There is a really old comic that sums up late winter. The first frame shows the character looking at a Christmas tree with all the lights and thinking it’s a winter wonder land. The next frame shows him walking through the sleet and wind in January and February and it’s titled “A cold, gray, bucket of suck.” We actually like that time of year because it’s the time we start ramping up for our first in-person sales event. The Mountain Mushroom Festival in Irvine, KY. This is by far our busiest event, but we have to start preparing for it 4 months in advance.
Why so far ahead? Our biggest seller at the mushroom festival is our grow-your-own mushroom kits. Four months is the time it takes us to get all those ready. We grow three types of morels, lion’s mane, bears head, and oyster kits. We will typically sell out of all our kits by mid-day on Sunday. The kits you can grow on your counter are very popular, but, by far, the star of the show is the Morel. Morels are hard to find in the wild and our kits give you a head start. But everyone wants to talk about how they hunt the elusive dry land fish.
Now, I never tell the truth at the event, which is that morels are not my favorite mushroom. Saying that would be kind of like suggesting adding an onion to your soup beans. At least in Kentucky, there are some things you just don’t say. So we talk about hunting morels. When to start looking? What kind of tree is best to look under? Are there any signs to look for? Every hunter has their own tricks and timing. You may have heard some of these: Look when the oak leaves are the size of a squirrel’s ear or hunt when the Mayapples bloom.
The problem with relying on the old wisdom when it comes to mushrooms, is that it only applies to specific places and situations. Mushrooms need particular conditions to fruit. The conditions are important, because they signal to the mycelium (the vegetable part) that it’s time to reproduce. They also need to be stressed in some way, normally by running out of food. If you plant morel spawn in the forest or a raised bed, they won’t fruit much if they are happy. But you don’t want them too unhappy, so it’s a hard balance. The other problem with the old tales is that they may not even apply to the type of mushroom you have in your area. In North America, there are more than 18 types of morel. A black morel fruits much earlier than a yellow.
So how can you figure out the best time to look in your area? The best resource is your local mycological society, if you have one, or the extension office of the state university. You can also try a web search, but those tend to be more general (or worse, AI generated which is often wrong). First, narrow down what kind of morels you have in your area. If you are in the East, you can bet you will have Black, White, Yellow, and Half-Free morels. Each one fruits in different conditions. Try to search for each one. Blacks need the soil temp to be between 50-58 degrees for about ten days, with high soil moisture and relative humidity (RH) above 80%. That RH is at ground level. Whites and Yellows need a temp of 60-65 degrees. Whites like more open areas, while Yellows are more of a deep forest mushroom. So you have to be able to track those conditions. I use an app at www.soiltemperature.app. It is specific to zip code and gives pretty good data. You may find something that is more specific for your area. The point is, take some of the guess work out of your hunt. Be sure to wash and cook your Morels, or any mushrooms you consume, thoroughly! Keep in mind that Morel's do have some lookalikes, so be sure you know what you're hunting. A Google search an give you some key points to look for. Good luck and happy hunting!
Oh, and if you are wondering, our favorite mushroom is the Bear’s Head.
If you'd like to order one of our grow kits, or just get info on them, text
606-401-7155!
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