Newsletter April 2006

After 3 years of meeting up with Roger Reynolds, in Jasper County, GA, we finally decided to try and make it possible for a group of Morel-Crazy people to experience a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of the true Morel Motherlode. The past three years, Roger and I have met at this site and harvested some of the largest and prettiest giant Morels that I have ever seen anywhere in the US. I also conducted a Morel Growth Study from this location a few years ago, proving that a small gray Morel will slowly grow into a large yellow Morel and still stay edible for a period of up to three weeks!

It started out on Friday night. I met several participants at the Hotel, and handed out T-shirts, and showed off some of the weeks Morel Finds. This got everyone fired up! Saturday Morning was rain, thunder and wind. It would not let up! We ended up buying cheap rain ponchos and we all braved the elements for our hunt. Did you think that a little lightning/thunder/ and heavy rain would stop us? Of course not!

Jim Finley- GA Ivan Roy- Canada Bob and Pat Welker- GA Dan Willis- GA Gerald Allen- MS

Hugh Urban- OH Dewey Earnest- GA Mike and Eddie McMillan- Knoxville, TN, also Richard and Denny

Scott Hogan, AL Joe and Jerome Chris and John Plaisted, FL Ron Johnston, FL Ray Camillo, GA

As soon as we arrived to the sacred sight, we all observed and drooled over the giant Morel displays. Most had never experienced anything like it. They were everywhere, and so many were giants! No one paid any attention to the rain they were enduring!

We ended up with 197 Giants ranging in size from 4" up to and over 9"! We also figure that we left about 20 that were too far gone to salvage, including one that tipped the scales, that was larger in diameter than a soft ball, and about 10 inches tall!

What a wonderful group we had there. It was a pleasure to meet each and every one of you!

At 8:00 we met back at the Hotel for a mushroom slide presentation, question and answers.

Sunday morning, we ventured to the farthest South in Georgia that Morels have ever been known to grow, about 25 miles SE of Macon.

We hit the woods and in no time found the first Morchella deliciosa. The group also observed a Morel growing under a Palm Tree!

Now it is off to the Japanese Steak House. We had Shrimp, Steak, Morels in Tempera Batter, and also Morels stir- Fry!

A special thanks to: My children for their help and all of the filming they did. And especially to Kylah for braving the very bad weather on Saturday and still managing to have a great time. She quotes, " I will never forget this foray, I had so much fun"!

A special thanks to Roger Reynolds for finding this special place originally and especially for sharing this sacred spot with others. We all thank you greatly Roger!

Chris - Thanks for a great time at your morel foray. You are a great host. The event was well planned and I can't believe the mother lode you showed us on Saturday. The meal on Sunday was delicious and really gave the event a grand conclusion. I enjoyed meeting everyone. They were a real diversified bunch from all walks of life. The boys from Tennessee were a riot.