SPRING FORAY REPORT  

What was supposed to be a spring of abundant Morels, after a winter to remember for the large amount of snowfall, turned out to be only an average or below average spring for collection of Morels; were those days of cooler temperatures to blame? 305 Morels were counted over the Course of the nine forays (one less foray than in 2007).  (Ptycho)Verpa bohemica was also found in good numbers.  

There were mushrooms to be found, and if the participants become more adventurous and spread in smaller groups , I  am sure the collections can be improved. As for number of species, we did beat last year’s record by one and recorded an overall count of 57 collected during the forays, including Apiosporina morbosa, the pathogen of Cherry-family trees.  From what I encountered in my spring outings, there is a good variety of mushrooms out there at this time, and next year hopefully we do not have to include old polypores or the likes to improve our numbers.  

Foray attendance was, on average, very good; at one foray in York County a few members of one organization were supposed to attend as guests, but Vito was overwhelmed when the entire membership showed up and the parking lot became filled with people, more like a county fair  than a foray. Wonderfully this was the Spring of the Perpetual Trilliums, they lasted a good month. New enthusiastic members and young visitors attended forays, boding well for the future of the organization.  

Thanks to Alan Gan, who organized this year’s Spring Forays, the recruiting of foray leaders has been very successful and leaves me, as your new Foray Director, with a good and keen group of members willing to lead forays. To the leaders and participants goes our appreciation for  the good times we enjoyed and we look forward to the Fall Forays.    

Umberto Pascali,

Foray Director    

Details of the species found may be viewed on our website under Foray Collections, Reports and Photo Gallery for 2008.