Wisconsin Country Living

Illinois Morels - March 26, 2011

Filed Under Illinois, Photos  | 164 views

The "Bible" to Wild Mushroom Identification...

I highly recommend this book for the identification of wild edible and non-edible mushrooms. It is user friendly and has been used by me for many years. What's neat about this field guide is that it prepares you with a check off list in the identification process before you enter the woods and has a complete guide after you collect all your possible choice treasures. Purchases can be made through Wisconsin Country Living's website, blog, facebook or Linked In.

3 Types of TRUE Morels...

There are three types of True morels:

• Black (1st type of morel of the season)
• Half Free(2nd and 3rd type of morel of the season)

• Yellow(3rd type of morel of the season)

All three are hollow with off-white colored stems.

Black Morels http://www.mushroomexpert.com/morchella_black.html

Of the three, Black morels sprout earliest. The Black morel’s common names include Early morels and Grey morels. Some people also call them Burn-Over morel, Narrow-Capped morel, Witch’s Cap or Johnny Jump-Up. (We won’t bore you with the scientific names!) Black morels can be gray when they first sprout, and they grow to be from one-half inch to more than one foot tall. Black morels cause allergic reactions more often than the other two types, including an upset stomach and loss of muscle coordination, which is exacerbated by consuming alcohol; first-time eaters should take only a few bites and avoid alcohol.

Yellow Morels http://www.mushroomexpert.com/morchella_yellow.html

Yellow morels are also called White morels, Sponge mushroom, Gray morels or Brain mushrooms. They are also sometimes called Honeycombs, Sponges or Domes. They can range from whitish to yellow to gray to honey brown. Like Black morels, they can also grow to be a foot tall. They sprout last of the three types. They are probably most prized of the three for their flavor and texture. Yellow morels can grow to be huge, with a very thick stem; some experts classify them separately and call them Giant morels, Big Foots or Thick Footed morels. However, some mycologists have concluded that this fungus is simply a larger variety of the common morel.

Half Free Morel http://www.mushroomexpert.com/morchella_half-free.html

Half Free morels are visually distinct from Black and Yellow morels in that their heads are quite small. Also, caps of Blacks and Yellows are attached to the stem at their bottom, whereas the Half Free cap is attached at about the middle. In other words, if you slice one in half lengthwise, you’ll see that the attachment of the cap to the stem leaves about half of the cap hanging, or “half free.” Half Free morels are also called Peckerheads or Cows Heads. Half Free mushrooms sprout after the Blacks appear and continue into Yellow season.

FAQ's About Morel Mushrooms...

Please visit Wisconsin Country Living's Blog for information on Morel picking. From my own experiences and experiences of Wisconsin Folks.

Do morels grow in my region of the United States?
When is the growing season in my region?
When should I start looking and where?
What effect does the weather have on the morel's growth habits?
How come I can't find them?
How can I find help Identifying Trees?
Does the source of the spore that produces the morel die out?
How do morels make their grand appearance to the world?
How fast do they grow?
What type of equipment do I need to get started?
What type of collection bag should I use?
How long is the life cycle or how do I know when I should pick them?
How should I harvest them?
How long will picked morels stay fresh and how should I store them?
What is the best way to preserve my morels?
Are there places I can purchase fresh morels from?
How should I package for shipment?
Can I grow or cultivate the morel myself?
What is the most common way of cleaning and preparing prior to cooking?
What if any, is the nutritional content of the morel mushroom?
How can I help identify my morels if I am not sure?
Is there a way of identifying the False Morel?

Morel Mushroom Picking in Wisconson...

Wisconsin Morel Season Approaching...

Hi Morel Maniacs,

I came across one of my favorite Morel websites today as I was cleaning out my favorites folder. It's only March however I'm hoping with all the snow and the wet season approaching we are looking for a great Morel season. I remember as a youngster the season was normally late May for us here in Northeastern Wisconsin and now it being mid April, give or take, depending on the weather. Since inconsistent weather patterns and the right combination of spring warmth and rain make for a healthy Morel environment it's been a little tough to predict. With that being said it's important to get your hiking attire ready and start venturing as early as possible. The time consuming efforts of walking and searching will pay off. For once you find that treasured spot of Morels you can be most certain that you'll find your treaseaures every year with little effort. But remember... What's found in the woods, stays in the woods! Also, keep your ears and eyes open on how others are doing in their search from from Illinois, north. It doesn't take but more than a week or so thereafter to know that Morels will be peaking out from under the mulch of leaves and depris left by winters coat. I will be following the patterns and keeping this blog up to date. Please feel free to follow! This information can be followed on my blog http://www.wisconsincountryliving.blogspot.com/ by clicking the "Follow" on the top right hand corner. I will also have this information updated on Wisconsin Country Living's Facebook Page. Please send your pics and stories for sharing to keri@wisconsincountryliving.com. I'd love to hear from you...

Thanks again for visiting!

Keri Tlachac

Wisconsin Country Living

Squirrel Pot Pie

2 dressed squirrels (2 - 2 1/2 lbs.)

2 cups water or chicken stock

2 celery stalks

8 small carrots

1 chopped onion

1 1/2 tsp. Salt

2 tbsp. butter

Dash of black pepper Rolled dumplings oregano

This is an excellent way to cook old squirrels which are too tough for frying. Wipe thoroughly with a damp cloth and remove all hair. Remove any shot and scent glands. Wash well inside and out with warm water. Cut into serving pieces. Put squirrel into a kettle; add vegetables, oregano, water or stock, salt, pepper and butter; heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover tightly and simmer until very tender (2-3 hours depending on age of animal). The meat should be almost ready to fall from the bones. Add water as needed.

Remove and blend vegetables on high. Return to pot. Increase the heat until liquid boils. Lay the rolled dumplings over the top of squirrel; cover tightly and cook for 12-15 minutes. Do not lift cover during cooking. Place squirrel in a hot serving dish and arrange dumplings around the edge. Cooking the dumplings in the liquid should thicken the gravy to just the right consistency. Pour gravy over squirrel and dumplings.

Add quartered apples or other fresh fruit for decoration.

Wisconsin Country Living Country Clothing

Bleaching Deek Skulls for European Mounts

Tips for Cleaning Skulls for a European Mount
A great way to display a whitetail, without spending a ton of money at the
taxidermy shop, is to boil the skull yourself.
Some people like to bury the skull in the garden and put a plastic bag over the
antlers to protect them from the elements. It works fine, but has some
drawbacks:

1. You have to wait until spring to dig a hole and another couple months to finish
the mount. That's a long time.

2. Neighborhood dogs can have a pretty funny sense of humor sometimes. If it's
a giant buck, you'll have a tough time sleeping at night, worrying about the
treasure you buried in the dirt out back.

First things first: skull soup is a stinky, time consuming enterprise that is sure to
upset anyone sharing the kitchen. It also ruins a kettle. It's best to buy an big old
kettle at a thrift shop, and take the operation outside in the heated garage with a
hotplate, camping stove or gas grill.

Start out by cleaning the skull with a utility knife, pliers and a flat screwdriver.
Wear leather gloves. These will be your tools of the trade. Designate them as
such. You won't want to use these for anything else. Get all the skin off the skull
and as much flesh as possible. The eyeballs will be very difficult. Depending on
your decision, the brain could pose a challenge as well. When removing the
head, if you decide to cut through the center of the skull (hacksaw), it'll make
cleaning out the brain much easier.

Then, using water and a just a dash of household bleach, boil the skull for awhile.
Bleach isn't necessary. Water alone works fine but a tablespoon or so of bleach
can help to start the sterilization process. Be very careful not to use too much
bleach. You do not want compromise the bone structure of the skull. This was a
mistake I made most often when I first started cleaning skulls.

Excessive amounts of bleach will actually will start to eat away at the thin bones around the
nostrils, sinuses, nose plate and eye sockets. Also, this is a hands-on project. It
requires full attention at all times. You'll want to be very careful not to submerge
the antler bases into the liquid. EVER! Even water will start to discolor the bases.
Also, I always try to leave as much bark material and foliage around the bases.
This gives the buck character. With a big spoon, slowly ladle the liquid around
the top of the skull and other parts that aren't fully submerged.

After boiling, start picking away at it with your tools. After you feel like you've
made some headway, fill up the kettle with pure hydrogen peroxide. You can buy
this very reasonably at Target or Walmart. Get about 7 or 8 bottles, totalling
about 3 gallons or so. Let the skull soak in this for an hour or so, ladling the
liquid around the skull. Take it out of the bath and start picking at it again. This
part takes the longest.

Then, it's back into the soup for another round. This time, heat up the H2O2 and
bring it to a boil. You won't be able to fully submerge the skull in the liquid so, as
it heats, you'll need to continually splash the skull with spoonfuls of the liquid. Not
just a few times, count to about 500. This is the most important step, as you'll see
the skull get very nice and bone white. Make sure to constantly swish the liquid
around the different parts of the skull, taking extra care not to get ANY on the
antlers. If you do, spritz it off with some water. It's not the end of the world. Keep
an eye on the burner; you don't want this to boil over.

After a series of cleaning, boiling, picking, boiling and cleaning and boiling...your
skull should start to look pretty good. It's a big project; not something you can get
done in one day. Obviously, messing around with brain material and deer glands
isn't recommended.

Wash your hands frequently; wear an apron or designate a "skull soup outfit".
Then, consider throwing the whole works (the soiled clothes, not the skull) in the
woodstove when you're done. You'll be left with an impressive, pure white skull
display for your bone room. Total cost: $10. Total time: about 18 hours or so.

Little House in the Cedar Woods by Keri Tlachac

You might say a little too much “Little House On The Prairie” or simply growing up in an area where malls were non existent, neighbors were scarce and finding something to do usually involved the outdoors, seeded my simple love for the outdoors. Whatever the reason, my passion for fishing, hunting, wild mushroom picking and photography, was among some of the wonderful reasons for settling the little house in the cedar woods.

When I found that piece of earth it came with a price. But of all the expenses you endure during your new home project, picking your property is probably by far the most important. Cutting corners on your land purchase would not be advised as most professionals would agree. Land is precious and I believe it should be a life long investment. If you are looking into a new home and aren’t thinking long term then I would encourage you to purchase an existing home. It only makes good earth sense.

I knew that I’d made the perfect choice when I found myself loosing track of time mudding and tearing around on the 4-wheeler trails I cut, building hunting blinds, fishing on the Kewaunee River which runs in the back of the 12 acre lot. The time hiking and photographing this beautiful area was the tranquility I needed before gearing up and actingt as general contractor for my new home.

Building a home isn’t difficult; it is down right time consuming and mentally challenging. The physical work was the easy part. If you want to save money you need to be able to dedicate your time, your brain, a bit of sweat equity and find a good foundation of reliable help. My internet research on the building process was extensive along with finding a builder who would allow me to pick and choose my “battles”.

As each stage of the plan unfolded I would hand it to my Pa on a clipboard. He then directed the project during the day like a professional while allowing me to stay ahead of the game and work a 40 hour week. Fine detail was cared for through Mom who tackled all the tedious wood finishing work. My sister and her young family played a huge role as well. Support, support, support…

I was able to furnish much of the interior with material cut right from the land. My folks took sole part in clearing the lot while hand milling each cedar tree into fine boards for trim and interior log accents. The fireplace wall is slabed with bardboard along with hand crafting some of my own furniture. Being able to control the time frame also allowed me to make educated choices with little regrets before the project was completed. Patience became a virtue however and at times it seemed the project would never come to an end.

With hard work ethics and a good foundation for motivation from my folks, stepping “out of the box” was easy and is what certainly “moves mountains”. It played a massive role in bringing a dream to reality. It doesn’t have to cost a lot of money if you truly can handle being dedicated to a little sweat and some challenges. I promise the outcome will be worth a lifetime of memories. As long as I am alive I will forever remember how it all unfolded. Each day, I see, feel and hear the whispers of my family that guided me through with encouragement and love. Take part in creating your own dreams and feel the sense of accomplishment first hand… You can’t borrow that from the bank. Thanks to all my family a hundred times over.

Wisconsin Country Living

http://www.wisconsincountryliving.com/

Keri Tlachac
keri@wisconsincountryliving.com
Wisconsin Country Living
Kewaunee, WI 54216
(920)680-0274

©2007

Fishing Red River Park the past couple of weeks...

Slow... Slow... Slow... A whitey here and there. A few friends pullin' in perch. Some more than others. Have not seen anyone I know hit their limit. People have been moving around more this year than I noticed other years. I get fairly comfy and hold tight in the shak for most of the day. The last weekend we had the polkas playin' on the laptop. Cracked a few beers and that was most of the excitement. Pa yanked in a nice whitefish. I lost one and lost it at the hole. The fish curled up and I pulled a btg too hard. Took my magic, top secret line and lure. Other than that quiet.

The neighbors had slow going as well. The thing about being on the ice with good friends and family is it's alot more about fishing.

That's why I'm back each weekend! Love the hot coffee early in the am and meeting my pa to gauge what kind of luck we are going to have.

Happy Fishing and Good Luck with all!

Keri