Morchella

[Deebs]

I know this is outside of the psilocybin realm but a mycological magical favorite of mine!

So in the spring on those humid days after a rain, when its around 55F max in the evening, where can you find me those afternoons? Scouring the woods for these fine fungi. Every year for the past 10 years like clockwork. I am thinking of dipping my toes into propagation. Does anyone propagate or indoor these in tubs?

 

[Deebs]

Sometimes i run across some good boletes, chantrelles, HoTW etc. Always a bonus. This has been an area that has always interested me. Never got started, just looked at the shroomery yesterday due to another thread here. Thanks for all the insights

 

[jpcyan2]

Morel/ Morchella are extremely difficult to cultivate. There are those who know the secret (morelmountain) to getting it to fruit, but as far as I know, they havent let that secret out. A lot of money to be made by those who can.

I've tried two of the kits outdoor with no success. Starting with a large block of fully colonized substrate. I have not even attempted indoor.
Seen a few who have been successful at growing the mycelium in indoor cultures, but yet to see anyone who has been able to get fruit.
I'm not saying there arent those who are successful, I just havent seen it. YET!

I also enjoy the hunt. I'm fortunate in that I have them coming up along my lime rock driveway, every year for the past 10+ years. So I don't have to go far
I've noticed also that they are popping up earlier than we have ever seen them in 40+ yrs of hunting. Use to be the 2nd week of April, here, is the best , most productive time to hunt. Might be the area I have is warmer earlier than locations in the woods.

These were found early-mid march in 2019. I let them go almost a month before harvesting. Dont be fooled, small grays will grow into larger mushrooms.
Given it doesn't get too dry, too hot, and animals don't get them. I sometimes water mine and cover with a clear tub to protect them .
I have documented them almost every year for a long time, as soon as I find them until harvest. Started looking last week, but nothing yet visible.

 

[Deebs]

Nice! Mid March-end of April sometime early may here. Its getting to be that time! The bucket idea is great! Going to have to try that. If they are too small, i kick leaves back over them, and plot the point on my gps. I have found that deer and 4 leggers like them too, they know whats up. Covid better not screw up this season!

Below pic is from a single flush last year!


I read somewhere that people grew the mycelium, made a slurry with ro and some molasses wood ash I think, and threw it across a wood chipped substrate with the right environmental properties for the mycelium to continue propagating and then fruit in a year or two. Ill probably try just to try. Maybe ill try to collect some spores this year, and see if i can get mycelium to grow.

 

[jpcyan2]

Nice haul! It's certainly worth a try. (the slurry). I've seen a few videos of the same with impressive results. I usually try to wash the spores off a couple days before I harvest on the ones I have easy access to. Dont know if it helps, but cant hurt.

The kits I tried did require additives. Wood ash, Gypsum, a sugar source/ molasses, Peat and a couple others. It's been a while and I dont remember the specifics.

The GPS is a great idea, I need to come into this century and get a smartphone . Some LED's while I'm at it too

Happy hunting, good luck this year.

 

[Deebs]

Same to you man, may your hunt be fruitful. Ill try that with the spores, thanks for the recommendation. Ill post on here if this little side project takes hold at all.

 

[SCJedi]

When I lived in Montana I often found myself stomping in the backwoods to get to hidden untouched fly fisheries. I always carried a sandwich-sized Tupperware or ziplock with me to bring home morels. I always found them plentiful in areas recovering from forest fires. I heard the magic trick is to use unadulterated wood ash in your substrate although I have yet to try it.

I like them best chilled in ice water, blotted dry, dredged in a light coating of flour, and then very lightly fried on top of an Asian dish of some kind.

 

[jpcyan2]

We dont have too many fires here, and not many "Burn" morels. After my neighbor attempted a control burn that got out of control, in his 100 acre field, I did find a small patch at the edge of my woods where the forest floor was burned. Considered a control burn myself, but with so much undergrowth and no water access that far back in the woods, its a bit daunting.

That's one of my favorite ways to prepare them as well. Sometimes I do a milk/egg, or cream of mushroom soup dip before the flour.
Oh I'm already craving some, c'mon warm weather!

 

[spyralout]

Are these psychoactive or for eating only?

 

[Deebs]

eating.....delicioso my friend....

 

[jpcyan2]

Found these early greys along my driveway. I hope to see more in the next week or so. The leaf debris is pretty heavy, so I'm sure some are hiding.
I walked right by the largest one 3 times while searching the area. Just happened to notice it when I walked down to check the mail. Its crazy the way they seem to just pop out at you when you least expect it
These get full southern exposure and are a good indicator for me to start checking in the woods soon. I watered them with captured rain water and will continue to document the growth until they are harvested.

 

[Deebs]

Freaking awesome ! I still get giddy like a little school kid every time I find em....Going to have to grab the gps and take a walk soon

 

[jpcyan2]

Found a small patch in the woods today. Only 3 ready to pick, but several small ones in the area I'll let go and hope and I can find them in a week or so.

 

[Deebs]

Nice man! Buddy sent me a pic of a blonde flush..I blew a gasket....Better not have been at my glory hole lol

 

[jpcyan2]

Oooh man! Those are beautious! That's what I'm talking 'bout. Lead me to the honey hole please!

Those look to be a little different variety than what I find. Been a while since I walked up on a patch like that one. Good stuff man, happy hunting!


Had to cover the ones along my driveway with Milk crates. The chickens got to one before I could. I've been watering every day and covering with leaves to see if I can keep them growing. The wife came up with the idea of milk crates.. simple, effective protection. Allowing light and rain in and keeping critters away.

 

[Deebs]

Man all this making me hungry....

 

[Deebs]

Oooh man! Those are beautious! That's what I'm talking 'bout. Lead me to the honey hole please!
Those look to be a little different variety than what I find. Been a while since I walked up on a patch like that one. Good stuff man, happy hunting!

Ohh....so this is a good story.....so about 25 years ago I was at a weekend festival camping....we ate a bunch of fungi, and were just running through nearby woods, later to find out it was an old apple orchard. My buddy Mark, just started kicking the ground, screaming what are these things their huge brains! This was in Pennsylvania (near a KOA, Washington PA)...This was my first experience with the giant morel. We ended up with over 3 paper bags full of morels. We returned to that spot every year for about 5 years....... since it was a 7-8 hour trip, we never hit the flush again like the first time...but these things were HUGE! NO it wasnt a Gyromitra !

pic just shows the similar size

 

[Deebs]

When I lived in Montana I often found myself stomping in the backwoods to get to hidden untouched fly fisheries. I always carried a sandwich-sized Tupperware or ziplock with me to bring home morels. I always found them plentiful in areas recovering from forest fires. I heard the magic trick is to use unadulterated wood ash in your substrate although I have yet to try it.

I like them best chilled in ice water, blotted dry, dredged in a light coating of flour, and then very lightly fried on top of an Asian dish of some kind.

I like then very much the same way man! That awesome being prepared with the container!..I always used onion bags, so any spores could drop on the forest floor while i was hiking , There is always a couple in my backpack/day pack if im trekkin..

 

[SCJedi]

I like then very much the same way man! That awesome being prepared with the container!..I always used onion bags, so any spores could drop on the forest floor while i was hiking , There is always a couple in my backpack/day pack if im trekkin..

Net bags are best but I started doing Tupperware because of berries. In Upstate NY you never knew when you'd hit a patch of wild red raspberries and in Montana it was Huckleberries. Man, huckleberry patches were more of a secret than mushroom spots.

 

[jpcyan2]

This is a half free morel. Known as a peckerhead in these parts. These are edible but are very similar to the false morel (gyromita). Best to do a little research before you eat either.
The distinguishing features of this mushroom are a smaller cap than a true morel. It is only partially attached to the stipe (stem). The stipe is very fragile / brittle and crumbles easily. You can see the granular look and rough, bumpy, dotted stem.

The false morel (gyromita) has a cap that is even less attached. It will open more to expose the underside if allowed to mature. The stem will be more grooved in appearance with linear striations and no dots, granular bumps. Though some eat the false morel, I prefer to avoid them. They do contain toxins that some people have a bad reaction to. Par boiling and then cooking is said to remove the compounds, but its not worth the time or risk imo.