Dhe truffle hunter Gunter Kahlo from Eilenburg (Northern Saxony) is expanding his plantation. In addition to the previous 7,500 square meters, another 4,000 square meters will be added on which the delicacy will grow, as Kahlo said. To do this, he plants new “truffle trees”: hazelnut, oak and beech trees that are inoculated with truffle spores. After that, you have to wait four to ten years for the first harvest of Burgundy truffles.
The 54-year-old Kahlo, who used to be a miner and shepherd, has built up a family business around the delicacy. Together with his 27-year-old daughter Josy Marie, he runs the truffle trade and truffle cultivation. They sell specialties in a farm shop, and if you wish, you can also cook with truffles in Eilenburg. Customers come from all over Germany, says Kahlo.
Find what you are looking for: the truffle hounds have found winter truffles.
:
Image: dpa
But his real passion is the search for the black noble mushrooms with his truffle dogs. He not only travels with them on his own plantation, but also in France. When asked what he sees himself as, the 54-year-old says with conviction: “I’m a truffle hunter.”
According to the Association for Truffle Cultivation and Use, the number of people trying to cultivate truffles in Germany is growing. There are currently around 600 players and around 400 hectares of cultivation area, said Markus Mayer, head of the association’s office. Among the truffle growers are farmers and winegrowers, but also private individuals who have built up a factory or do it all as a hobby.