I found six morels in my yard yesterday while

[jeanarrett]

doing the first lawn mowing of the year. They weren't big, but I was biggly excited. It is a little early yet, but I'm going foraging this WEEKEND!!

[wryter2000]

1. THIS IS HUGH!!11

I thought libs had no morels.

Seriously, I'm so jealous!

[jeanarrett]

2. Yesum!

Last year I found 45 large white morels (4-5 inches tall) in a secret mushroom patch! It was late in the season and they were hugh!1!1 I won't wait that long this year--I can't I've got the fever now! Truly, though, I can't believe how many people in Southeastern Michigan don't hunt for them or even know what they are. I grew up in Northern Michigan and morel season was big, like the 4th of July.

Your comment reminds me of a t-shirt I had years ago:

Michigan
Where the people are good
the wine is fine
but the mushrooms are morel

[wryter2000]

3. I wish we had morels here

Yum!

[Ecumenist]

4. Wow, Jeanarrett. Where do you live where Morels

grow in your lawn? On edit--Never mind... Michigan I'm in northern california and although I know that edible mushrooms grown on the coast, I wouldn't chance picking without the help and presence of an expert.

[Puglover]

5. Reminds me of the old saying.

There are old mushrooms pickers and there are bold mushroom pickers. But there are no old bold mushrooms pickers.

[wryter2000]

6. Yup

Every year we hear a story of some family from another country who think they're picking the same mushrooms they had in the old country only to end up in intensive care.

I only buy mushrooms. But if I had morels...

[jeanarrett]

7. Well, I found 30 more last night! All in a 20 foot radius.

They are small 1 - 2 inches. I was walking around saying, "Egads, they be popping out right before me eyes." That's what it seemed like.

My daughter asked me that question the other day: "Mom, how do people know if mushrooms are poisonous or not?" I said, well, probably someone ate one long ago and didn't get back up--guess that's how they know.

I have a really good mushroom guide, and many of the varieties in it grow in Michigan, but I only eat the morels--not taking any chances!

[eleny]

8. Check with your nearest botanical gardens

Ask if they sponsor or know of the nearest micological society. Those societies usually have outings where groups go mushroom picking together. So you could go with people who know what they're doing. They're the most learned people to pick with. It can be fun. A friend of mine used to belong to the one in Colorado and I want to join. My only problem is getting up early enough to join in the fun!

[KyndCulture]

9. Yummy!! now I'm craving them too!

They won't sprout up here in minnesota for a month or so though,

[NMDemDist2]

10. I used to like the ones I'd find

after I kicked over the cow patty in Central California

[htuttle]

11. Did one make you smaller?

...and the other one make you tall?

[NMDemDist2]

12. ahhhhh

yeah

[OldLeftieLawyer]

13. A morel story

The Spring morning after I married an Antioch College professor on campus, we woke up - in our faculty house - to the sounds of a group of his students softly singing under our bedroom window.

They had gone for morels, and when we let them in, they had all the fixings for what they called our "wedding breakfast."

Sauteed morels in butter, served on freshly baked sourdough bread lightly toasted, with a bottle of very chilled champagne and oranges they then squeezed for juice for us.

Another of their gifts to us were the goblets in which our drinks were served - one of the students had made them in her pottery class as part of our surprise.

They disappeared as soon as they served us.

I wonder where those great people are today.

[NMDemDist2]

14. what a sweet story! you lucky lady you n/t

[livetohike]

15. What a nice memory!

[jeanarrett]

16. That's a fantastic story!

We were camping/backpacking once where we had to hike in about two miles to a remote cabin. There was a group of about 10 of us, including kids. We found 100 - 150 black morels growing at the edge of the beach where it meets the woods, some in the sand too! We sauteed them up for breakfast with eggs and boy was that ever good out there in the fresh air and sunshine and wilderness. Made those powdered eggs so much better!

I have found morels growing in the weirdest places, on the beach, in a stand of pines among the pine needles, in the ditch with just grass, under orchards (where they say they are most likely to grow) and many other places. Anymore, I just get a feeling and go there.