Rooms & Shrooms

Morel mushrooming season is upon us and the northern Michigan area should be loaded with them. Apparently, the more snowfall, the better the morel season. We’ve had over 200 inches of snowfall this past winter; well above the typical 100 inches. So this season should put the MORE in morels.

There's no better place to stay than The Inn At Beulah Beach while you're up here shrooming. I'm not just saying that because I own the place. I even tried to get a friend of mine to offer morel mushroom hunting tours. He thought long and hard about it and then decided that would be a no-no; a cardinal sin amongst shroomers. Hey, I had to ask. I don't blame him. Besides, he and his lovely wife always bring me a big bag of them to enjoy. Aren't friends awesome.

So, in lieu of a guided tour, I’ve even done some research for you so you can do it yourself. I’ve given you a bit of info to get you started and inserted a link to a great site I found to help you get the best results for shrooming.

Best time: Everything I’ve read says ideal temperatures for morel hunting is 60-70 degrees during the day and temps in the 50’s at night. While I’m on the subject, remember never to “pull” the morels from the ground. Simply clip or pinch them or break them off. That way, they will come up again the following year and continue to do so as long as the soil provides the proper nutrients.

Best places: In the woods. Duh. Apparently the morel’s favorite trees to grow around are the Aspen, Tulip Poplar, Apple, American Elm, White Ash, Maple and Cottonwood. You should look for places where wood has burned, under leaves, moist areas, etc. Dead elm trees are always a good bet. Walk uphill, looking down so your eyes are closest to the ground. This is opposed to walking downhill where your face is farther from the ground. You with me?!

Best attire: Because you know it’s always about looking the part in addition to avoiding the pricker bushes and poison ivy while hunting – wear long pants and a light shirt with a light jacket or sweatshirt if it’s rainy or chilly. Oh, and you'll need something to put your mushrooms in. The experts say to use a potato sack. This way the spores will drop through while you are carrying the mushrooms which assists in "spreading the wealth" for next year.

Best resource: Obviously, I’m no expert at mushrooming. I’ve always said, you don’t need to know the answer, you just need to know where to get it. Just a few clicks on the internet and I’ve found someone who is. Lots of good info on morel mushroom hunting on this site. Check out the website at this link: http://www.northerncountrymorels.com/

So, if morel hunting is on your list of things to do this spring, come on up. Book a room at the Inn. Get a good night’s sleep, enjoy a hearty breakfast and then head off into the woods. If you end up successful in your endeavor, maybe I can even get the Beach Bum to cook em up for ya. Trust me. I can be VERY convincing.

A Shrooming We Will Go

When temperatures rise to sixty or seventy

That's when there's morels a plenty

Go into the forest, deep in the woods

That is where you'll find the goods

You must travel uphill, looking down

There you will find them, all around

Aspens, Cottonwoods, Elms, Maple trees

Near the trunks, beneath the leaves

And when at last the treasure's found

Please leave it's root within the ground

Just cut the stem or gently tear

Don't pull the roots, handle with care

So that next year on the forest floor

They'll grow back, there'll be mushrooms galore

Happy shroom hunting, do have some fun

Then come stay at the Inn when you are done

Call, book a room and shroom!

Love,
The Lady of the Lake