Since moving to Mesick in the mid-1970s, he has become a local authority on where to find the prized mushrooms. The key to finding morels, Robinson says, is keeping your eyes fixed on the ground just ahead of you. The mushrooms resemble small sponges and can be found growing among the new green foliage or hiding behind last fall's leaves. Mushroom hunting season starts in early April in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and Ohio and creeps northward into Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin as temperatures warm and are accompanied by spring rain or melting snow. Morel season in northern Michigan normally begins in early May and runs through early June, drawing mushroom hunters from across the country in pursuit of the sometimes elusive fungus.
Black morels appear first, followed by the yellow and the highly coveted white morels.
All three varieties grow in the Mesick area when weather conditions are right. Even novices can identify morels, says Les Barnes, owner of Mesick Hardware. Morels are hollow and have a honeycomb appearance, with distinct pitted and ridged caps connected to their stems. For Robinson, the true value of a morel is in its taste. He recommends frying morels in butter to enjoy their delicate flavor.