Today we’d like to introduce you to Val King

Hi Val, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?

I sort of stumbled into the world of self-taught mycology, as many in this field tend to do. Curiosity that began as a simple inquiry expanded and entangled itself in both a career and a community. I actually first became interested in mushrooms and their medicinal uses when I was seeking relief from symptoms of Lyme disease, a chronic condition I contracted as a child. That’s how I learned about the Cordyceps mushroom, one of my favorite fungi and a species that my farm largely focuses on growing.

Cordyceps militaris is a medicinal and edible mushroom that has enormous health benefits, as are other mushrooms like Lion’s Mane, and Reishi. These are all mushrooms that I cultivate and grow at my tiny farm! I’ve been a sole proprietor LLC for 3 years now, and after much trial and error I think I’m finally hitting my stride- I know what works for me in my work, so to speak. That said, my business (Impending Doom Relief) grows and sells medicinal mushrooms wholesale. Other businesses that purchase them often use them to make products like tinctures, kombucha, and encapsulated powders- there’s even a local baker here in Philly who uses Cordyceps in her cookies!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?

Oh gosh there are struggles every day, I’d say. It sort of feels like being a mad scientist, or an installation artist or something- I’m constantly seeking ways to improve the conditions of the special environments I maintain for the different mushrooms. There’s lighting, temperature, air flow and humidity to think about (I’ve learned quite a bit about HVAC, electricity, and plumbing along the way), and then there’s the part of my brain that’s constantly like “hey, that’s good and that works but how could it be better?” The mushrooms that I work with are very much alive, very much intelligent beings, so I feel incredibly emotional about them- I want them to be healthy, happy, well fed, I want them to thrive! There’s about a million things that can go wrong (and often do), with either the maintenance of their environments or with contamination vectors, so I’ve found maintaining a good attitude in the face of challenges is much more helpful than pulling my hair out about it. Equipment breaks, mistakes happen, what can you do but keep trying?

As you know, we’re big fans of Impending Doom Relief LLC. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?

I called my business Impending Doom Relief because that’s how I feel about mushrooms and the environmental application of mycology. The geopolitical machine that sees earth not as our home world but a thing to be extracted from has hurled us into this dystopian present moment where everything focuses on ease of consumerism. This can feel frightening or hopeless, especially for the younger generations, who are growing up in a world where climate crisis is baseline.

Mushrooms and fungi are organisms that were largely overlooked by scientific studies and practices. What traction they have gained in the scientific community, and the public sphere, has been in the last decade (give or take), and people are excited! People see the potential to find some relief from impending doom when they wrap their heads around the entangled worlds that fungi can reveal to us: they can help clean toxins out of our bodies, our brains, the earth, the water, the air. I admire them for many reasons, and I am grateful for the hope they offer myself, and the mushroom-curious world.

There are mushroom businesses popping up all over the world- I feel lucky that I saw the wave coming early on. I’ve been a fungi fan for 10 years now, and working in the field for just as long. One of the cool things about mycology is that there is a rich community of citizen mycologists- and much like the mushrooms, many are interested in sharing knowledge and resources amongst one another for the betterment of the community, rather than for capital. I’m honored to be a member of this community and make my contributions, business and otherwise: I farm, I teach, I organize.

What are your plans for the future?

I was asked to teach a workshop on mushrooms at a kids camp this summer, and I am beyond excited about that! I’d like to do more of that- teaching young people about fungi. Hopefully that experience will open up some doors or inspire me in ways I can’t yet fathom…but yeah, I’m constantly planning improvements and changes! I have some workshop series up my sleeve, and then of course just general mad scientist schemes and dreams.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://impendingdoomrelief.com
• Instagram: @impendingdoomrelief_llc

Image Credits

val ray king, lydon frank lettuce