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Morel mushroom season has sprung and the Student’s Fund of Hope is partnering with an area expert morel identifier to offer the first-ever Student’s Fund of Hope Morel Mushroom Fundraiser now through May 15.  

The delectable certified treats are $50 per pound, says Whitney Budd, founder of the Student’s Fund of Hope, with $20 of each sale going back to the SFOH.

With some retailers and shopping outlets offering morels for upwards of more than $100 and, in some instances, nearly $400 per pound, the SFOH offering is a pretty sweet deal by comparison. And Hope residents have taken notice. As of the writing of this article, SFOH has already sold nearly $2,000 in morels and there is just shy of one month left for the sale.

Morel mushroom identifier Devon Pruett is the man responsible for helping to make this fundraiser possible. The Vallonia resident says 2023 marks the third year he has made a concerted effort to bring the delight of morels to area residents.

“I noticed it was hard for a lot of people to get them,” Pruett says. “And it seems like all the Facebook pages you’re on everybody wants them, but no one can find enough to get them to all who want them.”

After years of hunting, the morel mushroom hunter says he found his way to work with individual morel hunters in the northwest United States who help to supply his efforts to bring morels to the masses.      

The morels making their way to Hope originate from the Oregon, Montana and Washington state-area, Pruett says. When they’re flown in, Pruett inspects and signs off on the ones that make the grade and then prepares them for delivery.

Pruett, who is also a first responder, says he will donate an additional percentage from his portion of the SFOH fundraising sales to the Hope Volunteer Fire Department, he says.   

So, what does one do with likely pounds upon pounds of the delicious morsels? Once orders are picked up, Pruett encourages customers to store them in the refrigerator in a container that allows the mushrooms to breathe – a brown paper bag works really well!

As far as their longevity, simply keep an eye on them daily. It is important to immediately remove any mushrooms that start to show signs of degradation, including softness and early signs of mold.   

“Once one goes bad, it will spread to the others and all can go quickly,” Pruett says.

Those who were born and raised in the area likely learned the “go-to” Hoosier method of preparation, Pruett says. However, he’s looking to maybe shake up the norm.

Dipping cleaned mushrooms in egg before plopping them into a bowl of flour, salt and pepper mix to prep them for frying in the skillet is a delicious way to prepare them. However, morels have so much more to offer, Pruett says.  

Each morel order comes with a cookbook loaded with dozens of recipes written for all skill levels from beginner to expert chef, Pruett says.

“Even those who have cooked them for years will find recipes they’ve never heard or thought of to find something they may like better,” Pruett says.

It is important that those who have placed orders are available to pick them up on relatively short notice, Budd says. All orders may be picked up at the SFOH Hub located at 321 Washington St. in downtown Hope.  

“We don’t know the specific date for pickup yet, but we know it will be the end of May or first of June,” Budd adds. “You have to be on stand-by for pickup.”

The morel mushroom sale will remain open until May 15. Individuals may place their order at studentsfundofhope.org.

Questions and inquiries may be directed to Budd via email at [email protected] or call 812-350-2526.