NORTH WEBSTER — Ben Ashpole is a 45-year-old North Webster resident who works in marketing, but would much rather spend his time hunting mushrooms.

His fascination and appreciation for Morel mushrooms took root as a child when he began hunting for them with his grandfather.

[caption id="attachment_129313" align="alignright" width="250"] Ben Ashpole holds two mushrooms. Photo provided.[/caption]

"It was a family tradition to hunt morels. We'd bring them home. My grandmother would fry them up, and it was just a warm way that I connected both with family and with nature after winter's chill," Ashpole said.

Nearly ten years ago, he took a course with the Hoosier Mushroom Society and eventually turned his hobby into a side gig. He now has a website and has organized a group called the Friendly Foragers that meets regularly in an effort to share his insights with others.

On Wednesday, he’s hosting a presentation at the North Webster Library at 5:30 p.m. that will shed light on how to find and identify Morel Mushrooms.

Ashpole said Wednesday's discussion will focus on how to identify and find Morel Mushrooms.

He said there are 24 different morel species that can be found in North America and that there are four major groupings.

He said he's learned that Morels are "notoriously challenging" to find for people who are new to the hobby because the plants blend in well in their natural habitat.

"The great thing about there being several different kinds of morel is that they're all actually fairly similar looking at first glance," he said. "You can tell them apart based on their color and size and shape, but they're all perfectly safe to cook and eat."

He'll also touch on the safety issue.

Mushroom hunting has grown in popularity across the country and is being boosted by its health benefits and businesses that have picked up on the niche food industry.

Mushroom-infused coffee has become popular, too.

"The interest in it is driven in part by the supplements that are out there and all the health benefits which are being confirmed by research worldwide, and partly by some trends in gourmet coffee and other beverages, where mushroom coffee is now a multi-billion dollar industry, Ashpole said.

"Some individual companies are making the better part of a billion dollars a year, selling just mushrooms that are mixed with coffee grounds for a morning beverage that really tastes exactly the same as coffee, but has a little less caffeine and is yet just as energizing as coffee," he said.

Ashpole has a website and recently started organizing guided tours in Tri-County Fish and Wildlife Area and has a website, Nourishcap.com, where you can learn more and get involved.

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