Morel mushrooms mushrooming

Jerry Davis For Agri-View
May 11, 2025
May 11, 2025

1 of 6

Six horses pull a chisel plow and cultipacker preparing an Amish farmer’s field for planting corn near Mineral Point, Wisconsin. Farm crops provide food and habitat for a variety of birds and mammals.

Jerry Davis/For Agri-View

Dutchman’s breeches, a common spring ephemeral, can cause problems for cows if they eat too many plants.

Jerry Davis/For Agri-View

A morel mushroom grows into and out of holes a field mouse gnawed in a hickory nut.

Jerry Davis/For Agri-View

The hyphae of a handful of mushrooms grow out the end of a small white-birch log lying rotting in a marshy area.

Jerry Davis/For Agri-View

The perfect morel mushroom could be described as being 6 inches tall with a tapered head and enough imperfections to be real.

Jerry Davis/For Agri-View

Beavers are common in many parts of Wisconsin, causing stream problems for some farmers and trout anglers.

Jerry Davis/For Agri-View

Prefer us on Google

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

Jerry Davis For Agri-View

It’s almost impossible to forecast a morel-gathering season; there could be frustrations in trying. A word describing the “season” is best put in place after the sum of those who pick and eat, gather and preserve, hoard and sell, and give to those who live to find enough for a meal.

kAmp H@>2? 4@?E24E65 >6 H2?E:?8 E@ 36 D9@H? – 8F:565 – E@ 7:?5 E9@D6 >JDE6C:@FD >FD9C@@>D] $96 H2?E65[ @?46 :? 96C =:76[ E@ A:4< @?6 96CD6=7 2?5 >2J36 2=D@ 92G6 6?@F89 7@C 2 >62=]k^Am

kAm$FC6[ H9J ?@En u:CDE x 2D<65 96C E@ C625 s2G:5 w@=E’D “%96 |JDE6CJ @7 |FD9C@@> '2==6J[ p %2=6 23@FE E96 |28:4 @7 }2EFC6 2?5 E96 !@H6C @7 z:?5?6DD]” tG6? E9@F89 :E’D HC:EE6? 7@C 49:=5C6? :E’D 2 H@CE9J C625 7@C 2?J H2??236 25F=E >@C6= 9F?E6C]k^Am

kAm%96C6 2C6 >62DFC:?8 A@:?ED 2=@?8 E96 D62D@?[ 3FE D@>6E:>6 E9@D6 2C6 >:D=625:?8] |2?J D62C496CD 8@ 62C=J[ E@@ 62C=J[ 2?5 >2J ?@E 92G6 2 A@D:E:G6 6IA6C:6?46] %9@D6 H9@ H2:E 7:?5 E92E 962GJ C2:?D[ D=F8D[ 9@E 52JD 2?5 A:4<6CD DE@>A:?8 H9:=6 =@@<:?8 92G6 56DEC@J65 2?J 492?46]k^Am

kAm“!6@A=6 92G6?’E D2:5 E96 H@C5 >@C6= J6E[ D@ :E’D DE:== 2 3:E 62C=J[” D2:5 s@F8 (:==:2>D 2E s( $A@CED r6?E6C :? !@CE286[ (:D4@?D:?] “|@E96C’D s2J :D 36EE6C]”k^Am

kAm%9@D6 H9@ 92G6 366? D62C49:?8 7@C 564256D 92G6 E2=6D 2?5 DA64:2= 7:?5D – ?@E ?646DD2C:=J >@E96C=@56D[ 3FE 6I4:E6>6?ED >@C6 D@ E92? ?F>36CD] w6C6 2C6 2 76H x 92G6 962C5 @C 6IA6C:6?465] %96J E6?5 E@ >2<6 2 A@@C D62D@? >6>@C23=6]k^Am

kAmx? D6CG:?8 4@@<65 H9@=6 >@C6=D E96 8F6DED 7@F?5 2?ED 925 7:==65 E96 9@==@H DE2=< H:E9 8C2:?D @7 D2?5]k^Am

kAmp?@E96C 7:?5 H2D 7:?5:?8 >@C6= 9JA926 925 6IA=@C65 E96 :?D:56 @7 2 D>2== H9:E6 3:C49 =@8 2?5 7@C>65 >FD9C@@>D @FE E96 @A6? 6?5 @7 E96 3:C49]k^Am

kAm%96? E96C6 H2D 2 9:4<@CJ ?FE 8?2H65 @A6? :? A=246D H96C6 E96 9JA926 8C6H :? 2?5 E96? @FE @7 E96 ?FE D96== E@ E96 A@:?E E92E E96 >FD9C@@> C6D6>3=65 36:?8 DEC2?8=65]k^Am

kAms@F3=6 >@C6=D[ A6C764E >@C6=D[ @C @E96C F?FDF2= D92A6D 2?5 =@42E:@?D DF49 2D :? 2 42G6 6?EC2?46 3642>6 E2=6D[ D@>6E:>6D 6>36==:D965]k^Am

kAm*62CD 28@[ 2 8C25F2E6 DEF56?E C6EFC?65 E@ 2 =23@C2E@CJ H:E9 2 7@@E\E2== >FD9C@@> 96 7@F?5 8C@H:?8 7C@> 2 >2?FC6 A:=6 @? E96 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 (:D4@?D:?’D “p8 r2>AFD]”k^Am

kAm$A64:2= 7:?5D :?4=F56 E9@FD2?5D @7 >FD9C@@>D ?62C 2 8:2?E p>6C:42? 6=> EC66 DECF4< 2?5 <:==65 3J =:89E?:?8] p 5:776C6?E >@E96C=@56 H2D 5:D4@G6C65 8C@H:?8 ?62C 2 H9:E6\6=> DEF>A ?62C 2 42>AFD 962E 5F4E G6CJ 62C=J :? E96 D62D@?]k^Am

kAmp 8C@FA @7 8C25F2E6 DEF56?ED EC6<<65 E@ |:??6D@E2 24C@DD E96 |:DD:DD:AA: #:G6C 7C@> $E@552C5[ (:D4@?D:?] %96J A:4<65 362FE:7F=[ DE2E6=J DA64:>6?D @?=J E@ A:4<=6 2?5 :?7:=EC2E6 6249 H:E9 A2C277:?[ >2<:?8 6G6C=2DE:?8 5:DA=2J DA64:>6?D 7@C 3@E2?J DEF56?ED E@ 25>:C6]k^Am

People are also reading…

Don’t confuse popularity with expertise when deciding who speaks for American ranchers
Hayfield fiasco puts Boss Man in his place
With dry conditions, combine fires a strong possibility in 2026
Social media puts a face to food production
When company was coming: What the farm used to teach us about talking to people
SWC opens up cost share funds for water projects in drought-stricken areas
Lessons learned in Lyman County
Spirit of Dakota announces 40th anniversary nominees
Beef-production cycle slow
Answer Plot Innovation Farm discusses spray drone advancements
ISU farm marks 50 years
Graves-Chapple field day digs in to crop growth
Barn Boards and Baling Wire
Water is life for Nebraska tribe’s ranch
Goodbye, Dolly

kAm(96? E:>6D H6C6 8@@5[ 7:G6 25F=E >6? 7:==65 2 H966=32CC@H 27E6C 2? 27E6C?@@? 27:6=5] ~? @442D:@? 82E96C6CD 92G6 366? <?@H? E@ E2<6 @77 4=@E9:?8 :E6>D E@ AC@G:56 6?@F89 42CCJ:?8 4@?E2:?6CD[ 7:==:?8 %\D9:CED[ D9:CED 2?5 6G6? A2?E =68D] t>6C86?4J C@25D:56 4@?E2:?6CD :?4=F56 $EJC@7@2> 4@@=6CD[ 366C 3@I6D 2?5 =2C86 4@7766 4@?E2:?6CD – AC@G:5:?8 2 H2J E@ E2<6 6G6CJ =2DE >@C6= 7CF:E:?8 3@5J 9@>6]k^Am

kAmt2C\C:?8D[ %\D9:CED[ H2=<:?8 DE:4<D[ 42CCJ:?8 328D 2?5 4@7766\E23=6 :E6>D 92G6 366? 72D9:@?65 FD:?8 >@C6=D 2D >@56=D]k^Am

kAmz?:G6D 2?5 E:?J 3CFD96D[ ?@E C62==J ?66565[ A@:?E E@ 9@H 72C >@C6=D 92G6 E2<6? E96 2CE 2?5 D4:6?46 @7 >@C6=:?8]k^Am

kAm%FC<6J 9F?E6CD 2C6 =:<6=J[ :7 E96J =@@< 5@H? 2?5 FA H9:=6 H2=<:?8[ E@ DEF>3=6 @G6C 2 4=FDE6C @7 >@C6=D H96C6 E96J 2C6 23@FE E@ A=@A E96:C D62E 4FD9:@? E@ H2:E 7@C 2 E@> EFC<6J]k^Am

kAm%96 EFC<6J D62D@? 4@?E:?F6D :?E@ >:5 2?5 =2E6C 9F?E:?8 A6C:@5D] t2C=J A6C:@5 C68:DEC2E:@?D[ ac[`gh 3J pAC:= ah[ DF886DED 9F?E:?8 :D C:89E @? D4965F=6 E@ >2E49 E96 a_ac EFC<6J C68:DEC2E:@?D] $@>6 EFC<6J 2FE9@C:K2E:@?D C6>2:? 7@C K@?6D ` 2?5 b[ 5FC:?8 A6C:@5D t 2?5 u] {@?6 96?D 2C6 7665:?8 27:6=5 H9:=6 E2<:?8 2 3C62< 7C@> :?4F32E:?8 2 5@K6? @C >@C6 688D]k^Am

kAm%C@FE D62D@? :D ?@H @A6? E@ 42E49 2?5 <66A 3FE 4964< EC@FE\7:D9:?8 C68F=2E:@?D 7@C DA64:7:4D]k^Am

kAmu2C> 7:6=5D 2C6 368:??:?8 E@ 36 A=2?E65 H:E9 @2ED[ 2=72=72[ 4@C? 2?5 D@J362?D] (:=5=:76 :D E96C6 E@ 7@==@H 369:?5 E96 AC6A2C2E:@? 6BF:A>6?E 2?5 A=2?E6CD] qFE >@C6 H:== =:<6=J C6EFC? :? E96 H66<D 29625 E@ 762DE @? 7C6D9 8C66?D[ 56G6=@A:?8 7CF:ED 2?5 :?D64ED E92E 2=D@ 62E E96 A=2?ED]k^Am

kAmu=@H6CD 4@?E:?F6 E@ 3=@@>[ H:E9 sFE49>2?’D qC66496D 36:?8 @?6 4=2DD:4 H:E9 :ED H9:E6 7=@H6CD C6>2:?:?8 @A6? E9C@F89@FE E96 52J 2?5 36J@?5] %9:D A=2?E >2J 42FD6 D6G6C6 AC@3=6>D 7@C 4@HD 4@?DF>:?8 E@@ >2?J A=2?ED]k^Am

kAmsF4<D 2C6 ?6DE:?8] (@@54@4<D 92G6 92E4965[ =62G:?8 2 92?57F= @7 362FE:7F= 688D96==D] q2=5 628=6ED >2J 36 D66? 2=@?6 :? 2 ?6DE H9:=6 3@E9 25F=ED 2C6 @FE 9F?E:?8]k^Am

kAm(:=5 2?5 82C56? 2DA2C28FD 2?5 H:=5 =66<D 2C6 :? D62D@?]k^Am

kAmz6==J |28F:C6 2E E96 (:D4@?D:? s6A2CE>6?E @7 }2EFC2= #6D@FC46D\v2>6 u2C> :? !@J?6EE6[ (:D4@?D:?[ D2:5 E96 7:CDE @7 `c 92E49:?8D 42>6 @77 H:E9@FE 2 9:E49]k^Am

kAm“%96 92E49 H2D >@C6 E92? g_ A6C46?E[ H9:49 :D 8@@5 7@C 62C=J 92E496D[” D96 D2:5] “(6’C6 A=2??:?8 fd[___ 3:C5D 7@C C6=62D6 – `e[___ 7@C E96 52J\@=5\49:4< AC@8C2> E@ `e 4=F3Dj 2?5 `[___ 3:C5D 7@C E96 {62C?\E@\wF?E 72== A962D2?E AC@8C2>]”k^Am

kAm(2C49 92AA6?:?8D @FE5@@CD] p4E:G:E:6D :?4=F56 E96 :?=2?5 7:D9:?8 @A6?6C 2?5 E96 C68F=2C EC@FE @A6?6C] %96C6 2C6 H:=5 65:3=6D @7 >FD9C@@>D 2D H6== 2D 3:C5 ?6DE:?8D[ AC2:C:6 2?5 7@C6DE 62C=J 7=@H6C:?8[ 72H?:?8 =2E6C :? |2J 2?5 82C56?\A=2?E:?8]k^Am

kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qm%9:D :D 2? @C:8:?2= 2CE:4=6 HC:EE6? 7@C p8C:\':6H[ 2 {66 t?E6CAC:D6D 28C:4F=EFC2= AF3=:42E:@? 32D65 :? |25:D@?[ (:D4@?D:?] ':D:E k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^p8C:':6H]4@>Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qmp8C:':6H]4@>k^2m 7@C >@C6 :?7@C>2E:@?]k^DA2?mk^Am

Jerry Davis is a freelance outdoors writer. Contact him at sivadjam@mhtc.net or 608-924-1112 for more information.