So when her husband of 18 years, John, first suggested they head out on an adventure to hunt for those elusive, but highly coveted, morel mushrooms years ago, Julie jumped at the chance.

“I usually can’t find the first one, but I’ll find most of them after that,” Vanderpool quipped. “My sister-in-law and I, we’ve always been kind of pickers, too. We’ll hunt down any raspberry bush, any elderberry bush. We love to gather.”

Over the years, as the couple began raising their three children — Ryder, Gunner and Taylor, now 15, 13 and almost 11 years old, they’d often head to a nearby wooded area, park or public access area for a new experience.

“Every spring we’ll say, 'Let’s go,'” Julie said. “Our kids will be searching, and we’ll look behind and they’ve got the mud...