About Us: Duckett Truffieres

Grant and Betty Duckett retired to Vancouver Island after years of raising livestock on the Prairies. They believed they could grow truffles, so they bought a 40-acre farm near Parksville, levelled the previous pasture land and took their first steps in uncharted territory.

PIONEERS

When the Ducketts started in 2000, the Truffle Association of B.C. had not formed yet and no one in Canada had ever raised truffles. There was no Canadian knowledge base to start from or build on and no one could help, not even the government Agriculture departments. Ducketts researched, studied and learned everything they could about successful trufficulture, particularly relying on the French. They prepared the site, the soil, wells, irrigation and protection that they learned were necessary, documented their choices and started to import the inoculums. BC Agriculture facilitated the import of Duckett's first inoculum in 2003.

ORGANIC

One of the first and most significant decisions was to be organic. Ducketts are diligent in maintaining a natural organic environment for the truffles to grow in regardless of any increase in labour that may result. From the time the nuts and acorns are gathered all phases of growth and husbandry are within strict guidelines.

REGULATORY CONCERNS

Duckett Truffieres have respected and adhered to all Provincial and Federal import/export, food production and agricultural rules, regulations and guidelines. We strongly support the need to protect B.C. from invasive, predatory and lethal plant pests and diseases found in other countries. We are proud to inoculate hardy B.C. stock with certified clean spore knowing we have established the stewardship Canadians trust. We have also cultivated a starting stock for the long-term development of standards for Canadian Truffle quality and purity certification.

FUTURE OUTLOOK

The Slow Food Movement and the 100-Mile Diet have made enormous strides in promoting healthy local food in the world. It is organizations such as this that ensures all Canadians' a healthier choice.

Media and market interest is high. Markets are waiting for fresh truffles and value-added truffle products. Knowing digging too deep would disturb the next generation of truffles on young trees, before they were ready to seed, in 2007 Duckett Truffieres only harvested several kilograms to record tree production.

DUCKETTS ARE HONOURED

Duckett Truffieres are honoured to be the first place winners of the 2009 MISTIC Science, Technology & Innovation Award in the Food and Beverage category. The MISTIC annual awards were created to recognize and increase awareness of the diverse science, technology and innovation taking place in the mid and north island regions of Vancouver Island.

The worlds of agriculture and forestry have long been intertwined. Tree husbandry includes production of Christmas trees, shelterbelt trees, reforestation seedlings and ornamental trees while food production from trees includes fruit, berries, nuts and, we are proud to add, truffles in Canada. Ducketts' pioneering development of truffle production technology merges the fields of forestry and agriculture in development of truffle-hosting tree stock for future truffieres and development of our own successful truffle production plantations.

To emphasize the importance of trees and forests as a resource and to promote the sustainable management of forests the United Nations General Assembly has declared 2011 the global "International Year of Forests" (IYF). We are celebrating the theme of "Forests For People" promoted by Natural Resources Canada. We encourage everyone to plant and nurture trees and offer a variety of inoculated truffle host trees suitable for small urban lots to large rural agricultural endeavours.

DUCKETTS LEAD THE WAY IN CANADIAN TRUFFICULTURE

Growing and inoculating hardy B.C. host trees, offering seedling trees for sale, harvesting Canada’s 1st Black Perigord Truffles and value adding. We look forward to leading the way in development of Canada’s truffle-growing industry.

Strong family support and involvement ensures that as Grant and Betty approach their next retirement the family members are well educated and practised in all aspects of establishing new truffieres, maintaining and improving the truffle orchard and pursuing value-added opportunities.

IN THE COMMUNITY

Duckett Truffieres is happy to have donated ten native Garry Oak and Hazelnut truffle-inoculated host trees to the 33rd annual Coombs Farmers’ Institute Annual Spring Auction. This auction raises funds for scholarships for students continuing with an agricultural career.

We are happy to have donated Garry Oak truffle host trees to the UBC Botanical Garden where they are planted in the Garry oak meadow and woodland area as part of a set of North American gardens.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Phone or Fax 1-250-586-5133
Email Duckett Truffieres

Mailing address:
Grant and Betty Duckett
400 Lowry's Road,
Parksville, B.C., V9P 2B5