Jon Fisher/Collegian
Most experienced mushroom hunters know which tree bases will produce the best morels. Moisture, as must have been present in this tree base, is often a big factor in the creation of good morels.
Be prepared this Saturday morning for the Ninth Annual Great Mushroom Hunt. Blending competition, burning desire and skill, this event provides an opportunity for those in the community to test their limits while inducing genial fellowship in the community.
“It's an Osseo thing. It's just something that's been real fun,” organizer Barbie Keiser said. “The local people just dig it.”
The hunt begins at 8:00 a.m. and ends at 4:00 p.m. at the conservation club in Osseo. Hunters are allowed to travel throughout 2,400 acres of countryside to find the biggest morel in the area. After all the morels have been entered, they will be judged and monetary awards will go out to the winners. All the mushrooms found are ultimately auctioned off and eaten.
“They're like a delicacy up in Detroit,” last year's participant Leah Cox said. “They sell them for like 20 bucks a pound.”
The community around Osseo boasts some very experienced mushroom hunters. In order to encourage everyone, two classes of hunters have been made, master's class and open class.
“We have our old hands that win and win and win. So we made the open class, and we have the master's class,” Keiser said. “We're going to throw all our winners into the master's class right off the bat.”
Experience pays off big when looking for mushrooms. Certain trees harbor the best kinds of morels. Mushrooms tend to have a symbiotic relationship with the trees around them by attaching to the rootlets of other trees. In knowing what trees to look for, one will usually finds good mushrooms. Yet, some trees are more promising than others.
“Elm trees are famous. An elm tree, if it's not too far dead, there's got to be something there,” Keiser said.
Mushrooms also tend to grow up suddenly. As the Mushroom Hunter's Field Guide mentions, a “mushroom producing fungus must have sufficient moisture to grow and accumulate food reserves before it can form mushrooms.” After sufficient moisture is produced, another batch of water makes the mushrooms grow rapidly.
“There's certain places where the mushrooms grow and the weather has to be just right,” Cox said. “My boyfriend and I entered last year but we didn't find any.”
Participants are encouraged not to eat anything if they don't know what it is. They are also encouraged to wear orange because the rapacious turkey hunters can get out of hand.
Still, some people don't quite understand how one could hunt mushrooms.
“If I were going to hunt mushrooms, I would buy a bow and a spear and a bulletproof vest,” freshman Jason Custer said.
According to the Mushroom Hunter's Field Guide , a good mushroom hunter should bring a basket, a hunting knife for cutting and digging, wax paper to permit air circulation while preventing bulk stewing and a pocket compass.
Osseo's mushroom hunt started as a competition amongst friends in the kitchen but was later expanded to include the entire community. With the community involved, rivalry grows more intense.
“They're terrible to each other, worse than fisherman,” Keiser said. “They're just fun, we have a ball.”
Aside from all the competition, the community enjoys more than 300 barbequed chickens, a bake sale, artifact displays, crafts for children and even archery shoots.
“It's a real family thing, you don't need to worry about bringing your kids out there,” Keiser said.
The Great Mushroom Hunt is coupled with Osseo's Heritage Day. Around the conservation club there will be many displays of antique objects specially concerning Osseo.
“They bring in old artifacts. Like, my mom's entering a picture of a championship baseball team that my grandpa was on,” Cox said.
Undoubtedly, this Saturday the conservation club will host an excellent festival centered around the dignified sport of mushroom hunting. This year even more guests are anticipated than last year.
“Most people know where the conservation club is but we'll have signs for it,” Keiser said.
For directions to the hunt call (517) 523-3026.