Red dots

Today seemed to be a good day to do some exploring. I was curious how much the woods were greening up and I wondered how far along the ramps were. I did not encounter much in the way of green. The ramps heights ranged from just emerging to about two inches high. They have a long way to go. I did find my first mushrooms of the season on a stick with about six Scarlet Cup fungi on them. As I was stepping over a log I looked down to see a row of red dots and that was how I found my first mushrooms of the new season.

by Joe  Contact Me

Red Dots

Before calling it a day I checked out the Reported Morel Distribution & Progress Maps and saw that there are red dots in Indiana and Ohio. That is truely amazing, especially since the the last time I checked outside my door it was 32 degrees and snowing. True the crocus are blooming and the buds in the orchard are beginning to swell, but I still think it's too early, cold and dry for red dots.

by Joe  Contact Me

Morel Progress

I was thinking about taking a walk into the woods today to do some exploring but was dissuaded by the biting wind. I thought I might do some scouting before the "big" snow and our monthly meeting on Tuesday.

I glanced at the Morel progression maps and I saw red dots in the southeastern part of the country as well as Kentucky, Tennessee and Illinois. I was surprised to see the ret dot as far north as Illinois. There is supposed to be a significant snow storm in the midwest on Monday. That's gotta hurt.

Looking at the weather trend I'm guessing that the season is going to start late again. Last year it never started so this year we should have a doubly good season. Right!?

 

by Joe  Contact Me

Spring Fever (Chapter 4)

A Spring Fever big time! Yesterday I cleaned out the asparagus patch and herb garden and planted three rows of onions and two rows of garlic. Yes I know that I should have planted the garlic in the Fall, but I never had time. Better late than never. I also started to put the potting soil in the flats to get the seeds going. I'm a little late in getting to that this year. When we get those warm days over the weekend it's going to be hard to stay out of the woods. Spring Fever sets in for all of us at this time of the year. How many of you have started scouting the woods?

by Joe  Contact Me

Spring Fever (Chapter 3)

Yesterday I was cleaning out the garden and I noted that the ground was really dry down to about two inches. If I had the time and the energy to drag out the tiller I would have made a quick pass thru the garden in preparation for Spring planting. Getting to the tiller requires removing power mowers,a garden tractor, garden tools, hoses, bikes and goodness only know what else.

Yesterday Nick brought me Stuttgart onions. These onions are good keepers. So good that Nick was able to share some of his harvest from last season. Our onions are long gone but I still have more garlic than I know what to do with. Oh, Nick gets them from a hardware store in Turtle Creek. Our local hardware store does not carry them. Every year they seem to carry less and less in bulk seeds. They are not carrying kale or parsnips anymore.

If I can get into the garden today and work the ground I'll try and put in a row of onions in the hope of having green onions by Easter. Sure there's more snow to come. Don't let this mild spell fool you. One day I'm sure to look out in late March or early April and there will be the onion snow, a light dusting of snow with the onion tops courageously reminding me that despite the white cover on the ground Spring has arrived.

We've yet to have a really big snow this season. We need one of those heavy wet snows to pack down the leaves and weeds in the woods to make the morels a bit more visible. A good snow that melts slowly and soaks the soil would be great.

by Joe  Contact Me

Robins

I have had two very reliable reports from my wife and my mommy that the early robins have retuned. Another sign that Spring is on it's way. The weather here is supposed to be very much Spring like towards the end of the week. There is the danger that when you get Spring fever at this time that it may develop into a full blown case of morel madness. Premature morel madness can cause the afflicted to wander about aimlessly in the woods at a time when the only know cure, morel mushrooms, are not available.

by Joe  Contact Me