Ken's Morel photo's and story

Photographs and story submitted and copyrighted © 2000 by Ken of Westland, MI..

 We picked over 5000 Black Morels during the 2000 season!

       It all started on April 15th, 2000.  My wife and I took a ride to the north country in Grayling, Mich.

      We came to visit my Uncle and continued north (between Gaylord and Atlanta) to see how things were in the woods. We took a ride to our spot and they (morel mushrooms) were there. Everything here in Michigan was early. We picked 74 morels without even trying.

   We came back down state and called the brother-in-law in Tennessee. (Originally from here).
We told him to come a week early as we were scheduled to pick the first week of May.  We went up the week of the April 24th (left on Monday morning) and got to our destination, unloaded and went out picking. It was great. No bugs, nice weather and the morel woods to ourselves.

   We had 2 dehydrators to dry our shrooms and kept them running. Our count came from the trays when drying. The average was 500+ a day per dehydrator and we ran them during the day and all night, after the morning and afternoon pick. We picked until Saturday and left Sunday and still had to dry some morels at home. This has not been the best year as 1995 was the winner.

   This years pick was at or over 5,000 for 4 people. It pays to scout. We picked about 4/5 hours a day which included travel time from spot to spot.  Picking was different as I was always taught to look 'out' and not down.
This year was Look Down.   Lesson learned.

   I wish everyone well and hope the bugs don't get you as they did to me last year.
Take a bathing suit and stay at the Holiday Inn. LOL       Can't pick 'em all.

   Here is a picture of a False morel and a Real one side by side

  .... Ken

Next photo page     Back to photo index   top