Truffle fever: Hunting black gold in Waipara's limestone country
We’ve flown across the Canterbury Plains over the Okuku Range to look for fungus. But not just any old mushroom.
In the heart of Waipara’s limestone country, jagged cliffs fall away into the valley below. In one direction, the land slides into planted pine forest; the grassy slope above, lined with an orderly row of evergreen oak, hides one of the most expensive delicacies in the world.
This is the home of Kings Truffles, one of the biggest truffieres in the country. Established in 2009, the farm fronted by general manager Jax Lee is now set across four different sites in North Canterbury.
Beneath 6000 carefully inoculated host trees, black Périgord truffles or ‘diamonds of the kitchen’ can be found growing around the network of new roots. And every year from June to August, visitors can join a truffle hunt on this 8ha site to help sniff them out with specially trained dogs.... Read More and view images
