Every spring, people scour river bottoms, searching for edible morel mushrooms. For many mushroom hunters, finding the hollow, sponge-like mushrooms is as
April 29, 2021, 6:37 a.m. ·
Despite a few chemotherapy sessions and knee replacements, Wendy Porter and her father, Roger Jensen, still hunt morel mushrooms together (Photo by Melissa Rosales, NET).
Roger Jensen picks a few morel mushrooms (Photo by Melissa Rosales, NET) The morel mushroom only grows in certain ground temperatures and near freshly dead trees (Photo by Melissa Rosales, NET)
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Morel mushroom hunting season has started in Nebraska. The mushrooms are hollow, sponge-like, and edible, but hard to find. Searching for the elusive mushrooms is like a treasure hunt along river bottoms in the Missouri and North Platte rivers.
NET Wendy Porter and her father Roger Jensen show off the morel mushrooms they found in the woods.
Wendy Porter is hunting morel mushrooms with her father near the Missouri River. The 51-year-old Nebraskan has been hunting them for three decades. She even started a Facebook group for morel mushroom hunting in Nebraska in 2018.
“To my surprise, people were wanting to join left and right, and I mean, daily, I get probably 20, 25 people wanting to join. That s pretty cool,” she says.
The group now has more than 2,500 members.
Melissa Rosales Wendy Porter stomps through nettles to look for morel mushrooms.
NET Wendy Porter and her father Roger Jensen show off the morel mushrooms that they found in the woods.
Morel mushrooms have started popping up in Missouri and Kansas. While some savor the flavor, others enjoy the annual treasure hunt.
Every spring, people scour river bottoms, searching for edible morel mushrooms. For many mushroom hunters, finding the hollow, sponge-like mushrooms is as much a draw as their earthy flavor.
The start of the season
Wendy Porter is hunting morel mushrooms with her father near the Missouri River. The 51-year-old Nebraskan has been hunting them for three decades. She even started a Facebook group for morel mushroom hunting in Nebraska in 2018.
HARVEST PUBLIC MEDIA Wendy Porter and her father Roger Jensen show off the morel mushrooms they found in the woods.
Every spring, people scour river bottoms, searching for edible morel mushrooms. For many mushroom hunters, finding the hollow, sponge-like mushrooms is as much a draw as their earthy flavor.
The start of the season
Wendy Porter is hunting morel mushrooms with her father near the Missouri River. The 51-year-old Nebraskan has been hunting them for three decades. She even started a Facebook group for morel mushroom hunting in Nebraska in 2018.
“To my surprise, people were wanting to join left and right, and I mean, daily, I get probably 20, 25 people wanting to join. That s pretty cool,” she says.