Morel Foraging
After 3 days of searching I finally came across my prey. I figured it best to go unprepared today since going with a harvest bag didn’t work the last two days. I was right, I needed a bag today.
Morels can be hard to find at times. Take this one for example, hiding in plain sight, camouflaged by last year’s old grass.
I found a good group of them growing around an old dead Elm tree. Once you spot the first one a close look usually revels several more. The trick is to see that first one. A good place to look is by old apple trees and dead Elms. But they really can be found almost anywhere. I’ve found them in shady maple woods, lawns, open areas in pine woods and in my friend’s harvest basket. But my best hunting has always been around old dead Elms in open grassy areas.
This little one emerged at the edge of some bark and was bent over by the effort.
Yellow Morel – Morchella esculenta
Morels of any type are considered choice eating. (not by me) They are spring mushrooms often timing their appearance with the fist Lilac blooms. While they are fairly small some grow to considerable size and are sometimes referred to as M. deliciosa. Whether or not the later and larger ones are actually a different species is something the experts can debate over.
Something has been eating this mushroom – It may very well be inside now.
Regardless of the size (or name) make sure you check them carefully before eating. Humans are not the only ones who like Morels in their diet. Slugs and insects are very often part of the harvest.
Beware: False Morels can look similar but they have a wrinkled look without the distinct ridges and pits of the true morels. Another big difference is how the cap attaches to the stem. False morels have a head that hangs over the stalk like a skirt while true morels have the cap / head attached at the lower end. False Morels are dangerous unless you can positively ID them. While some are edible others are Poisonous and some deadly so.
