Is there a DU thread for mushroom hunting?

[Cheezoholic]

If not would this be the place to start it? That is if anyone would be interested. Found my first half dozen black morels today in central IN.

[applegrove]

1. Rural/Farm Life (Group) might work.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=forum&id=1182

[MuseRider]

2. NE Kansas still waiting.

Some places are really booming but mostly it has been too dry and a little cool. We got about 1/2 inch of rain last night, was cool today but warmer tomorrow so I will be out hunting from here on out. I use mushroom season to mark the year, like some people use Christmas! My farm goes from a few to a ton of them, this year remains unknown, last year was rather blah so........congratulations on your find.

[Cheezoholic]

3. Thanx! I'm an amateur mycology freak lol

While you need the moisture, its those temp fluctuations that trigger the fruitt. Blacks tend to be a colder weather morel and they are pretty rare in my area. Stumbled on a spot about 5 years ago while walking around a new woods researching trees. They've been finding blacks in far northern IN and southern MI over the last week so I thought I'd check the spot out. Rain coming and some cooler temps so I didn't pick them, they were pretty small and didn't want to disturb the mycelium. I've gotten as much as 30 out of this spot and as few as 0 lol.

Think we could have a good year around hear if we can keep getting weekly light rain and good temperature fluctuations. Late winter cold like we had this year usually makes for a good season as long as we get some average rain.

Hunt Well!

[3Hotdogs]

4. They are few and far between in N.J. So..........

I ordered a Morel growing kit and a kit for Chicken of the Woods.

[Cheezoholic]

5. Get as far into western NJ and into E PA as you can.

You'd be amazed how far inland the salt from the ocean can get inland and adversely effect the PH of the soil for not only Morels, but the trees they are symbiotic with. When I lived in SC I have found a few east of 95 but very very few and nothing consistent. Like many mushrooms they form a symbioses with specific trees which are less popular in your area. Trust me, I wish MI was literally my back yard, it's morel paradise there.
I too grow mushrooms but I don't try to grow morels. May take up to two years to get a flush and you also have to maintain the area the entire time. Not discouraging you, just be aware growing morels is usually a lot of work and time.
I will tell you Lions mane is a great mushroom to cultivate, it's easy to grow, you can grow it anytime of the year and even though many say it taste like lobster I think thats a marketing deal. I grow Lions mane year round cause well I just like them

Best of luck to you!

[rsdsharp]

6. Several years ago, during Memorial Day weekend I stopped at my cousin's farm in northeastern Iowa.

As we were chatting outside, his son and a friend showed up in a pickup. They had been out morel hunting, and had been wildly successful. The bed of the truck was half full of paper grocery bags of mushrooms. They handed us a bag more than half full of morels. That is a very nice memory.