Let it Rain Morels

Morels are deliciously close, and the first ForageCast of 2013 is here. Despite the dry ground, blacks are beginning to push their way out of the forest floor throughout New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. Even up north we are nearing prime time.

Last year I was fooled by mild March days and started looking for morels weeks early, only to over-use my forager’s eyes and wear myself out prematurely. This spring I have been trying to remain patient, but today I couldn’t resist scouting a couple of my spots after a blog reader posted a black morel find in southern Vermont. I am up in northern Vermont, but the reader’s find was at 1300 feet elevation so I figured I had a shot in a low elevation aspen grove where I found early blacks last spring. The patch was barren – just crisp, sun-baked ground.

At this point, all the region needs is a good soaking rain or two and I will be having morels in my ramp and fiddlehead omelets. The forecast in Burlington is for highs near 70 and lows in the upper 40s for the rest of the week. That is more than warm enough for blacks, even yellows. However, fruitings will remain scattered and limited until the rain returns. When it does, it will be open season throughout the Northeast!

ForageCast for the next two weeks