Mushroom hunter shows off find
April 8, 2020
Sheila Harris
Teddy Smallwood makes a habit out of hunting for morel mushrooms every year.
“I’ve mushroom-hunted every year for the last 20 years or so,” he said.
Like other hunters, he’s secretive about the area where he finds mushrooms, although he will admit it’s in the Seligman area. The false morel mushroom, shown above, weighed three pounds and six ounces, and was the largest he’s ever spotted.
“It was growing along the root of a decaying ash tree, one of their favorites,” Smallwood said. “They also can be found along the roots of sycamore trees.”
According to Smallwood, it’s a good year for finding mushrooms.
“I’ve found about 100 edible morel mushrooms so far this year,” he said.
“If people want to mushroom hunt this year, they’d better get out within the next two weeks to look for them, or the season will be over,” he added.
There are different schools of thought on whether false morels (often referred to locally as “beefsteak mushrooms”) are edible. Some say eating a small amount of them won’t hurt you, while others advise leaving them strictly alone. Scientific research has revealed false morels contain a type of oil used in the creation of jet fuel, a reason to use caution when eating them.
False morels can easily be differentiated from true morels by their reddish-brown color and brain-like folds.
True morels are usually smaller than false ones, although they can sometimes grow as large as a soda can. They are prized for their unique flavor and ability to be safely eaten in mass quantities if a person so desires.
Due to their selective growing preferences, when they are discovered, mushroom hunters feel as though they’ve struck pay dirt, which in a literal sense, they have.
Sheila Harris
Teddy Smallwood makes a habit out of hunting for morel mushrooms every year.
“I’ve mushroom-hunted every year for the last 20 years or so,” he said.
Like other hunters, he’s secretive about the area where he finds mushrooms, although he will admit it’s in the Seligman area. The false morel mushroom, shown above, weighed three pounds and six ounces, and was the largest he’s ever spotted.
“It was growing along the root of a decaying ash tree, one of their favorites,” Smallwood said. “They also can be found along the roots of sycamore trees.”
According to Smallwood, it’s a good year for finding mushrooms.
“I’ve found about 100 edible morel mushrooms so far this year,” he said.
“If people want to mushroom hunt this year, they’d better get out within the next two weeks to look for them, or the season will be over,” he added.
There are different schools of thought on whether false morels (often referred to locally as “beefsteak mushrooms”) are edible. Some say eating a small amount of them won’t hurt you, while others advise leaving them strictly alone. Scientific research has revealed false morels contain a type of oil used in the creation of jet fuel, a reason to use caution when eating them.
False morels can easily be differentiated from true morels by their reddish-brown color and brain-like folds.
True morels are usually smaller than false ones, although they can sometimes grow as large as a soda can. They are prized for their unique flavor and ability to be safely eaten in mass quantities if a person so desires.
Due to their selective growing preferences, when they are discovered, mushroom hunters feel as though they’ve struck pay dirt, which in a literal sense, they have.
