A Montage to the Morel
The cutest mushroom.
When we were kids - around age eight - my best friend Carmie’s parents Bill and Barb would take us all out to hunt for morel mushrooms. I remember railroad tracks, poking around in the leaves with long sticks, and experiencing a feeling like that of finding Easter eggs in the backyard when one of us would find a morel hiding under a log, leaf, or grass.
Recently, my friend Ruth and I went for a long hike to catch up with each other, enjoying the bonus of exercise and fresh air. Hunting morels was not on my mind because it had been so dry since early March. I figured the morel season might be happening later this year, harkening back to the “Mother’s Day morel season,” circa late 90s to 2010. However, since the “cutest mushroom” likes to show off by hanging out on the edges of walking trails, we spotted them easily down by the river. Ruth had never been mushroom hunting before but having heard me talk on and on about it for over a decade, she was excited to finally participate.
Morel Mushroom Cream Sauce w/Pasta
Our forests are limited here in Nebraska and are mostly privately held but open to the public. For some reason - likely to prevent off-trail decimation of foliage - they prohibit mushroom hunting. I have never seen the “mushroom police,” but they do post signs. As a result, mushroom hunting grounds are tightly held secrets.
For those of you interested but a bit trepidatious about collecting morels, here are some guidelines and fun facts to get you going:
First, you do not “pick” mushrooms. You collect them. When you find one you want to collect, you pinch it from the base. You could also cut it with a knife. With morels, you simply pinch it at the base with your thumb and forefinger. Morels are hollow, so this is easily done. The reason for this is to not disturb the mycelia network below the stalk base. That way, they continue to grow next year.
It is difficult to mess up the identification of a morel. Even the “false morel” vaguely resembles a morel. In fact, the false morel looks poisonous, with its dark, inky color - and they smell. Aptly, they are called “stink bombs” or “stinkhorns.”
Morels are a variety of wild mushroom - they cannot be cultivated.
Morel season begins its bloom near the river and works its way inland. The Nebraska season lasts approximately three weeks; our neighbor Iowa trails behind us by a week or two, making the season 4-5 weeks if you hunt in both states. If you hunt on private land, be sure to get permission first. There are plenty of public lands/parks on which to hunt morels.
Carry a mesh bag rather than a plastic bag - the mesh holes allow the spores to disperse while you walk.
Most importantly - dress to avoid ticks. That means long pants, ankle-high boots, long sleeves, and a hat. When you arrive home, put everything you wore on your hunt into the washing machine. Check yourself for ticks and then shower. Keep checking yourself for the next few days. Unfortunately, ticks can live in your car - on your seat, floor, etc. for days. Too bad “forest bathing” is not a literal thing.
Happy hunting!
Blessings & Love,
Photo Credits: Ruth Richter - top & center | Melanie McLeod - bottom
How wonderful!