IOWA ARTISTS CELEBRATE MOREL HUNTING IN SONG
Foraging is a Fun Way to Explore the Great Outdoors
Des Moines, Iowa, April 5, 2024 – With morel mushroom season right around the corner, Iowa musicians Jason Walsmith Storyteller and Chip Albright have teamed up with Guitar Satchel to encourage more people to get out and enjoy nature with the release of their collaborative single, The Morel Song, now streaming on all major digital platforms.
“Growing up on a farm in a small town in Kansas, memories of morel season stir up a lot of nostalgic joy of some great times with my family and friends. This is a wonderful tradition and one that I hope more people can discover, especially as we try to disconnect from our tech and find more time in nature,” said songwriter Chip Albright, “There are terrific health benefits from a day of walking in the woods and morels taste amazing—a true seasonal delicacy.”
“Supporting this song was an absolute yes for us,” says musician and Guitar Satchel creator Jason Walsmith Storyteller. “One of the primary drivers behind Guitar Satchel has been to create an heirloom case that allows more people to make a guitar part of their outdoor stories. If someone doesn’t bring a guitar to the campfire or to the lake, then you’re probably not singing together; you’re missing out on a lot of fun. It’s exciting to think that more people might discover the joys in “hiking the hills hoping to find some sweet morels” because they heard our song.”
Free downloads of The Morel Song are available for a limited time HERE.
The artists do recommend novice morel seekers research morels and their habitat before entering the timber and make sure they have the rights to be on the land.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources recommends the following before consuming:
1) Collect morels only from areas away from pesticides or heavy metals sources.
2) Do not mix other mushroom species with morels when collecting.
3) Don’t collect morels that look bad such as old, discolored or decayed parts.
4) Do not collect or store morels in plastic bags. Morels spoil rapidly in plastic. Baskets or mesh bags are best for collecting; paper sacks are best for storing in a refrigerator.
5) If you plan to freeze morels, first cook them a couple of minutes. Cooking will stop bacterial growth.
6) Always cook morels. They are not safe to eat raw.
For interview requests, please contact chip@albrightspark.com or jason@guitarsatchel.com.