Harvesting 1000s of morel mushrooms in the Canadian wildfire wilderness

[@randym8963]

Well done Alex... Please come again as we look for other mushrooms. My pack frame awaits you!

[@randym8963]

Im in northern Saskatchewan Alex, will be here at least a month. Your welcome to join me

[@cindystimson3632]

I think this is supposed to be one of the best mushrooms there is. I've seen them before but didn't know what they were.

[@1stcast]

Hey Randy, in this video your son collected all the logs that seemed like they were cut down by someone with machinery. Mind giving some insight on where that is from? Was it rejects from logging? Or removed for road building? Something else?

[@washy934]

@@1stcast fire break looking at the scenery

[@northernwildharvest]

@@1stcast They re-opened some old logging roads to fight the fire, including the road where I grabbed those logs. Over the winter dozens of dead trees fell across the road. The chunks I took in this vid were left there from when some other harvesters and myself were cutting the deadwood off the road while scouting for ground.

[@stevebuckley8620]

BBC documentary standard. Well done Alex.

[@pauls-trade]

I wish they would approach him with a tv deal we need stuff like this on tv to encourage the next generations to come

[@HeavenCurtis-cn4oy]

I do not know about anyone else...but these videos are my tv?

[@Nsm2024]

Yes absolutely correct 👍👍👍

[@helenpenner9899]

No doubt eh very well done!

[@BrightestBlessings7899]

Dude I am in Malakwa BC and we have morels all over BC.

[@Nimbus6000]

The standard of this video is that of a high budget documentary, the kind BBC etc try very hard to make, when it’s just one guy and a camera. You not only have a knack for documenting but your passion, enthusiasm & real interest shines through it all. Truly great work Alex 👍🏻

[@DS-xg9kf]

Yes, but the bbc needed to give its newsreader a £40 payrise whilst being off sick.

[@alirehman1203]

Can we eat them

[@ThermomixTm6Edition]

he is so nice

[@randym8963]

@alirehman1203 yes one of the worlds most gourmet mushrooms

[@ColdSamra]

53:05 he's still picking 😂 that's a true Mushroom Hunter. He's not just picking them for money, he actually enjoys it.

[@randym8963]

he really does.....

[@ColdSamra]

1:03:20 Phil is such a humble, smart and handsome man ❤ his dad is aging gracefully. Blessings to all 3 of you

[@KarleneE]

The quality of the information, the passion of all people involved, and the honest work. This was very well done. Cheers!

[@northernwildharvest]

Amazing work putting this together Alex! It was great having your company during the middle of morel season this year. Canada eh

[@randym8963]

Got to love it when a plan comes together

[@Kyla94934]

You guys explained everything so well, this was really impressive! I'm shocked you don't have more subscribers and I'm glad I found you through Alex! I grew up in BC and had no idea about any of this. My dad used to go mushroom picking and I had no idea what was involved.

[@Staroy]

How much do you earn on average during a season? If you don't mind

[@kaimclaughlin4364]

​@@Staroy is right I would like to know if you don't mind telling

[@Staroy]

@@kaimclaughlin4364 According to the dired morel price per kg in my country they have to be making insane numbers

[@Skeptic2006]

Morel soup is delicious! As a Finn, I was surprised that you didn't boil the morels first to remove the toxins. Then I learned that Canadian and Finnish morels differ significantly in their toxicity. In Canada, "morel" usually refers to true morels from the genus Morchella, which are safe to cook as they are. However, in Finland, morels often refer to false morels, specifically Gyromitra esculenta. These mushrooms are highly toxic due to the presence of gyromitrin, a compound that can break down into monomethylhydrazine (MMH), which is toxic and potentially fatal. You have to boil these at least twice before cooking.

[@randym8963]

good comment

[@emiljunvik3546]

Actually, you boil them three times. And the last time you throw out the water… with the morels in the water. Morels in scandinavia are known to have rare specimens which have 400% the amount of toxin. Then it doesn’t matter how many times you boil them, you’ll get seriously ill. Several experienced morel foragers in scandinavia have picked and eaten morels for many years(>10 years) without problems, then suddenly gotten terribly ill because of a single highly toxic specimen. The recommendation nowadays is, don’t eat them at all.

[@getta_io702]

I wouldn't eat anything that I have to boil twice🙈😅 great information 🙌

[@ViSi-q9t]

great comment, but nobody cares

[@danielkonovalchuk2772]

Yea i showed my mother in law a morel and she said in belrus they made a tinture with them and didnt eat them because of toxity. I asummed it might be a different species

[@Nimbus6000]

In a world of short form media. We have this king making interesting, engaging & worth while long form media. Love it ❤️

[@Unislash]

Alex, I want you to know that this is *not* like one of your normal videos. This is another level. The superb editing, the excellent filming, the collaboration and interviewing dialog, and the effort of flying across the world to do it. This is simply top-notch professional content. Well done 👏

[@randym8963]

Agree

[@una.1890]

I’m not in the least interested in mushrooms or mushrooms picking, I don’t even like mushrooms BUT I’m sooooo invested in this video and this is probably the most interesting video I’ve watched all day. That’s when you know you’ve made a fantastic video/ documentary. Well done

[@annmut5038]

I agree, it's a interesting and entertaining video. Nice surprise, to be fully honest I started watching because he is really hot :D

[@spoon-6914]

Growing up in Northern BC my dad would take us out collecting Morals also when we were 12 and we would sell it off to a vender in the forest like Phill and getting 100$ cash at 12 years old back in 2008 was a gold mine for us, watching this video is such nostalgia

[@fununderthesun389]

This was another amazing video Alex! Thank you for visiting Canada and highlighting our wonderful wilderness. Until one visits to see for themselves it is hard to grasp just how vast and wild most of Canada is. I wish I could have met you while you were there, maybe one day.

[@xxxxxxxxxx9496]

hell yeah a HOUR long video

[@IAmTheOnlyMrDaryl]

An

[@IAmTheOnlyMrDaryl]

An

[@IAmTheOnlyMrDaryl]

An

[@Lock484]

An

[@Lock484]

An

[@controlfoodcontrolthepeopl5627]

Amazing documentary with 2 great guys from Canada

[@CFergus]

Thanks!

[@just_alex]

That’s very kind of you ☺️☺️☺️

[@Curious2700]

Hi Alex. Been watching you for a couple of years and I really enjoy your videos. I love your curiosity and your love of learning. I'm so glad you made it to our wonderful country and I hope you had a great experience. If you ever find yourself in Nova Scotia and need a place to hang your hat for a few days, we'd love to be your hosts. All the best, Lynn

[@TheNails3]

48:59 so cool how they looked like pine cones, masking themselves in a way I love how every morel one finds is unique

[@craterellus3577]

I've been watching Phil and Randy since they started on this platform a couple seasons ago, so I was absolutely shocked when this came across my feed. I knew just by the title that it HAD to be them! Also very glad for them that they had this opportunity to get this level of publicity, I'm sure it will go a long way in their effort of moving product through their own store.

[@randym8963]

Thx so much

[@seddydegroot618]

What’s Phil and Randy utube name ..?

[@lilylilylily2675]

​@@seddydegroot618 It's in the video description

[@SugarDad1]

​@@seddydegroot618Northern Wild Harvest.🥂

[@randym8963]

@@seddydegroot618 northernwildharvest

[@KALL_ME_KAPKAN]

Phil is really good at pouring gas. also i respect any brit that can get through a few days in the bush and not complain, good on ya.

[@randym8963]

@@KALL_ME_KAPKAN haha, i think phil should pour ALL the gas going forward. 😄😄😄

[@joannadavis1881]

This was an AMAZING watch. The footage of every step you took and the angles of such a beautiful mushroom was Brilliant. Those are some hard working men. But the passion they share and the love they have for harvesting a delicacy is priceless. You did an amazing job with this one Alex🥰❤️

[@jonahmurillo285]

Hey, you're in my province! I hope you enjoy your time here.

[@ShadowBird5281]

Me too!

[@aaronpreston47]

Same with me!

[@allennewborn936]

Uh... Not me =((

[@ThermomixTm6Edition]

@@allennewborn936 me neither

[@tylerdetwiler8836]

Mushroom people know how to explain stuff so easy..

[@dezmondw7927]

Alex I'm a wildland firefighter in the state of Oregon. Can't tell you how many countless times myself and buddies have to pass up scores of Morels in huge burn scars. Nothing better than an afternoon out with the lady hunting some mushrooms down. (@Sunnyjlindley) ❤ you. Thats really humble that he's actually taking the time to teach (you) and others about mushroom picking. Most mushroom pickers are stuck up and snobby.. this is a nice change of pace.

[@wendypoohbear6527]

This was an amazing enjoyable video! I've wanted to know more about morels and what the craze is about. Now, I know. Thank you! Very well done!

[@Neleaza]

I love that you came and experianced British Columbia! I've lived here for pretty much my entire life!

[@NOLA-vv3sz]

Having come across four different Grizzly bears in AK while fishing, I can say it is infinitely more terrifying than you ever expect it to be when you do see them. They just "appear", and closer than you would think something that big could sneak up on you. Scariest encounter was a sow and her two cubs. The bear did not even do anything aggressive, and it was still scary. Knowing what sows will do to protect cubs makes it pretty harrowing.

[@kayleighjacobs4068]

This is an incredibly well done video. Thank you for sharing this experience with us, it is amazing.

[@kathlucy603]

Another very interesting adventure. Phil & Randy were great guys too.

[@jasondelgatty3583]

This is the best morel mushroom video that I have ran across. Makes me want to drop everything and go out hunting.

[@scottburma1338]

I would rather pay for Alex' youtube videos than Netflix

[@kittycow7485]

People will relish their mushrooms even more now while eating them knowing the extent and hard work that goes into getting them by people like Randy n phil ...well done alex for showing the everyday preson what is takes to get them to the table

[@HowieWang-np9dy]

yes

[@bonnerdebbie]

Awesome video Alex. Phil and Randy are super people and great mushroom hunters.

[@ricasears5910]

Been following Phil and Randy for couple of yrs. Great video Alex, just ordered some dried Morel mushrooms off Web. Can't wait to try them.

[@williamwalsh3779]

Alex just keeps making quality! Bees, beer, mushrooms.. doesn't matter the topic.. just damn good videos!

[@thaliav89]

What a great video! Thank you Alex for sharing your adventures with us.

[@danielhammond4420]

What an amazing video. Who would have thought that as a carp angler, I would be transfixed by a mushroom video for over an hour. Pure class, what a fantastic hospitable host doing amazing things and willing to allow others to learn with them. People have said BBC quality and I totally agree. Better than Ben Fogal meets in many ways. Keep it up Alex, you are a talented individual.

[@Ambrotos01]

Respect for RANDY (Phil s father) who drove 4 hours 😇🙏🏻

[@Jewelmind]

Yes, wonderful

[@randym8963]

@Ambrotos01 it was a thrill for me. Sharing time with someone who lived close to Brighton as I did, and then get to share my life here was very rewarding. .. but heh, thats how most Canadians roll... come visit and find out.

[@fununderthesun389]

4 hour drive in western Canada is a short day trip, without even leaving the province.

[@leannekenyoung]

This was awesome!!! I’m Canadian and I’ve been watching KZbin channels of people in Oklahoma picking morel mushrooms and I was thinking geez I wish we had that kind of mushroom here in Canada and then I watch a video of yours about beekeeping. I looked up your channel and discovered this video and was gob smacked that you found morel mushrooms in British Columbia!!! The crazy part I’ve actually been to Prince George BC when I was young in high school about 40+ years ago because they were considered our sister city because they also had a band/orchestra so we did an exchange where we went and stayed with a local family and then they came to Ontario and stayed with us. The only thing I discovered back then was a big drug scene in BC and I wasn’t accustomed to that and it really turned me off. But I would absolutely love to go and check out their morel mushrooms. Very cool! Absolutely LOVED your video. 🥰❤️🙏🏻🇨🇦🍁

[@JohnB-mo4kq]

Growing up in Minnesota, we had them in my rural backyard. Small forest between us and my neighbor, and my sister and I would fill up buckets. It was crazy to see them in a suburb, because my dad would always take us out to farms and whatnot with large forests. Either way, they really are a delicacy and even better cooking them fresh. You lose quite a bit of flavor drying them out. That being said, I wonder if the ones you're finding in a burned down forest taste different, because the ones we always found weren't nearly as dark in color. Edit: Not sure if you mentioned it, but if anyone wants to go searching, be aware of the "false" morel. They can be fatal if consumed in large quantities. Easiest way to tell the difference is, they're darker and the stem is solid when cut, not hollow like an edible morel.

[@nico-lq5xg]

I have been picking mushrooms in several countries but this Canadian guys are in an another league hahaha

[@gridlock9655]

As a person that is fully repulsed by mushrooms. I can't believe I sat through the entire hour. The editing, narrating, sequencing of this whole video was absolutely stunning! Alex, you've outdone yourself. Top grade quality content. Haven't watched anything like this for years, even from top industry studios. Truly engaging content.

[@Geoplanetjane]

Hmm.. still repulsed?

[@gridlock9655]

@Geoplanetjane Unfortunately, yes. The thought of my food even coming into contact with mushrooms makes me slightly nauseous. The only ones I've ever been able to tolerate have been Enoki mushrooms.

[@SugarDad1]

Came back here to rewatch this video after about 2 weeks of watching Phil and Randy's channel. I could be in an ongoing loop.😊 Thank you for producing this video Alex.🥂

[@cmsupreme5832]

Everything tastes good when you've been on a tent -Alex (2024) I've been watching your content since your channel was small. Love to see your success

[@lordbacon4972]

This is super fascinating. I can imagine how satisfying it is to find and collect mushrooms all day in the wilderness.

[@loralor8203]

Love mushrooms and would love to pick them..

[@kells8015]

Phil and Randy are wonderful! I live on the island and have been learning about our local mushrooms. Phil is quite handsome, too lol.

[@MrRainboWizard]

As someone who grew up not in BC, but in the province next door in Alberta and spent a lot of time in the Rockies, I feel like I could smell this video clean through, especially the close-up[s of the mushrooms in wet spruce needles. I haven't made it out to the mountains in a few years since I've moved to Saskatchewan, but this video gave me immediate nostalgia and a wanderlust like nobody's business. Excellent quality as always Alex and thanks for everything you do!

[@randym8963]

Im in northern Saskatchewan atm working with chanterelles

[@MrRainboWizard]

@@randym8963 that’s awesome! I know nothing about foraging in Saskatchewan, but I have some friends here in Saskatoon who I know have done some. How far north do you have to go to find chanterelles? After seeing you in this vid I feel like I’m going to have to subscribe to learn more aha

[@randym8963]

​@MrRainboWizard up around La Ronge...north of PA.

[@Erika-gm2tf]

That was amazing! What a fun trip. Your video was so well executed. My grandma used to forage for mushrooms on her tree farm in Wisconsin. She was like a mushroom witch. There's something mystical about mushrooms. My grandpa foraged for ginseng long before there was a US market for it. He sold it to China. They really made the most of their land. Now I have to try morels. It's fun to think about mushrooms again today 🍄 😊

[@andrewonremote5561]

Dear Alex, it is a pleasure watching your videos. Every single one of them. Thank you.

[@antonlyberth5902]

I love all your videos Alex they're so relaxing and comfortable to watch

[@Tayturs]

This video was so awesome and informative, my first question based on the thumbnail was 'geez, is that sustainable??' and learning how these mushrooms worked was so cool and such a great answer to that question. I also absolutely melted at the music portion near the end. I looove the sound of guitar ❤

[@wingnutbert9685]

Great video. What a great job to have. Amazing the poundage they are collecting. I get a few each year growing at the side of my gravel driveway. Maybe I'll throw some burnt firewood around to see if more grow.

[@fishwithcarl]

Leveled it up here Alex. To take something I have no interest in and make it fascinating was very impressive.

[@tjardarosendaal4109]

This is one of the best videos I've seen all year. Congrats, very impressive and inspiring stuff. Really good to see

[@ExoticNibbles2]

As a tree planter in bc, this video is perfect for me. During the spring planting season i see morels everywhere lol. Glad to see the process!

[@yakivpopavich]

I'll have to try some wild foraging, gives a good reason to go on hikes and walks and stuff too.

[@hicks0n]

This channel is so underrated

[@robrich8294]

Award winning video chock full of great information!! I love all my mushrooms cooked in organic unrefined coconut oil. I use that for morels, matsutake, chicken of the woods, maitake, oyster, etc. Then sprinkle sea salt.

[@ceciliasmith8897]

I can’t be the only one who instantly had a crush on Phil… gotta love a mushroom forager 🍄

[@VioletGreen-v5s]

I agree, he is very handsome and has such a great voice! ;)

[@jennak.8541]

You're not alone! I found everything about him sexy, especially how organized and efficient their camp was. lol

[@kells8015]

Definitely not the only one. I am from BC and was raised in the bush so seeing a man know his stuff about our wilderness and have the same interests as me is like a breathe of fresh air. He probably won't see this, though lol.

[@jennak.8541]

@@kells8015 And hes probably married anyways! Seems like all the good ones are already taken! lol

[@nj3195]

LOL😂😂😂 you are not alone. I was like what is this guy doing picking mushrooms? He has the balance in his face and the body type to be an actor. I work in an entertainment adjacent industry and deal with talent everyday. Glad he is doing what he loves😊 though. When he said he was in a band, I was like, there it goes! 😂😂😂

[@paulsedgwick3195]

Well done, absolutely awesome. Keep up the good work.❤

[@nnpfffn.6392]

Phil is the man who explains something. It really fascinates me what he knows about his jobs.Great work, Alex, 1 hour. I can't even leave my chairs. It is dense with knowledge. I have been living in Alaska and have some friends who love to pick mushrooms from the forest. It is one of the most wonderful experiences I ever knew about. Every month it has different species; even a test, texture, smell-I would love to know as much as those people know such a cool thing.

[@lidlnutz]

i love this guy Phil. his channel kicks ass too

[@FallenRobot]

Great video, and now I want to try Morels! The Canadian lads seem very friendly.

[@lou4881]

Amazing! I was in Nanaimo 2 years ago over on the island. My father who was Welsh could name all the trees and birds like you do. I hope you got your hard work through customs and enjoyed a nice bath. Great watch. Well done 👏👏👏

[@colinormston993]

OK I now want to be Morel mushroom picker in Canada - how cool!!

[@sarahhajarbalqis]

👍 Such a wild adventure. Thank you Alex for taking us along!

[@dismay6297]

Hey! If you want an interesting mushroom picking experience, come back to Canada in September/October and look for pine mushrooms! They can definitely be worth your time, selling for upwards of 35 dollars a pound!

[@randym8963]

@@dismay6297 i remember the day it went to $500 usd a pound. Each basket was between 9 and 10.000.

[@antiwaria3359]

Such a nice watch. The chap has some good guitar skills. Bet it felt good to get the first pick of the morels. I AM DEFINITELY PURCHASING SOME

[@sylvariatzaka]

I live in BC. The amount of forest fires/smoke we had to deal with for like 7 years straight was awful. Ruined so many summers. But it's the way of the land here, ponderosa pine cones have evolved to germinate after being burnt, and their lower branches slough off naturally as the tree grows so fire is less likely to climb up the tree and candle it. With destruction and tragedy brings new growth and new opportunities. The cycle of life and death. Glad yall are having such a good time and presumably making a ton of money!

[@kevfit4333]

I can only imagine that the fires in North America were a lot more prevalent before colonisation. Natives worked with the land , they didn't try to tame it. Large forest fires are part of the natural cycle for sure.

[@northernwildharvest]

@@kevfit4333 In what is now BC and the Yukon, many first nations actually practiced controlled burning pre-colonization, to cleanse the forest and prevent build up of deadwood which can lead to out of control fires. Maybe that's a practice that should be considered again, but with modern equipment. The largest fire in BC history happened in 2023, in an area where controlled burning was traditionally practiced.

[@SWEETSIDER]

0.4% of the province has ponderosa pine trees. Seems kinda like an irrelevant fact in regards to BC fires unless you're just eagerly waiting on other species to evolve like that

[@sylvariatzaka]

@@SWEETSIDER It's an example of how nature has evolved alongside natural fires. May I ask where you got those stats?

[@SWEETSIDER]

@@sylvariatzaka an article written called pondering the pine was the initial claim I saw of 0.4 which seemed lower than expected. a UBC forestry department study on distribution of tree species showing sub 1% coverage seems to back it up. They grow mainly in areas which have been heavily developed or deforested in southern BC due to people also liking the conditions ponderosa pine do. They also don't like the colder winters most of the province gets.

[@sergiurares0801]

he s so a cool hardworking guy...perfect company on a montain...sweet

[@CFergus]

Thanks for the new educational post, Alex & Happy Bday!

[@Softlywool]

What an adventure, this was incredibly cozy to watch, cozy in the sense of knowing the hard work and somehow still having some fun and then finally resting and having food that tastes amazing because the body feels like its properly earned it. I learned so much about mushrooms!!

[@wadelintick9538]

Love me some Wild Harvest, Phil and Randy do a great job presenting. You nailed it on this one, hope you go salmon harvesting too. cheers

[@kells8015]

I wish I could have met you while you were in BC! I believe you would love the island. God bless :)

[@Dereck_Ryan]

That snipping sound is soooooo satisfying.

[@noelcusack8770]

That was a very good video

[@nathantaylor1434]

Phil is such a cool dude

[@monkeyman2233-g9o]

suggestion maybe for next year- buy one of those "generator" batteries that have solar panel inputs- they'll easily run your fan even overnight if you have just one panel to keep it charged- yes even if its raining.

[@gamingSlasher]

Very impressive.

[@janeysiegrist5061]

I grew up in the midwest. We always went hunting and feasted for weeks. Totally unaware of their culinary value 😂. We (folks in my town) foraged, hunted, and fished for a lot of our food then.

[@ralphhines7096]

You’re a lucky guy. Those guys are a great crew to learn from. I miss the hunt so much

[@randym8963]

Thanks Ralph... hope we helped you feel the pick!

[@ClarkyMalarky]

Bought some off the link, love helping a fellow Canadian next door to me continue with their passions ( love from Alberta) nice to see a bright side to the fires I have to inhale here. 😮

[@randym8963]

Ty

[@rickthelian2215]

Awesome video Alex Thanks for being so sharing Randy and Phil.😊

[@kpattenvan]

I watch Phil, Randy, and their crew religiously and it was so nice to see a sneak peek into the 2024 season, and from a new perspective. Thanks for the video! (Will be checking your channel out now too).

[@JamesTHEKOIwhisperer123]

You make some brilliant videos

[@Socrates21stCentury]

Amazing and informative Video ... well done !!!

[@robertpickett2364]

Hi Alex, Love watching your videos there great, always look forward to see what new adventures or projects your gonna do as well as your on going projects with the bee's, growing various foods.

[@brucklay227]

That was a really entertaining video you’ve done Alex. I’ve seen Phil’s videos before and was fascinated by what he does so this venture for you was a natural. As a beekeeper I love the bee videos you do but I also appreciate the different aspects you film in the wild and the nature it offers.

[@ГлебСилин-у7т]

I am not at all an experienced mushroom forager, although I've went mushroom picking a couple of times, most of them with my grandpa, but I can still say that you are doing an amazing job! If not for all that camera work, you would be on par with Phil most likely😂 But this is why what you are doing is so important and amazing, showing the whole process, the atmosphere. Thank you, Alex!

[@ThatJasonKidd]

This is just so fantastic. I love your style

[@Alis-world]

Finally, a movie so I can watch.

[@Doloreskoro]

Really enjoyed thanks

[@austin5639]

Excellent video! Thank you for sharing.

[@soulieobelissevan]

Alex!!!! This video is honouring this guys family and life in the most beautiful way. ... right down to the music you used. Thank you!! Mushrooms forever xoxo

[@SanshoTheBailiff]

Holy! 1 hour of Alex on the subject of mushrooms!

[@reeree6682]

Excellent video! Thanks!

[@ryanhou162]

This is like open an entire new world of view to me. It’s like a documentary for a side quest in Wild West in red dead redemption. They live a self resilient life.

[@FungiIsMyThing]

Thanks Alex, you are my favourite mushroom forager by far. I love your passion for mushrooms and mycology, and your channel is very interesting. Thanks 🙂

[@tonyfox4657]

This was very interesting to watch and learn .how hard it is harvesting them you don't realize when you go in shops .just how much goes in to bringing a product to the shop