We have established a 2,000 oak and hazelnut tree, black and rare white truffle Truffiere.
The growing of truffles is a difficult and precise business. The road is littered with failed attempts to establish a successful Truffiere, for one reason or another, but mainly because of poor attention to soil quality and controls.
The growth of truffles requires a very particular soil quality. As you can imagine, satisfactory soil requirements are a closely guarded secret, stumbled upon mostly through the trial and error of previous attempts…..and plenty of learning and studying.
Our Truffiere started long, long before the first trees were ever planted.
First, we needed to test the soil to determine what minerals were present and in what quantity. This allowed us to ‘develop’ the soil with the correct level of particular minerals, thought best for the growth of truffles, based on best practices and current knowledge within the industry.
Next came the reticulation of suitable, high quality water and in sufficient quantities. Fortunately, the estate is blessed with a multitude of natural underground springs providing copious quantities of water, naturally filtered by Mother Earth.
Then, and only then, were we able to plant the trees.
Oak truffle trees only start producing their prized ‘fruit’ after about 6-8 years. Hazelnuts a few years earlier.
Until then, we play the waiting game to see if our work has been ‘fruitful’!
