Truffles from Lower Saxony: Dogs help with rare harvest!

Truffles from Lower Saxony: Dogs help with rare harvest!

In the heart of Lower Saxony, more precisely in the Hildesheim district, a culinary delicacy is harvested that was previously better known in the regions around the Mediterranean countries: the autumn truffle. Tassilo Pöter, who has been growing truffles with his wife Stefanie Weber for around ten years, is one of the few truffle farmers in Germany. In the traditional truffle region of Osnabrück, he brings his two talented truffle dogs Soka and Leya with him to the harvest.

The two dogs do a valuable job by tracking down the truffles, which are hidden just a few centimeters below the surface of the earth. Pöter has found that the dogs are easier to train and disturb the ground less than truffle pigs. The training requires patience and perseverance, especially because Leya is already able to indicate ripe truffles, while Soka is still in the training phase.

The fight for the harvest

However, this year's harvest is under a bad star; revenues simply cannot meet demand. Only about one ton of truffles are harvested in Germany every year, while we have to import around 40 to 60 tons. However, the industry is already planning growth strategies. A “truffle network” initiated by around 60 truffle farmers, dog breeders and restaurant owners is intended to strengthen cooperation and boost business.

Pöter's goal can only be achieved with a lot of commitment: he is researching the perfect composition of the substrate for the truffle trees. These trees take a decade before they begin to bear fruit. Pöter and his wife are currently harvesting on two of six areas, and last year they were able to harvest 150 kilograms of truffles. In the future, however, the couple is aiming for an annual harvest of one ton.

Prices and markets

Truffle prices remain stable and are between 0.80 and 1 euro per gram; The majority of truffles end up in high-quality restaurants. Pöter also sells truffle trees to help others get started with truffle production and to pass on his knowledge. After all, truffles are protected, which underlines the need for professional cultivation methods.

Overall, it is clear that truffle cultivation in Germany is still in its infancy and there is still a lot to be done to ignite enthusiasm for this delicate root plant. At a time when awareness of local and sustainably produced food is increasing, the future of truffle farming in Germany could be bright.

You can find out more about truffle cultivation and lots of interesting information here deutsche-trueffelbaeume.de.