mushrooms—through talks, workshops, and hands-on experiences like:
🍄 Mushroom forays with local experts
🎤 Conversations on psychedelics, medicine making & mycology
🎨 Art, cultivation, and community connection
Some of the incredible humans joining me include:
– Chris Kilham, the “Medicine Hunter” himself
– John Wheeler of the Berkshire Mycological Society
– Devon Gilroy of Tivoli Mushrooms
– Rob Heffernan from The Sacred Plant Alliance
– Kyleen Keenan of Lore Mighty Mushrooms
– Dr. Mia Maltz, mycology professor at UConn
– Madge Evers, nature-based artist
– Daniel Shankin of Tam Integration
– And many more
This gathering is grassroots, heart-led, and community-powered—co-created by Sweetgrass Botanicals and Tam Integration.
If you’ve ever felt the pull of the forest floor…
If mushrooms have opened your heart or your mind…
If you’re walking the path of psychedelic integration, herbal healing, or simply seeking a slower, more connected way of being… Come hang out with me, Daniel of Tam Integration and other local mushroom-loving friends from the Berkshires, Hudson Valley, and northeast region.
Bring your curiosity, your picnic blanket, your kids (they’re free!), and your open heart.
I’ll see you in the woods with muddy boots and mycelial love!
