TERRE HAUTE —
Here we sat at a Terre Haute Torpedo’s swim meet and an avid mushroom hunter sat down next to me, so “here goes” on his theories on mushrooms. Jim Mattick lives for mushroom season.
Jim thinks they start from spores, from tree roots and something from certain types of wood. A spore may be something like a seed, when the spore germinates from the right conditions, like ground temps, moisture in ground, and leaf cover has nothing to do with it. Early in the year with good sun on south slopes are best and late in the year north slopes are best. Jim has found them in deep woods to open pastures. Jim backs up Alan Reed’s theory of using an open mesh bag to carry them in so they can drop spores while being carried.
Jim stresses the dying Elm tree that is starting to slip the bark is the best. He thinks the males may produce but the females may not. The early grays can tolerate colder temps than the yellows. The times are changing for you do not find the goose necks like the past, for some people did not pick them, there were so many.
Jim’s theory on how fast they grow is they grow as fast as the conditions allow. He had hard Maple trees in his yard and he tilled the yard to make a new seed bed to plant grass seed, and the next spring he had hundreds of yellow morels, with the following year, just a few, and the next year, “not any.” He thinks a possible benefit was sap from the roots of the trees. A mushroom must have a lot of moisture content in it, for if the weather turns hot and sunny they will dry up. So it goes to stand they need a lot of moisture to grow.
Jim found the largest ones directly after a big thunder storm, so he thinks the lightning giving off an electric charge in the air or ground also has a benefit for them. Jim took a glass mason jar and placed it over a yellow and it still grew some more. He says when they start it could be minutes to hours or days for them to reach full growth.
A gentleman told Jim he watched one grow with his very own eyes and it only took a matter of minutes. Well, Jim said with a grin, he wondered if the guy was drinking a little fire water at the time. He does think they grow overnight a lot, it is fact that he left them overnight and they grew to double their size, he puts a stick next to them and when they show signs of drying up he picks them. To pinch them off at ground level is the correct way to pick them leaving the roots.
Well, Jim is rethinking the open mesh bag theory to carry them in. I think he changed his mind so it doesn’t matter.
Cut them in half, soak them in salt water to kill the little critters and it depends on how hungry he is on how long they soak. If there is any left they go into a plastic bag and are refrigerated. If soaked too long they get mushy. Hayden likes to go with dad on the woods walks and is good at spotting them ahead of dad. Jim says “Turbo” is a good mushroomer!
The coating base is flour with half butter and half canola oil with medium heat to cook. There is a fine line on how long to cook, not wanting them too mushy or over done.
Only thing better than steak and potatoes is mushrooms and bluegill filets. Is Jim a good old Redneck or what!
Jim is giving it serious thought on going north after our season is over for he hears about people finding them, filling large coolers in Michigan and Wisconsin.
So if you happen to see a good old Redneck this spring in the woods carrying a big sack of mushrooms, just say ‘hi Jim, how you doing!’
Sports Columns
REDNECK QUAKER: The Theory of Mushrooms: Spores, tree roots and wood
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FROM THE PRESS BOX: Subtle switch has fostered MVC baseball parity
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Lord Byron Nelson: Golf's true gentleman
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FROM THE PRESS BOX: ISU has done enough to be in NCAAs
When you get older, you’re supposed to get wiser. I don’t know if I qualify, but I’m trying.
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TRACKSIDE: Mulling over the biggest weekend in motorsports
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RAMBLIN’ RECK: A good week to be a Sycamore
This week is a big one for sports fans and is off to a good start, particularly for Indiana State fans.
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Hughes, News & Views: Hutson getting ready for final stretch toward Olympic Trials
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TRACKSIDE: Spiker has begun to revive racing in Putnamville
Since his recent arrival on the Wabash Valley motorsports scene, Lincoln Park Speedway promoter Joe Spiker has certainly made his presence felt in Indiana sprint car circles.
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RAMBLIN’ RECK: Clauson, 22, to make rare jump from USAC to Indy 500
Bryan Clauson will be a busy young man this month.
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ON AND OFF THE COURSE: With some tricky rules, golf is not a walk in the park
Golf is not a casual sport, even though it has a term called “casual water.”
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REDNECK QUAKER: Ten-year-old harvests first bird
Ten-year-old Ethan Kelsheimer from Shepardsville is an outstanding young man.
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TILL IT'S OVER: Super Bowl champ Weatherford enjoying humanitarian role
Last month, Weatherford traveled to Ghana to help lay down the foundation for a school.
Then last weekend, he was the leading man of the inaugural Rush the Punter 5K. The event benefits the United Way program Success by Six, which helps young children to get a head start on reading and other skills. -
FROM THE PRESS BOX: TH’s Murans back in the Derby … this time with favorite
When Terre Haute native Paul Murans experienced his first Triple Crown horse racing run as part-owner of Mucho Macho Man in 2011, the experience was — to borrow a phrase from one-time Marquette coach Al McGuire — seashells and balloons.
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TRACKSIDE: Helfrich: Short-track racing has good future
When questions arise regarding the current state of sprint car racing, whether they be at the local or national level, one doesn’t have to search much further for the answer than veteran promoter Tom Helfrich.
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RAMBLIN’ RECK: May means it’s time for some thoroughbred horse racing
It’s May, it’s May, the wonderful month of May as the words sort of go in a famous musical.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Sometimes this can be a confounding game
To be sure, the great Sam Snead certainly knew what he was talking about when he delivered his favorite axiom, “The sun don’t shine on the same dog every day.”
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COLLEGE REPORT: Roberts takes coaching position at UNC-Greensboro
Terre Haute native Mike Roberts is continuing his climb up the college basketball coaching ladder, recently departing Rice for a spot as the associate head coach at North Carolina-Greensboro.
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REDNECK QUAKER: Hoosiers try their hunting skills down under
How would you practice with a bow and arrow to harvest a kangaroo? Jump up and down while shooting or mount a set of springs to your shoes?
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RAMBLIN’ RECK: Following the changing Illinois coaching scene
Catching up on some coaching changes and some other business:
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On and off the course: Sycamores seeded sixth heading into MVC golf tourney
It wasn’t too long ago that Indiana State University didn’t even have a women’s golf team.
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FROM TERRE HAUTE TO THE MAJOR LEAGUES
Two former Wabash Valley players are hot as a firecracker, two more have joined new teams, and a fifth played a bit part in major league baseball history.
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REDNECK QUAKER: Cinda Kueber a quality turkey hunter
During the third week in March, a group of Hoosiers ventured to Florida for an Osceola turkey hunt. Cinda and Stacy Kueber, Scott Schoffstall, Frank Contreras and Travis Goodwin all were harvesting nice gobblers.
This is Cinda’s story. I like to hear about a lady outdoing a guy any day! -
TODD GOLDEN: IHSAA debate interrupts more pressing issues
State Senator Mike Delph has sowed a 15-year-old wind and put the emotional class basketball debate back on the public’s mind.
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RAMBLIN' RECK: Golf battle at Rea Park
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TODD GOLDEN: ISU eyes prize one game at a time
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AMEY TAKES AIM: Huntsville’s Stars, Havoc take back seat to GGS
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Grayless takes over as golf professional at Hulman Links
Ed Grayless has assumed the “head man’s” position at the Links after Ryan Klopfenstein resigned as Hulman Links golf professional in order to pursue other interests.
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COLLEGE REPORT: Valley grads playing role for No. 13 Vincennes
A few springtime odds and ends:
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