The Truffle Farm

From Italy to Island: How We Brought Canada’s First Truffle Farm to Life in Parksville

I’m absolutely thrilled to have been featured in Vacay.ca’s recent article about Parksville’s World Oceans Day Celebration! Seeing our little truffle farm highlighted alongside such incredible local food producers and the Beach Club Resort’s sustainable seafood festival really shows how our community has grown into something special.

When my parents brought those first truffle spores back from Piedmont over two decades ago, I never imagined we’d one day be part of a thriving sustainable food movement that would catch the attention of food writers and culinary enthusiasts from across Canada. But here we are – and I couldn’t be more excited to share our story and the amazing food community we’re part of here in Parksville.

Our Journey: From Italian Dreams to Canadian Reality

Twenty-five years ago, my parents made a trip to Italy’s renowned Piedmont region that would change our family’s life forever. They were so enchanted by the truffle culture there – the passion, the tradition, the incredible flavors – that they decided to bring a piece of it home with them. Literally.

Those precious spores they carried back seemed like such a long shot at the time. Truffles were this mysterious, exotic delicacy that belonged in European soil, not on Vancouver Island. But my husband Pete and I believed in the dream, and we were willing to put in the years of patient work that truffle cultivation demands.

Today, our 20-acre farm produces both White Alba and Perigord Black truffles that rival anything coming out of Italy. I’m not just saying that as a proud farmer – we actually export our products back to Italy now, which feels like the ultimate validation of what we’ve accomplished here.

The Magic of Truffle Farming

People often ask me what makes truffle farming so special, and honestly, it’s unlike any other kind of agriculture. Truffles form these incredible symbiotic relationships with tree roots, creating underground networks that take years to establish. You can’t rush it, you can’t force it – you have to work with nature’s timeline.

What’s magical is that our Vancouver Island terroir has given our truffles their own distinct character while maintaining that depth of flavor and earthy complexity that makes Italian truffles so coveted. The cool, moist climate here, combined with our specific soil conditions, creates an environment where these fungi can truly thrive.

We’ve developed a full range of truffle products – salts, honey, oils – that capture those incredible flavors year-round. It’s been amazing to see local chefs like Ned Bell and Nick Mackay-Finn at the Beach Club Resort incorporating our products into their sustainable, locally-focused menus.

Part of Something Bigger

What really excites me about being featured in that Vacay.ca article is seeing how our farm fits into Parksville’s broader sustainable food story. We’re not operating in isolation – we’re part of a community of producers who are all committed to environmental stewardship and authentic, local food production.

Take our friends at Little Qualicum Cheeseworks. Albert and his wife moved here from Winnipeg with this incredible vision of creating the best cheese in Canada. Their commitment to transparency, education, and sustainable dairy farming aligns perfectly with what we’re trying to do with truffles. When visitors come to either of our farms, they’re getting a real farm-to-table experience where they can see every step of the process.

Then there’s Silver Meadows Farm Market with their focus on seasonal, local produce, and Springford Farm with their high-quality eggs and authentic farm market experience. We’re all working toward the same goal: showing people that local, sustainable food doesn’t just taste better – it’s better for our community and our environment.

The Education Component

One of the most rewarding aspects of what we do is the educational opportunities. When people visit our farm, they’re often amazed to learn about the science behind truffle cultivation. The symbiotic relationships, the soil requirements, the patience required – it’s fascinating stuff that really opens people’s eyes to how complex and beautiful sustainable agriculture can be.

We love hosting groups and explaining how truffle farming actually benefits the environment. Unlike many forms of agriculture, truffle cultivation requires no pesticides or artificial fertilizers. We’re essentially creating healthy forest ecosystems while producing these luxury food items that would otherwise travel thousands of miles to reach Canadian tables.

Children are especially curious about the “mystery mushrooms that grow underground.” Seeing their faces light up when they understand how fungi and tree roots work together to create something so special – that’s what keeps us passionate about this work.

Supporting Local Food Systems

 

Being featured alongside the Beach Club Resort’s World Oceans Day celebration really highlighted something important: sustainable food production connects land and sea. While Chef Ned Bell was showcasing sustainable BC Albacore tuna and locally-sourced seafood, we were representing the land-based side of that same commitment to environmental responsibility.

The research happening at Vancouver Island University’s Deep Bay Marine Field Station, where they’re breeding climate-resilient oysters, mirrors what we’re doing on land – adapting traditional food production methods to address modern environmental challenges while maintaining quality and flavor.

When visitors support our farm, Little Qualicum Cheeseworks, and the other local producers, they’re investing in:

• Reduced food miles and transportation emissions
• Healthy soil practices and biodiversity
• Local economic development
• Educational opportunities for future generations
• Innovation in sustainable agriculture

Looking Forward

The success of events like the Beach Club Resort’s World Oceans Day celebration shows that people are hungry for authentic food experiences that align with their values. They want to know where their food comes from, meet the people who produce it, and understand the environmental impact of their choices.

For us, this means continuing to innovate while staying true to traditional truffle cultivation methods. We’re always experimenting with new product lines, exploring different ways to share our truffle flavors, and finding new partnerships with local chefs and restaurants.

Planning Your Visit

If you’re inspired to visit our farm, I’d love to welcome you for a truly special experience!

Spring through fall offers the best overall experience, with active growing seasons and the most farm activities. Late fall and winter is truffle harvesting season, which provides a unique opportunity to see the actual truffle hunting process.

If you’re interested in a deeper experience, please email me to book a private truffle tasting and farm tour. You’ll get to meet our sheep, watch our truffle dogs in action, and taste our locally-grown truffle products paired with seasonal, locally-foraged ingredients and our signature rose tea. It’s an intimate way to really understand what makes our farm special and experience the flavors that have taken us decades to develop.

These private tours are perfect for food enthusiasts, couples looking for a unique experience, or anyone who wants to learn about sustainable truffle cultivation in a hands-on way.

The Future We’re Building

When I see articles like the one in Vacay.ca, highlighting not just individual businesses but the whole sustainable food ecosystem we’re building here in Parksville, I feel incredibly hopeful about the future. We’re proving that rural communities can be innovation hubs, that traditional farming methods can address modern challenges, and that local food systems can thrive in today’s global economy.

Our little truffle farm that started with spores from Italy is now part of a movement that could inspire similar developments across Canada. Every visitor who comes to learn about sustainable agriculture, every chef who chooses to feature local ingredients, every family who decides to support local farms – they’re all part of building a more sustainable, delicious future.

I’m grateful to be part of this community and excited to see where this journey takes us next. If you’re ever in Parksville, please come visit – we’d love to share our passion for truffles and sustainable farming with you!