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Mushrooms ?

Started by Autocar, April 05, 2020, 10:07:42 AM

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Autocar

Anybody finding any yet , getting closer here but thought maybe south of the Ohio they would be finding a few 
Bill

dirtmotor

found 3 but they are finding a lot of them here

Mike W

Not quite yet here, we go every year, throughout the year on our property, getting to be morel season here soon, get a big variety of Boletes, along with puff balls, lots of morels, amanita (dont eat those, but cool nonetheless) and those little black magic kind in areas (dont eat those either).  My son found a huge sulfur shelf "chicken of the woods" last year, we left some of it behind in hopes it grows to as big or bigger this year, was delicious.  We haven't bought a store mushroom in over 6 years, too many great wild ones around here to be messing with those bland store bought.  Happy hunting, its a great time spent with my boys out in our woods.

sawguy21

We won't see them for a while yet, still snow in the woods. I don't pick, I leave it to someone who knows what they are doing. There is a gas station/restaurant a couple of hours from here who makes the best mushroom burger I have ever had, pick in their back yard so they are fresh. Guess I won't see one this year. :'(
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

Ed

Bump...

Anyone in Mi finding any? 

Looked a little today, think it's been to cold.

Ed

SwampDonkey

Been too cold here, we get snow bombed here 4 weeks out of past 5. And no small amounts, last one 8" here an 15" across the river. :D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Bricklayer51

Ed I think its to cold also my asparagus is coming up but its only 27 degrees this morn

SwampDonkey

My rhubarb should be 2 feet high by now, but only 4".

Raining hard this morning, but could be snow this afternoon, 40F now.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

WV Sawmiller

   I looked a couple weeks ago while turkey hunting in a spot I used to find them. I almost immediately found a nice morel - and no more. I did find my owl hooter I had lost there last year evidently doing the same thing.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

Autocar

I found three nice bunches so far . Today cutting trees I sat down to take a breather and there was a single yellow moral standing there . I stopped cutting trees and started looking for mushrooms but didn't find any more. To wet to skid logs and I have 43 on the ground so may take a few days looking for them and fishing  8)
Bill

Ed

Thanks all....going to warm up and rain for the next few days. Maybe that'll get them going.

I usually don't find many, but enough to make a grilled morel and swiss burger makes me a happy camper.

Ed

sawguy21

Yum!! Doesn't get better than that.
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

Will.K

Morels are up throughout Appalachia. Since the 14th, I've found them from middle Virginia to eastern Pennsylvania. The south faces of hilltops are usually the best place to find them early. This year I have marked and measured some very small specimens to try and observe their growth rate. I don't expect much, given the cool (for mushrooms) weather. 

Will.K

 



A baby black morel. This is a big baby. Little babies will fit 3 on a penny.

Will.K

Here is the same morel after nine days of mostly cool weather and one good rain.

 

Old Greenhorn

I don't eat, or care for, mushrooms. But lately I have been running into a lot of folks who do and either collect them wild, or grow their own. I don't know anyone who grows morels yet. In fact I knew nothing about them, so this thread caused me to go off and do some reading. Interesting little fungi. Seems like this is the time of the year from them to begin popping up. Seems like they prefer Ash, Elm, Oak, or Apple trees rotting in the soil for their home and it can take 3-5 years for them to get established without help.
 I wonder, do any of the members here grow their own mushrooms?
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

Will.K

Quote from: Old Greenhorn on March 28, 2021, 08:16:53 AM
I don't eat, or care for, mushrooms. But lately I have been running into a lot of folks who do and either collect them wild, or grow their own. I don't know anyone who grows morels yet. In fact I knew nothing about them, so this thread caused me to go off and do some reading. Interesting little fungi. Seems like this is the time of the year from them to begin popping up. Seems like they prefer Ash, Elm, Oak, or Apple trees rotting in the soil for their home and it can take 3-5 years for them to get established without help.
I wonder, do any of the members here grow their own mushrooms?
Morels are very difficult if not impossible to reliably cultivate. In the eastern US they are found in many many settings and associated with many many trees. They grow on soil, not decomposing wood, but are commonly found under recently expired elms which are sloughing off bark. The relationships between morels and trees are not well understood. Since morels often pop up under newly dead trees or after excavation or fire, some have theorized that the fungus produces a mushroom (essentially the fruiting body or the genitalia) as a response to an environmental threat. This has not been proven. Morels may appear every year in the same patches for decades, or one huge crop can appear once and nevermore. The mycelium, which is the threadlike primary underground structure of the fungus, may thrive in the soil for many years without producing mushrooms. They are interesting little fellers.
I love mushrooms but have never tried to cultivate them since I find far more than I can use in the woods and enjoy picking them there. There are many varieties that can be safely gathered and which are very good food. Maybe I will put together a longer post about a few of these.

Old Greenhorn

Well, as I said, I don't eat them, but I find them fascinating. I also am adding mushroom log supply as part of my very small business, so I know a bit about the logs and have contact with some very knowledgeable folks in that world. I am participating in an online seminar on Wednesday for growers. I am always looking for folks with hands on knowledge so I can pick their brain and learn more. Knowledge is power, right?
 Growing is getting popular around here, as are guided identification hikes. There are a few who make a full time living at it and many getting started each year. Cornell has a 'Small Farms' division that encourages and supports small farms to add this as an income stream to their existing operations. I guess that's where I fit in. It is certainly bio-friendly, but very labor intensive. My wife saw Shiitakes in the store yesterday for 10 bucks a pound. Seems cheap, wonder where they came from?
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

Skip

Morels + Steak =  smiley_clapping

Will.K

A few notes on edible mushrooms:

Morels seem to be the most prized and for good reason. They are easy to identify, uniquely flavorful, and versatile. Black morels are more delicate, fragrant and rich while white/yellow ones are more meaty. They are commonly dredged or battered and fried in butter, which is good of course, but obscures some of the flavor. I enjoy using them in egg or meat dishes, soups, sandwiches, pizzas or sauteed as a side. They dry easily and can be reconstituted or crumbled/ground dry as an excellent seasoning.

Chanterelles are another excellent food mushroom that is easy to identify. Some are concerned about confusion with the poisonous Jack-o-lantern, but the similarities are quite superficial. When cooked chanterelles are savory and somewhat fruity in flavor and fragrance. They dry well too.

Chicken of the woods aka sulphur shelf mushrooms grow on trees, are unmistakable, and can produce tremendous yields. Commonly the tender margins of the fruitbody can be trimmed off several times in a season. These mushrooms are slightly lemony, but generally neutral in flavor. They have a meaty texture and can be seasoned and served along with or substituting for meat.

Giant puffballs must be harvested when fresh, but are also a good neutral, substantial mushroom. They are easy to find and prepare. I like the slightly yeasty smell of them. For some reason I like them with biscuits and gravy.

Meadow mushrooms (Agaricus campestris) are often extremely abundant in late summer, and easily found in fields, lawns, parks, graveyards etc. While care must be taken when collecting any white mushrooms, these are easy to positively identify. They are similar in every respect to commercially sold white button mushrooms.

There are many other edible species, but these are some of the most delicious, productive, and easy to identify ones. I think I ate about fifteen species last year and truly enjoyed most of them. If anyone wants more specific identification advise on these or other mushroom species just ask. A very good book is Mushrooms of West Virginia and the Central Appalachians by William Roody.

Mike W

We pick morels, chanterelles, chicken of the woods, puff balls in early spring on our property, as the season progresses, we have a bunch of boletes (mostly birch) and lots of various jacks.  It's always a good time with the two sons in the woods and almost always end up with treats to boot ;D

Will.K

  Well, he is good and dead, 22 days after I found him. My finger is even dryer than the shriveled mushroom. I was surprised how long this specimen remained viable after it was up. It was still in good condition after 2 weeks and I suspect would have stayed good longer if it wasn't so dry. This year has been a little slow for morels, probably because of the dry weather. I found about 70 just now, these from a spot where I've found about 500 this season. Which isn't bad. But last year it yeilded over 3000.

 

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