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CLEAR Temp: 52 °F Wind: CLM at 0 mph Tuesday, September 30, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine Joy Magazine Tempo A & E RogueValleyAutoFinder RogueValleyHomeFinder Real Estate Showcase Wellness Connection Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Employment Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend August 29, 2003 Matsutake-mushroom hunters wait for go-ahead on harvest By MARK FREEMAN Mail Tribune Mushroom hunters must wait another two weeks before heading into the High Cascades for the annual matsutake harvest. Hot and dry weather coupled with extreme fire danger have prompted the U.S. Forest Service to delay Monday’s planned start of the annual matsutake season, said Rhonda Buxton, spokeswoman for the Umpqua National Forest. Foraging for the fungi instead will begin Sept. 15 and run through Nov. 14 in five national forests along the Cascades, including the mushroom-rich Winema National Forest. Hundreds of pickers typically flock to the Cascades to pick and sell matsutakes in what has been described as a modern-day gold rush. Advertisement Many of the pickers this year, however, favor the delay because poor weather conditions have slowed the mushrooms’ fruiting process, which also has been hampered by insects, said Dennis Beckner, who coordinates the mushroom program at the Willamette National Forest. "It’s a very poor crop," Beckner said. "With the fire danger and for the opportunity to get a higher-quality product later, it’s in everyone’s best interest to delay the season. This is the best scenario." Matsutake mushrooms were discovered here in the early 1980s, and by the start of 1990 a roaring trade had sprung up around the spicy fungus. Considered a delicacy in Japan, the matsutake can fetch pickers anywhere from $5 to $15 per pound, depending upon the world market. The Forest Service issues permits for personal and commercial pickers. In 1997, the Forest Service limited the Cascade season to two months beginning Sept. 1 in the Winema, Willamette, Umpqua, Fremont and Deschutes national forests. The Rogue River and Siskiyou forests, where matsutakes typically appear in mid-fall, operate independently of the forest consortium. When the Cascade season ends, matsutake hunters often head for Cave Junction to pick the Illinois Valley mushroom crop. On the Winema forest, commercial permits cost $100 for a half-season and $200 a season. Free permits are required for personal-use pickers, but the cache is limited to one gallon. On the Rogue forest, commercial permits cost $20 for 10 days or $100 a season, while personal-use permits are free. Reach reporter Mark Freeman at 776-4470, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Rogue Valley Auto Finder Rogue Valley Job Finder --> Rogue Valley Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times