Mushrooms and other Delectables

Looking for stuff, no matter what it is, has always been a big part of my outdoor interest, from rocks to food. Being a person who seems to be a hunter/gatherer at heart, I love to look for and find things like mushrooms and asparagus to name a couple. It's kind of like having an easter egg hunt, but you don't just look in your backyard.

One of my favorite things to look for in the spring of the year up here in Northern California is Morel Mushrooms. They are fun to find, and excellent eating, and are about one of the safest mushrooms you can eat since there are no toxic varieties that look like them. Mushrooms, like gold, are where you find them, but I've found that certain areas seem to be better than others. Goes without saying, doesn't it? If you're really into looking for these things, then I suggest you get a book on mushrooms and read about your quarry. The spots I find them in are generally on north slopes, under a fir/pine overstory, and since they love disturbed ground, along skid trails made by logging activity. Another great place to look for them, and probably better still, is in burned over areas. I used to work in the spring inspecting tree planters, which, of course, entailed working in old burns. Many times I would find these things in abundance, and could easily fill my lunch box with them. I was recently told by a law enforcement officer friend of mine that a permit will be required even for personal use picking of mushrooms on Forest Service land, so it might be wise to check with the nearest Forest Service office before gathering Morels.

Click on picture for larger version.

Another mushroom I will collect is the Shaggy Mane, a black spore mushroom found in the fall. This one is found after a rain and usually comes up along road beds, and is easily located just by driving out in the forest on the dirt roads. The mature Shaggy Manes will turn black after picking, and will not keep, so it is best to only pick a few for a meal, and then to only get the ones that are just breaking the ground. Once they get above ground, they will turn black when cooked, and aren't very appetizing. The best picture I could find of this mushroom is a drawing out of "Mushrooms Of Western North America" by Orr. You can check it out if you like, click here. I'll take a good one in the fall.

Another of my hunter/gatherer things is looking for wild asparagus. As far as I know, wild asparagus is wild because it has escaped cultivation, so it is only found in areas adjacent to cultivated land, and in the case of Honey Lake Valley where I live, in the valley proper, and not in the surrounding mountains. The time for gathering asparagus varies from year to year, generally it comes up anywhere from early April on. It is susceptible to hard frost, and is easily damaged when the temperature gets down too low over a several hour period, so the best time to find it is after it warms up.