July 2009 - Michigan Mushroom Hunters

Spores Illustrated
Yvonne Stephens
4067 W Eddy School Rd
Bellaire MI 49615
July 2009
Membership Renewal Reminder
Get Ready for Fungus Fest September 25, 26, 27 2009
Celebrate 90 years of Michigan State Parks July 18, 2009
MMHC website: www.michiganmushroomhunters.org
Lewiston 2009
Photos above contributed by Margaret Hirozawa. Photos below contributed by Yvonne Stephens
Jim Provci returned from Lewiston on the May 27th and had this to
report: “We did find enough (morels) for the winter, but not any big
finds. But plenty of walking! I think the club was up there for the
best weekend for finding them. Janet Opdyke also agrees. We both
think this is the worst season in history.” So if you had a lackluster
morel season this year, you are not alone.
FUNGUS FEST SEPTEMBER 25-27, 2009
AT PROUD LAKE RECREATION AREA (near Milford, see schedule and map)
FRIDAY (September 25th)
2:00 Hunt on Grounds (meet at the River Hawk Lodge past the Park Headquarters)
6:30 Take-in Dinner from a local Restaurant
SATURDAY (September 26th)
Dr. Frances Trail, Mycologist from Michigan State University, will give a presentation during the day
(Time and topic TBA)
--Breakfast of biscuits & gravy & hotcakes (suggested donations)
8:30 am Registration begins (self-sign in all day $16)
9:15 & 9:30 am forays
12:00 am Lunch we suggest you bring your own. There are restaurants 15 minutes away.
1:00 pm foray
3:00 - 4:30 pm MUSHROOM ID
6:00 pm Worlds Greatest Potluck (refrigeration available)
7:30 pm Auction (BRING YOUR STUFF FOR US TO SELL)
AUCTION PLEA:
We love gruesome, weird, odd, foolish, space taking and beautiful things. Proceeds benefit the club.
SUNDAY (September 27th)
--Breakfast of biscuits & gravy & hotcakes (suggested donations)
9:00 am Final Review & disposal of collections
10:00 am Survivors Morning Hunt
REGISTRATION COST ($15/person)
Double Rooms ($16 per night per person) Bring bedding and towels.
Send checks to reserve a room:
Antoine Delaforterie
Peter Holmes' photo from
Fungus Fest 2006
Treasurer MMHC
1970 Kirkton,
Troy, MI 48083
Fungus Fest General Questions: Greg Laycock (734) 482-1732 giantcatfish@gmail.com
Fungus Fest Registration Questions: Antoine Delaforterie 248-506-9008 antoineindetroit@aol.com
Fungus Fest Auction Questions: Peter Holmes 734-678-4683
Auricularia auricula (Jelly ear fungus), Scutellinia setosa, and Polyporus varius, all collected at the June
27th hunt. Photos by Yvonne Stephens.
Michigan Mushroom Hunters Club Officers
President
Phil Tedeschi
philt@umich.edu
(734) 355-0359
Vice President Special Projects
James Provci
jamesprovici@aol.com
Home (734) 946-5276 Cell (734) 673-8197
Vice-President Community and Public Relations Paul Morrison
prmaws@aol.com
(517) 552-1663
Vice-President Science and History
Diane Pruden
dianepruden@gmail.com
(248) 676-0195
Treasurer
Antoine Delaforterie antoineindetroit@aol.com (248) 506-9008
Secretary
Sister Marie Kopin
marie.a.kopin@cmich.edu (989) 772-9453
Newsletter Editor
Yvonne Stephens
yletourneau@hotmail.com (231) 631-3051
Web Page Manager
Paul Morrison
prmaws@aol.com
(517) 552-1663
MMHC Web Page www.michiganmushroomhunters.org
Hello MMHC Members! Summer is here! Hope you all find some chantrelles!
You may have noticed we now have some new officers, listed above.
The club wishes to thank all the previous officers for their many years of service to the club.
Thank you, Ken Cochran, for all your years of maintaining the website for the club. Thank you to Peter Holmes
who was Vice President of Science and History, and organized Fungus Fest through the years. Thank you to
Gloria Kulha who was Vice President of Community and Public Relations. And, thank you, again, Mickey Kulha
for your ten years as President.
Thank you to our new officers, who have taken on these leadership roles in the club: Paul
Morrison has taken over as web page manager and Vice President of Community and Public Relations. Diane
Pruden has taken over as Vice President of Science and History. Sister Marie Kopin has taken over as Secretary,
and Phil Tedeschi is our new President.
Welcome to all our new members. We are so glad you joined the club! That said, we have
some EXCITING NEWS: We now have a 1000th member!! Arthur Brooks of Lansing, MI, you are our 1000th
member. This means that since the inception of MMHC many years ago, we have had more than 1000 members
join the club. What a nice milestone to celebrate. Arthur, hopefully we can get your picture for the newsletter at
one of the hunts!
Speaking of milestones, TAKE NOTE: There has been an addition of a hunt at Proud Lake on
July 18 (Details can be found in the schedule in the newsletter and on-line). This hunt is taking place as part of an
overall celebration this summer to recognize 90 years of Michigan State Parks.
Just another reminder that your 2009 dues should now be paid, there is a membership form in
the newsletter for you to fill out and send to Antoine if you have not yet paid your dues. If you have paid your
dues, give the form to a friend you think might like to join the club. A few other friendly reminders: Don' forget
to purchase your State & Metro car passes, and it is always a good idea to put a spare car key outside your car.
Thank you to members who donated items for the Annual Lewiston weekend raffle. The
weekend was a lot of fun, though not the greatest morel year on record. It was nice to get together and we had
some nice weather, too.
Thank you to Sandy Sheine and Huafang for setting up a table at the Earth Day Expo in
Rochester. Thank you also to folks who do great things for the club that I don't always hear about to be able to
thank you in the newsletter. That said, please continue to send me your ideas and submissions for articles and
pictures and info to include in Spores Illustrated. You can mail or e-mail them to me: 4067 W Eddy School Rd,
Bellaire MI 49615, yletourneau@hotmail.com, or call (231) 631-3051
Happy Hunting this Summer and Upcoming (Dare I say it already? Fall!) --Yvonne Stephens
P.S. Sorry for the delay in this newsletter, I was very sick for a month and am just now getting back on track.
Also: Members may be interested in attending a Fungi & Fermentation event that I am coordinating through ISLAND, a
non-profit that I am an intern for this summer. The event will take place in East Jordan, MI (Northwest Lower MI) on
Sunday October 4th. We will have a series of workshops showcasing the many ways that fungi and microbes enrich our lives
from making sauerkraut, to paper-making with polypores, a guided mushroom walk, and more. If you would like more
information please feel free to contact me. And remember, you do not have to travel so far to learn about fungi, as there are
are two great club events downstate that same weekend.
Pictures
in this
group
from
Yvonne
Stephens.
Pictures from Pinckney State Recreation Area Hunt on Saturday June 27th .
A large group came out for Phil Tedeschi's June 27 th hunt at Silver Lake. The chantrelles were just starting to
come up, and we found a wide variety of other specimens to identify. Here is a list of the species we found:
Amanita citrina, Amanita fulva, Auricularia auricula, Bjerkandera adusta, Boletus subvelutipes, Cantharellus
cibarius, Coprinus lagopides, Crepidotus applanatus, Hygrocybe miniata , Hygrocybe nitida, Hygrocybe
psittacina, Lactarius rufus, Lycoperdon pyriforme, Microstoma floccosa, Otidea smithii, Polyporus brumalis,
Polyporus squamosus, Polyporus varius, Psathyrella candolleana, Russula brevipes, Russula crustosa,
Schizophyllum commune, Scutellinia setosa, Stereum ostrea, Suillus granulatus, Tarzetta capularis, Tarzetta
rosea, Tricholomopsis platyphylla, Xerula megalospora, Xylaria hypoxylon, as well as three slime molds:
Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa, Fuligo septica, Hemitrichia calyculata.
Thank you to Sandy Sheine for recording all the species.
President Phil Tedeschi
gives an update.
Shaggy scarlet cup
Pictures in this group are from Gerry Sheine.
Identification of all our finds
Hugh Smith is a member of the Santa Cruz, California Mushroom
Club (Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz). Sandy Sheine forwarded his
article to me. I had to trim it down for our newsletter, but if you are
interested in the full article, let one of us know.
Morel Hunting in The Upper Peninsula of Michigan
For the last week in May, Sandi and I went to Michigan to go Morel
hunting. Theoretically, Morel season progresses northward, and when
it does, Morels begin to appear in the Upper Peninsula. We stayed in
a small town called Curtis on a lake called Manistique.
The first full day in the U P we went out to the wood(s)even though
they have been chopped down many time(s), everything is green and
it's very beautiful. We hunted for several hour(s). Several Gyromitra
Hugh Smith came to Michigan from
infula and Gyromitra esculenta were found, and even a Gyromitra
California this year to hunt morels. This is
montana. And one Black Morel. That was a lot of hunting for that one
his photo of a gray morel he found.
keeper.
We headed back to the car. When we got there, I discovered that I
had stepped on a very nice Gray Morel! In the sand! Then we found
six others! Talk about exciting! We found 8 Morels that first day!
Did
I
mention,
always
look
around
the
car?
The next three days we found no Morels. We drove north of
Newberry to a gigantic burn from 2 years ago. Locals said it
produced tons. Everywhere we asked, people had recommendations
for where to go and stories of car loads of Morels. Even accounts
from just a few days ago of people that had done well. When we
asked where to go, we were even given directions. "Go north" or
"Out
there",
they
would
say.
Hours and hours and hours in the woods produced only a few
Gyromitra esculenta, Pluteus cervinus and some LBMs. Surprisingly
little. Three days! Makes you wonder if you've got your mushroom
eyes on!
Arriving at the burn, we could see it was in fact, gigantic,
thousands and thousands of acres of burned forest...in a swamp. At the April meeting, club members thanked Mickey
How does a forest in a swamp burn? There were many roads Kulha for his 10 years as president of the club. Sandy
running through it. Private roads. We finally found a public road into Sheine submitted these photos.
the burn because there isn't really anywhere to pull off the highway in
a swamp. And what we discovered was, the blackness of the burned
forest paled in comparison to the blackness of the clouds of
mosquitoes.
Of course, I'm always looking down at the ground AND up in the
trees for Conchs, etc. And there are some pretty cool Conchs in the
U P! Some are definitely unique to these higher latitude(s).
After three days of no Morel success we decided to head south to
the Lower Peninsula. Clearly we were too far north at this time of
year. So south we went. We hit a rest stop on the freeway on the way
to our unknown destination and found one large Yellow Morel. Gold!
We found another place to stay and started asking around. Lots of
fairly consistent directions were given to us and a local map. The first
day...nothing. Hours and hours...looking for mature Ash tree(s). But
no giant trees, and no Morels. We now had one day left. I had FedExed a dehydrator ahead of me so I could deal with all the bounty I would be bringing home from Michigan. I was nearly
out of enough time to dehydrate anything!
And we scored. Big, beautiful mature Ash trees. A large grove with freshly logged areas all around it. And giant Yellow
Morels. I got down on the ground and looked from one Yellow Morel to the next. And the next. And the next! And Gray
Morels in the logged area. Gray Morels growing at the very base of chopped down trees, tight clumps, mushrooms
pushing against each other, as if fighting for a single space.
Score! Our last day! Is this how a hunt should go?
Take note:
Dr. Frances Trail of MSU’s Department of Plant Biology will once again be offering her mycology on-line class this
fall. Folks can contact her at her email: trail@plantbiology.msu.edu
MMHC Member Judy Owen has offered: If anyone is “Up North” and interested in going mushroom hunting, she
will take them out for a hunt. She can be reached at (231) 922-9619 in Traverse City.
Hen of the woods can be found growing
under red oak
Hen of the woods not typically found under
white oak
Jim Provci sent along a great tip for members who are interested in
finding hen of the woods (Maitake, or Grifola frondosa): Learn to
know the difference between red oak trees and white oak trees.
These trees can be identified by their leaves.
Red oak leaves have pointed lobes (And you may also want to look
at the bark which is smooth near the top on the large older trees).
Hen of the woods typically grow under red oak trees.
White oak tree leaves have a rounded edge on their lobes, Hen of the
woods does not generally go under it.
Sister Marie Kopin and Gloria Kulha
at the April meeting. Photo by Sandy
Sheine.
Slime molds can resemble fungi, but they are entirely
different organisms. Hemitrichia calyculata is pictured here.
One of the many amazing things you can find in the woods.
Photo by Yvonne Stephens
An exception to the rule: It has been thought that
morels don’t grow by dying elms once the dryad’s
saddles (Polyporus squamosus) start to grow. Phil
Tedeschi ran across this scenario during the Oak Grove
hunt this season. Though in general it may be true that
you won't find morels like this, this picture taken at the
hunt certainly shows that there are exceptions!
Submitted by Phil Tedeschi
PLEASE MAIL: B0TH WAIVER & MEMBERSHIP APPLICIATION FORM FOR 2009 TO:
ANTOINE DELAFORTERIE
1970 KIRKTON DR.
TROY, MICHIGAN 48083
MMHC Michigan Resident Fee $15.00 Per Family
MMHC Michigan Non-Resident Fee $6.00 Per Family
NAMA Membership Fee $32.00 Per Family (PLUS $15.00 MMHC Membership Required)
Please complete forms & send ONE CHECK FOR MMHC and if applicable, a SEPARATE CHECK FOR NAMA
First Name _______________________Last Name_________________________Initial________
Address____________________________________________________Apt No.______________
City__________________________________________________State__________Zip__________
Home Phone______________________e-Mail address___________________________________
Check here if you want to join MMHC group e-mail list
Check here if you want to receive the MMHC newsletter electronically
IF YOU CHECK EITHER CHOICE PLEASE BE SURE TO INCLUDE YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS ABOVE
Also please update your e-mail addresses, as many of the addresses we have on file no longer work
THE MICHIGAN MUSHROOM HUNTERS CLUB VOTED ON APRIL 3, 2005
THAT ALL MEMBERS & NON-MEMBERS MUST SIGN AND DATE THE WAIVER BEFORE ATTENDING A
FORAY. (EACH PERSON MUST SIGN & DATE)
MICHIGAN
MUSHROOM
HUNTERS
CLUB
WAIVER
OF
LIABILITY
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
I hereby acknowledge and accept that there are inherent risks involved in the collection, identification and ingestion of wild
mushrooms. I realize that mushroom forays are held in public woodlands where natural hazards do occur, immediate
medical attention may not be available and the foray leader may not be trained in emergency treatment. I further understand
that people can have known or unknown food allergies and that people can experience gastric disturbances from ingesting
edible mushrooms. In consideration of this acknowledgment and my voluntary participation in activities relating to the
Michigan Mushroom Hunters Club (MMHC), having read this waiver and understanding the risks involved in participating
in the MMHC events, and in consideration of the agreement by the MMHC to allow me to participate in it's activities, I
hereby release, on behalf of myself, and my successors, heirs, assigns, executors, and administrators, the MMHC, its
officers, directors, members and volunteers from any claims of liability or demand what so ever, including but not limited to
bodily injury, personal injury, sickness, disease, death, property loss or damage, or any other loss or damage of any kind
which may arise out of or in connection to my participation in MMHC events, whether resulting from negligence or from
some other cause. I have read and understand the forgoing Waiver of Liability, and by signing below, I indicate my
agreement. It is my intent to be legally restrained from asserting any claim connected herewith and I understand that this
agreement is unconditional may not be waived by any person for any reason whatsoever.
First Name (Print)___________________________________________________________________________________
Last Name (Print)________________________________________________________Initial______________________
SIGNATURE: __________________________________________________________________DATE: ______________
**** HUNT SCHEDULE JULY TO OCT 2009***
July 4 Saturday 9:00 AM--AT HIGHLAND RECREATION AREA (SEE MAP)
Meet--inside the Park at GOOSE MEADOWS (first parking lot on the right)
Hunt Whip--Jim Provci (734) 673-8197 jamesprovci@aol.com
July 18 Saturday 10:00 AM--AT STONY CREEK METROPARK (SEE MAP)
Meet at Ranger Office BEFORE The Main Gate
Hunt Whip--Jerry & Sandy Sheine (248) 672-5301 ssheine@aol.com
July 31st - Friday - 10:00 AM
South Higgins Lake State Park - Click here to see map. (NOTE: A
state park vehicle sticker is required for entry to the park.
Meet at the pavilion near boat launch site. We will hunt the trail that
is on the east side of the park and north of the park store. There will
be an identification session at the pavilion beginning around 11:30
AM followed by a pot luck at 12:00 PM. Another hunt will be
conducted at 2:00 PM when we will hunt the trail by Marl Lake. We
John Hrosko's morels, Lewiston
will meet at the trail head located at the Marl Lake parking area.
Another identification session will then occur at about 3:30 PM at the pavilion area.
Contact: Sister Marie Kopin - Hunt whip (leader) - (989) 772-9453 or mkopin@winntel.net
Aug. 1 Saturday 10:00 AM--SYLVAN SOLACE PRESERVE, MT. PLEASANT, MI. (SEE MAP)
Meet at Sylvan Solace Preserve small parking lot
Hunt Whip--Sister Marie Kopin (989) 621-7940 mkopin@winntel.net
Aug. 2 Saturday 9:00 AM--AT HOLLY STATE PARK
Meet inside the park by Heron lake
Hunt Whip--Larry Hildreth (810) 629-8402 lbhildreth@juno.com
Aug. 8 Saturday 9:00 AM--AT HUDSON MILLS METROPARK & POTLUCK (SEE MAP)
Meet at Oak Meadows Picnic Area At The Far End.
Hunt Whips--Phil Tedeschi (734) 355-0359 philt@umich.edu,
Marti Cochran (734) 971-2552 kwcee@umich.edu
Aug. 14 South Higgins Lake State Park - Click here to see map. (NOTE: A state park vehicle sticker is
required for entry to the park.
Meet at the pavilion near boat launch site. We will hunt the trail that is on the east side of the park and north
of the park store. There will be an identification session at the pavilion beginning around 11:30 AM followed
by a pot luck at 12:00 PM. Another hunt will be conducted at 2:00 PM when we will hunt the trail by Marl
Lake. We will meet at the trail head located at the Marl Lake parking area. Another identification session will
then occur at about 3:30 PM at the pavilion area.
Contact: Sister Marie Kopin - Hunt whip (leader) - (989) 772-9453 or mkopin@winntel.net
Aug. 15 Saturday 9:00 AM--AT METAMORA RECREATION AREA (SEE MAP)
Meet at the Camp Store have map from last year be the same
Hunt Whip--Antoine Delaforterie (248) 506-9008 antoineindetroit@yahoo.com
**** HUNT SCHEDULE JULY TO OCT 2009 (Continued)***
Sept. 19 Saturday 10:00 AM--NEITHERCUT WOODS: POTLUCK & AFTER LUNCH HUNT (SEE MAP)
Meet: Park at the main gate parking lot area on the south side of M-115 & walk to the cabin.
Hunt Whip--Sister Marie Kopin (989) 621-7940 mkopin@winntel.net
--DRIVING INSTRUCTIONS FROM DETROIT*Take I-75 north to Saginaw near Bay City, take US 10
west toward Midland, then on to Clare. US 10 merges with US 127 past Clare & turns north. Keep going
past the Roadside Rest/Visitor Center just north of Clare to the US 10 West exit. Go west 8.5 miles on US 10
to the exit for M 115. Go N/W (Turn Right) on M-115 for 1 & 1/3 miles. The Entrance is on the left
--DRIVING INSTRUCTON FROM LANSING Take US 127 north past Clare. Keep going past Roadside
Rest/Visitor Center north of Clare to the US 10 West exit. Go west 8 1/2 miles on US 10 to the M-115 exit.
Go 1 &1/3 miles NW on M-115. THE ENTRANCE IS ON THE LEFT.
Web site directions http://www.cst.cmich.edu/centers/neithercut/directions/driving_directions.htm
Sept. 20 Sunday 10:00 AM--AT HOLLIDAY NATURE PRESERVE, WESTLAND,MI. ( SEE MAP)
Meet at the small parking lot, left side of Central City Pkwy Between Warren Rd. & Nankin Blvd.
Hunt Whip--Dave Tomczak (734) 751-8876, Jim Provci (734) 673-8197 jamesprovci@aol.com
SEPT. 25, 26 & 27 FUNGUS FEST AT PROUD LAKE RECREATION AREA (SEE MAP)
MEET AT THE LODGE—FOLLOW THE SIGNS TO THE LODGE--- SEE DETAILS in newsletter
HUNT WHIP--Greg Laycock (734) 482-1732 & giantcatfish@gmail.com
Oct. 4 Sunday 9:00 AM--AT HIGHLAND RECREATION AREA (SEE MAP)
Meet--inside the park at GOOSE MEADOW (First parking lot on the right)
Hunt Whip--Diane Pruden (248) 676-0196 dianepruden@gmail.com
Oct. 18 Sunday 10:00 AM--WOLCOTT MILL METROPARK (SEE MAP)
Meet in side the Park at the far end of the Parking Lot
Hunt Whip--Terry Firestine (586) 232-3112 (Note: map is the same as May 24 map)