HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. — The Perigord truffle has a long, rarefied history. The ancient Romans considered it an aphrodisiac. Gourmands through the ages have swooned over its flavor-enhancing powers. Hoity-toity restaurants and gourmet shops wouldn't be caught dead without the pricey fungus.
Now, another chapter in the long history of the "Black Diamond" may soon be written: alternative crop for tobacco farmers.
"I think it's an extremely viable alternative," said Franklin Garland, 46, who operates Garland Gourmet Mushrooms & Truffles out of his Hillsborough farmhouse.
Others aren't so sure, but state agricultural experts are considering adding truffles to the list of possible alternative crops for tobacco farmers.
"All this is part of a diversified farm effort, rather than 'X' crop to replace tobacco," said Ron Fish, a horticulture marketing specialist for the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. "If we can grow them locally, we'll have an advantage over French truffles, simply from a freshness standpoint."
*
The Perigord truffle is prized for its rarity and ability to enhance other foods. Difficult to find in the wild where it grows on the roots of hazelnut and oak trees, it sells for more than $300 a pound wholesale.
Garland and his wife, Betty, are using an $18,000 federal grant to study a new way of growing truffle-producing trees.
"If somebody could develop procedures to reproducibly grow them and develop a sustainable crop, the price would come down," said Charles Cleland, director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Small Business Innovation Research program. "Some of us folks would find out what a truffle actually tastes like."
Garland became interested in truffles about 20 years ago after reading about French attempts to cultivate them. He planted 500 hazelnut trees but didn't find his first truffle until 12 years later, when he stumbled upon it while hosting the Triangle Mushroom Club and some Duke University mycology students.
"There was a frenzy out there," he said. "By then, I had about given up."
Now, he and his wife harvest about 50 pounds of truffles each year with the help of their truffle-sniffing dog, Chewy. Most are sold to local restaurants and gourmet shops. Based on actual growing area, Garland estimates his yield at about $14,000 an acre--anywhere from two to seven times better than tobacco.
