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Morels Can’t be Trusted

April 15th, 2012

Morels can’t be trusted. They’ll be nowhere in sight when conditions are just perfect. You’ll hunt in the ideal places and end up scorned with nothing but an empty basket. Then another day they’ll throw themselves at your feet, carpeting the ground before you. They are fickle, wily tricksters. But, God help us, we’re totally shameless if our passionate pursuit of these little dimples darlings.

Connie Green
(The Wild Table: Seasonal Foraged Food and Recipes)




I’m wondering if we’ll have a morel season this year here at Chiot’s Run. I found three small mushrooms in the garden a few weeks ago, but no more have been spotted. I think the hot dry spell we had a few weeks ago may have made the mushrooms decide to take a year off.



Only time will tell if the morels will be up this year, they’re elusive that’s for sure, which is what makes them so great. I won’t write them off until mid-May, if I don’t have any by then I’ll know they’re taking the year off.

Have you ever eaten morels? Do you hunt them in your area?

26 Comments to “Morels Can’t be Trusted”
  1. Kathi Cook on April 15, 2012 at 6:53 am

    I am interested in foraging for them,but don’t know of any mushroom”hot spots” . I think just like a good fishing spot, good mushroom locations are kept as guarded secrets. I’ll have to read up on them and find my own good spot I guess.

    Reply to Kathi Cook's comment

    • Susy on April 15, 2012 at 7:56 am

      All of our spots we’ve just stumbled on by accident.

      Reply to Susy's comment

      • Little Homestead in the Village on April 15, 2012 at 12:06 pm

        Stumbling upon Morels is wonderful.

        Morels do grow in conjunction with certain plants/areas conditions. Morel hunters usually look for dead elms or ash/poplars or old apple trees. That said, I just met a woman who has morels growing near her sidewalk.

        to Little Homestead in the Village's comment

      • Susy on April 15, 2012 at 12:16 pm

        Yeah, and here they grow in the old gravel driveway out back – go figure!

        to Susy's comment

  2. Little Homestead in the Village on April 15, 2012 at 7:58 am

    I do go foraging for Morels and other edible fungi. Morels are my favorites. The season will soon be starting here in Central NY. I learned a good tip. Wash your Morels in a bowl of water (you’ll want to wash them as they may have a few bugs) then pour the water -along with any trimmings in your back yard. The water will contain spores and who knows but you just might be “seeding” for a future crop.

    Reply to Little Homestead in the Village's comment

    • Susy on April 15, 2012 at 8:42 am

      I always do this. Last year I even added some molasses and kept adding more water trying to get the spores to multiply.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  3. wendy on April 15, 2012 at 8:12 am

    This has been a hot topic at our house this weekend. I have been trying to get the husband to go out looking. They are like crack, what else could make you spend 8 hours in the woods, come back empty handed and go back out again the next day and the next and the next. We have a friend that has a secret spot he get pounds of them but he wont share his shrooms or the spot. Rumor is it’s an abandoned apple orchard. What cracks me up is my husband asked me to buy him camo pants & shirt for mushroom hunting. I guess it helps if the mushrooms don’t see you coming.

    Reply to wendy's comment

    • KimH on April 15, 2012 at 2:02 pm

      rofl.. best laugh I’ve had all day.. maybe all week. ;)

      Reply to KimH's comment

    • tj on April 15, 2012 at 3:59 pm

      …Sporting camo while mushroom hunting so mushrooms don’t see you coming – Priceless. *giggle*snort* :o)

      Reply to tj's comment

  4. Jennelle on April 15, 2012 at 8:19 am

    It wasn’t a good year for them here in southern WV. We usually have several in our backyard and we didn’t have a single one this year. And the Hubs only found 8 tiny ones at his no fail secret spot. I sure missed eating them this year.

    Reply to Jennelle's comment

  5. Allison on April 15, 2012 at 8:27 am

    People have mentioned a few times that we should have some since they like to grow in Orchards, however, we have yet to find any!

    Reply to Allison's comment

  6. Canned Quilter on April 15, 2012 at 8:51 am

    Here in Northern Missouri it has been a banner year for Morels. We have found a few in our flower beds but have managed to find several gallons in the woods so far.

    Reply to Canned Quilter's comment

  7. KimP on April 15, 2012 at 8:56 am

    We do! More often when we lived in a different area of the state, though. They are my husband’s favorite. Here in Central Oregon, we have discovered puffballs. One year we found several the size of large dinner plates! That was a very good year. :)

    Reply to KimP's comment

    • Susy on April 15, 2012 at 9:50 am

      I always think about harvesting puff balls when I see them, someday I will.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  8. Misti on April 15, 2012 at 9:36 am

    I’m jealous! I don’t know if we have any here in SE Texas, my guess is not. But, we did forage some on the AT when we hiked two years ago—excellent addition to our meals!

    Reply to Misti's comment

  9. Brooke - in Oregon on April 15, 2012 at 10:39 am

    Must be due to another wet Spring here in Southern Oregon, lots of morels to be found :)

    Reply to Brooke – in Oregon's comment

  10. Peggy on April 15, 2012 at 1:59 pm

    We had them in Alaska but it was only the two seasons after a forest fire (a common occurrence.) However up there harvesters come from all over the world to gather them and typically they are sold for quite a sum of money. Personally, I’m not too keen on them and my family dislikes them immensely. I picked for the joy of picking and usually gave away 2 or 3 grocery bags full to friends each year.

    Reply to Peggy's comment

  11. KimH on April 15, 2012 at 2:05 pm

    I’ve never had them, Oh horror, I know. I’ve just never had the opportunity.. Perhaps someday I shall..

    Reply to KimH's comment

  12. Debra on April 15, 2012 at 3:29 pm

    I have nit seen this here on the west coast but they look delicious. I think I’ll step up the research and if they are in area I sure hope to find some. Thanks for the pictures.

    Reply to Debra's comment

  13. tj on April 15, 2012 at 3:57 pm

    …Ah yes, the elusive, coveted, delicious morel mushroom. They’re our lil’ version of truffles. We have a friend who knows where to harvest boat loads of ’em and he’d give up his life before spilling the beans as to where their located. He sells ’em to chefs in downtown St. Louis and apparently makes a nice little sum of money from doing so.

    …I love ’em and so does my husband. We got a handful this year and that was it. I know whenever we eat ’em one word consistently pops into my head – “divine”. :o)

    …Have a great rest of the day!

    …Blessings :o)

    Reply to tj's comment

  14. judym on April 15, 2012 at 4:55 pm

    We love morels. When we were out yesterday, hubby almost went out hunting but it was getting late and he was all wet from the drizzles. May be some around here, haven’t checked. We do get puff balls all the time durng the summer. Not sure the best time to pick them – early on, I’m assuming??

    Reply to judym's comment

  15. Bonnie on April 15, 2012 at 7:58 pm

    I spent $15 for little packets of dehydrated, just in case. You can only find dehydrated ones seasonally too. Then easter sunday we went hunting and I brought a mess of them home.

    I’m thinking morels, my first homebrew, and some venison my brother-in-law gave will make a nice meal.

    Reply to Bonnie's comment

    • Susy on April 15, 2012 at 8:31 pm

      I LOVE morels with venison – that’s how we usually enjoy all the ones we find!

      Reply to Susy's comment

  16. Jay Miller on April 15, 2012 at 9:40 pm

    Had filet and morels for dinner, they’re up!

    Reply to Jay Miller's comment

  17. Maybelline on April 15, 2012 at 11:17 pm

    Nope. Never.

    Reply to Maybelline's comment

  18. Patricia from edible-landscape-design.com on April 18, 2012 at 6:46 pm

    Oh! They are so good sauteed in butter … yes, I’ve foraged for them before. Best mushroom ever!

    Reply to Patricia from edible-landscape-design.com's comment

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This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

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