Mushroom Season Brings Hidden Dangers

     I recieved an email this week from a listener of our podcast “Up North Journal”, he ran across a post in one of the Michigan Morel Mushroom forums.  It was warning unsuspecting mushroom buyers to beware and sure of what they were buying.  Here is the post from that forum:

 I hunted in Mesick this morning and as I was headed back north the usual 2-3 cars were at the corner of M37 & 115 with their signs and coolers selling Morels or so they say . well when I got back I received a call from jondahighlander and he seen them also but he stopped to see how much they were getting for a pound and to jons surprise the guy said $40.00 for 7 ounces of blacks…ouch ! but the real kicker was he also was selling the poisonous verpa bohemica for $20.00 a pound. when jon and his buddy told the guy he was selling poisonous mushrooms the guy simply replied “thats hogwash”.so here is my point…you better know what you are picking and eating and more importantly if your buying from a guy on a corner who could give a sheet as long as he gets his 20 spot. DO YOUR HOMEWORK or ask someone you trust what is real.    

     Now that is a scary thought.  I guess it is just like if you were picking them yourself, know your mushrooms!  What makes this even worse is that this guy was told that these were poisonous and he continued to sell them.  Educate yourself if you are going to be buying roadside mushrooms or if your going out picking them.  Your life depends on it!
     Here is a great resource for new mushroom hunters, it is The Great Morel website.