And the secret ingedient is....Morels !!!!

Mark Alberts thread "The Flavors of Spring" (along with a significant case of "spring fever") have me thinking about one of my favorite rites of spring...Morel hunting. I can't think of too many things that will put a springtime bounce in my step the way coming out of the woods with mud up to my knees, wood ticks in my hair and a small sack of Morels in my hot little hand does. I dunno, maybe it goes back to those heady days of the 70's when living in Florida we used to go out after a rainstorm and....ahhhhhh....never mind, better not go there

One experience I can relate...A couple of years back, while still living in Minnesota, I received a frantic call from my next door neighbor. He was visiting his parents in Sleepy Eye (yes for you "Little House on the Prairie" fans, there really IS a town of Sleepy Eye MN) and they had discovered the "mother" of all morel finds...did I want to come out and enjoy the fun. Well hell yeah I did. A quick phone call to my employer ("cough-cough sorry boss, I can't even get out of bed") and I was on my way to the river bottoms of the Minnesota River. What I found when I got there still amazes me to this day...pulling into my neighbors parents driveway I was greeted by the sight of somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 BUSHELS of Morels drying on homemade racks. My knees went weak. To cut to the chase, six of us spent the next five hours...with mud up to our knees, wood ticks in our hair and onion sacks in our hands rooting through the river bottom. I can't recall exactly how many more bushels we harvested that day but my personal reward for the afternoon was was six full paper grocery bags of morels. My neighbors father, who had been hunting morels in this area for over 50 years claims to have never seen anything close to this kind of harvest. I would speculate that not many people have.

So there you have it...Morels...one of my "secret ingredients" to welcoming the new season. Anyone else out there like to hunt mushrooms ? Anyone else have a different "rite" of spring that helps shake of those winter doldrums ?

I dunno, maybe it goes back to those heady days of the 70's when living in Florida we used to go out after a rainstorm and....ahhhhhh....never mind, better not go there

We used to live in Olympia Wa and there was the Liberty Cap season everybody looked forward to. The local paper would run a segment about to properly ID the shrooms. They were everwhere. I remember people out on the lawn(organic landscaping) of the capitol building picking shrooms while all the "suits" hurried in and out of the place.

Where would we get them around here? Or can you?

Deb

In addition they can be found in Daniel Boone National Park and Pine Mountain State Park.

Where would we get them around here? Or can you?

Deb

I've had the best luck hunting Morels in area that the old timers call "river bottoms"...Look for an area that receives "dappled" sunlight with fertile soil (NOT clay). If you can find an area that was flooded several years prior, is moderately forested and has sandy soil but lots of rotting wood or leaves...You're "in". Most veteran 'shroomers" won't readily give up their "hot spots" but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to find a few. Morel season is relatively short...or season in MN was for 2 or 3 weeks in Mid-May...I'm betting the season here in KY is from late March through late April (depending on the weather).

In Eastern Kentucky, where Brian grew up, they call them "Dry Land Fish" . He grew up gathering them as a boy, but didn't know they were considered a gourmet delicacy until recently.

Here's the link to an article about hunting them in the Glasgow, KY paper:

http://www.glasgowdailytimes.com/local/local_story_096144132.html

In Eastern Kentucky, where Brian grew up, they call them "Dry Land Fish" . He grew up gathering them as a boy, but didn't know they were considered a gourmet delicacy until recently.

http://www.glasgowdailytimes.com/local/local_story_096144132.html

Deb,

That's a very good article. It kind of puts our haul of a few years back into perspective. A season of finding several dozen mushrooms is usually considered successful. To be able to find dozens of bushels, the way we did, is for the most part unheard of. As much fun as it is to stalk morels, the real pleasure comes from just being in the forest at a time of year when everything is starting to come alive.

In Eastern Kentucky, where Brian grew up, they call them "Dry Land Fish" . He grew up gathering them as a boy, but didn't know they were considered a gourmet delicacy until recently.

Here's the link to an article about hunting them in the Glasgow, KY paper:

http://www.glasgowdailytimes.com/local/local_story_096144132.html

Deb...anyone....anyone...Buehler,

Acknowledging that this is probably not the forum for this question, I'll ask anyway...I was recently discussing hunting Morels with an acquaintance here in KY and made the comment that I might take a "road trip" out to Eastern KY when the season rolled around. The gentleman I was talking to kind of rolled is eyes and said something to the effect that "boy, you better be careful, there's folks out there that grow pot the way some folks grow corn and if you stumble onto some 'ol boys marijuana patch you'll find yourself on the wrong end of a gun". Since Brian is from eastern KY perhaps you or he could share some light on this gentleman's comments. Is he "full of it" or is there honestly a reason to turn my attention elsewhere ?

Ahem - I went to college in Morehead. You do NOT want to be caught trespassing in the woods in Eastern Kentucky - you could EASILY get shot.

That is all.

Steve: You have a P.M.

No, Steve, you are not far off. As a teen, Brian had that experience while climbing in the hills and into ( closed) mines- luckily the guy at the end of the gun knew his Dad and he was allowed to backed slowly down the hill...( True story )

But as suggested previous, there are a number of State parks in the area where you could climb and hunt for morels- both Kingdom Come State Park and Pine Mountain are close to where Brian grew-up. Also, if you haven't been to Mammoth Caves yet, that might be an excellent choice you could combine morel hunting with a cave tour....

Deb

Hmmmm...I have access to a farm that Little Goose Creek that runs through, floods periodically, could definitely be described as "creek bottom" land, very forrested. I wonder if that be fruitful hunting grounds? Its in Jefferson Co.

I have found them in Southern Indiana around Sellersburg. Quite a treat.

Hmmmm...I have access to a farm that Little Goose Creek that runs through, floods periodically, could definitely be described as "creek bottom" land, very forrested. I wonder if that be fruitful hunting grounds? Its in Jefferson Co.

Amy,

This sounds like a very good place to start...<hint>...if there has been any logging done on the property, you might try that area as well. Morels really love rotting leaves/wood and if the loggers left any kind of woody debris you could have a major find.

<sniff> I'm envious.

Steve, no logging on the property but lots of downed trees due to storms. Former horse farm now turned into lots of gardens on the hill top, and nothing but peace, quiet and trees at the bottom by the creek. We have lots and lots of aging woody debris, and even more since the ice storm. I'll start scouting around the property and maybe we can organize a small morel-hunting offline for those interested. Happy to share if this works out to be a good hunting ground.