Ken Crouse

Ken Crouse is a native of Wilkes County, NC where he has lived for
most of his life. He grew up working on a farm that raised cattle,
tobacco, corn, other grains, and a large vegetable patch. Having
always had a love of plants, he went on to study horticulture and
mycology and got involved in the nursery and landscaping business.
Twenty-five years ago, Ken and his wife Cindy bought a place in the
mountains known as Peaceful Valley. At about this time, Ken was
introduced to the concepts of permaculture and decided to adopt
these principles whenever possible. Living and working on the land
allowed him to bring together his plant knowledge and more than forty
years of study devoted to the field of mycology. Peaceful Valley is
now a botanical collection, garden, and food forest where he lives
with his wife Cindy, two cats, and a small flock of chickens. Ken often
teaches classes on mushroom identification and cultivation as well as
permaculture topics.