P lang 51 Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 is anyone having any luck , i havent heard of to many people with monster mushroom storys lately . the last couple of seasons here in iowa have been pretty poor , we just cant seem to get the rain and the heat at the same time . so far this year we have only found 3 dozen or so and that doesnt last to long around here . if anybodys got some pics lets see them ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChileRelleno 7,071 Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 /me drools over fat morels. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
chevyman097 2,579 Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 what kind of mushrooms? Not the kind you can grow in the right conditions by chance? lol Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChileRelleno 7,071 Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 (edited) what kind of mushrooms? Not the kind you can grow in the right conditions by chance? lol Down here in LA, MS, AL & FL, we can just go for a walk in the nearest pasture. I know several people that pick 'anything' edible they find. They have a saying, "If it grows on dung, you're likely to get sprung!" Cow dung that is. Though the morels & dog peckers, don't bring nearly as much money as the magics do. Edited May 7, 2011 by ChileRelleno Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joe Barbosa 5 Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 I'm looking for some too that come in an 8th. LOL!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Marrok857 51 Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 I need to get out and try to find some. I dont know if its been warm enough at night..........Used to find morels 8-10 inches high at a secret spot my dad and I went to. Now its a damn housing project. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
P lang 51 Posted May 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 I need to get out and try to find some. I dont know if its been warm enough at night..........Used to find morels 8-10 inches high at a secret spot my dad and I went to. Now its a damn housing project /quote] i like it when they get that size , nothing like spotting them from 20 feet away . Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rdog1974 2 Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 You are finding mushrooms right now in May? I thought they were only really found in the late summer/fall time frame. the fall is the only time I have ever found them, Never found the morels, just chantrelles, "red heads" and "white mushroom" ...don't know the proper names of the last two. I'm in the north east. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rdog1974 2 Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 Here are a few... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
P lang 51 Posted May 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 Here are a few... Wow , I've never heard of those , I've never seen them around here ethier , how do you prepare them ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rdog1974 2 Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 The ones in the picture are a mix of the "red head' and "white mushroom" I believe the red heads are known as 'brick head bolets" here now that i did a bit of googling, and the white is known as a king bolet. we wash and flash boil them, then pan fry them w/butter, salt, pepper etc. We cook the chantrelles the same way. they are the best IMO. Hope to find some morels at some point, what do they like to live on/under, certain kind of trees? in the sun or shade? I need some tips. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
P lang 51 Posted May 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 We bread ours and fry them then salt and pepper , pretty similar to you . It's getting close to end of the season around here , but I've always been told the season works it's way north so it oughta be heading you're way . Most people say to look around elm trees, and I have found them around around elms, but Ive found them around about everything . Mostly hunt around dead trees , I look for standing dead trees that are turning silver with the bark peeling off . Another tip is to look on the south side of the hills , these morels really have to have the right combo of rain and heat at the right time of the year to pop. Once they're up they only last a couple three days or so before they dry out , but if you do find dry ones pick them anyhow take them home and put them in a bowl of water they'll re hydrate in a day and are still good . If you haven't heard of them before it makes me wonder if they grow up there , cause around here they're like gold . If you want to buy them at the farmers market they usually sell for around 30$ a pound and sometimes more but man are they good ! In years past I've found 30-40 pounds several times and they never go to waste when the whole family comes around to eat,m ! I'd check the web and see if others in you're area have them , I don't know how to describe they're flavor cause these are the only ones I eat , all I can say is youre missing out on something good , good luck hunting , hope you find some !! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Marrok857 51 Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 i like it when they get that size , nothing like spotting them from 20 feet away . No kidding. I just cut mine up, soak em in salt water for a few, then cookin em up in butter, or mixed in hamburger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shades_of_grey 1,092 Posted May 8, 2011 Report Share Posted May 8, 2011 I just picked these today: Mmmmmm..mmmmmmmm do they look good! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
volkov 318 Posted May 8, 2011 Report Share Posted May 8, 2011 lots of stuff grows around here, I don't know if any of it's edible.. We mostly get these big white ones with really thin stalks. I'll have to post some pics next time I see em. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sunnybean 939 Posted May 8, 2011 Report Share Posted May 8, 2011 One of the many benefits of knowing where the fires were from the previous year. The Mrs. and I usually ride the bikes to places that aren't too far off the main road to hunt for morels. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
IndyArms 10,186 Posted May 8, 2011 Report Share Posted May 8, 2011 I dont have many morels around here... and the only others I would TRUST to eat are the giant puffballs, and some orange and yellow shitty looking stucc that grows on logs that tastes like lemon... Thats it... no liver failure or kidney failure for ME thanks... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
P lang 51 Posted May 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2011 One of the many benefits of knowing where the fires were from the previous year. The Mrs. and I usually ride the bikes to places that aren't too far off the main road to hunt for morels. wow sunny youre having alot better luck than i am , thats a pretty fair sized batch there , you said somthing about fires the year before is that where youre finding these ? if so when it comes time to burn the ditchs next spring im gonna go crazy with my weed burner ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Deadeye 325 Posted May 8, 2011 Report Share Posted May 8, 2011 I like to find the matzatakies in the high cascades during bow elk season. they go real well with elk meat. I think they are better than morells. you have to find them early before the worms get in them. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sunnybean 939 Posted May 8, 2011 Report Share Posted May 8, 2011 (edited) j lang, Yes we have the best luck finding morels in areas that were burned the previous year. I'm not sure about finding them in ditches. We're surrounded by timber. That is where we go. Most of the time we find them in the higher intensity burns. We've poked around in the prescribed fire areas but those are usually managed for less intense fire so we don't find much. Last year we had a Rx fire blow up and go big. That is where we will be looking in a month or so. The photos that I posted there were from last seasons harvest. We had a fire about 15 miles west of town in 2009. It was well know (threatened to burn into town on a 60 mph wind day) and right off the highway. So, there were a lot of folks out looking for morels. Because my crew put the lines in on the lower end of the of the fire, I took the wife down there. This was too far for most people to walk (and it really wasn't that far). You can see that it paid off. Oh, BTW, that is only half of the haul. We came back the next day and got that same amount again! With a successful elk season and a decent year for crops from the garden, we have been eating well on our own food. Edited May 8, 2011 by sunnybean Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sunnybean 939 Posted May 8, 2011 Report Share Posted May 8, 2011 Forgot to mention, after last year the dehydrator fan was full of spores. I scraped them off into a bed in the garden. We have a Big Green Egg that takes natural lump charcoal. So, I have been dumping some of the ashes and charcoal onto the area where the spores went. We'll see if it produces anything or not. I'm proud of this garden, so here's a photo. Everything is in but the maters. Actually, today we picked spinach which is the first produce of the year (besides chives). Growing conditions here leave a lot to be desired. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
P lang 51 Posted May 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2011 Forgot to mention, after last year the dehydrator fan was full of spores. I scraped them off into a bed in the garden. We have a Big Green Egg that takes natural lump charcoal. So, I have been dumping some of the ashes and charcoal onto the area where the spores went. We'll see if it produces anything or not. I'm proud of this garden, so here's a photo. Everything is in but the maters. Actually, today we picked spinach which is the first produce of the year (besides chives). Growing conditions here leave a lot to be desired. Cool , looks like a well organized operation , I love growing my own grocerys , I guessing by the boxs and you're statement about the growing conditions , you had to bring in some better soil , that's one thing we don't worry about around here , that's a great idea with the spores , I had a guy tell me the other day he just flicked the morels over a piece of news paper to collect the spores then buried it 1/2 " deep. He also said it took 2-3 years for the set up to produce but he does it every year and has great luck with it . Sounds good in theory but i haven't done any research to back this up . Also , I noticed mountains in you're pics , already figured the Beverly hills thing was some sort of joke, so I had to google it , funny ! My girl friend prides herself on keeping up with all the holly wood drama , especially the bunnys and Hugh she missed that one ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
volkov 318 Posted May 9, 2011 Report Share Posted May 9, 2011 Forgot to mention, after last year the dehydrator fan was full of spores. I scraped them off into a bed in the garden. We have a Big Green Egg that takes natural lump charcoal. So, I have been dumping some of the ashes and charcoal onto the area where the spores went. We'll see if it produces anything or not. I'm proud of this garden, so here's a photo. Everything is in but the maters. Actually, today we picked spinach which is the first produce of the year (besides chives). Growing conditions here leave a lot to be desired. Looks good, whats up with all that empty land though? One of the weirder things I've seen in a neighborhood. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sunnybean 939 Posted May 9, 2011 Report Share Posted May 9, 2011 Thanks guys. Its a labor of love but it pays off all year long. The open land is 7 ac. We are right on the edge of town. The 7 ac is split in half with horses on it. They owners had plans to subdivide it into nine lots but now the laws regarding minimum lot size for septic systems has changed and they can't sell. Once we're annexed into the city I'm sure they will sell. Our hope is to have the house paid off by then and buy the two lots directly behind us. Then, well start the fruit tree growing operation on a large® scale. For, now I'm happy with the horses. 'Cows not Condos' right? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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