Foraging for Mushrooms – A Hidden Iowa Treat

Foraging for Mushrooms – A Hidden Iowa Treat

By Ryan Graden

It dawned on me a few years ago that “hunting season” doesn’t have to end on January 10th every year here in Iowa. It’s true! Yes, most of the animals that we pursue as hunters are no longer legal to take, however, your “hunting” tactics can be used in some other areas as well. Let me explain.

When COVID came in to play a few years ago, we all saw the mad rush for supplies. People horded many different items of necessity out of the fear of what could come. Toilet paper, certain food items, fuel, etc. All of these things that we never had a problem getting our hands on all of the sudden became a “question mark” in our minds. We were left to wonder, “Will I be able to get that item next week when I need it?” For my wife and I, it forced us to look at the way we live. We began to wonder what has happened to the human race? 100+ years ago, most of these items weren’t found in a local grocery store. People had to go find what they needed. Meat, vegetation, medicines, etc.

So, during a time of not knowing what was to come, I decided to put my “hunting” skills to use year-round. I looked to see what I could find in the timber and elsewhere that we could use as a sustainable, renewable resource for our family. One of the things that became quite fun to hunt for were mushrooms!

When to Hunt?
A Spring time in Iowa brings quite a bit to look forward to for instance, new greenery, next generations of wildlife being born, turkey season, and warmer temperatures. It also brings a beginning of a wild resource that can be an incredible food source, if you know what you’re looking for! Mushroom hunting has been a tradition for many all over the country for years. I became a Morel mushroom hunter years ago after a friend took me for the first time. Every spring I’d keep my eyes peeled for the first sprouting wrinkly-looking sprouts. When I found, them, I’d come back a few days later to find them mature and ready to cut. Mid-April through the end of May seemed to be a prime time to find these Iowa favorites. You knew they were around when you heard others talking about them or would see them sold at the farmer’s markets. However, in true mushroom-hunter form, NOBODY would share information on where they found them!

These last few years, it was surprised me to discover all the mushrooms that I was missing! That’s right, Morels are not the ONLY edible mushroom in our ecosystem. There are quite a few that grow from spring through early fall that could be harvested and stored for use through the year!
You might be wondering what else is out there. Let me lead you through a small number of species that I would encourage you to hunt this coming season.

Morel Mushrooms
This is probably one of the most commonly recognized wild edible mushroom in Iowa. Everybody talks about them in the spring time. And for good reason too! These mushrooms are easy to identify, tasty to eat, and easy to find if you know where to look. Morels often have a dome shaped wrinkled appearance to them. Somewhat resembling the wrinkles in your skin when you’ve been in the pool too long! The most common colors found in the Midwest are gray and yellow.

Morels can often be found near dead and decaying trees. One of the most common trees they are often found by are elm trees, particularly ones where the bark is beginning to fall off the tree. They sprout best in moist-warm conditions. Spring rains will often bring on the sprout of fresh Morels.

I often times will use a small stick as I’m searching for them. With that stick, I gently push the low ground canopy out of the way to search for the mushrooms that often grow under the new greenery on the forest floor. Once you find one, pause and look around. There are probably more nearby that you just haven’t seen yet! These mushrooms are great fried in a batter, cooked with eggs for breakfast, or thrown into soups. They can also be dehydrated to use for later dates through the year.

Oyster Mushrooms
This mushroom was a new one to me! And once I was introduced to what it was, I started seeing them everywhere. Oyster mushrooms are found here in the Midwest in three specific colors. Very plainly put, there are golden, grey, and white pearl. These mushrooms can often be found growing on standing trees (dead and alive) or on fallen logs. Again, they can be in a variety of colors too. Oyster mushrooms always grow in clumps. What I mean by that is you will find them growing in a very crowded-stacking manner. Sometimes growing from the same stem site.

The cool thing about these fungi is, once you find it you can continue to harvest more from the very same site. Almost all of the logs that I have found oysters on will produce a brand new batch after every significant rainfall during the summer. That means you could have multiple harvests throughout the summer and into the early fall! I’ve even heard of individuals taking logs back home and finding a shady spot in the yard. They would hose the log down every few days in order to have their own oyster garden through the summer! Oysters are great in soups and can be dehydrated and stored very easily.

Giant Puffball
Have you ever been walking through the timber in the later summer and early fall months and come upon what looks to be a giant white ball sitting on the forest floor? If you have, you’ve found a Giant Puffball mushroom! Not many know that this mushroom is very edible too. However, you have to pick it before it dries out of course. You will know it’s perfect for picking if the exterior of the mushroom is slightly moist and it feels and sounds like a dense rubber ball.

Puffballs, because of their size, are eaten different than most mushrooms. This in not one that I would suggest just throwing in a pot of soup! Most likely, it would be bigger than your pot. I would suggest cutting it up in cubes. You can batter fry the cubes, and add them to a breakfast or lunch menu. This mushroom is not easily dehydrated. If you harvest it, better eat it within the week of when you picked it.

Chicken of the Woods
My favorite! This mushroom is a rare find! When you find it, treasure it!

I’ve often found these mushrooms on the forest floor. Most of the time, growing off an exposed tree root. However, that is not the only place to find them. They can be on trunks of live or dead trees as well as on logs.

Start looking for these mushrooms in late June through early fall. And look for colors of white, pink, orange, and yellow. Sometimes all on the same fungi. It will grow in tiers of flat looking palms resembling the comb of a rooster chicken. They are pretty sturdy in their structure and their exterior sometimes has a tough leathery feeling to it.

But the taste…. oh, the taste! If you harvest them at the right time, I’d suggest frying them as they are. It will be like biting into a piece of fried chicken! I’m not kidding! They are also very good as a pizza topping or added to any other dish that would be good for a mushroom. Be sure to cut out the woody core. Other than that, give it a good wash and all other parts may be enjoyed!

Go Hunting!
To wrap this up, I have one suggestion to you, GET OUT AND HUNT…for mushrooms that is! Truthfully, I have just about as much fun looking for fungus in the woods as I do chasing deer and turkeys through the hunting seasons. It is quite a task to find these hidden treasures, and when you find them, tell nobody!

There are so many more edible mushrooms out there for you to look for. I would suggest getting an identification book to use as you forage. You might find a few more that you could pick and use that haven’t been mentioned in this article. Once you’ve found some, save your locations and visit them often. Enjoy the taste yourself or give them to others. And remember, many of these mushrooms can be dehydrated and stored for use through the fall and winter months as well. Become a bit of a forager and enjoy the excuse to be in the outdoors. Good luck!