# Truffles?



## travelling-man

This is only idle interest but does anyone know if truffles occur in Portugal?

I know they occur in Spain, Italy, France & the UK and that they often grow in the roots of oak trees so logic would suggest they occur here but I've never heard anything of truffles in Portugal. 

Or is it just another case of the well known Portuguese habit of not being able to market a 10 minute liaison in a house of ill repute?


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## canoeman

Yes there here, never actually seen any on sale, do a search Trufas and you'll find a lot of info and a Facebook page, I actually looked a planting and cultivating on some land we have but as we also have a lot of wild boar the cost of adequate fencing put me off investing with the lead time for a crop


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## travelling-man

I didn't even know they could be farmed but I take your point about wild boar & we'd have the same problem here.

On the subject of planting, I'm the worst gardener in the world & everything I plant immediately commits suicide but I am tempted to try growing some ginseng to see if it'll grow here.


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## canoeman

Yes, good UK company that sells inoculated root stock, not cheap but the necessary fencing extortionate purely because no point in putting up some chicken wire with wild boar around, but I have planted a few on banks. 

Think gingseng it might grow in shaded more temperate areas, we grow ginger and lemongrass without problem


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## travelling-man

We probably will only start planting next year because we're still building but ginger sounds like a good idea........ if we can keep the wild boar out!


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## JohnBoy

travelling-man said:


> This is only idle interest but does anyone know if truffles occur in Portugal?


Continente do very good plain chocolate ones.

Sorry! Hat, coat. I'll find my own way out...


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## travelling-man

JohnBoy said:


> Continente do very good plain chocolate ones.
> 
> Sorry! Hat, coat. I'll find my own way out...


Quite right too..... You should be ashamed of yourself......... You made me spit good Earl Grey tea all over my keyboard! LOL!!!!!!


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## caloshie

*Trufas*



travelling-man said:


> This is only idle interest but does anyone know if truffles occur in Portugal?
> 
> I know they occur in Spain, Italy, France & the UK and that they often grow in the roots of oak trees so logic would suggest they occur here but I've never heard anything of truffles in Portugal.
> 
> Or is it just another case of the well known Portuguese habit of not being able to market a 10 minute liaison in a house of ill repute?


Hi,
Yes they do grow truffles in Portugal albeit in very small locations due to the soil in Portugal on the whole not having the correct ph level.
As to them 'not being able to market ......', the truffle growers/gatherers are extremely secretive about them due to wild boar and thieves, the price of truffle per kg makes this a worthwhile venture.
In Spain and France the same secretive attitude to these things exists also.
My grandfather was so secretive about his 'orchard' that not even his kids knew of its exact location for many years.
Having said that its definitely worth the investment and the time to first harvest not too bad either considering the sale price.
Good luck
Carl


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