So when her husband of 18 years, John, first suggested they head out on an adventure to hunt for those elusive, but highly coveted, morel mushrooms years ago, Julie jumped at the chance.

“I usually can’t find the first one, but I’ll find most of them after that,” Vanderpool quipped. “My sister-in-law and I, we’ve always been kind of pickers, too. We’ll hunt down any raspberry bush, any elderberry...