The First Morel Contest
Sponsored by the Cornell Plant Pathology Herbarium
Mycologists know it's Spring when morels start popping up. These humble fungi can sometimes be found in great numbers in the woods around Ithaca. They inspire joy in the finding and again when you eat 'em. Of course, they may also inspire avarice and even dishonesty: ask a mycologist to divulge the location of her favorite morel patch and you'll see what I mean...
This annual First Morel Contest is open to the Cornell community. The rules are at right. The prizes are mycologically inspired and modest: the joy's in the hunt.
- Dr. Kathie T. Hodge
- Assistant Professor of Mycology
- 401 Plant Science Building
- 255-5356
- email: kh11@cornell.edu
- 401 Plant Science Building
Previous years' winners
- First Yellow Morel
- 2005: May 17, Rebecca Bennett
- 2004: May 2, Kathryn Bushley
- 2003: no contest
- 2002: April 30, Jennifer Frazer
- 2001: May 23,Carl Whittaker
- 2000: April 23, Chris Marshall
- 2004: May 2, Kathryn Bushley
- First Black Morel
- 2005: April 24, George Hudler
- 2004: May 5, Gianna Sassi
- 2003: no contest
- 2002: April 28, Susanne Lipari
- 2001: none found--it was a terrible year!
- 2000: April 28, Jennifer Svitko
- 2004: May 5, Gianna Sassi
Bitten by the mushroom bug?
We offer a few fun, fungusy classes you might like:
- Magical Mushrooms, Mischeivous Molds (Spring, 2 credits, Hudler)
- Fungi, PLPA 309 (Fall, 3 credits, Hodge)
- Mushrooms of Field and Forest , PLPA 319 (Fall, 2 credits, Hodge)
A Few Resources
- Identifying morels and false morels
- National Morel Mushroom Hunters' Association
- The Great Morel Site
- This little book contains everything you need to know about morels: Kuo, M. 2005. Morels. Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan Press.
The Rules
- Collect your prizewinning morel within 15 miles of Ithaca
- Submit your fresh, intact specimen to Professor Hodge (room 401 Plant Science; 255-5356). The first black and the first yellow morel received by Prof. Hodge win.
- Donate your winner to the Cornell Plant Pathology Herbarium to be preserved in perpetuity
- Provide date and time collected plus complete location information (kept confidential on request)
- Have your picture taken with your winning fungus
- Enjoy your fame and fabulous prize
The Fine Print: Black morels include Morchella angusticeps, Morchella conica, Morchella semilibera and Morchella elata. Yellows/grays include Morchella esculenta and Morchella deliciosa. All the true morels are edible when cooked--assuming you've identified them correctly. False morels are species of Verpa or Gyromitra.
Some false morels are poisonous!
Please ask for identification help before you eat!