I finished the briar patch and have Roosevelt helping in town now. When you find the raccoon family it adds +3 to your helper count in the stats for the gnomespeditions, and healing/housing Roosevelt adds an additional +1 to the helper stats. This +4 total helper increase stays with you afterward to help you in your gnomespeditions, though you only net one raccoon helper in your town to help you build and harvest. This means, in my case, 8 helpers in town, including Gnome and Roosevelt, but +11 helpers in the stats. 5 medicinal mushrooms needed @ 3-4 machetes/mushroom, so plan on needing beaucoup candy bags and polished metals to forge on, but it can be done with patience.