Owner

Emalee is your go to gal for anything and all things related to Rich Life Farm. Whether it be wholesale, retail, invoicing, ordering, scheduling or just general questions, she is your point of contact.

Her hometown is in Western North Carolina and she will always be a mountain girl at heart. After moving to the Cincinnati area in 2020, she never thought that a city could offer the same home as a small town could. This area has definitely proved her otherwise, and she is much appreciative of the culture, diversity and community that the Greater Cincinnati area brings.

With a degree in Sociology, she has previous experience working in the affordable housing and non-profit sector. She has a passion for community development, human connections, and grassroots movements that benefit those in her own community. Stay tuned for how these ideas will soon be a part of the Rich Life Farm philosophy.

When not answering the phone, responding to emails, or running production with Pete and Kelley, you can find Emalee looking for her next "adoptable" pet or working in her garden. She lives her “Rich Life” through reading, attending concerts, cooking and getting together with friends.

Founder and Owner

Pete Richman, born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, is the founder and co-owner of Rich Life Farm. At an early age, Pete became fascinated with the natural world. He took this fascination to North Carolina and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in natural Resource Conservation and management at Western Carolina University. In North Carolina, Pete met his two loves, Emalee and fungi. Growing gourmet mushrooms started as a hobby, but the passion and excitement grew as fast as the fungi. It started in the laundry room and quickly overtook more and more of our house like a fungal outbreak. Eventually, Pete convinced Emalee that the future is fungi and they moved to Cincinnati to follow their dreams of working hard and building something together. Pete is involved in every part of production and handles facility maintenance and improvements. Pete continues to enjoy all aspects of mushroom farming, though his favorite part is conversing with customers during deliveries and while at markets. When Pete is not working, you can probably find him working or sleeping. If he had to pick a mushroom that best represents him it would be the king oyster, plump, intolerant of heat and pale white in color.

Production Lead

Kelley is the newest member of Rich life Farm and Fungi team. She is a Cincinnati native, who recently returned home after six years of living in Asheville, NC. Kelley studied Environmental Studies with a minor in Biology and Mass Communications at University of North Carolina Asheville, where she also first discovered her love for mushrooms. A mycology course introduced her to the benefits fungi can provide our environment and health, and her interest piqued. She further promoted plant medicine through her many roles at Carolina Hemp Company. Currently, Kelley studies herbalism with Chestnut School of Herbalism to earn a Medicine Making Certificate. She will use this education to help develop the most effective mushroom products for you through our value-added mushroom line that is coming soon.

Her last few months in North Carolina, Kelley worked for Mystic Roots Farm, an organic and regenerative farm operation. She helped build out their first rendition of a mushroom grow zone and revived the Old Fort Farmer's market after two years of being inactive. She is passionate to connect her community to nutritious food, as some say, "food is medicine."

Kelley spends most of her days working in the barn alongside Pete with mushroom production. She also collaborates with Emalee to create the monthly newsletter and occasionally curates specific marketing materials. Her favorite part of the week is packing wholesale orders because this is when all the different mushrooms are prepared and boxed up in a beautiful display - a sight that never gets old.

In her off time, you can find her running, toying around with a new rug tufting machine, or researching how to best take care of her new bee colony. Come see her on Saturdays at Findlay Market when Rich Life Farm sets up a booth!