Running Roots Farm is a small, diversified farm at our home in the foothills of the Adirondacks. We (Lucas & Amanda – the farmers) have always dreamed of setting down roots in the North Country, and are so excited for our first season in Summer 2024! While focusing primarily on farming mushrooms this year, we are also establishing a breadth of annual and perennial crops and native plants throughout our fields & forest as we work to restore them. 

Lucas and Amanda met in college, where they connected over their shared passion for the natural world. After college, Lucas went on to receive his Master’s in Forestry from Michigan State University while Amanda completed her PhD in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at the University of Michigan. 

After working as the manager of a fungal genetics lab for several years, Lucas decided to dive into organic farming and hasn’t looked back! He loves getting his hands in the soil and producing food that’s good for his community and environment. In Fall 2023, Lucas received his Wild Mushroom Forager Certification for NY state, and is excited to offer both farmed and wild-foraged mushrooms this coming summer! Lucas is the mushroom expert and leads Running Roots Farm’s mushroom production. 

Amanda heads the administrative side of things on the farm, and is also an Assistant Professor of Biology at SUNY Plattsburgh. She teaches courses in Biology and Sustainable Agriculture, and researches the interactions between microbes, plants, and insects on organic farms.