Aimee Gauley was a Creative Writing student of mine. From Ft. Madison, she is a realtor, beautician, author, mother, wife and mushroom hunter!

It doesn’t take much scrolling online to see that mushroom season is upon us! The elusive morel is a delicacy and the only thing better than eating them is finding them! There are many online pages and groups devoted to “shrooms.” The members share tips and tricks for hunting and cooking. Once spring hits we all wait with bated breath for the first confirmed finds of the year. We plan. We monitor the weather and ground temperatures, praying for the perfect conditions to coax our little morsels from their hidden slumber. This is serious stuff. You don’t play with morel hunters. Not even on April Fool’s Day! I saw a person get banned from a group for posting a picture from the year before. Some things aren’t to be joked about!

For transparency, I must disclose that I am a self-ordained Mushroom Master. Don’t think I just pulled that out of thin air. I have decades of morel hunting, with pictures for proof. I am a basketball fan, but the REAL March Madness for me is the first hint of ‘shroom season. There’s a ‘shroomer rumor! When my lilac tree starts blooming my excitement starts. I watch as those tiny buds grow and expand, knowing the warm air is beckoning my little sleepy ‘shrooms. I get my mushroom gear ready. I knock last year’s mud off my boots and hug my old faithful mushroom stick. My mesh bags and zombie knife come out of hibernation ready for the new season’s haul.

With power comes responsibility. As a Mushroom Master, it is my duty to share some tricks. For those who have been mushroom hunting with me, you know I have a superpower. FE-FI-FO-FUM I smell the scent of mycelium! I can smell mushrooms. My husband swears I’m full of it, and he might be right, but he pays attention when I stop and sniff. He’s not the first to laugh and tell me there’s no way I can smell mushrooms. But I can.

For those of us who are truly dedicated to mushroom hunting, it’s not just a one-time event. The amount of time I spend in the woods is more than the average mushroom hunter, but that’s what it takes to achieve Mushroom Madness Master! I will plan and move appointments if the weather is right and the morels have been popping. Early on, you want to look to the south and east side of wherever you are hunting. The afternoon sun warms those areas longer and that will be where the first ones pop up. Look for the little sponge-like tip of their heads peeking up at you through the remnants of last year’s leaves. They are watching you creep through their forest. They like it when you talk to them. After I engage in a little coaxing they usually come out with their friends, excited to see what is going on. I always walk back the way I came, asking the shy ones to show themselves. They are happy to oblige. I am surprised when I see a little beauty standing right where I had just been moments before. As I crouch down to their level to congratulate them on a great job of hiding, that is when their friends poke their heads out. They don’t want to be left behind. As the days get warmer they start to taper off. When I begin finding morels who have moved on, I have a private memorial, mourning the end of this year’s season and promising to return next year. (Don’t ask Aimee where she hunts. She will lie.) My stick and boots go back to their spot in the garage, my bags and knife in the cupboard. I reminisce about seasons past, and look forward to the future, munching on my butter fried bits of heaven!

————

Have a good story? Call or text Curt Swarm in Mt. Pleasant at 319-217-0526 or email him at curtswarm@yahoo.com. Curt is available for public speaking.