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Messagesfree well frankly said there is no hope with out snow ! so Mary you need some more snow and Carla, Keep it up any I'll send some your way lol................Today is the day Carla,let's hope I well come home to stay !!!!.
MessagesI operate heavy equipment for a living and thats the main reason that I've never picked morels, the timing and the area I live in just don't work out for me to do anymore than get a few verpa's on the Sunday's that I get to go for them. Anyway I'm drawing an unenjoyment check right now and dreaming of morels and the dash for the cash! I sure am thinking of going for it this year, though in reality it is probaly just a dream.
MessagesWell, yesterday's snow melted off by late afternoon and this morning, it's all back and this time, more than yesterday! About 4 inches so far. BUT it's a nice spring snow that is wet, wet, wet! That's what we like to get as it soaks in nicely and we need it. I'm sure it will melt off again later today when the temps get up to 40 again. Funny weather but acting more like spring than winter. There's hope....ciao!
MessagesScott, you might try, government liquidations, it's an online auction for surplus government stuff!
MessagesI woke up to rain this morning here in Tacoma, but it's warm rain! Thanks people for beleaving me!
MessagesNo snow here, but it did rain... Stay warm Mushroom Mary! August stop sending out the snow now, it's almost spring... Sheesh! ;-)
Messagesthanks for the help Carla if anyone knows of a place that could build a dryer like that let me know. Thanks Scott
MessagesWell we be able to find your dyed fluorescent mushroon's so we can find them at night Mary, are do we need A black light to find them. Your snow was sent to you be Fedx left over from loon lobo He just foregot to tell you on the phone when he talk to you yasterday. By the way thank's for the coffee it's good with rum.
MessagesOk, who's idea was it to send snow over here??? I was enjoying our mild weather and all of a sudden I wake up this morning to snow! And it's still snowing... Waaaaaaaaaaah....... if anyone is going to hunt Easter mushrooms here, they better be well dyed so they can be spotted in the snow! Good coffee this morning..yum!
MessagesHi Scott. As far as I know they are all custom built, I have never heard of anyone just buying one already made.
MessagesBoletus Joe, yes I need the one on a trailer that costs thousands of dollars. I have done searches on the web and can"t find anything. If I even know the brand name of the ones out there I could find one. Thanks Scott
MessagesScott, what do you mean when you say commercial? Like is it something a field buyer would use, mounted on a trailer and coasting thousands of dollars. Or are you speaking to a knock down shelter with a number of racks and a heat source. Or is it one you want for your personal use that holds maybe 80 -100 lbs. Particulars please. I am curious, because I think there is a need for some type of small portable dryer, that is priced in the hundreds of dollars range. Just looking for some feed back. I have used one of those round stackable food dehydrators with some success. They can be a little on the warm side though....and have a tendency to cook the shrooms. I put a few spacers between the trays to allow some cooler air to circulate..... seems to help.
MessagesHi Marin. Someone did it to me before too... But we know that if you say it isn't you, then it isn't you!
MessagesSundanzzkidd you are never too late for coffee, I would make you some more! ;-) Glad to see yah here again!!!
Messagesam i too late fer coffee... back from my tile job in the columbia R gorge, the lunar eclipse was mighty kewl..... who is headed where for burn morels , havent decided to hit east wash or east oregon for the run of the mtn feast
MessagesGe Marion, I'v been there also but at lest my good name is still here and so is your's. Yes loon lobo,my whisle pig came out on whisle pig day and I have not seen any snow but then there may be snow by the end of the year lol...........Scott, you may need to build you own dryer our dryer rack. I made my own rack's 4x8 with 1x2's and 1/4' wire hole's and sun dry them. It's the best way to go if your going to a fire burn........Loon lobo are you going to Mary's mushroon hunt on Easter, I hope to see you there it's going to be fun to hunt all her mushroom's
MessagesAugust; our whistle pig came out of the ground four days after the deadline so spring is here in the valley even though he saw his shadow. .... but spring sno storms can happen anytime, lol
MessagesHope everyone is having a good morning. I was wondreing if anyone know where to buy a commercial dryer any help would be great email at scossairt@msn.com. Thanks Scott
MessagesWho's useing my name? I stand by what I say .but really, someone is playing with my name! WHO'S WHO?
MessagesIf you keep talking about the snow it well not stop tell you foreget about it loon lobo. Marin you just keep the rain on your side of the hill's I like it the way it is here dry all day and warm it did rain but very lite and at night. Mushroom Mary I'am looking foreword to your Easter mushroom hunt, op's sorry I was not to say a thing well now the cat is out of the bag!.I best go before I say to much more sorry Mary! lol
MessagesCome over to too West Side!
Messagesmushroom mary; it was warm like that here also and should be again even warmer by the middle of next week, however it has been snowing most all day today and was predicted to be raining this afternoon but the snow flakes are still falling. .... roads are wet and not much more than a couple of inches on the ground because most of it keeps melting. .... iffin it was five degrees colder we most likely would have about six or more inches on the ground. ..... ..... What a way to dampen my morel fever...
MessagesI saw something weird once like a triangle with lighted (like fluorescent almost blue but still white) sides but it was right by Nellis AFB which is next door to area 51... So I am not sure if it was just something we have and the military is hiding or what... I sure was tripped out by it though... LOL
MessagesI do beleave in UFO's, I seen one in Skamania County in 1976. I wondered if we could shoot one down too, as I thought about the satalite shoot down. Then I thought, why should we? If they meant us any harm we would have known it long ago! Anyway that's my two cent's, if it's worth that!
MessagesWell it's trying to rain here but that's all it's going to do is try. Well know we can shoot down any missile if it come's are way and if we needed to defend are self's.ommmmmmm what about UFO's?
Messagesthe sky cleared for us in the upper fraser valley and gave us a great view of the eclipse. now its hurry up and wait!! spring is springing.
Messagesno snow here, lobo...been close to 50 the last few days
MessagesMushroom mary; did you roll in the sno after soaking ??? …. …. Randy; did you hear of the major earthquake in Indonesia, w0w you just missed being in it. Indonesia's was 7.2 I believe they said on the news, Nevada had a 6.0 this morning....…. …. August; we had inversion fog hiding the eclipse here in the Boise valley, bummer….I’ve got the cabin-fever bad also.
MessagesThis well be My last post...............for the day!........what about that moon last night it was cool..........................In 16 day's we turn are clock's ahead one hour but for you ZiQuinn we well push are clock's ahead and 27 day's and springtime is here. And in 30 day's Alice ( you all know Alice! ) well she and the wabbit well be hiding ege"s for all the good kid's and mushroom Mary well be hiding mushroom's for all of us.
MessagesAll I had to say is it's a very nice day and you all come out of your cabin's. Know what should I say to bring you all back to the board for coffee!...............I can't take this no more.!
MessagesWe are getting some rain today not much but a little is okay I guess... ;-)
MessagesWell the lunar eclipse looked great from my hot tub last night! Another beauty of a day on tap here in SW Montana not a cloud in the sky, 50 degrees forecast (again)and I'll take it!!! Welcome home Randy.
MessagesOn the west side here, Verpa's should be pinning and POPPING SOON!
Messagessounds like cabin fever setting in!!! good thing spring is near. a little cloud cover here in the fraser valley may be enough to hide the eclipse! good evening to all.
MessagesYes, it is a beautiful day here also!
Messagesyes, it is a very nice day..yep, it really is.
MessagesAugust; right on the mark as it is a nice day eh'
MessagesI can't let this day go by with out saying something so hereI go.....................Nich day A"
MessagesIndonesia was hot and wet, but I bought alot of teak furniture. We are making teak kitchen cabinets now and are having a great responce. Peace to all..
MessagesI am glad to see you back King Morel, I was starting to worry...
MessagesYes, it is nice to sleep in! Ha-Ha! I also got the strong mud going and it is doing a great job of waking me up... ;-)
MessagesIs there anyone out there that know's of anyone that buy's wild root's that America Indian's up root in the Spring, If so let me know.
MessagesWelcome Randy, This is a Special Day for one that has been gone for some time, I didn't know you had gone to Indonesia Hope you had a very good time!....................August
MessagesMorelmaniac...... Im back from Indonesia now. Plz give me a call...... Randy Welcome back randy
MessagesI sent a e-mail to the address blow on crude oil and there is no none address. I got rid of it
MessagesIt must be nice to sleep in so late in the day Carla and Wild~side lol
Messagesblue chanti's i found were on Van. Island, Canada. amazing crops of Golden Chantrelles (and others - winters, cauliflower, pig's ear, few pines) mostly thru October. mmm, coffee is good -g'mornin.
MessagesAwww Marin, I just can't agree to that... I am a female and we always retain our right to Bitch... I am just teasing you ;-)
MessagesWill ya tell your kid's I'm I'm a Yankee! Or, I'm a Rebel!
MessagesChung, Woofer Thanks for the heads up, i must have missed that post earlier
Messagesnewest pictures from the -16Th more black trumpets http://community.webshots.com/album/562450021wtERdO?start=24
MessagesRE: " The Joe" message, which Joe is is this about?
MessagesLife is good without the flavor of pines,Yankee!
MessagesA, i'm into whatever it takes to make money from mushrooms. I love the cold mornings and cold nights, brrrr, bullshiting by the fire! Let's Camp!
Messagesjust finished a plate of deer stew with pine mushrooms. It doesn't get much better than the mushrooms we have in the northwest!! life is goooooooood!!!
Messagesmushroom soup,mushroom gumbo,mushroom sallad...life is like a box full of shooms!
MessagesI'd never bitch about the price of pines. if I dont think its fair I'm eating lots of shroomies and giving lots away. If ya have lots on hand it doesnt hurt to just watch those beauties grow!! anyway its always nice just to get out. good luck to all
MessagesMarin, It's going to be late june are early july be fore the snow is gone on the one fire burn that I won't to go to.And as fare as buyer's there won't be any around. this could just be for drying with some small sale's. Seat up a camp is what one would have to do.!!
MessagesThanks A, Ya want ta teach a newbe how morel hunt? I'd really love to learn!
MessagesMarin. who said you were stupid,? just because no one won't to start a co-op dose not mean that you stupid. It's just some people know what it all take's to run a co-op. You may find that price's go up and down over this year's. Back when I started they would pay by the lb and no grade's back them. so price's were low back then.
MessagesOh yeah Joe, just so ya know, not everyone on this board is as stupid as I am!
MessagesOne more reflection on past week topic of co-op, come fall, no bitchin about pine price's, agreeded?
MessagesGot a sleepy sounding female that said you were not in the house...Try later.
MessagesZiQuinn, I well be at 966-0790 and not at 966-3497.
MessagesWell Marin, It looks to me that you never saw the move by Steven Kings the "Stand" that spells moon! are read the book.If you had then you would know. It is one hell of a Book & Movie.
MessagesSpills moon?
MessagesAlso, will call you today and let you chew me out...
MessagesAugust, I swear, I have never pussed a clock before. I guess there is more for me to learn....
MessagesIf the day's stay the way the have been, warm and sunny I just may be able to hunt cotton wood are river morels as long as the water's stay low. I have 57 outside today and It look's to be this way into next week. By the way we have 1 1/2 moons to go and it well be spring and we well puss the clock ahead one hour,All on a full moon that spill's moon.
MessagesWoofer, your pictures are making me home sick... Ive exiled myself to Taos NM for the winter....missing the cascades terribly! They will be here for ya when ya get back, although Taos would be cool for the food
MessagesHi Treeguy. I always wanted a parrot but I am waiting until the kids move out so that I can spend lots of time with it... I heard that they need lots of attention or else they will start to pull out their feathers and get depressed. Is that true? Parrots do need a lot of attention. I have had several over the years, and most people make the mistake of pouring attention on them at first, then as time goes by, they spend less time with the bird, and as a result they pull feathers. Be careful of how much attention you give a parrot at first. it will base its expectations on how much time you spend with them. By how much time you give them at first. ie: lost of attention given, will translate to lots of attention expected and vice versa
MessagesMy coffee is fantastic! ;-)
MessagesYou are right about trumpets being hard to find, they blend in so well its just amazing how hard they can be to find.
MessagesThanks for the input guys. I am going back out again to see if I can find some more, I am starting to get my camera figured out and should start getting better quality pics. I think I took about 150 the other day. but I am very self critical of my own pictures and if they are blurry or the composition is off, I delete em. I did pick up a good photo manipulation program. So I can start to do some nice touch up work on my pics and make them better, here is a good example of the stuff I am fixing. This original pic is one I took in Montana a few years ago, It is a basic picture. the second is the retouched one. I will get better and should have some interesting stuff soon. I have some interesting red juice pictures that should look pretty darn cool when I redo them. http://img103.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=47456_sunrise_1_122_717lo.JPG http://img243.imagevenue.com/view.php?image=47458_sunrise_1_a_122_100lo.jpg
MessagesCarla, How's the coffee
Messageswildside,In what state did you find the blue's
MessagesHey all, morel season just around the corner. now's a great time to start collecting info. to personally sell the product, get equip and other stuff ready. with crazy gas prices and decreaseing picking lands, organization is key. 2007 was a most funtastic season, taught future harvesters with great success, wrote letters concerning logging practices aiming to protect forests, was lucky enough to tour and found super tasty blue chantrelles and others. what a season. now looking forward to 2008 harvest. have fun and stay safe.
MessagesLoved the pictures of the Black Trumpet mushrooms Woofer! If anybody would like to try some send an email to me at contactus@moonligtsdelights.com. We have dried Black Trumpets available in quantities ranging from one ounce to ten pounds or more and we include free shipping in all of our prices. Black Trumpets dry and re-hydrate just as well as morels and taste great on top of Salmon or Steelhead.
Messagestreeguy, Nice to see you back and on board and no the ship is still in the snow. Sorry there Marin on + an - end to the co-op. I just won't you to be aware of what your going to face if you decide on going the way of a co-op. I myself well stay the way I'v been over the year and You well never here my say anything on the low price's. I well alway's find a good price for what I pick and if I can't then I well not pick them but well let them grow onless I can dryand sale them later.........................Loon lobo, I have lost your land line can you e-mail me with it.?.... lostmorel@aol.com
Messagesre;co-op......I would like to say to those who care, a co-op like any other venture is only going to be as good as the people involved. If you get the right heads together along with 110% commitment almost anything is possible!! for myself I dont have the time to be involved in such a venture . good luck to those who try. life is what you make of it.
Messageshi ppl, been rather busy the last while, first time ive come here in quite a while,got alot done, from finished fixing my teeth,moving n got a new to me pc, will post a bit more later.looking forward to the new year and a fresh season. lookin like il be working from the city another year yet so im dreaming of full bucket. got a parrot/kid as well now
MessagesThanks Hangtime, I'm not an experienced morel picker either. Chanties, lobsters, and pines are the one's I've picked to sell. I also pick a few others for my table. I started picking in 1995 so I quess that makes me a newbe in the scheam of things! Anyway this was apparently an exercise in futility! Sad, Sad, Sad!!!
MessagesLone Lobo, A" and others: I am amazed at how realistic this discussion taking place here is about the actual business economics and how similar so many of the experiences and lessons learned seem to be. I have spent the last three months going through an internal business audit with our bookeeper and banker trying to see what the actual cost analysis is of different products we have dealt with, from salal, boughs, berries, mushrooms, etc I had a gut instinct about a lot of the "hidden" costs and actual operational costs but now that it all has been broken down into months, cash flows, etc it really does come down to pennies on pounds as to whether or not it is possible to even break even in some situations. All of the costs such as phones, insurance, hydro, computors, fax machine, fuel, cell phone, website, etc etc etc add up during a season. And that is not even counting the costs of running the station and warehouse. And I totally agree with and have experienced the problems with product loss due to spoilage or freight forwarder problems. In the end of it all I think it comes down to the cold hard truth is that the ntfp industry is a very tough industry to work in but it is one that has its own unique rewards depending upon what a person sees as adding to the quality of life they want.
MessagesMarin, I realise talk is cheap but I have to say I am behind you 150%. However I now have a full time job so cant be of much help! I too love picking mushrooms as much as the naysayers, but it would be nice to pay for gas and have a bit left over for wobly pops; repairs or a meal. Maybie things are different for morel pickers, but last year I saw too many pine mushroom pickers hurtin or hitchhiking to the buyers.Regardless heres a BIG thumbs up for giving a shit!!
MessagesGrant, try it with out the www http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis
MessagesAugust; I thought Alice got married? I haven't seen her around, you might try the Ape Cave.
MessagesZiQuinn; so true, so true.... Having been in law enforcement I would surmise that my point of view in not wishing to deal with those who cheat and lie could be a product of experience and not of lack of strength. I have discovered other ways that produce better results than a Co-Op and I do not need to deal with that or the other mushroom business I developed and choose to drop. I could have fought to save my niche in the regular mushroom jungle but why deal with what I no longer need to deal with, however I do believe that my experiences may help those who desire to enter the competitive fray.
MessagesZiQuinn, call me tonight around 7:p.m. (966-3497)
MessagesUncle Don Uncle Don how is the weather !
MessagesLoon lobo, nice to see you and Alice are getting along lol
MessagesYou are all correct from your own view point about this co-op thing. Everything you enounter in life as to making choices on persons, places or things, will leave you with 3 choices, (1) Accept it the way it is and go on. (2) If you have the strength and desire, you can try to change things., or (3) Just go do something else and forget about it.......Ol'e Uncle, Don
MessagesWoofer; great pics, from the trumpets coloration I would surmise that the weather has dried up a bit or else there is not much picking pressure where you took the photographs. ..... ..... Marin; I see that we were typing a message at the same time. I type in a “word document” so that I can return to read messages that I highlight on the board and then move to the next one to see if a reply is needed that way I do not need to keep trying to scroll up and down to find where I was reading. …. If I had a good short-term memory then I could recall what I had read long enough to make my reply but alas I do not have one that works very well. …. When I pull the board up I scroll down to my last posted missive and then read up towards the latest post. Good luck if you do create a Co-Op, I know that there has been lots of interest here in past years. …. …. One challenge I discovered is the cheating and lies that come from competitors. One in particular started buying overages from mushroom factories and undercutting the established Boise commercial produce brokers prices. …. …. These established brokers never carried wild mushrooms unless a customer directly asked for them and then they would contact a wild broker to ship them what the customer wanted …. Then this man who had an Masters in Business Administration with a minor degree in mycology discovered that I was providing fresh morels to many of the same customers and he tried to get me to sell directly to him so that he could sell to my established customer base. …. He said that he previously did not know that morels grew here in the west being as he came from the state of Michigan and thought that the wild mushroom world revolved around the Midwestern USA. …….. ……..Now for the fun part; MBA started telling my established customers that because he had a mycological degree that the State of Idaho had made him inspector for all wild mushrooms and that they could only purchase wild mushrooms from him or mushrooms that he had certified or that they would be fined. …… Much of my customer base that I had been selling to for several years became paranoid of facing fines and began purchasing from MBA. …….. …….. My mother got cancer at this time and I became her care giver and could not drive to the coast for mushrooms as well as make all the required deliveries because that was a full time gig. I contracted with a Pacific Coast broker friend to ship coastal mushrooms and huckleberries to me so that I could satisfy my remaining customer base. Then my “broker friend” decided that I had established a good customer base and wanted a larger piece of the pie and thus contacted MBA in an underhanded manner even though I was promised that no such contact would ever be done. …. …. Now with this new development my “friend” began undercutting the price to MBA and he in turn sold to my former customers at lower prices than I could do and even though I had obtained a letter from the State of Idaho proving that MBA had lied to my customers there just was not enough customer base left to make any profit. Most of my customers were still paranoid of being fined because MBA was still lying to them …….. After I backed out of the business end of wild mushrooms MBA raised his prices higher than I used to charge and now controls most-all of my former Idaho and Utah territory.
Messageswww.waterdata.usgs.gov This is a good link for streamflow readings. All gauging stations in US are listed.
MessagesMarin; sorry I have no more desire to be involved with such a venture, even as a picker. I got took on an order of belly button hedge hogs that had been apparently picked frozen and that was the final nail in the coffin for me. …. By the time I got them home I sorted the batch and then planned on driving the route the delivery next day, in the morning I discovered more hogs that were going soft and sorted them again…I lost close to three hundred pounds to spoilage out of five hundred pounds I had purchased. …. If I were a large business then I could have absorbed the loss but being as I am just someone who was trying to help others out I was loosing my shirt. …. I am very happy doing my research and nature photography with out the extra stress or trying to please everyone and especially those who lack ethics. …. I love the hunt and the aesthetics of nature and that is satisfaction enough for me. …. …. I looked at several refer trucks and was offered a good deal by Torrey Culp during morel season in John Day one year but by the time I rounded up the money I had decided to wait and then I never did purchase one.
MessagesI give up
MessagesMarin, I hope you don't take all of this wrong but the truth is in black an white and I hope you can read between the line's. I have and I seen it all.
MessagesPeople do care but ask yoursalf this, What do I really won't out of all this and why do I pick shroom if not for money then what?. Only you and you alone know what you really won't from all of this.
MessagesThink Emerging Markets!
MessagesLet Joe make Boo Coo! Nobody care's anyway,right?
MessagesRainbow Warrior, That's what it's all about getting out in the wood's and to injoy what there is that God has made for us all. If you go just for the money then you have missed out on what it is really all about. I do it for the injoyment and to be with and part of nature. Let those that won't to make money do the real work and have all the stress I just won't to explore and learn all that I can so I may teach those around me what I know.
MessagesWoofer I checked out your pictures and I realized upoun seeing them how hard it has to be to find Black Trumpets! I wonder what's paid per lb. for them dried? From what I know Morel's pay better than any of them, more than double, anything else dried! I wish I could take back the time I spent humping for Matsi's and had applied it to Morel's!
MessagesA.... I agree with you giving up all the time from pickin to run a co-op doesnt sound like much fun.TOO much hassle,paper work, and red tape . Best of luck for trying but sounds like not worth giving up hiking the hills and ENJOYING life.
MessagesAnyone want to type in CO-OP on their PC to see what it's about?
MessagesSome new Pics i took yesterday, Black trumpets and hedgehogs. http://community.webshots.com/album/562450021wtERdO
MessagesLone Lobo. I cant fault you for trying to make a buck, I may try selling some pics once I get better with my camera. i just got the nikon d-80 digital slr and I am starting to figure it out. I also got nikon capture nx for manipulation and man is it cool, unbeliavble what you can do with this cool little program. P.S. I saw the whole elvis video a few years back and it was pretty neat
MessagesMarin ,When you start to ship oversea's then you really take a chance on loseing money and your product. And if I'am right you well need permit's to ship and insueance at both end's for your safety then you find that your order is short and you don't know why,well sometime's between the werehouse and to whom the order is going to someone well at time's grub some for them self's and then there are those buye's well say that your shipment has gone bad even if it's still good then you lose again (out of the money).! So tell me do you still won't to start a co-op? I know there are buyer's that read this board and if they could add there two cent's here you may fine that I hit the nail close to the head.................This Fall well be my thrity-one years of picking and I have seen this market do so many thing's over the year's and I have meet so many old timer's that don't even live now day's and I'v learn from them what a person can do to make more money than what the buyer's well pay you now day's and I can't see how anyone person can get started in a co-op with the cost of thing's now a day's and live well.
MessagesMarin, you just don't give up do you. Like loon lobo said it cost to much to run and not just money, there is time,tax's, office supply's,permit's and whom well run your office to make sale's, clean,pack,shipping supply's like box's and I must say you well need to have a dye cast made with your name of your co-op( and I have looked into this it would cost around 2 to3,000. doller's for that alone.We can talk about this all we won't but in the end we well never give up are freedom of picking to run a co-op. If you fill you still won't to do this I would say you would need to see how a werehouse is run or work for one for a week are two then you would know all if not some of how there run, you also could lose your ass if one or two shipping ment's get's lost on it way to were ever it is going. I have see basket's set at the airport for hour's in the heat and of the day, you know what happen's.
MessagesCan we find a link to export over sea's directly?
MessagesAlso I know of a place a refrigarated truck can be gotten for a reasonable price, also how about a grant for rural developments?
MessagesLone Lobo since you have tried the co-op before it would be logical for you to lead the way if enough people would just work with you. Are game?
MessagesThis is for those that don't like to pick around other's in the fire burn's from the summer of 07". You could try those fire's from 06" that never really came on last year, no they well not be fire burn's but natural's are just as good and maybe more in price as dryer's an fresh market. So don't over look the burn's you could make a killing if no one ele's is there!. Yes,they may have log some of them but there still are good to hunt.
MessagesMarin & Keith Hunter; one of the bigger obstacles I found in trying to start a Co-Op was that persons willing to supply me with mushrooms desired too big of a cut on the dollar end. For some reason they thought that if I was selling hogs, chanterelles etc for up to $8.00 per pound that they ought to receive 6 or 7 dollars for their pickings. ….. Being as I was driving a small pickup without refrigeration to take the mushrooms inland to various markets the gas cost along with vehicle maintenance would take about $2.00 per pound and then there is the spoilage factor in driving long distances with reduced selling prices for lower quality. …. Then factor in the paperwork, taxes, insurance, licensing and stress …. I decided that it just was not worth the effort required to try and satisfy the entrenched egos & desires of chefs and pickers involved. …. We all desire to get the best prices for our efforts but in my opinion it is a loose-loose situation for the organizer if all involved are not willing to be rational & reasonable in their expectations.
MessagesAugust & ZiQuinn; amen on the flood dangers in spring. The last time I ran a spring stream at full flood stage was also the last time I went kayaking. I was working at Redfish Lake Lodge in Idaho's Sawtooth Mountains in 1971 and got caught upside down against a large "strainer". I woke up laying on the grass, my clothes were dry and the boat was still upside down against the strainer. No one else was around so I figured that if the good Lord saved me from my folly once then I would not tempt fate again in a kayak. .... .... I do expect heavy flooding here this spring with numerous washed out roads in the mushroom areas due to the poor logging practices of the past years.
MessagesAugust, I am in a flood plane here and can see where the water got withing 40-50- feet from the house. That was in 1997 when the high water picked up trees and logs and rammed the bridge behind the "Woodshed" resturaunt taking it out. Also, That was the same year it took the bridge out on the Rattlesnake creek on the way to McDanial Lake. At this time, having no bank here, the Naches is just about ready to creat new flow routes. Will keep you posted. Someone on here posted Kayaking on the flood rivers. If you do that on the Naches, it will be your last trip.
MessagesThe projected forecast here is for a wet spring and then another hot, dry summer with below average precip. I suspect the snow will melt fast again this year especially if we have lots of rain in the spring. All that will do is make the grass grow bigger and make fuel so that when it gets dry it will be fuel for fires. This seems to be the trend anymore. I'm off to Butte today to take my car in for a recall fixit. Ciao.
MessagesIf you think just the snow well be a problem think again, High water's and flooding may well be something to keep inmind and road wash-out's.We all know that when it turn's warm around here it could turn hot as well and the snow well melt fast and the creek's and river's can't hold it back. We still have alot of wash-out from last two winter's. So keep this in your mine and remember to be safe.
MessagesYou well find that a lot of people well give up early this spring,thinking that there favorite patch's are gone for the season but you and I well find out how wrong they well be. My hope's are that the chant's I pick well be coming on strong this year as well, so I may never have to move to new place's as I have in the past. this could be a year for a lot of shroom's. It all depend's on how slow the snow well melt.................ZiQuinn how high is the river at this time? keep me info.
MessagesAugust; with our deeper than average snow it most likely will be July before my favorite patches melt and price will be at the season low before I even get to pick. I shall need to go hunt the Blues or out Bumping way to get earlier morels, lol. …. Well now that I have gone a little closer on up the board and read what ZiQuinn thinks I may need to revise my opinion as to when the drifts will be ready to break thru to my favorite areas. Some roads are closed with drifts into late July and often the ice does not melt until mid August or later on my favorite fishing lakes. .... I got spoiled the last few years when the snow drifts were gone by late May & early June but then the patches dried up early also due to the drought.
MessagesThis weather may well be good for blond morel's there ZiQuinn so hope is on are side and those on the west side may find it hard to get over U.S.14 this spring. I have alway's run into people from Seattle coming over the pass to hunt over here in the spring for morel's and spring bolete's......................tmbr1, just give your pc a wit welly and it should work, if not ask Carla for a cup of her coffee and give it to your tower that should walk it up lol..........................goodmorning Carla:)
MessagesHey guys....sorry on the pics....issues again...will send as soon as i figure how to get into my photos...theyre in there somewhere...this vista has been splitting my files an depositing who knows where...will send soon
MessagesThe reason the Morels are always there for me ,is the two snow drifts that people can't get thru. I usually am one of the first to break thru. You are familiar with these drifts on the 1500 rd, I am sure. It has been as late as the middle of June before I could break thru and you may well be right. It may be in July before I can get in there. It will be interesting to see what happens.. Keep a stiff up-er.
MessagesSorry Carla but you and I had posted early today with in second's of each other but you put your noes up to me and now I see your trying to make up with Coffee lol. That well not work with me.lol
MessagesAugust... Since when do you need an invitation? You know where it is, you're only a guest the first time! ;-)
Messagestmbr1.....my email is glenmcdonald17@hotmail.com. look forward to the pics. they would love my front lawn, i can see green showing. can't wait for spring.
MessagesZiQuinn,I would like to say yes but then it maybe july the way the weather is this year !
MessagesAugust, That is a interesting question. My favorite place is at about 5,000 ft. Sometimes, it is early June before I can get to them. that is why they are there. Most have giver'n up by then. this year, will the shrooms be there at the end of June???
MessagesJust a short survey, when do you all thank you well be able to get to your patch's our a fire burn that you plan on going to this spring and what dose everone think the price's well be If we can't get to the patch's because of the deep snow. I know of a fire near me well take to july to get to and most of my pitch's well have snow tell mid May.
MessagesCarla; I never utilize anyone else’s posted photos because I never know if I might be infringing upon someone’s copywrite. I know that Woofer also has offered that anyone may use his phototographs. Because I have some photos that I desire to sell copies of or use for art projects I need to abide with the laws and prohibit any copying or else someone may say that I gave them permission to use my photos. Any original writing, art, photograph etc is automatically protected by laws from being copied without written permission from the originator. Once you give blanket permission publicly to use your photos without credit being given then any future photos you may desire to protect could be construed as being copy-permitted. …. Many thanks to Boletus Joe for caring about others property. …. …. tmbr1; Amen on the elk, they are thick near Boise along the freeway currently due to heavy snows higher up. Look on U-tube for “Elvis the elk” Elvis would drop his antlers in a Garden Valley Idaho man's drive way each year as if in thanks for being fed in winter. We had a very experienced skier die this weekend at Brundage Ski area when he fell into a ten foot deep tree-well, with snows as deep as 300 inches or more in the higher regions it may be a long time before the morels show this year.
MessagesWell I really don't see many fire's this year unless it really turn's super hot and dry this year. what do you all think on this?
Messageshere are a couple of neat links for snow levels for Oregon and Washington. Oregon ahs a record depth of 15 feet at Mt hood, and then washington has one of over 24 feet http://www.wunderground.com/StateSnowDepth.asp?state=OR http://www.wunderground.com/StateSnowDepth.asp?state=WA
MessagesTalked with my dad in NW Montana. he says they have over 5 feet of snow on the ground and they had to have a guy come in with a D-8 cat to help widen the road going into the house so he could keep it plowed open, he said it snowed for a about 2-3 weeks non stop and he had plowed everyday and had built up over 12 feet of snow on the sides of the driveway. and the winter isnt even over yet
MessagesWell in that case I'll make my own coffee. I know when I'm getting to nose in the air lol
MessagesGood morning Carla
MessagesSay todd I would love to see willy,just send a pick to lostmorel@aol.com
MessagesHi Boletus Joe. I don't have that many pics on my website but feel free to use any of them you would like to and don't credit me because I am not even sure who gave me some of them but they were given freely without any stipulation and more than likely they will just be happy to have them shown. The web address is www.dicksstation.com
MessagesWooHoo! The snow is finally melting off pretty good and the pickers can finally get to the patches... YAY!
MessagesMorning all..... First , thanks Woofer for the offer, I will look into that. and hello to "tmbr1" if you want to send me a photo of your friend, I would/could post it on my Blog and anyone here that wants to connect to http://mush-mus-mac.blogspot.com/ will be able to view it. But just one or two, don't flood me with a bunch... "boletus at telus dot net" As well could you maybe supply me with a link or a line of text so I can give YOU credit for any photo that you may/or may not send..... Still a few yellowfoots under the snow, can you believe it....
MessagesBefore you go "Snow" Morel hunting Auggie, better find your water wings. I am about 50 yards from the Naches and it is on the rise. Most snow at White Pass since 1976...
Messagesgreetings all news for ntfp canada www.ntfpnetwork.ca
MessagesHi A.,.....Am used to the snow...but the wind sucks.Are they all really sleeping out there?Hibernation is cool...I got this one bull that drops in every day...Jus call him Willy...if i dont get out there in time he ends up on the deck ,bangin on the slider,loves the cats but gets irate withthe dogs....I'll send a pic if yur interested.
MessagesI smile....Rainbow....there is nothing better than a good elk steak...it is being hard on the critters over here......we're feeding on a regular basis...i'm tmbr1@hotmail.....i got pics of some beautiful critters in my back yard evry day...send me an addy and i'll send some photos...they love the oats n stuff...keeps em warm...plowed out the back yard to feed...I think theyre startn to love me.
MessagesI smile....Rainbow....there is nothing better than a good elk steak...it is being hard on the critters over here......we're feeding on a regular basis...i'm tmbr1@hotmail.....i got pics of some beautiful critters in my back yard evry day...send me an addy and i'll send some photos...they love the oats n stuff...keeps em warm...plowed out the back yard to feed...I think theyre startn to love me.
Messagestmbr1....I would love to get my sights on one of those 600 elk!! hopefully its not too hard of a winter for the poor forest critters. i too am dreaming of what spring will bring.
MessagesWell I see we all must be sleeping, with spring in the air how could you. As you all can see I also can't go a day with out saying soming here on the board. Yes Todd,they just don't know what to say with all that snow in there patch's and they can't get out there door's to injoy the outside and pick snow morels lol
Messagesok,now this is getting to be too much.....hardly a word today and i'm going stir crazy....spose yu all hit the woods or sumthing...checked out a couple of the sites mentioned lately and its stirring my blood....I am a hunter gatherer and its going to be a great year!...... Be well all! Todd
MessagesBoletus, looks like a cool site, good luck with it
MessagesKieth Hunter. Please give Gerry a call, I would like to discuss some of the last few days conversations with you. 1.866.717.6677
MessagesGood morning all,a beautiful morning in sw wyoming,the high desert is really glowing this morning,apink sunrise with a warm 15 degree start on the day.Been drinkin some powerful Jo and day-dreaming about gettn to where things are a bit greener.Drove home from Ogden yesterday,saw nearly 600 head of elk on various ridges,wading through neck deep snow looking for a bite to eat.I'll bet they're dreaming about greener pastures also. Heres wishing you all a great day and great fortune thru the coming year!
Messagesoh yu guys.....I'm sorry that I missed the last days conversations...it seems there is a wealth of information out there... and wisdom. carpe diem
MessagesJoe; you may find me at: moreldoctor at yahoo dot com or from the links given in several of my blogs to other yahoo email accounts or at my space page, thanks for your courtesy. I saw that you had given credit to one other photo so I figured that you might have tried to find me. .... I desire credit given as I have shown below if anyone wishes to utalize any of my photos, however anyone else must get written permission first prior to publishing.
Messageslone lobo Have taken care of the labeling....sorry about that.... tried to find an eMail link via your blog...... No luck?? Can you leave one here?? Will answer you forthwith.. Joe
Messagesextra information.................................Boletus Joe; I will grant permission for the usage of my photo on that one blog site only if the following is copied and pasted below or at the side of said photo. ....... “This copywrited photograph is used courtesy of JT Holmes http://morelfarmer.com/ “......... anyone may view said photo in my blog that it was copied from by clicking on the above link. To make the link clickable on Blogger you will need to open the “edit post” link at blogger then click on “edit” then copy and paste the above statement just under the photograph and then highlight the link and go to the top left of the line to the third icon from the left that looks like a set of eyes on a face and click on it, copy the link into the box given at the top of the page and follow directions. …… This copywrited photograph is used courtesy of JT Holmes http://morelfarmer.com/ should then be pasted at the side of the photograph, to make it appear at the bottom of the photo just hit the “enter” key eight to ten times or more until the message shows at the bottom.
MessagesBoletus Joe; I will grant permission for the usage of my photo on that one blog site only if the following is copied and pasted below or at the side of said photo. ....... This copywrited photograph is used courtesy of JT Holmes http://morelfarmer.com/ ......... anyone may view said photo in my blog that it was copied from by clicking on the above link. To make the link clickable on Blogger you will need to open the “edit post” link at blogger then click on “edit” then copy and paste the above statement just under the photograph and then highlight the link and go to the top left of the line to the third icon from the left that looks like a set of eyes on a face and click on it, copy the link into the box given at the top of the page and follow directions.
MessagesBoletus joe; Nice site however I do not recall giving anyone permission to utalize my morel photos, It seems to me that I have the copywight on the greys in the white plastic tray .... please correct me if I am wrong but i do plan to check my original. If you desire to keep it posted then lets choose a correct way to give credit to the photographer.
MessagesGood Luck Woofer!!!
MessagesYou can sure tell it is the middle of winter and not the middle of any mushroom flush.... In my boredom I have started a little place where I talk about my mushrooms adventures and have some photos.... check it out if you like. Comments and critique welcome @....... http://mush-mus-mac.blogspot.com/
Messagesthings seem to be going about normal here. The weather here in the valley has been clear, slightly cloudy and cold. ( Carla, I will make run to the area we talked about last time on this coming tuesday) No snow lately, just cold and nothing worth a darn coming up. Just have to wait till some weather comes in. I just got a new nikon digital slr camera and cant wait to take some pics, Well, off to get some more tattoo work done, will finally get my right arm sleeve done
MessagesA" the link between what occurs in the US markets and the impact upon us here in BC (at least as far as Vancouver Island) last year was very complicated. About this time last year the par values favored companies buying products in Canada (as long as the shipping costs remained feasible). In our buying season last year we took two hits from the US---first on huckleberries when the season there began because of the prices being paid in Oregon and the rise in the loonie made it cheaper for companies to buy berries there. At the beginning of the Chanterelle season we were able to maintain a fairly good price up here until the flushes started in Oregon. The picker prices paid, in both situations, were lower than what we were paying so the markets here tried to go down on prices and in fact did until the very end of the season when they went back up due to the volumes dropping. This year the dollar values are about equal so the exchange rate on par values won't be so much of a factor but I am not sure if there will be a repeat of how the prices varied so much between BC and Oregon.
MessagesWe as picker's could never sale all that we pick to local Restaurant's so we must sale to the joe's but we can try to find a way to get what we fill is fair to all and not just down here in the U.S. but also to those up north.
MessagesMarin: I do think there are certain situations where some type os co-p would be of benefit to people locally. For example, in attaining the economies of scale necessary to reduce per pound shipping costs, etc a type of co-op that operated a cold storage for products might be beneficial in pickers attaining a better market share or price due to increased volumes and quality assurance. I do think that creating the core infrastructures for this industry, especially in the remote communities where the resources actually exist, is something that is lacking in so many ways and perhaps could help be developed by some type of co-ops as I described in this post, particularly when there are no local buyers connected to the community or when there are no buyers in the area due to low volumes.
MessagesI got what I was looking for when I started this conversation, by asking questions earlier this week. A lot of feed back and none of really negative, thankyou all. It seems to me like it will take alot of research in marketing and other area's to ever really get a CO-OP off the drawing board and into practice, and even then, how many would use it? Thankyou Lone Lobo,Kieth, Carla,August, tmbr1 and everyone else for your input and information. This one thing here proves to me the wealth of this board, and wealth of the soul's who haunt it, again, thank you all very much!
MessagesThe snow is melting off and is now at 1800-2000 foot level now.
Messages"Quote" (Year two of the co-op circle jerk... Some ppl do things. Other ppl talk about them.) "TableTopper" Are you working for the joes?? I dont see the problem with people discussing the co-op option. Sure it would be nice if everyone could sell to local restaurants etc. But do u realize if everyone did, how the prices u get paid would drop! If it doesnt happen no sweat lost, at least people have the option to vent.
MessagesI wanted to clarify what I posted about business models. We do not take taxes out of what the pickers receive. I have no idea how any buyer could calculate what tax rate would apply. What I meant to post was that the business files taxes on business revenues.
MessagesRainbow Warrior I hope Premier Campbell doesn't read this or else he might just create a roundtable for taxing opinions---probably a hot air tax or something for combatting global warming.
MessagesA....opinionation tax!!! That sounds like something our Gov. in British Columbia would consider for discussion and maybe a panel to look into.LOL. Im not sure your laws in the U.S.A. but in Canada you dont need permits or anything to pick crown lands. If your status native you can pick in the provincial parks. I think it will be a long time before anything up here changes. supply and demand will always be a big factor in the price of our shrooms. I guess I'm just happy to have deer to shoot and mushrooms to flavor the venison, not sure whats in store for my kids. HOPE for all the best to all.
MessagesA" what you have described is what we have done within our business model. And you are 100% correct, the paper work and due diligence required to comply is very time consuming and adds costs to operating. The only way I see co-ops working would be on localized levels, which then run into issues with supply chain logistics, marketing, operating capitol, etc etc etc What we have tried to do is to work with pickers and customers who have similar values, vision and ethics as we have and that is about as much as we can do. I always encourage the commercial pickers we deal with to approach their activities as a small business which would allow for tax deductions as Lone Lobo describes. Some of the pickers I buy from actually insist on records with their names on them because they do file taxes which is the only way they can document income for things like credit loans from banks and mortgages. I suppose it just comes down to the differences in individuals and personal needs and how those are best met for each person. What I did find when we moved more towards a professional business model was that the weekend pickers seemed to not want to move in that direction but a significant number of commercial pickers saw the benefit. Personally I lean more toward small business entreprenuers models because it give much more freedom in marketing strategies, etc Anyway, thanks everyone for such a good dialogue and things to think about.
MessagesI do believe that a co-op is not the way to go and I really don't know what we can do to help each other to get a good price but if it take's take's us that way then the buyer's well have to take out tax's from what we sale and they would have to report on what they make and how much the sale and pay-out. I really think they would not go that fare. Just to much paper work to be filled out. I could be wrong but I don't think so.
MessagesA" thank goodness there isn't a tax on opinions (yet)
MessagesI would love to give my two cent's But then I could be tax on it.
MessagesGreetings: This discussion taking place is one of the better discussions I have seen regarding the pro's and con's of associations or co-ops. My own experience and observations are very similar to what has been expressed so clearly by those of you in this discussion. One challenge that we deal with in our situation is in regards to the actual management of ntfp resources (we are located on Vancouver Island) as relates to the Ministry of Forests and Range and FRPA. At present there is no legislation in place that would require the MOFR to protect ecosystems that are more productive for ntfps, including mushroom areas. Unfortunately, the only way to create such protections would have to come from socio-economic factors, which would require some way to establish economic values of resources. That of course brings us in these discussions full circle back to what many have expressed on this board about not wanting such documentation made, whether from a tax standpoint or having ecosystems and patches identified for protection. Without that the hunter gather aspect of this industry will no doubt continue which is not in and of itself a bad thing, but without some forward movement on resource management and issues such as pesticides, fertilizing and such land use decisions the issues of potential contamination of food sources are not able to be mitigated. I definately do not have the answers but I know there are definately many questions, and challenges, that need to be addressed to move forward as an industry (if moving beyond the status quo is what needs to occur).
Messagesrainbow warrior; I am more of a hunter gatherer also and anymore and I give much of my pickings away, however I do try to sell enough to pay my research expenses. .... I have researched many avenues for selling in several states and even tried to get a Co-Op going about 1996 when I was buying winters at the Chetco Market and driving them to Idaho, Montana, Utah, Las Vegas and Spokane. I was putting more than one hundred thousand tax deductible mushroom miles on my vehicle each year and although the money was good there are just too many legal hoops and challenges to jump through for me to desire to do that any more. …. …. I much prefer the freedom of researching growth patterns and photographing the mushrooms these days.
Messagesi agree 100 % rainbow warriow. thats exactly what i do now. hunter gather persay. only thing is i have already loaded up my family with dryed shrooms this year. have an excess of dryed pines. so this year i will look to sell off the excess. anyways gd hunting and full buckets to you.
Messagesi agree 100 % rainbow warriow. thats exactly what i do now. hunter gather persay. only thing is i have already loaded up my family with dryed shrooms this year. have an excess of dryed pines. so this year i will look to sell off the excess. anyways gd hunting and full buckets to you.
MessagesI guess I would fall into the hunter gatherer type. have a monday to friday job and pickin is just another good excuse to get out and enjoy mother nature. If pickin is good and prices are down I don't mind eating more than my fill of fresh wild shroomies! giving them away to family and freinds is always better than helping some greedy buyer make big off my sweat and enjoyment. no matter the price I always make it back to my fav. patches.
Messagescan anyone tell me what the going price for dryed pines is per lb. non wormy 3's, 4's and 5's. and if anyone is interested in about 4 to 5 lbs. they can send me an email at bringing_downthehouse@hotmail.com
MessagesZiQuinn; Yes, I hear you and thought at the time that using Bill Gates as an example of smarts for making money might not sit well with all concerned, but there are similarities between him and a few in this industry as was well documented on this discussion board during matsutake season last fall. …. …. The facts as I see them are that there are very few mushroomers with Bill Gates “type ability” to acquire wealth from this industry. Some were savvy pickers who moved up to the management level of industry and created their own niche and smart marketing, some saw opportunity for their business development abilities, some are not so honest and some have integrity. …. …. I still feel that there are only about a hundred or so really smart pickers who follow the total circuit and make the big bucks. Currently there will be several thousand culturally identifiable pickers of a more seasonal variety waiting on their favorite hibernation wake-up calls from industry leaders and string-holders to head out to various morel locations. They will send out their own family scouts from Tacoma, Sacramento and elsewhere to see if it is a viable call to pick and when they find where the best money is to be made the call will be made back to family leaders etc and the annual migration to the mushroom areas will occur. …. …. Then there are many thousands of hunter gatherers and weekend foragers who may or may not sell some of their pickings. Some will vehemently deny that they would ever sell a mushroom but will do so if they think that their other self-righteous friends will never find out about it. They may pick way beyond their “personal use allotment” each day and justify their theft from those who paid for the rights to pick higher volumes by saying it is all for home use… but do you happen to know if there are any mushroom buyers in the area? …. …. I agree with you about the rain necessity for some etc. My mushroom desires are met when there is lots of snow in my patches and summer rains, conversely my gold getting self desires a major drought so that the rivers are low and the gold easier to obtain.
MessagesYear two of the co-op circle jerk... Some ppl do things. Other ppl talk about them.
MessagesSun is out but more strong wind's today30 to 40 mph and higher gust up to 50. Warming up this weekend and into next week, high's into the upper 40's to low 50's and I hope this winter is over Mmmooooorrrreeelllsss I'm a coming.................Ziquinn, well said!
MessagesYes Carla, get a Mac, it doesn't matter which one, it is all about the OS. You will after about 2 weeks walk around with a smug smile on your face every time you use it. Everything just works.. Damn can't wait for the Morels to pop, just a few weeks now.... Still eating the ones we picked last year.....MMmmmmmm...... BTW....Hello to all you antsy pickers.
MessagesJust a note. we give Bill Gates a lot of credit for his software boom. He and others designed the system. What the real genius of Bill Gates is, (and not much talk about it), is his "Marketing" genius. That is just what the bid for "Yahoo" is all about. Tying up the market until he gets sued and in the process, makes millions. As "A" say, he has his own marketing system. A co-op of some nature will provide some protection, but as metioned, there are also drawbacks. The nature of a mushrroom picker varies with the individual. Some want protection, some want there independents. It's like the american farmer. There is no such thing. Dryland wheat farmers want rain in the early summer, cherry farmers do not. In the horse heaven hills here a few years ago, wheat farmers were still using the DDT they still had in spite of the laws because it worked so well for there purposes. Problem was, when the rain washed soil down to the grape farmers, it was killing the grape vines. Involving the Gov't is always going to present problems because they wedge themselfs into the money chain.
Messagesgood morning peeps...A' the weather is supposed to warm up here as well and not a moment too soon for my liking. Yesterday I had to go over to Butte and of course, it was sunny and almost 40 at home and halfway to Butte, I hit blizzard white-out conditions and then it was white knuckle driving the rest of the way and all around Butte. The wind was blowing the snow all over so you couldn't tell where the road was or what you were looking at. Visibility was 0...what an awful drive! It was even worse driving back so I felt fortunate when I got back to my side of the mountains and once I got home, the sun was still shining and it was still almost 40! Crazy weather we have here in the Rockies!!!!! Carla, it's easy and you will wonder why it took you so long. When I go back on to my pc, I hate the feel of it and almost use it begrudgingly now. You will love the mac, so give it a try.
MessagesOye ! Evening all !! man I haven't been on this site for a while , long winter sleep... now I can hear my boots starting to clap in the closet downstairs !! made a moose stew with red wine, brandy & morels....awesome , I licked the pot clean , lol . going winter campin this weekend , do a little fishing , see what happen. I sure hope we get a co-op off the ground this year , this is what it takes to put an end to this nonsense price roller coaster joke. and personnally I think the biggest challenge won't be the quantity nor the quality but the marketing, the business intrusion, liability ....blah , blah ,... but I strongly believe it can be done . good luck to our friends in the south. anyways thats my 5cents for tonight . full buckets to everybody !!! Sam in BBY.
MessagesMarin; The dollar figure may be correct but from which perspective. ???... When you look at the national economy you will see that there is great disparity in income. If it is Bill Gates or others who are good in their field of controlling the dollar that one looks at for comparison then the mushroom industry looks very good. I would venture that there are a hundred or so very good pickers who are like Bill Gates in that they have the smarts to make the mushroom industry pay very well. At the other end of the spectrum there are those who barely pay for gas and in the middle there are those who make enough to live comfortably when the seasons are good. …. …. I would surmise that when you factor the total picking population and square the roots, carry the one etc, the average person who likes hunting mushrooms and may sell some will be lucky to meet expenses. Those who brag about the dollars they earn and do not pay taxes or may not purchase permits unless forced, cause challenges for others because the government then thinks that every picker is cheating and making too much. Consequently the cost of a permit goes up and those who desire to pick to help make ends meet and wishes to be obedient to the rules gets hit with more fees than is fair. .... .... I file my taxes every year to show our Big Brother that I did not make any profit from mushrooms. After I list all my research expenses, show my mileage receipts and take the allowable mileage deduction then legally there is no profit left. .... .... I have admiration for anyone who can get a Co-Op going; I tried that and settled for other options. …. …. August; I was privileged to shovel more snow yesterday and this morning, but like Yakima it is warming up a bit here and perhaps the ground/rock hog will come out soon, boy do I have spring morel fever.
MessagesI am here, but leaving for work... I got to go get Hot Chocolate or else there could be mutiny in the buy station tonight! ;-)
MessagesCarla
MessagesThe snow level is finally climbing and the guys are claiming they get into the patches so I am gonna open up today and we will see what happens...I know there are mushrooms but that snow is dangerous to drive in on those nasty little twisty roads, so please drive safely!
MessagesYep, after a cup of my coffee, you're all good for a week... A', next time it looks you in the eye just shake hands with it...LOL
Messagestmbr1, that is Carla's coffee the best in the west!. Good morning Mary, how are you doing in this wither ?!. I just got up and it's 48 outside and the sun is out and I'm loving it !. morelman goodmorning to you also........Carla yes your coffee that one day was so bad, when I turn my cup upside down and the coffee came out and was standing next to me and looking at me eye to eye lol
MessagesGood morning all,and thanks Kieth,....and as far as Outlook is concerned...phhht...mine has been corrupted since day one :) I picked up a new laptop last summer w/vista programming and am still trying to pull files off my old com...every time they start talking they argue about who should be using the router...oh well,a little at a time.... Mud in the morning is such an important thing. I say fill the filter till it wont take any more!
MessagesThanks Mushroom Mary. I am looking into it, I have decided the only way to learn to use a mac is to get one...
MessagesI'm tellin' ya Carla....get a Mac and your problems will be over!!! Gerry's email is gerry_landry@yahoo.com He's posted it here lots of times.
MessagesI agree with A. Taxes suck. I will say that I stayed at the Tripod fire last year for Morels. The price never really went below 6 for the time I was there. I saw teams of two bring in 1200 bucks a day from that fire. Do the math. 1200 a day X 14 days. That equals 16800 for two weeks work and that is in CASH! Noone, including myself was complaining last year at that fire. That is crabbing money and you do not have to worry about falling off of a boat.
MessagesHi Marin, next time you talk to Gerry tell him hi for me, I have done something and lost all of my email addresses and phone numbers, somehow I managed to corrupt Outlook completely...
MessagesA', I thought you said my coffee was too darn muddy... hmmm ;-)
MessagesMarin, when they start to take tax's out of your pocket you would stop picking and so would other's.
MessagesI say right on Kieth Hunter you know and you have seen what it take's to run a werehouse and someone with the co-op would have to work the phone's make sale's clean and then like rainbow warrior said there would be tax's to be paid.I myself would just like to pick and have fun doing what I love best, being in the outdoor's.
MessagesKieth, I beleave that if it weren't for the spirit of the people in the field, buyer's and picker's, there wouldn't be a mushroom industry. When 99% of an indusry only gets 1% of a market value, something needs to give!
MessagesHello Marin: One of the most enjoyable parts of last year was seeing the interaction between the people working in our station and the pickers. The sense of cooperation and everyone working to get the best product out as we could to keep the prices as good as we possibly could was truly an inspiration to me. I don't know what I would have done if not for the pickers and the people in our station---along with the willingness of our customers to help out with their patience and technical experience on quality issues, shipping, etc I know there are some horror stories in the ntfp industry (and could share a couple myself about some less than desirable things that happened) but overall some of the best people I have ever had the chance to work with are in the wild mushroom and ntfp forest industry sector.
Messagestmbr1---I am not offended at all by anything I have read here.
MessagesHI Kieth Hunter, Absoulty right your are about the people at the buy stations! Foregive me in not includeing their hard work and dedication to our industry, which is as much , really more, important, sometimes because of experience, than the pickers. This is something that Everyone needs to put their say in, so that we can get this thing done right!
Messagesbeing a canadian picker I would like to say I would find my own market before I would join a co-op. once the gov. gets involved and taxes what we make,( if it wasnt so much fun and relaxing) it wouldn't be worth going out . there will always be enough side markets willing to pay a decent price as long as your willing to find them.thanks for your time.
MessagesAbsolutely Kieth...I am quite new here myself,and I hope that I didnt offend you.It is not my purpose to devalue anyone ,only to try to affect growth...There seems to be a lot of turmoil in the industry.I cannot speak for any one else,but in a co-operative sense,input from all would be helpful. Its affecting everyone...... Marin, Yes,it can happen!
MessagesI wanted to add to my last post that I personally took a lot of pride in not only the pickers and the quality of product they brought in but also in the people working in our station---as well as the long hours and dedication that our customers put into their marketing and distribution that keep it all going. It took everyone doing their part to the best of their ability to make it work for everyone else and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have worked with so many professionals on so many levels of this ntfp industry sector.
MessagesGreetings everyone: I wanted to jump in on this discussion going on here---knowing that my input is unsolicited and is likely to be taken as an uninvited opinion---however---as a buyer last year what I found was that as important as the pickers are to a business operation the people who worked in our operation grading, processing, packing and shipping the product worked tremendously hard and long hours to keep the product as high a quality as possible and to try and keep the delivery schedule as reliable as possible so that we could try our best to keep the picker prices as high as we could. Too often when I hear discussions about co-ops and associations, etc, they seem to be focused upon meeting the picker's needs and do not acknowledge the needs of the people who handle the products during the supply chain---without whose hard work the products would never enter the market place. To me, and this is just my own opinion, fair trade practices have to take into consideration all people who touch the product from the harvest to the end point of sales.
Messagesit has been tried A, and does look good on paper, it is the independant nature of the shroomer that makes it difficult to indulge in such an idea,and the delicate nature of the shrooms that make losses eminent if anything goes wrong... it is hard for me to imagine sustaining an idealistic goal in a pessimistic society,but this very thing has been bugging me for quite some time... and i have been looking at the co-op idea in many different ways. I do not think that it is a case of giving up your retail buyers to others,especially if you feel it would be a loss,but more-so in creasing the total number of retail buyers over-all,thusly expanding your market thru the efforts of others and yourself...every day more restauraunts open,and the customer base grows.. bringing,if nothing else,growth of opportunity.... this is only an idea,or possibly an opinion...(please dont think that your knowledge ,skill,and experience are unappreciated)......it may be that i am missing the point tho....with the co-op thing... it is my understanding that most of these efforts are to combat a pricing flux rather than a sustained growth issue... believing much in the strength of a co-operative to grow, produce, and diversify ,I wonder about the value of a strike.I do feel that it would further behoove us to effort creating a market for our product... What about finding a commodities broker (one that is on our side)who could be as invasive and overbearing as those that are devaluing our services of providing their product.....hmmm
MessagesThis is what I'm talking about, co-operation,tmbr1. We, as a whole, have sat back and bitched about the amount of money we receaved for our labor, yet no one wants to do anymore than that. It is time to move forward! I have idea's as well! Can't we all work on this together?
MessagesIt has been my experience(the timber industry)that the most money is made on the retail side...but that does not stifle the production sides opportunities(for opportunities are always present) ... Value added is a term used in such cases. With market fluctuating to such a degree as to make one not know what he/she is going to bring with a certain amount of product ,(wholesale), then one needs to look into more inventive sales options. This in no way infers that one should bypass our wholesale buyers,but instead to help them fulfill contractual obligations,for they are our bread and butter,and we are theirs in some cases.Then to find a way in assisting each other in the pursuance of more money for less product,utilizing skills and gifts we each possess ,to a greater or lesser extent. I am certain that a co-op is just "that"....co-operation in the works... hmmmm,I have some ideas ...
MessagesThanks for your input August. We can take to the next step together, or not, but it needs to be done, with or without you. I talked with Gerry in Canada and they, (our Canadian friends) are working on the same kind of thing!
Messagesthanks tmbr1
MessagesIt sound's good on paper but try to get other's to go along with it well "Not be Easy". so many have tryed in the past but nothing has ever come of it. You have too many people that have there oun market's and even I would not join a co-op becase I know the market and where to sale for a higher price when price's are down. Marin, as you know how many years I've been hunting and saleing I depend on myself to make the best of what I do and when it come's to money I do very well..................August
MessagesGood Idea Marin.....was just pondering the same!
MessagesJust a thought here but I tend to agree with Carla on the income thing,not sure whether its based on opportunity,drive,or just the good fortune of running into a nice patch once in a while...but thereare ample opportunities for a great income. I have spent my whole life outdoors and wildcrafting in general has brought me the most, or at least,the best income per hour spent in a productive fasion. Whether it be rocks ,sticks ,berries,cones,moss,conks,stumps,and of course mushrooms...income is good,if not great.....marketing is important,and working in a cooperative fasion helps immensely.Supply and demand are the driving force,but a basic infrastructure in the labor force increases the value of each persons output...or input...persay....(just a thought)
MessagesHi Carla, thanks for the information. What I'm trying to get at is how much the picker earns in comparision to the value of the mushrooms. The pickers do most of the work but get the least of the $50 million plus that is made from their labor! We can change this with less bitching and more co-operation, How about a Wild Mushroom CO-OP that works for the people, by the people? Does anyone have a problem with that?
Messagesto A and Carla,thank you for the welcome,much appreciated,always nice to meet a new friend. Look forward to a chance to say hi in person...Just got another foot of snow over here,but its nice out..like 10 or something,much better than twenty below(yukk)
MessagesSnow still on the ground and a high of 45, I'll be thinking spring is coming and not to late. we may even be in the 50's by the weeking............. Say Carla it's nice to see new people on the board and I hope we can find more that would like to learn more about shroom's.............. Mushroom Mary how are you holding out this winter? and Loon Lobo how's the snow there....................... Randy or Kingmorel are you still around?
MessagesCarla, where is my coffee
MessagesHI Marin, it depends on what you mean. The guys that go out every day and treat it like a job make about double that. The average picker makes 100 a day, the pro's usually make 150-200 (after expenses) each and then the people that leave their house at noon and beat me to the buy station usually make just enough to cover their expenses. Then there are the All Stars that make upwards of 250 a day and there aren't too many of them... It all depends on other things also, like the price and availability of whatever they are picking. This year there were lots of mushrooms and the price stayed okay throughout most of the season for Chanties and Lobsters and the pickers all made pretty darn good money, they left the shop happy and content instead of disappointed like last year. Last year the Price stayed at around 5 all year but there were no mushrooms and no one made much money...
MessagesThanks for the feed back, now we're talking. I bet your average picker doesn't make more than $25,000. dollars ayear, anyone disagree with that?
MessagesSundanz, call me.
MessagesHi Marin, I am not sure of the exact amounts but I know that I have 250+ permits on file for this year alone and that's not counting the guys that pick private property with more than1 person listed on the permit so it could actually be as high as 350 in my buy station alone.
MessagesHi tmbr1. It is always nice to have some newcomers, when there are more mushrooms out there we actually get some serious mushroom talk going on in here but for now there is not much out there but some hedge hogs and yellowfoot. In my area the snow level is so low that I have actually closed my buy station for a while until the snow melts off and the pickers can get into the patches.
MessagesHi sundanzkidd. Call me and I will get you a price, but the best way to get more bucks is to sell to a restaurant and don't forget to make them through in a good meal for your next date...
MessagesI bet it's pretty close but a bit low Marin.
MessagesMarin it's close but I would say 100,000,000.
Messagestmbr1, welcome. the talk is slow but as spring becomes closer we really talk the talk and before you know you can find us in the wood's if your luck. we pass are time talking about mussroom's and price's and Alice and one more thing Carla's coffee lol..................ok funny man what is wrong with A" and my other name's are Madmorel an Lostmorel are just August but A" is just short A lol
MessagesI read an artiacal that says mushrooms are a 50 million dollar a year industry here in the Northwest, anyone beleave that?
Messageshey folks, been droppin in once in a while here,jus for goin's on...really miss the pickin and the people involved...mind if i hang in on the conversations. am from nw montana,in the kootenai valley...but am now in sw wyoming takin care of ma...kinda freezin my butt.. First chance this boy is jumpin back on the circuit...happy pickin yall
Messagesitk - val who?, dude or chic, most all have nicknames on the river........ any one got a price for dried morels per lb.
Messageshummmm, that is such a catchy name A' that I see you posted it thrice. .... .... snow morels at such a price iz better than gold & I expect our valley Rock Chucks to be doing their pig whistles within a month. .... .... Marin; I once estimated the number to be around 100,000 if you count all of the foragers in the NW USA.
MessagesTheres more peoply then you know that come here and most just read the board and other parts of this site to learn more on mushrooms and the winter time most go back to other job's are sleep tell the snow malts and spring just like the whistle pig's !.
MessagesNO you may not?
MessagesAnyone have any idea how many people pick in the Northwest? I'm guessing 1000! How many people use this site in the off season? I'm guessing 25! Can I get alittle feed back?
MessagesHi Woofer. Say hit to Matsiman for me next time you run into him ;-)
MessagesI had a dream lastnight that I was picking morels in the snow in july and they were the frist of the season and they were going for 140.00 a lb. they were just poping up in the snow ever all over.....lol
MessagesThank's Don, I'll try it out and see if it help's....................Wooooofer thanks for the word on Andy. It's nice to know he's ok but still wish he could come aboard and let us all know what's new in his world.
MessagesI ran into matsiman today at the local hardware store. he has zero internet access and celp phone reception. He is doing good, working a little and just trying to have fun, he said to say hi to everyone Woofer
MessagesYo Sundanzz you boat with Val at all?
MessagesTry using your other hand while typing "A".
Messagesway,way three's?
Messagesyour a funny man there Lobo L |
