Our Story

The hatching of Black Bird Mushrooms

We are a small batch & hand foraging mushroom company harvesting from the Northern hemisphere; Robinson-Huron Treaty territory and the land on which we are gathered is the traditional territory of the Anishnaabec.

Black Bird Mushrooms is run and operated by Joel Boucher

"All of our Chaga is sourced from healthy Birch Trees local to Northern Ontario, Canada. This is where I was raised & connected to the land. We follow strict harvesting techniques, always leaving a healthy amount of Chaga on the trees. We always thank each tree and give tobacco as a gift to our forests with each harvest. We frequently revisit the trees we have previously harvested to check on their health." - Joel

Joel comes from both French- and English-speaking Métis heritage and has served 16 years in wild-land fire fighting/prevention.

Blackbird is a small batch and hand foraged mushroom company, specializing in mushrooms with medicinal benefits. Joel was originally introduced to Chaga mushrooms when he was working his way through healing a back injury. It was credited to a close friend's father who had first brought the health benefits of Chaga mushrooms to Joel's attention for its anti-inflammatory properties. Taking the Chaga daily, Joel had noticed some signs of improvement with the chronic pain he had been dealing with. From there a curiosity and fascination for medicinal mushrooms started for Joel. Researching and learning all the healing properties and health benefits Chaga served beyond just the anti-inflammatory properties. Joel then started sharing the Chaga mushrooms he’d forage with friends and family he thought could enjoy some of its benefits.

Eventually with the help of Brittany MacLachlan the Blackbird identity
that would represent the company was inspired by a sketch Joel's
brother had made of a raven.

Living remotely in Albert Canyon, BC in a off grid cabin which only power
source was solar would become the birthplace of Blackbird Mushrooms.
There they started out with the ground chaga packs and a small line of 3
chaga infused soaps. The business made its debut at Revelstoke
Farmers and Craft Market June 2022.

Today the business ran out of Joel's home in Big White, BC. There Joel
works for the Big White Fire Department as well as a ski instructor during
the winters and still can be found working various farmers markets and
craft shows around the Okanagan.

Now the business has grown into making 10 different Chaga infused
soaps, a Chaga slave, dual extract tinctures, bath salt soaks and the
ground Chaga packs.

Still to this day all of the Chaga is sourced from healthy birch trees in
Northern Ontario, Canada. This is where Joel was born and raised and
had the privilege to grow up fairly remotely west of Sault Ste Marie.
Returning once a year to visit family, friends and harvest Chaga
mushrooms where the birch are abundant.
Harvesting only once a year Blackbird can stay true to its sustainability
values. Being a single harvester Blackbird will always be limited and
respectful to the forest and how much we can harvest.
Additionally, Joel has begun to GPS areas of harvest so he can keep
better track of the trees he’s harvested from and can come back and
check their health and potentially harvest again in 3-5 years when the
chaga mushrooms regrow.

The business still plans to continue to grow expanding in other types of
medicinal mushrooms. We are very excited to soon be releasing some of
our first Lion's Mane products.

Joel is currently studying Mycology and Herbal Medicine to help further grow their knowledge and skills for Black Bird Mushrooms.

Joel currently works as a Fire Fighter serving the community of Big White Mountain and holds a CSIA Level 3 Ski Instructing license to teach skiing during the winter months. 

Joel loves the mountains and serving his communities while enjoying activities like; rock climbing, music, camping, playing crib and being community involved. 



Peter and Joel Boucher (father and son)
Generations of mushroom foragers

The name Black Bird Mushrooms was inspired by the raven, known for being intellectually advanced. We often have regular raven sightings and have found by following the ravens, we are guided to healthy abundant trees with fruiting bodies of Chaga mushroom!


The Raven by Justin Boucher

Our original design to represent Black Bird Mushrooms was created by Joel's brother & local artist in Sault Ste. Marie, Justin Boucher.