Monday, May 13, 2013

Morels and Kids

Yes, we've notice lots of trucks stopping on our road lately.  You see, across from us is a wild area, where a church intends to build.  
We see trucks pulling up and people getting out, just for a few minutes. 

We see Kathy and Troy next door, walking hand in hand to the back of their ten acres.... with a basket. 

Here's what they are after: 

In the middle, like a fairy cap.

You will laugh when you realize Keith and I are starting our ninth summer here and we never knew WE had morels growing on our land!

After a long talk with Troy, I decided to investigate yesterday after feeding the babies.


As a friend said to me this morning "But they're so squishy".  

Indeed, they were.  And, they were growing amongst the "leaves of three" so I was pretty stealthy about it.  I cannot tell a lie, I also reached through the fence to snatch some out of the Spehar's copse of trees. 

There are more down there. 

I washed the outside dirt off them, and then took each, and cut them from stem to stern in four pieces. 
Yes, they were a little limp then. 

After they were pretty clean, I rinsed again, covered them with water, and salted them.  I did this so that any little critters on them (ants) would be killed.  
We let them sit for an hour, in the fridge. 


My photography skills are awesome. 

Then, I took a semi-dry morel... dunked it in egg... dredged it in flour... 

and...


Into a hot iron skillet, with, yes, a HUGE chunk of butter melting in it. 

It soon turned to this:



Almost there (and yes, I made a mess)


O. My. Sweet. Goodness. 


Here we are, just about ready to sit.... we had the first hamburgers grilled outside this year, some corn on the cob, and the morels.  Keith got little slider buns.  We melted some real butter for the corn, what the hey. 

In the old days, we would have had a hamburger each, and multiple pieces of corn and all the mushrooms.  As it happens, Keith is dieting and I am cooking differently now.  Keith weighed in officially this morning and has lost 19.8 pounds!!!!  Our hamburgers are slider size (just as good) and we splurged on the mushrooms (delicious) and corn (equally as delicious!) 

The rest of the mushrooms went to the chickens in the henspa, who went gaga over them. 

We have enough down there for another helping, at least.  We hope they spread. 

They are going for 20 to 40 dollars per pound on Craigslist right now in our area! 


Here's Kody butting Aunt Abby this morning as she tried to come into the barn.  I had to sit and laugh, she helps me feed them daily... and gets a squirt in the mouth for herself.  The babies play with her, and when she sits, they will come over and half-stand on her. She is completely unfazed by them. 


They have been the absolute blessing this past week... so funny to watch, and sweet to care for.

They have the run of their pen now, and can come in and out as they will.  Their feeder is inside... when they are ready for it, but I am getting an outside covered feeder from a man who kept Nigerians this weekend.  
He told me we would absolutely fall in love with them, and he was so right. 


Here's Kody giving grandson Chris a thank you for the rock pile he made for them to play on last week. 

That's it for a sunny day from Calamity Acres. 

19 comments:

  1. Mary Ann,

    I love just about any type of mushroom but am always leery of picking myself. I want to try to grow some in the coming years.

    I just love those babies, so glad Abby likes them too.

    Good luck w/the diet & eating differently. I just saw some pictures of myself from last Friday (Niece's Prom) & if that isn't a motivator I don't know what is! Why can't I see that fat every morning when I look in the mirror? No, I have to wait until they are posted on FB for the whole world to see how big I've gotten!

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  2. Keith looks markedly leaner; good for him!!! The goatie boys are ADORABLE; doesn't the Lord have perfect timing?

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  3. wow mushrooms....how cool...those babies are so cute...

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  4. I stink at losing weight, I am a yoyo dieter, i lost 30 lbs. two years ago on ww and gained most of it back.
    We had a five lbs. chore bucket full of mushroom s on mothers day...yummy! People have been finding between 20-40 lbs along the river, butch has found 6 ..heheheh......
    i love your little goats....I may have an exciting story to tell you in a few days...i don't want to say anything for fear I will jinx it!
    stella rose

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  5. How lucky you are. I always wanted to find some of them.

    Good going Keith!

    I told the hubby after I saw the horse show pictures from this weekend. Why did you not tell me how horrible I looked with my shirt tucked in. He said I did not look horrible that I was too hard on myself. I told him I can see! I need to lose that other 10 lbs. FAST.

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  6. Sounds like a busy place.
    Your goats are so cute!


    M :)

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  7. I could tell Keith had lost weight from the picture before I even read about his diet/weight loss. I had to laugh at the picture though...it looks as if he is physically counting the calories in that ketchup bottle =o)

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  8. Wow.. to be able to pick your own must be great.. Congrats on the weight loss.. I so need to do the same.. The goats are so sweet..

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  9. Those goats are so cute! They sure do know how to wrap us around their little fingers (well, I guess it would be hooves) don't they? I'm glad they're doing so well for you.

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  10. I haven't found any morels this year, although I haven't been able to get out and look as much as usual. I'm so glad you got some and fried em up - nothing tastier! Love the pictures and congrats to Keith on his weight loss :) Love that last pic, so sweet! Big hugs to you guys!

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  11. I have heard of those mushrooms but never had them. I can't believe they sell for so much. Lucky you having some right there for the pickings. I used to pass by a farm with goats and they had quite a set up for them to climb. It was fascinating watching them so I can quite imagine they are enjoying the rock pile your grandson built. I had my first grilled hamburger for dinner with corn yesterday too. My daughter and her hubby had me and his folks over for Mother's day. No mushrooms though and mine was a full size bun.

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  12. Neat about the mushrooms and they look delicious all fried up! That was sure nice of your grandson to build the little goat boys a rock pile! :)

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  13. Hello, lots of mushrooms, wow, but I don't like them......the kids are adorable though, love them, Francine.

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  14. Yum mushrooms!!!! Free too, better yet :-)
    Congrats on the weight loss, I need to lose some myself.

    Your little baby goats are just so precious.

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  15. Congratulations to Keith on the weight loss - that is so hard to do!
    The mushrooms look soooo delicious!
    I swear the babies have grown already!

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  16. We had morels growing in our yard a few years ago but they've never been back. Your goats are incredibly cute!

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  17. I need to try more things I've never eaten, like your morels. Was the first bite a surprise? I can't imagine what they taste like.

    I'm so glad that those little baby goats are being a comfort to you.

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  18. I could tell that Keith had lost weight just by the picture, before I read your words. Congrats to him! (Now tell him he has to share his weight loss secrets on here!)

    I am in love with your little goat kids, Mary Ann. Amazing how animals can help take away the cares of the world, isn't it?

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  19. We called these mushrooms "dry land fish" where I grew up. Supposedly they taste like fish when breaded and cooked up, but I didn't think so, I liked them more than fish! "Rural Revival", keep a close eye out, it takes a certain sequence of weather events to bring out the Morels, so they may come at different times each year, or not at all for some years. The baby goats are great to have around, and especially now, when they can help lift the heart. I am so happy you have them.

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