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Wayne Haslam, of Bluefrog Truffles, will talk about his experience and understanding of the cultivation of truffles in the Canberra Region, and his involvement in the Australian Truffle Industry.
Photos: (top) Wayne finds truffle and dog ready to hunt truffles 2023-03-05
(below) Truffle to be proud of 2023-03-05. (Photographer: Paul Henderson-Kelly).
Abstract
Truffles have been around for more than 90 million years and there are many hundreds of truffle species in the world. They mature in winter and provide a winter food source for forest dwelling animals.
Truffle production is a relatively new and emerging export industry in Australia, yet in 20 years we have become the fourth largest producer of black truffle (Tuber melanosporum), in the world, providing a southern winter crop for northern summers.
After more than 40 years’ experience as an engineer and project manager in Australia and developing countries, Wayne has devoted his ‘leisure years’ to truffle growing. Wayne will talk about his experience and understanding of the cultivation of truffles in the Canberra Region, and his involvement in the Australian Truffle Industry.
Biography
After 10 years as an engineer in Australian major construction projects, (e.g. SMEC, Wingecarribee Dam, Yass Bypass), and 23 years plus on International Development Agency Projects in the Pacific, Asia, and Africa, Wayne retired, but he needed an activity to keep a work-driven soul busy.
In 2001 he elected to build a house and grow truffles on a 63 acre bare property near Sutton. Over a seven-year period he planted 1800 truffle-inoculated oak trees, Quercus robur, Quercus ilex, and hazelnuts (Corylus).
The family uses contract dogs for hunting and harvesting from June to August.
In 2006 Wayne established what is now the Australian Truffle Industry Association, in 2009 the Canberra Region Truffle Festival, and in 2018 the NSW/ACT Truffle Marketing Corporation. The corporation is developing International markets, and half the growers are in the Canberra Region.
The booking link is: https://www.trybooking.com/CELUU
Lunchtime talks are held at 12.30 pm every Thursday from February to November. Talks last for 1 hour. We welcome a gold coin donation. The Friends use donations received at each talk to support Gardens’ programs and development and thank all those who have donated. Please note: unless otherwise indicated, talks are in the ANBG Theatrette.
It is a good idea to reserve a seat at the talks you wish to attend; some talks book out very quickly. Bookings can be made from the Friday before the talk until Wednesday night before the talk or until seating limits are reached.
The Friends of the ANBG thank the speakers who volunteer their time and talents to further the knowledge of all attending events in the Gardens. Some summaries or PowerPoint presentations of Thursday talks are available to Friends at the ANBG library. Please direct queries about the talks to the Thursday Talks Team: email talks@friendsanbg.org.au
The talks are in line with COVID-19 guidelines which can change rapidly.
