Picking wild mushrooms

QSis

Grill Master
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These are photos from several years ago, which I thought I'd posted on this forum.

Saliha and Johnny prompted me to look up the pictures.

Mushrooming is like a treasure hunt, when you know what you're doing!

After the fun of finding them, comes the chore of cleaning them and dehydrating them.

But they are SO worth it!

Lee
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Mushrooms Aug 2008.JPG
Hen of the Woods.jpg
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Dried mushrooms and tomatoes Aug '03.jpg
 
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Saliha

Well-known member
Looks nice, a lot of boletus I think.

I too like boletus, but also milk caps and chanterelles.
 

Johnny West

Well-known member
That was a nice haul.

I dried some morels this spring and will use them spaghetti sauce this winter. A lot of people are raising their own around here but I don't have a basement or garage space to do that.

I like the ink caps, too, and were quite common in Iowa where I grew up.

Hunting mushrooms is very competitive in the NW and people have been attacked by other pickers that do it commercially to sell to Asian grocery stores. It's the same with wild huckleberry picking, too. I've not done it in years but I have gone to Mt. Rainier to pick berries and it's not a problem there.

I kept driving by this and never cut it, then it got too old. There was just too much food on the menu here and it wasn't in the mix. I should have cut it and dried it or tried freezing it. I don't have that mush experience so passed.

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Saliha

Well-known member
I was looking for some mushrooms today but there weren´t much. Anyways, I got some fresh air and exercise.

Ready to go:

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(The knife is for mushrooms, not because of other mushroom hunters.)


Milk caps:

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Russula decolorans:

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Here is the result - not much but enough for one mushroom sauce (with onion and cream - yummy):

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My mushroom forest:

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QSis

Grill Master
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So cool to be able to talk with and compare photos with other mushroomers!

Lovely pictures, Johnny and Saliha!

Johnny, somewhere else on NCT, I posted a link to the great book I read about mushroom hunters in the NW, that you might find interesting. I was fascinated! I think I may have donated the book to the Vietnam Vets, but if I still have it, I'll let you know and will send it to you. [ame]http://www.amazon.com/Mushroom-Hunters-Trail-Underground-America/dp/0345536258/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1443107291&sr=8-1&keywords=the+mushroom+hunters[/ame]

Lee
 

chilefarmer

New member
There are lots of wild mushrooms here in my area of East Texas. I never pick them because I don't know one from another. I have tried to find some mushroom folks here but have not yet. I was hoping to learn from someone. CF:)
 

luvs

'lil Chef
Gold Site Supporter
they used to grow in my Parent's yard. i'm afraid of them. afraid that i'll see colors & cartoons that don't exist. i was taught how to pick a mushroom as opposed to a 'shroom, tho. i suppose that my Parents tossing me into girl scout camp may have made an impression.
 

Johnny West

Well-known member
My bud in Iowa found this one yesterday - I need to ask him but he gets one like this every year and think it's from the same spot - it's over 20 pounds. BTW, we've been friends for over 50 years.

Hen of the Woods

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QSis

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Holy cow! Johnny, please ask him how he's going to use it!

Lee
 

Johnny West

Well-known member
Holy cow! Johnny, please ask him how he's going to use it!

Lee

It will take me a few minutes but will post some more of his pictures of dishes which I have to download from text. I know some will be dried and he will make your mushroom soup as soon as I send him your recipe. His wife is a dentist and they are going to D.C. today for a dental conference. He's retired from the state but acts as her office "person" now.
 

Johnny West

Well-known member
Here it is harvested and in the back of his truck.

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This is the rooster he shot two days ago, his first in almost 2 years.

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Johnny West

Well-known member
Their lunch was scrambled eggs and mushroom with a pork steak on the side.

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Here is a pheasant leg/thigh and mushroom gravy. I'd like some of this!!!

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QSis

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Great photos, Johnny!

I discovered that my stash of dried mushrooms was not only smaller than I thought, but I was out of all the ones I'd picked. The packaged mushrooms I had left were wormy-mothy!

Just bought a new supply from Atlantic Spice Company. I am not impressed with the variety in the "Wild Forest" package - too many shitake and wood ears, and at $8.00 for 4 oz. they are overpriced.

But the 8 oz. of porcinis at $11 is good price.

I will have to get off my duff and hit the woods next summer!

Lee
Dried mushrooms, Atlantic Spice Co..JPG
 
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QSis

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Oh my gosh! Is that for real?? I hope they sold it to a restaurant!

I've been keeping my eyes open on my walks near the woods, but nothing. Might help if I went IN the woods.

I really wish I had more of a hint as to where to look!

Lee
 

QSis

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Oh, come on! I can't believe these are so difficult for me to find!

Lee
 

Johnny West

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My bud found another small mess today which are going in the freezer for future use.
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QSis

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Was the second batch from his backyard, too????

What kind of yard does he have that encourages morels? What kind of trees, soil, regular lawn?

Lee
 

Johnny West

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heheheheh, he lives next to an 80 + woods with lots of dead and blow down trees. He has it all; mushrooms, deer, ramps, coons, turkey, rabbits, and squirrels. He owns over 10 acres and has three connected farm ponds.

His yard is a series of gardens, prairie grass, trees, and cover. He likes to live off the fat of the land.
 

QSis

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heheheheh, he lives next to an 80 + woods with lots of dead and blow down trees. He has it all; mushrooms, deer, ramps, coons, turkey, rabbits, and squirrels. He owns over 10 acres and has three connected farm ponds.

His yard is a series of gardens, prairie grass, trees, and cover. He likes to live off the fat of the land.

Okay, I'll be right over!

Lee
 

Johnny West

Well-known member
They did well again this year.

Tuesday morning, when I was about to leave for the fishing trip, my neighbor came over with a bag of morels he found in the gravel beside his driveway. A few years ago we found a dozen small ones. These are much bigger.

Tonight is mushrooms and scrambled eggs with a side of bacon.
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medtran49

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Lovely, I am seriously jealous. Only way we can get fresh morels is to have some overnighted.
 

Johnny West

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Last year I was over talking to the neighbor and spotted the mushrooms where his old wood pile used to be. There were about a dozen small one and we split them. I doubt he ate his. I put the six I had in a marinara. He found these is the same spot. Tonight I did scrambled houby and eggs with an an excellent marble rye bread from WinCo. I used the smaller ones and chopped for the eggs. The others were cut in half, washed, and put in the dehydrator. It's been muggy, rainy, warm, and had thunder and lightening this afternoon which is rare for the NW. I'll check tomorrow to see if more sprouted.
 

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Johnny West

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These aren't wild but sure look like it. We got some oyster mushrooms at WinCo and they were excellent. These were sautéed in ghee with S&P added.
 

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QSis

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Yum!

I just saw your post from last May, John, and that looks terrific! What's houby?

Lee
 
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