From November through May we can find Oregon Truffles out in the woods. The kids don't like to eat them, but they sure like to find them! The best place in the northwest to get information is from the folks at the North American Truffle Society in Corvalis.(http://www.natruffling.org/) Very friendly people - they meet monthly and do field digs... you can visit for free, and they are very helpful in learning. Lots of kids come along and have a good time.
This podcast we'll take you along on a dig. Its been a cold and snowy winter, so we haven't dug for them in a while, but they are all over even in the cold. We find a few small, immature ones, and even a few bigger ones that are almost ready for eating.
Alot of sites on the web will give you more information. We innoculated our Douglas Fir trees several years ago - and have noticed an increase in Truffle "production"! Who needs a trained Pig with kids who love to dig, explore, and find these buried treasures. Even if you don't eat them, it is a great afternoon activity for fun and new things to learn.
Here's how a pig does it...
