Growing truffles, Périgord's black gold
Fabien Lafon set up his truffle farm in Saint-Avit-Sénieur, in the heart of the Périgord Noir region, some twenty years ago. Passionate about truffles, he first and foremost cultivates the precious mushroom to keep the tradition alive.
" I created this truffle farm from scratch ", says Fabien Lafon, for whom truffles are not his main profession, since in life, the Périgourdine native is a bodybuilder. Truffles are above all his passion: " My attachment to them was passed on to me by my grandfather, who used to go out all day with his dog to collect truffles. "The farmer inherited a plot of land, previously used for growing corn or wheat, on which he planted truffle trees.
A random crop
Fabien Lafon now owns more than 400 oak trees, the oldest of which are around twenty years old. The bodybuilder spends his free time looking after his farm: " I'd rather be here cleaning the trees than at home doing DIY. There's work all year round. July and August are quiet, but in September we have to check that the trees are doing well. March is for seeding. April is pruning time, but I do it Van Gogh-style, as I like it! "
Even if Fabien Lafon doesn't make a fortune from his business, it still represents a supplement to his income: " You can't get rich growing truffles. You have to take into account the purchase of oak trees, the upkeep of the enclosure around the plot and the installation of security systems with cameras, all of which cost a lot of money. This year, I've sort of financed myself."Growing truffles is an unpredictable business, and you can never be sure of a flourishing crop: " A truffle grower can make a zero investment. If I look back at last year's harvest, we had a half-harvest with very little volume. Fortunately, I don't rely on my production to make a living. "
An uncertain future
Fabien Lafon remains worried about the future of truffles in the Périgord Noir. In recent years, climate change has had a major impact on production: "There's no longer any winter or cold weather to accompany the season. The more the years go by, the higher the temperatures. And that's a real problem for truffles. The future is certainly complicated for those who want to grow volume. In my opinion, in fifty years' time, there won't be many truffles left. "The grower fears that young people will turn away from production: " For the moment, my children don't want to take over the truffle farm, and I don't think they're the only ones of their generation. We'll have to fight to get young people to carry on the tradition. "
The main outlets for his crop are wholesalers at the Saint-Alvère truffle market, customers at the garage where he works, and restaurateurs: " I work a lot with chef Vincent Arnould of the Vieux Logis [rated 15.5/20 and awarded 3 Gault&Millau toques, editor's note] in Trémolat. It's a local institution that showcases truffles to the full. During the black truffle season, from December to February, the chef proposes a menu based around truffles. It's a real treat! "
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