Morel harvesting is one of the most gratifying jobs – physically and mentally – that you will ever have. Our harvesters work in all kinds of weather, from rain and snow, to 35-degree heat. The work itself involves taking a couple of pails, a backpack with empty baskets and a knife into an area of the forest that has been burned from a forest fire from the previous year, finding morel mushrooms and filling up your baskets until you can barely walk out. Sound fun yet?
Contact jobs to apply today.
TYPICAL QUESTIONS
*Please note that while I sit composing this FAQ I am under the influence of some
rather potent drugs due to a nasty dental mishap. The blame for any grammatical
misconduct or punctuational misfeasance should fall squarely on the shoulders of
my dentist.*
will know better as we come up to the start of the season.
We will let you know as soon as we are sure. For any number of
reasons, not all of which are well understood, not all fires are
suitable for morel production. it is, Therefore, essential we keep an
eye on the fires to see which show signs of producing. Obviously
these signs become clearer the closer we get to the start date;
usually late April or early May.
No CAMPS, No COOKS. Its not like a tree planting where there is usually a great cook although sometimes we do have someone come around and start selling cooked meals and snacks
the start date the better we will know. We will let you know as soon
as we know. We do our best to ensure you get the best information
possible but, to anthropomorphise just a little, nature is fickle and
we are subject to her moods. in other words: we rarely know for sure
with any accuracy until 2 to 3 weeks before it all blows up and then
we will send you everything we know… probably repeatedly.
portable tire pump. Believe me when I say these things are a must.
Assume there will be some rain. Assume nights will sometimes be cold.
Assume There will be some incredibly hot days. Assume there will be
bugs.
Bring a decent tent with a fly. Good but light and compact rain coat
and pants. Warm socks. sweaters. For upper body wear i bring fleece
and Marino wool; fleece drys fast but wool keeps you warm even when
you are wet. Light long sleeve shirts and jacket for those warm but
buggy days. Mosquito hood and shirt to wear in camp; not in the burn
as it will quickly become trashed.
In the burns there are always pointy sticks sticking up out of the
ground. There is mud and slippery branches.
Comfortable but sturdy foot wear is necessary. I would recommend good
hiking boots Waterproof, breathable, and light. I always bring 3
pairs: Hikers, rubber oil rig boots, and high top light hikers. I
also bring a pair of cheap sandals.
When possible bring cheap second hand clothing. Walking around in
burns will leave you with ripped stained clothing.
I always dress in layers out it the woods so I can stop and pull off
a couple things if I am too hot or add a couple things if I get cold
or it starts raining.
Other items considered a must:
– **sleeping pad** (I’m too cold! I’m so sore! BRING THE PAD)
– GPS (most people feel this is essential)
– decent compass with signaling mirror (won’t run out of batteries)
– bear spray (not to be used on rabbits or to show buddies how tough
you are)
– miniature air horn and whistle (for signaling or warning off
animals. Not to be used to give other pickers lasting medical
conditions.)
– bug spray ( 30% deet or better. you don’t want to forget this)
– sunblock and a good wide brim hat and something to cover your neck.
– waterproof matches, lighter, or fire striker/starter device.
– an outdoor or industrial medical kit.
– A couple of 5 gallon buckets from home depot for carying mushrooms.
Oh yes… Food. You should probably bring food. Refrigeration is a
problem out there so canned items, rice, oatmeal, dried veggies,
etc…
every year someone forgets to bring a can opener and every year I
loose one. I am not loosing one this year so bring your own.
Last, but not least, bring a garbage bag and a sense of
responsibility.
Every year I listen to people talk about how wonderful it is to get
into the great outdoors and how fresh the air is and how beautiful
the scenery is. These same people then pack up everything they want
to keep and leave all their garbage behind. DON’T MAKE ME SQUISH YOU;
my thumb and forefinger are still sore from last year. I think I have
RPS. and a squint… Thanks for that.
Here are some links to get you thinking about what else you may need.
WikiHow Camping Prep
MEC Backpacking Check List
Thank you everyone who read this all the way through and I look
forward to answering any questions you may yet have.
Sincerely,
Sean.
I honestly would not bring anything other than a medium to large
dog. Anything else just looks like food to any number of wild
animals: eagles, wolves, cougars and bears just to name a few.
I have a wonderful lab who loves to run around and pretend he is a
wolf. I have had to pull porcupine quills from his face, mouth, and
even his throat. I have had to pull a 2 inch stick from his eye
socket that only left a quarter inch showing; believe me when I say
it was awful. I still had to drive 300 Km the next day to see a vet.
Some dogs are animal stupid and will aggravate a wild animal some way
off in the woods then come running back to you for help with that
animal in tow. sooo… yeah don’t bring that one.
The first year I brought my dog people called him Turd Burglar for 2
weeks; guess how I found out it was him. Do your homework. Know your
dog. Here are some links that may help:
Dog Camping Go Pet Friendly
will also try to hook you up with someone experienced and/or a group
to pick with. Many people end up making a few friends in short order
even without our introductions.
spend a couple days or so in an area before you start to understand
where the mushrooms are growing best. Finding morels is 80% about
knowing where to look and 100% about working hard. 20% working smart.
Picking mushrooms is not always an easy job but if you give it your
all it is good money and rewarding in other ways as well.
There is a fitness aspect to picking; if your aren’t you will be. The
more ground you cover the more spots you will have to return to as
the season progresses.
Bring a camera sooner or later you will see something truly unique.
and most have very interesting stories. I have met students, lawyers,
teachers, doctors, MMA fighters, transients, rig workers,
grandfathers, etc…
If you work long days you will make money; you work as much as you
want too. The nights are short but enjoyable provided you brought
what you need. You will find beauty and adversity in your
surroundings, diversity in company, the warmth of a shared fire, good
food and drink (provided you bring it), and stars like you have
rarely seen.
specific tree or plant (a host) and share nutrients with that host to
mutual benefit. What most people think of as a mushroom is really
just the fruiting body of a massive fungus poking up above the ground
to ripen and spore (reproduce). This actual fungus is a huge mass of
nutrient gathering tendrils called mycelium spread out bellow ground.
The fungus, being mostly underground, is protected from all but the
hottest of fires. The host the fungus is bonded with, however, is
vulnerable to the fire and so is damaged. When damage occurs to the
host the fungus responds by fruiting heavily the following season in
an effort to ensure survival. So… like a bunch of killjoys we show
up and take advantage of their misfortune to line our pockets. Don’t
worry though;
