Morel Mushrooms, the hunt is On...You

So here in Ottawa I have identified some very promising areas in my first ever mushroom hunt season. I am curious though, has anyone else found Morels up in Ontario this spring. Everything I read say this is the time, but I have yet to find them around Ottawa. Leeks and asparagus I am finding and also a rhubarb patch on reclaimed "city park walk" area.

I have seen so much and learned/discovered plants I have always seen when hunting but never knew the name or purpose. Chanterelles, I have always kicked over in the woods, and puffballs just walked by with disgust. I guess it was the post of a giant puffball someone either posted on FB or this forum that turned me down this path.

I was speaking with the MIL last night and she told me growing up in Woodstock, her dad used to go out with other fellas and come home with loads of mushrooms when she was kid. So a bag or two of Morels will be on her gift list.

So is anyone finding them yet, or is it still too early for my Planting Zone?

The recent rain and warmer temperatures should help. Unfortunately, it's going to get cold again this weekend. Hopefully they'll be up soon.

Nothing yet, been too dry here. Maybe with the rain from last night and warming temps they'll sprout.

They're up here Mark...my buddy has them in his yard (wild) and they are growing already...FOX has the harvesting rights for them :)

I remember some friends picking muShrooms when I was in College. ;)

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Originally Posted by MikePal

They're up here Mark...my buddy has them in his yard (wild) and they are growing already...FOX has the harvesting rights for them :)

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You guys are back from the states? I will be heading down the neighbours after work :)

was fortunate to find a couple this yr (Dundas,Ont)
which i cooked up with the last of the grouse.
was my first time eating Morels, pretty tasty:)
hope you find some as well.


http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/a...21/018%202.jpg

Down this way still early but this catch was picked on May 18, 2015. Usually they come out for the long weekend.Attachment 32905

I havent seen any kind of mushroom yet this year. Hoping this rain will bring out the morels, but no dice yet.

S.

Do any of you actually pick and sell mushrooms? It's big in BC but I don't know how big in Ontario and how do you find a buyer? (No I don't mean for the Magic ones :) )

There are people on kijiji who buy mushrooms.

We dug up most of our asperigas patch last week to relocate it( wife started the seeds 15 years ago) and most were not showing any life at the crown yet but the false morels along our driveway are up.

IF ? you can definitely pick and identify mushrooms for safe eating , find your own clientele as a friend of mine does, selling to Asian Restaurants and Stores, I don't think that there are any actual buyers here in Ontario.

I've only been able to find a few morrals at a time, never the mother load and nothing yet this year. Actually the only place I've ever found them was around the property where I live but again only 2-3 at a time. Also find the odd shaggy mane here, again I'd like to get into a mess of them as well. Fond memories as a kid of picking shaggy manes and puffballs with dad, bringing them home and frying them up. Anyone else like shaggy manes???

I get a few shaggy manes too. I have never found a puff ball, but I have eaten them. I would love to find one.

S.

At the right time of year , we have lots of shaggy manes come up in areas of out lawn, and puff balls I can find plenty in the bush just up the road from us in Sept. if it rains enough.

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Originally Posted by Sinker

I get a few shaggy manes too. I have never found a puff ball, but I have eaten them. I would love to find one.

S.

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September month for puffballs. Look around uncut grassy areas of abandoned farms/homesteads. I just slice them and fry in butter.

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Originally Posted by contaucreek

September month for puffballs. Look around uncut grassy areas of abandoned farms/homesteads. I just slice them and fry in butter.

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Another reason to slice puffballs is due to them looking very similar to the immature destroying angel (Amanita bisporigera and A. ocreata )

I love morels, They are relatively easy to identify (only have to worry about false morels, though it is still hard to confuse the two) , and taste fantastic. Especially with wild game. Very earthy.

We used to find lots of shaggies on the lawns of industrial places and cemeteries around Whitby, but you had to get there early. Seldom find them up here.

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Originally Posted by patvetzal

We used to find lots of shaggies on the lawns of industrial places and cemeteries around Whitby, but you had to get there early. Seldom find them up here.

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To me feels wrong to pick mushrooms from cemetery plots.

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Originally Posted by finsfurfeathers

To me feels wrong to pick mushrooms from cemetery plots.

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Considering all of the things my GF and I did in the cemetery, picking a few mushrooms seem rather tame :)

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Originally Posted by MikePal

Considering of the things my GF and I did in the cemetery, picking a few mushrooms seem rather tame :)

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eeewwww yet another reason I'd fore go cemetery mushrooms

Morels are up around Brockville I got white (yellow) and one lonely black under a Pine tree. Still not in the areas I am hunting in Ottawa. We got some rain here and temps will high this week. I want 10 freezer bags full...lol. My plan is to freeze, and dehydrate them this year and see how they last. Leeks, going try the pickling method I see on side of road at farm stalls.

The lawn mower will just get them if you leave them. Waste not want not etc...

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Originally Posted by contaucreek

September month for puffballs. Look around uncut grassy areas of abandoned farms/homesteads. I just slice them and fry in butter.

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I know of a puffball patch and while out turkey hunting I saw one nice sized one last week, do they come out in the spring too?

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Originally Posted by Fox

I know of a puffball patch and while out turkey hunting I saw one nice sized one last week, do they come out in the spring too?

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A big " NO "

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Originally Posted by jaycee

A big " NO "

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So what else comes up in the same location as puffball and looks exactly the same as puffball but comes up in the spring?

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Originally Posted by Fox

So what else comes up in the same location as puffball and looks exactly the same as puffball but comes up in the spring?

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A Volleyball.

Just had venison chops and half a dozen good size morels for supper. They come up in mulch in our flower bed 2 feet from our house foundation. Stopped by a few spots I usually find them a week ago and nothing.

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Originally Posted by Fox

So what else comes up in the same location as puffball and looks exactly the same as puffball but comes up in the spring?

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I don't know , can't see them from here , but I do know they are not puff balls as they only come out in Sept to Oct. provided there is enough rain around.

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Originally Posted by Richie Hastings

A Volleyball.

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If they are rather small and dimpled , I would say " golf balls ":silly:

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Originally Posted by jaycee

I don't know , can't see them from here , but I do know they are not puff balls as they only come out in Sept to Oct. provided there is enough rain around.

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I have been busy but I will try to get a photo, I always know of buffball in the fall, it is the safe mushroom so this is baffling me.

Could be a leftover puffball from last year.

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Originally Posted by masterbatz

Just had venison chops and half a dozen good size morels for supper. They come up in mulch in our flower bed 2 feet from our house foundation. Stopped by a few spots I usually find them a week ago and nothing.

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Last year the topic of morels came up and my wife showed me the ones in her flower bed......not enough for a meal yet.

I'm in Ottawa as well.. could you give me some hints on areas to go mushroom hunting?

The greenbelt has many city area woods. Schools have green space around them. Railway tracks produce asparagus. Be careful of private land trespassing. But every city park/greenspace has woods, look for elm trees or pine plots. Hope that is start for ya. PM for cell, I am not greedy but do not wish to be too public...

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Originally Posted by chayes

I'm in Ottawa as well.. could you give me some hints on areas to go mushroom hunting?

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Originally Posted by waltman

Could be a leftover puffball from last year.

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Ones from last year would be brown and broken open, this is how the spores move around. This one looks like one you would pick and eat in the fall, nice and white with just a few little puck marks out of it, if it was the fall I would pick it and cut it up for dinner.

Hey line I am originally from Missouri and really enjoyed mushroom hunting. I am in the Brockville area in my last year up here. I have walked all over the place without my previous success like back home. Any advice or am I too late?

Today's catch!Attachment 32967

The morels around us may be done for the year but I will find out once we have some rain. We have not had the rain barrels fill from the down spouts in May, this is getting bad here.

Todays find.Attachment 33005

Managed to vacpac and freeze about a six quart basket of leeks( in 5-6 bags) during the past week but the leaves in the bush are starting to yellow....Ate a lot with fried eggs, fish etc as well