# Mushrooms



## JohnT (Oct 26, 2015)

Eating wild mushrooms scares the heck out of me. I know that there are some mushrooms that are toxic and will kill you (and doctors can do nothing about it). 

I figured that I would ask you folks. These mushrooms look like they are yummy, but need expert advice before I even think of eating them...

Are these edible??? Here are the top and bottom views...


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## Rocky (Oct 26, 2015)

JohnT, that is something I just don't mess with. Lots of downside to a bad decision. My father-in-law used to pick wild mushrooms but he knew what he was looking for, I don't. He also used to put a dime (silver back then) in contact with them and if it turned black, the mushrooms were either good or bad, I don't remember which. I find all the mushrooms I need at Giant Eagle and Kroger.


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## JohnT (Oct 26, 2015)

I contacted the NJ Mycological Society. They said that it was Suillus Luteus and was edible provided that you peel them.


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## wineforfun (Oct 26, 2015)

JohnT said:


> but need expert advice before I even think of eating them...



John, serioulsy? You are asking a winemaking message board for "expert advice" on a wild mushroom?

You did the smartest thing by contacting the NJ Mycological Society.


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## JohnT (Oct 26, 2015)

wineforfun said:


> John, serioulsy? You are asking a winemaking message board for "expert advice" on a wild mushroom?
> 
> You did the smartest thing by contacting the NJ Mycological Society.


 

Hey, we deal with fungi all the time  

Seriously, I posted this while waiting for the NJMS to get back to me. You never know if there is a person that is very familiar with mushrooms on this forum....


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## Boatboy24 (Oct 26, 2015)

JohnT said:


> I ...provided that you peel them.



Sounds like a lot of work to me.


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## sour_grapes (Oct 26, 2015)

JohnT said:


> I contacted the NJ Mycological Society. They said that it was Suillus Luteus and was edible provided that you peel them.



Thanks for reminding me, John. I _just_ learned about the Wisconsin Mycological Soc., and intended to join. (They do frequent forays and mushroom-themed dinner gatherings.) Prompted by you, I just joined them!


Do you understand why I am posting this smilie:  ?


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## wineinmd (Oct 26, 2015)

Mushroom cloud? Is there more to it than that? Wine makes you gassy and want to smoke?


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## sour_grapes (Oct 26, 2015)

wineinmd said:


> Mushroom cloud? Is there more to it than that?



Nope, that is all there is to it! I guess I am a simple man.


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## wineinmd (Oct 26, 2015)

sour_grapes said:


> Nope, that is all there is to it! I guess I am a simple man.


Haha. No one would ever accuse me of being deep, so I can commiserate. 

Who knew there was a really long drinking/smoking/mushroom cloud smilie?


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## JohnT (Oct 27, 2015)

SG, 

I, for one, found that appropriate and funny!


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## newBendOrfanatic (Oct 27, 2015)

Mushroom hunting is almost as enjoyable as making wine. Great exercise. Great table fare. 

As was noted, the mycological societies and mushroom clubs are a must for the beginning mushroom hunter. Even with a good introduction to the hobby as through club forays, it is a good idea to check your finds with an expert.

Never eat a mushroom that you aren't 100% sure of the ID. It is far better to overcook than undercooked mushrooms, and, for a lot of people, it is good to refrain from alcohol consumption with mushroom meals. Always test a small sample of the mushroom even with positive ID. 

Given that, it is an incredibly enjoyable hobby. This autumn has absolutely sucked for harvest on the dry side of the Cascade Mountains in Oregon, but the mushrooming has still been fun.


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## JohnT (Oct 28, 2015)

newBendOrfanatic said:


> Always test a small sample of the mushroom even with positive ID.


 
Thanks for the response. How would you test a small sample?


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## sour_grapes (Oct 28, 2015)

JohnT said:


> Thanks for the response. How would you test a small sample?


 
Feed it to a small child! ::


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## newBendOrfanatic (Oct 28, 2015)

I do a simple frying pan cook of a small portion, and eat a tablespoon sized sample the day prior to my planned meal even though I am already certain of the ID with any new type of mushroom. 

I do stick to the basic edibles such as matsutake, chanterelles, hedgehogs and boletes. My favorite mushrom, the morel, no longer agrees with my digestive system at all. On occasion, I will bring home some other edibles, but I target just my basic favorites.

The final rule of mushroom hunting is that one never gives up the secret hunting spots. Lol. Twenty years ago it was a productive rule. Now there are so many mushroomers out there that secret spots don't exist. I have been asked to lead forays by the local club, but I still can't give up my hunting areas. Lol.


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## JohnT (Nov 2, 2015)

This weekend we attended the NJ Mycological society's fungus fest. It was very informative, but now they have scared me away from the hobby.. 

They had a lecture on techniques use to ID a mushroom. the differences are amazingly subtle. The lecturer also said that you should never eat a mushroom that you are not 100% positive on. 

I do not believe that I would ever be 100% positive on any mushroom given how subtle the differences can be! 

To cap things off, the lecturer explained that overconfidence is a problem with even experienced shroomers. He told the story of one expert that picked a whole bunch of mushrooms and miss one that was actually a "Destroying Angel" mushroom (one of, if not the most toxic mushrooms in North America). They say that the funeral was nice. 

I think that, instead of mushrooming, I will look into cultivating my own mushrooms. This way, I can be 100% sure that I wont die!


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## newBendOrfanatic (Nov 2, 2015)

I do feel totally safe harvesting a targeted mushroom such as a golden chanterelle. Going on a foray with a mycological society or a mushroom club with experts and targeting specific types of mushrooms should be safe. 

I would not feel safe cultivating my own mushrooms unless I had perfect control over the cultivation environment particularly with a couple of the commonly cultivated species. Strange, but true from my perspective.


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## newBendOrfanatic (Nov 2, 2015)

For myself, there is a comparison between winemaking and mushroom foraging. I am totally confident picking a Boletus edulis from a mushroom hunt. On the other hand, I am totally paranoid of shattering a carboy or bottle bombs. The pasteurization of bottled cider is something that scares the holy crap out of me. Lol.


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## jswordy (Nov 2, 2015)

When I lived up North, I hunted mushrooms every spring. These are the only ones I would hunt or eat. Morels, or sponge mushrooms. There is no mistaking them for something poisonous and they are delicious fried up in butter alone or with a light breading. Perfect with a nice steak and a glass of red.





JohnT, I know you are in New Jersey, so...

http://www.morels.com/forums/forum/new-jersey/

They are much harder to find down South and hit or miss. I have never seen one here. I miss them!

It used to be that the only way you could get these was to hunt them. Now I understand they have had some success cultivating them as a crop. But they are extremely rare commercially.


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## ceeaton (Nov 2, 2015)

So what is the morel of this story?

(Sorry, just couldn't resist. I'm just happy I feel good enough today to enjoy a glass of blackberry wine and actually taste the blackberries!)


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## JohnT (Nov 3, 2015)

Too funny CEEATON! 

I think that I may try to do a little hunting for some morels. I see that they like certain types of woods. I can at least check out my "back 40" and also my father's place. I have eaten morels (store bought) a couple of times and simply love them!


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## sour_grapes (Nov 3, 2015)

jswordy said:


> These are the only ones I would hunt or eat. Morels, or sponge mushrooms. There is no mistaking them for something poisonous and they are delicious fried up in butter alone or with a light breading. Perfect with a nice steak and a glass of red.



Agreed! They are one of Clyde Christensen's (and David Arora's updated) "fool-proof four." I like 'em!


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## JohnT (Nov 3, 2015)

I just learned about the "fool-proof" four... 

Apparently, it is not so fool-proof. There is a "false-morel" that may or may not make you sick.


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## ffemt128 (Nov 3, 2015)

My cousin looks for Morel's every year in Somerset County, PA. She has a few spots she checks regularly.


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## jswordy (Nov 3, 2015)

JohnT said:


> I just learned about the "fool-proof" four...
> 
> Apparently, it is not so fool-proof. There is a "false-morel" that may or may not make you sick.



JohnT, I have been hunting morels for over 50 years. I have eaten thousands and thousands of these mushrooms, since I was a little kid. I have NEVER become ill. My sister is the hunter champ. She collects around a thousand per season. She has never been ill, nor any of her family. So I don't know your source, but whatever. I'll keep on doing it, if I can ever find some down here in the South.


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## JohnT (Nov 3, 2015)

jswordy said:


> JohnT, I have been hunting morels for over 50 years. I have eaten thousands and thousands of these mushrooms, since I was a little kid. I have NEVER become ill. My sister is the hunter champ. She collects around a thousand per season. She has never been ill, nor any of her family. So I don't know your source, but whatever. I'll keep on doing it, if I can ever find some down here in the South.


 

Thanks! this is what I need.. reassurance! 

Any tips on the best areas to hunt? Any tell-tale signs saying "morels may be here" that you can recommend??


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## sour_grapes (Nov 3, 2015)

JohnT said:


> I just learned about the "fool-proof" four...
> 
> Apparently, it is not so fool-proof. There is a "false-morel" that may or may not make you sick.



Puts me in mind of this quote:



> Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning.
> 
> --Rick Cook, The Wizardry Compiled


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## sour_grapes (Nov 3, 2015)

JohnT said:


> Thanks! this is what I need.. reassurance!
> 
> Any tips on the best areas to hunt? Any tell-tale signs saying "morels may be here" that you can recommend??



Base of a dead tree. Traditionally, dead elm trees, but that may be too specific.


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## sour_grapes (Nov 3, 2015)

sour_grapes said:


> Puts me in mind of this quote:




Oh, upon re-reading, I fear my comment could be misinterpreted. I was certainly NOT referring to anyone here as a fool or an idiot!! Just thinking about the fact that the term "foolproof" depends somewhat on the foolishness of the user!!


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## Steve_M (Nov 3, 2015)

I pity the fool!


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## JohnT (Nov 3, 2015)

I did not take anything negative from your comment. I do not think that anyone else would either. You're good!


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## jswordy (Nov 3, 2015)

JohnT said:


> Thanks! this is what I need.. reassurance!
> 
> Any tips on the best areas to hunt? Any tell-tale signs saying "morels may be here" that you can recommend??



In the Midwest, we found them in oak and elm forests and also along fallen limbs and trunks that had begun to decay. They sometimes push up under leaves, so you have to look closely since the leaf will be partly covering the mushroom.

Here is how it works. You will look and look and look and not see a thing. Then you will find one, and suddenly you will see them all around you. I remember being 8 or 9 and hunting with Dad. I was getting whiny about all the walking I was doing and not finding any. Dad had found a few. 

So I'm standing there whining, and Dad is getting tired of me whining. He says, "You gotta LOOK! You're standing right on one!"

Looked down at my foot, and right alongside it was a morel. Bent down to pick it, and by the time I stood up I had seen 8 or 10 more, all around me. We picked that site good, that day.

That's just kinda how it works.

My sister had a place right outside her door, practically, where they came up reliably every year by the grocery sack full.

They come in a couple sizes, smaller gray ones and larger yellow ones. I have seen some HUGE mushrooms.

So happy hunting next spring! You already know how delicious they are.


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## jswordy (Nov 3, 2015)

P.S., they freeze well.


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## quiltertoo (Nov 3, 2015)

When my father was alive he had several secret places to get morels. Now those places are subdivisions. My brother was so good at finding morels that we swore he could smell them. When we bought 15 acres in the country I had high hopes for finding them. Lots of places that looked perfect for them. After searching for several years and having my brother tell me I just wasn't seeing them I invited him to a mushroom hunt. He didn't find one mushroom. After that I decided I didn't have any morels on my property. I haven't been hunting since then. But every spring I am green with envy when I hear of someone who has picked a grocery sack full.


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## jswordy (Nov 3, 2015)

quiltertoo said:


> When my father was alive he had several secret places to get morels. Now those places are subdivisions. My brother was so good at finding morels that we swore he could smell them. When we bought 15 acres in the country I had high hopes for finding them. Lots of places that looked perfect for them. After searching for several years and having my brother tell me I just wasn't seeing them I invited him to a mushroom hunt. He didn't find one mushroom. After that I decided I didn't have any morels on my property. I haven't been hunting since then. But every spring I am green with envy when I hear of someone who has picked a grocery sack full.



I miss them so much, I have been tempted to seed some...

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=morel+spores


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## jswordy (Nov 3, 2015)

JohnT, you might find this of interest as a beginning hunter.

http://www.appalachianfeet.com/2010/04/16/how-to-train-your-eyes-to-spot-morels-photo-essay/

http://www.mushroommountain.com/mushroom_hunting/morels.asp


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## quiltertoo (Nov 3, 2015)

Jim 
I didn't know you could do that. Now I'm thinking where is the best spot to plant some.

Mary Lou


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## JohnT (Nov 4, 2015)

Jim, 

Thanks so much for the info! 

I am looking into one of these "Morel Innoculation" kits. I figured that it is worth a try.


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## olusteebus (Nov 4, 2015)

You can eat any mushroom you find but if you are not sure, just eat a little of it at first. That way, you will only go a little crazy. How bad could it be?


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## montanaWineGuy (Nov 4, 2015)

There are 3 types of Mushrooms.

1. Those that you can eat
2. Those that will make you dead
3. Those that will make you wish you were dead.


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## JohnT (Nov 6, 2015)

IT CAME!!!! 

My morel mushroom kit! 

I read the instructions, and already have a spot (in a wooded area) already picked out. I just need to come up with some good organic matter to mix into the soil. The instructions say that I should not use already composted material, just organic matter. I was thinking of using crushed leaves, chunks of bark and rotten sticks.

This is worth a try! I figure that the kit costs $30 and at best I can expect a couple of POUNDS of morels in late may. I will keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best. 

This seems like a great solution, if it works. The Wife has outright refused to eat mushrooms that I forage. I guess my working "is you life insurance paid up" into the mushroom hunting conversation didn't help..  

She said that she will not have a problem if I cultivate them. I actually had her smile over the though of sautéed morels to go with a nice tender steak.

I plan on putting in my mushroom garden this weekend. The instructions say that the mushrooms can be seeded any time when the soil is not frozen (spring, summer, or fall). It has been in the 70's this week, so the soil is definitely not frozen.

I will post pictures.. Wish me luck!


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## montanaWineGuy (Nov 6, 2015)

Sounds great. I've been out looking for Morels, and they are damn hard to find in the wild.


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## Deezil (Nov 6, 2015)

JohnT said:


> IT CAME!!!!
> 
> My morel mushroom kit!
> 
> ...



Here John, maybe this will help

http://www.themushroompatch.com/pdf_instructions/Morel_Mushroom_Patch.pdf

In that PDF, they mention a soil mix of sorts.. Peat moss is cheap, from Home Depot or Lowes; Gypsum is pretty cheap but I would get that at a nursery, even though they have it at Home Depot (I get picky about putting lawn-grade stuff on food-grade "soil").. 

Neat little tip about letting them sit for a week, too; I didnt know that one.


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## cmason1957 (Nov 6, 2015)

morel mushroom kit, I think I just found an unusual Christmas/birthday gift for my wife. HUMMMM!!


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## jswordy (Nov 6, 2015)

JohnT:

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTFugHA2WaI[/ame]

http://www.morels.com/forums/topic/morel-cultivation-holy-grail-and-other-mushroom-cultivation/

Want spores, folks?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/135-g-LIVE-...ms-/141702747469?_trksid=p2141725.m3641.l6368

For organics, people really like hardwood sawdust, if you can find it. They also report better success after mixing in some wood ash, since morels frequently fruit after forest fires. Then there is an interesting theory about freezing the spores before putting them out, and how that forces earlier fruiting. Have fun!


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## jswordy (Nov 6, 2015)

Oh yeah, if you can understand Chinese, this guy has been doing it for 30 years!

http://sannong.cntv.cn/program/lczx/20120420/114402.shtml


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## JohnT (Nov 9, 2015)

I planted my mushroom spores on Saturday. 

I first made a mix of top soil, peat moss, some hard wood ash (from my fireplace), some ground up oak leaves and some oak twigs broken into tiny pieces. 

I mixed it well then added the mushroom spores. I mixed it well again, then spread it all out into a nice 4 X 4 inch area, 8 inches deep. 

I then watered it well, then covered it with a thin layer of leaves, and added just a few bigger oak sticks on top. 

I am looking forward to having fresh morels. I hope that this works. I guess will just have to wait until May to find out....


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## montanaWineGuy (Nov 9, 2015)

JohnT said:


> I am looking forward to having fresh morels. I hope that this works. I guess will just have to wait until May to find out....



I wouldn't be able to wait. I'd go look at it, the ground, every day.


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## jswordy (Nov 11, 2015)

JohnT said:


> I planted my mushroom spores on Saturday.
> 
> I first made a mix of top soil, peat moss, some hard wood ash (from my fireplace), some ground up oak leaves and some oak twigs broken into tiny pieces.
> 
> ...



Uh, don't you mean 4 by 4 FOOT area? I'm ordering some today. Gonna wildcraft it under leaves in my woods. We'll see in a year or two or up to 10, which is what it takes sometimes. Keep us posted on yours!


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## JohnT (Nov 11, 2015)

jswordy said:


> Uh, don't you mean 4 by 4 FOOT area? I'm ordering some today. Gonna wildcraft it under leaves in my woods. We'll see in a year or two or up to 10, which is what it takes sometimes. Keep us posted on yours!


 
Yup, FEET, my bad..

interested in seeing if just wildcatting it works. Simply sprinkle the medium around some trees and cover with leaves. 

Definitely gonna you guys posted.!


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## jswordy (Nov 12, 2015)

The mycelia are on their way.


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## JohnT (Nov 12, 2015)

jswordy said:


> The mycelia are on their way.


 
That's great Jim. Good luck to us both!


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## cintipam (Nov 12, 2015)

Jim and John T, I'm really interested in your results. If it goes well I'd like to try it myself, so pls keep us posted. when the time comes I'd like to know who you bought from and if you had any delivery problems. The linkpage on ebay stated they come from the Ukraine, and buyer could be responsible to taxes coming into any other country. Great feedback, but a scary long distance wartorn source.

Pam in cinti


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## jswordy (Nov 12, 2015)

Pam, what'll be interesting to me is that John and I are going to be using two different methods in two very different weather pattern areas of the country. If you look at the Grow Morels video, that guy is in Kansas and all he does is buy a very small amount of morel, then propagate it. He has had astounding results with a very low-tech technique.

So it is going to be an interesting experiment. I know that if I do not get them out now, I will run out of moisture by late spring here. So hoping for the best. I am going to almost literally strew them around my small woods near a wet-weather creek. It won't be quite haphazard, but it will be wildcrafting.

So, we shall see. I am told in some cases it can take up to 10 years for even actively growing mycelium to fruit. I hope doing this going into winter helps things along.

My stuff is due Nov. 24 to Dec. 7... I hope it comes while I am off for Thanksgiving. That would be perfect.

I would also like to reorder sometime and try propagating the package further before planting. Or I might try that with fruits, if I get any.


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## quiltertoo (Nov 12, 2015)

Jim
I had the same idea. We have several acres of woods, mostly oak with some ash and hickory and I thought if I could find a spot in the woods within reach of a hose it would probably a good place to try. My other possibility is under a large apple tree that has limbs reaching almost to the ground. I will have to wait to next year to plant though.

Mary Lou


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## jswordy (Nov 28, 2015)

Got my mycelium yesterday from the Urkraine. Today is 65 degrees and cloudy with a 90% chance of rain tonight and 100% tomorrow. I dug some partially decayed mulch out of the mulch pile and planted mushrooms in four spots: 1.) In two spots under a big oak in the pasture, right in the crook where the roots splay out from the trunk. 2.) Near a fallen log where leaves pile up. 3.) In a nice area of oak bark, branches and leaf debris where a 300-year-old oak had to be cut 2 years ago.

I simply raked the leaves back to the loam, broke up and sprinkled the mycelium, then covered it with a thin layer of the compost mixed with ashes from the wood stove. Then I lightly scooped the leaves back by hand.

Dadgum fire ants had gotten in the mulch pile, so my hands got bit up pretty good the first time. (It's a Southern thing, so far...)

So JohnT, we'll see what we get! 

I have half a mind next year to just let them fruit out (if they do) and scatter spores rather than picking many. But I might pick a few and propagate them in slurry like the guy in the video did. 

BTW, when you pick yours, I was taught not to pull them up by the "root" just pluck them off and leave the "stump." It'll make your patch bear over more years that way, they say. That's why guys have these secret spots they go to every year...


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## jswordy (Nov 28, 2015)

quiltertoo said:


> Jim
> I had the same idea. We have several acres of woods, mostly oak with some ash and hickory and I thought if I could find a spot in the woods within reach of a hose it would probably a good place to try. My other possibility is under a large apple tree that has limbs reaching almost to the ground. I will have to wait to next year to plant though.
> 
> Mary Lou



As long as your ground is not frozen, this is the time to plant. They can handle cold, in fact theory says that makes them fruit better.


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## jswordy (Mar 13, 2016)

We have had temps in the 60s and 70s here for about 10 days, so I checked my planting sites. No joy yet. Not a fail yet, either, since I have not found mushrooms of any kind while out scouting. Early in the season.


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## JohnT (Mar 14, 2016)

Funny you should post that. I checked out my plantings. Nothing yet (which is ok since they said that the mushrooms should not appear until May). 

One thing I did notice that made me very concerned is that some form of local wildlife has been digging around in my mushroom bed. I hope that the damage was not too bad.


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## Arne (Mar 14, 2016)

Many years ago we were out looking for them. None to be found. Had a slight rain shower came thru, not even enough to get your shirt wet. You could watch them come up. My hearing was way better them, a leaf on the ground would make a small noise and look that way and watch the mushroom (morel) come out of the ground. Only took a few seconds for them to get big enough to see. Just that one time, have never seen it again . Arne.


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## Arne (Mar 14, 2016)

JohnT said:


> Funny you should post that. I checked out my plantings. Nothing yet (which is ok since they said that the mushrooms should not appear until May).
> 
> One thing I did notice that made me very concerned is that some form of local wildlife has been digging around in my mushroom bed. I hope that the damage was not too bad.



Scrounging in your stash. Btw, deer love them. Used to find many many stumps that the deer ate the tops off.


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## JohnT (Mar 14, 2016)

Arne said:


> Scrounging in your stash. Btw, deer love them. Used to find many many stumps that the deer ate the tops off.


 

I figured that it might either be deer or a groundhog. 

Must have been deer. We have a huge population here. Too many Pita fans and not enough hunters.


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## danr (Mar 14, 2016)

This comes from Peterson Field Guide for Mushroooms,under morels-" all species are considered edible after cooking by some people,but bell morels(Verpa)do cause poisoning(see caution)*
also morels in the genus Morchella occasionally are responsible for some poisoning,particularly when eaten with alcoholic beverages.
*some Verpas are poisonous,particularly when eaten over over a period of several days...
Some people are more sensitive(not shure if right word)and cannot eat mushrooms others can.


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## JohnT (Mar 16, 2016)

danr said:


> This comes from Peterson Field Guide for Mushroooms,under morels-" all species are considered edible after cooking by some people,but bell morels(Verpa)do cause poisoning(see caution)*
> also morels in the genus Morchella occasionally are responsible for some poisoning,particularly when eaten with alcoholic beverages.
> *some Verpas are poisonous,particularly when eaten over over a period of several days...
> Some people are more sensitive(not shure if right word)and cannot eat mushrooms others can.


 
Thanks, but I thing that I am safe since I am farming them using a mushroom starter that I planted back in November.


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## danr (Mar 17, 2016)

JohnT said:


> Thanks, but I thing that I am safe since I am farming them using a mushroom starter that I planted back in November.



I'm shure your safe-just thought I'd point out the alcohol angle to those who forage


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## Arne (Mar 17, 2016)

Must have been deer. We have a huge population here. Too many Pita fans and not enough hunters.[/QUOTE]

Thin the herd and BBQ. Give you an excuse to open a jug of wine. (After Easter of course. Only a little over a week to go.) Wine and venison. Life is good. Arne.


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## JohnT (Mar 17, 2016)

Last fall, I attended "Fungus Fest" (is it any wonder why I am not popular with the ladies?). The had a great lecture on foraging. The speaker told this story of an expert with 20 years experience that picked a bunch of white mushrooms that he thought was safe. As it turns out, one of the mushrooms was an Angel Destroyer which was deadly and ended up killing him. 

I was with my two brothers. We both looked at each other and realized that there was NO WAY we were going to forage for mushrooms.

We opted to get mushroom starters and farm them instead. Planted mine last November and have my fingers crossed that I will actually end up with something.


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## Super8Ball (Mar 19, 2016)

This has been an interesting thread. I agree foraging is a bit too scary, but one of these I would like to grow mushrooms. I used to work with a guy who collected office grounds from our office to grow mushrooms in buckets, I would probably do something like this.


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## Tnuscan (Mar 20, 2016)

JohnT said:


> Last fall, I attended "Fungus Fest" (is it any wonder why I am not popular with the ladies?). The had a great lecture on foraging. The speaker told this story of an expert with 20 years experience that picked a bunch of white mushrooms that he thought was safe. As it turns out, one of the mushrooms was an Angel Destroyer which was deadly and ended up killing him.
> 
> I was with my two brothers. We both looked at each other and realized that there was NO WAY we were going to forage for mushrooms.
> 
> We opted to get mushroom starters and farm them instead. Planted mine last November and have my fingers crossed that I will actually end up with something.



I ate some mushrooms in the early 80's and I think I saw things that wasn't really there. Hello, hello, hello is there anybody out there, just nod if you can hear me... And this was in Texas,... Willie you still out there?


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## JohnT (Mar 20, 2016)

Tnuscan said:


> I ate some mushrooms in the early 80's and I think I saw things that wasn't really there. Hello, hello, hello is there anybody out there, just nod if you can hear me... And this was in Texas,... Willie you still out there?



Just nod if you can hear me....


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## Floandgary (Mar 20, 2016)

JohnT said:


> I figured that it might either be deer or a groundhog.
> 
> Must have been deer. We have a huge population here. Too many Pita fans and not enough hunters.



Not tryin' to be a smart a** but I'm a Pita lover!! Goes good with a lot of things! It's those crazy PETA Nuts that leave a bad taste in your mouth


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## Floandgary (Mar 20, 2016)

Tnuscan said:


> I ate some mushrooms in the early 80's and I think I saw things that wasn't really there. Hello, hello, hello is there anybody out there, just nod if you can hear me... And this was in Texas,... Willie you still out there?



Sorry Dave,,, Huge PF fan... ",,,is there anybody IN there? just nod,,," Comfortably Numb ,,, a good place to be


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## Tnuscan (Mar 20, 2016)

Floandgary said:


> Sorry Dave,,, Huge PF fan... ",,,is there anybody IN there? just nod,,," Comfortably Numb ,,, a good place to be



Yes thanks G, sorry the "out there" was a personal joke going back 34 years ago. Had a great friend that would have understood the "out there" if He read it, and remembered it. He lived way "out there" in the middle of nowhere in Texas. Was just fishing  in times past. While enjoying a bottle of wine. Thought it would be cool if he (Willie) replied. Stranger things have happened. We would jump the railroad tracks up from his place. When my old Nova hit the ground sparks would fly. lol


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## Floandgary (Mar 21, 2016)

Tnuscan said:


> Yes thanks G, sorry the "out there" was a personal joke going back 34 years ago. Had a great friend that would have understood the "out there" if He read it, and remembered it. He lived way "out there" in the middle of nowhere in Texas. Was just fishing  in times past. While enjoying a bottle of wine. Thought it would be cool if he (Willie) replied. Stranger things have happened. We would jump the railroad tracks up from his place. When my old Nova hit the ground sparks would fly. lol



I'm quite sure that there were MANY of us "out there" somewhere creating memorable times. Actually the phrase "is there anybody OUT there?" is a part of the infamous "Wall" production!!


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## JohnT (Mar 21, 2016)

Floandgary said:


> Not tryin' to be a smart a** but I'm a Pita lover!! Goes good with a lot of things! It's those crazy PETA Nuts that leave a bad taste in your mouth


 

Freakin' spell checker. Every time I try to post something using my cell phone, I end up re-type things over and over again. Rather frustrating!


I am a big PF fan, but prefer the older stuff.. Animals, wish you were here, Have a Cigar.. 

Dark side of the moon and the wall have been sooo over played!!! 

Best lyric: We're just two lost souls swimming in a fishbowl, year after year..


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## jswordy (Apr 5, 2016)

I've been wild harvesting morels for 50 years and never have had a problem, except with getting enough of them. They are the most easily recognizable mushroom out there. Internet "experts" will go on and on about "false morels" and how they'll kill you, blah, blah, blah. It is easy to ID a morel once you have seen one.

JohnT, you are much farther north than me. Our season starts end of March and runs maybe until the third or fourth week in April down here. I have seen no mushrooms from what I planted, nor have I found any so far this year in the wild.

Here's a spot like so many I have checked, that my instincts tell me should be covered up in mushrooms. Six inches of moist black oak leaf litter loam and a rotting downed tree. Nope!





I'll check back again at these places in anther week. We are due some rain mid-week here.


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## JohnT (Apr 5, 2016)

I am not sure about when the Morel season is up here, but I have been told that it is in May. 

This morning, it was 24 degrees, so winter is not quite over.


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## Arne (Apr 7, 2016)

The little wild violets are blooming in my yard. That has traditionally been when you can find them. Think we are going to need some moisture first, tho. Hope they pop up soon. Arne.


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## JohnT (Apr 7, 2016)

If they do, some pictures would be nice....


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## jswordy (Apr 7, 2016)

JohnT, morels won't grow until the soil temps reach 58 degrees F. 

Here's the current sightings map. No sightings by me yet, unfortunately.





Yesterday, I got permission to hunt about 50 acres of a neighbor's woods, so I hope to do that this weekend. We got a ton of rain last night, and it is sunny now, so...

And I will take pix if I ever find some.


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## JohnT (Apr 8, 2016)

Thanks JS! 

Looks like it has not quite hit my area yet, but I will keep my eye out for them!


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## jswordy (May 2, 2016)

Any luck with your patch, JohnT? Mine did not fruit.

I tromped all over and did not see one morel. Saw lots of other mushrooms, but no morels. It was just not consistently moist enough this year, I guess.


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## JohnT (May 2, 2016)

No luck here either. Been checking every day.


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## jswordy (May 5, 2016)

JohnT said:


> No luck here either. Been checking every day.



Sometimes it takes 2 years or more, I have read.... sigh...


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## barbiek (May 11, 2016)

I know these pics are dark but how do I know if these mushrooms are eatable? I'll take some more tomorrow when I don't run out of day light!


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## sour_grapes (May 12, 2016)

barbiek said:


> I know these pics are dark but how do I know if these mushrooms are eatable? I'll take some more tomorrow when I don't run out of day light!



To directly answer your question, you can know if they are edible if, and probably only if, a mushroom expert inspects them on site. This expert can be you yourself, if you educate yourself. You could look to see if you have a local mycological society.

There are some mushrooms that are both safe to eat and distinctive in appearance. One group is called "The Foolproof Four" (or the "Infallible Four"). One of those 4 is the morel that we have been talking about here a lot. Here is a guide to edible mushrooms that discusses those four plus many "non-foolproof" ones: http://killerwall.net/USA/survman/Manuals/Common-Edible-Mushrooms.pdf .


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## JohnT (May 12, 2016)

+1 on what Paul said... 

Even the foolproof four ain't so foolproof. 

If you do not really know what you are doing, you are taking your life into your hands. Even with today's medical advances, it is still very true that if you eat the wrong mushroom, you die. 

I attended a meeting of our local mycological society and to be scared S&*tless of making a mistake. They even told the story of this mushroom expert with 20 year experience. He got careless and ended up eating a destroying angel mushroom. He was dead in a matter of hours.

Definitely bring some to an expert. Also bring along a photo of the habitat where the mushrooms were picked. There are some 80,000 varieties of mushrooms in the world. Take no chances!!!! 

We talk about morels was have been speaking of were seeded, planted, and cultivated so that we can be absolutely sure of what we are eating. 

Sorry to "soap box" about this. It is just that the mycological meeting really put a high level of respect into me.


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## JohnT (May 12, 2016)

BTW, still nothing in my mushroom garden.


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## jswordy (May 12, 2016)

This guy ain't worried! This is what my hunts used to look like in Illinois.


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## Boatboy24 (May 12, 2016)

jswordy said:


> This guy ain't worried! This is what my hunts used to look like in Illinois.



He oughta be with that Natural Light on the table. It won't kill him, but will probably keep him on the toilet for most of the next day.


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## barbiek (May 12, 2016)

Thanks Paul and JohnT for your input still forgot to get a pic of them in the daylight. Happy hunting to you who know how and what to look for! love me some morel! I am aware that these are not even close to morel. Even the morel has a nasty look alike though.


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## Tnuscan (May 12, 2016)

Boatboy24 said:


> He oughta be with that Natural Light on the table. It won't kill him, but will probably keep him on the toilet for most of the next day.



Good one!!!LOL
It's usually sour_grapes or JohnT, that makes me laugh myself to tears.


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## JohnT (May 13, 2016)

jswordy said:


> This guy ain't worried! This is what my hunts used to look like in Illinois.


 

You are just KILLING me JS!!!!! Holy crap on a cracker! 
What I would give for just a couple! 

So, how did you end up cooking them? Did you dry any?

I agree, lol, that the deadliest thing on that table is that "making-love-in-a-canoe" beer!


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## jswordy (May 13, 2016)

Boatboy24 said:


> He oughta be with that Natural Light on the table. It won't kill him, but will probably keep him on the toilet for most of the next day.



Yeah, I knew that comment would come. I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth, so I don't see anything to worry about on that table at all.


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## jswordy (May 13, 2016)

JohnT said:


> You are just KILLING me JS!!!!! Holy crap on a cracker!
> What I would give for just a couple!
> 
> So, how did you end up cooking them? Did you dry any?
> ...




Split them in half.
Soak in brined water.
Rinse.
Dredge through egg.
Dredge through flour.
Fry until browned.

Also great on pizza and in spaghetti, lasagna, etc. It's a unique taste.

And I know what you mean about wanting some. Season is long over down here. It should still be in full swing up North, where there has also been a lot more rain than we got this year. Get out in those woods, JohnT!


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## barbiek (May 13, 2016)

Some of the mushrooms dissolved into the ground! I guess that answers my question lol The ones that are left are just ugly!


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## barbiek (May 13, 2016)

Here's another one, well good fertilizer anyway


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