Wild mushrooms sparse in Eastern Iowa this spring

Early may is usually the peak of morel hunting season, but local gatherers say the crop of wild mushrooms has been thin this year.

Jim Osborn operates an organic farm in Benton County and has been hunting mushrooms for 35 years. He said he's hopeful he'll come across more mushrooms as the temperature rises, but the crop still won't be great.

"I think this is going to be one of those years," Osborn said. "Everything seems to be about two weeks behind this year. It's gonna be late and then weeds are gonna be so tall anyway that it's going to be tough hunting them."

Farmers say morels need heat and moisture to grow well in Iowa. Eastern Iowa has had plenty of moisture this year, but a few weeks of below-average temperatures have stunted mushroom growth.

"I think I about gave up this season," said Dave Hay, a farmer in Des Moines County. "I've done a lot of trekking around and just not found that many."