Digging for Morels and Sunstones in Oregon

[blufford]

I just got through watching several segments of Cash and Treasures on the Travel Channel. They were a little better than the usual televsion fare as that they showed the digging of the mushrooms along with the selling and kitchen preparation. They also showed the mining of the sunstones, identification, polishing, cutting and selling of them. It would be fun to do some digging someday.


http://travel.discovery.com/fansites...treasures.html

[chamoisee]

You don't ever dig morels. They grow above ground and you pick them. Digging them would be harmful, because it would ruin the rest of the mushroom crop. The biggest part of the mushroom is below ground, the part you eat is above....

[Jersey Milker]

Only mushrooms that I have ever heard of that they dig up from the earth is what is referred to as "truffles" but they are very expensive and they use pigs to find them. I'm not sure they are called a mushroom though, but they are a fungus that grows beneath the surface of the ground. I hunt morels hear in Michigan and I have never dug them up I always cut them off above the ground . Best mushrooms you can eat, I can't wait for them to grow again here in May, I just hope I'm as lucky at finding them like I did last spring. I found about 25 lbs of them great big yellow morels.

[Yeti]

I saw that show. they were digging Truffles not Mushrooms..different kind of fungus. they grow as nodules on the roots of plants. the show went on to say the restraunt guys were paying up to $75 a pound for them. Morel mushrooms back here in Michigan bring about $200 a pound and you pick them. where I work they are so thick I see guys taking out grocery sacks full everyday while their in season. I even found 70 one year on my place. their growth is too fickle to make it worth while to me.

[Pouncer]

Haven't had morels in years, but used to pick them also many years ago in WA state. You are making me drool, lol There is quite the cash crop of them picked in the Tanana Valley I heard. Somehow I never knew of this little secret so it never occurred to me to look.

[Bruce in NE]

I'm having morels and asparagus with my chicken today.