Southern Cross Truffles (SCT), Truffle Mad

As a New Year rolls around we now have a new look website. This is in line with the mutual decision made by Southern Cross Truffles Ltd and Southern Woods Nursery Ltd to each have their own websites.

The same information and navigation is used but with the new logo of Southern Cross Truffles Ltd that has been inserted, as well as new contact details, and the URL now being www.SouthernCrossTruffles.co.nz. There will also be some new features in the coming future so be sure to keep an eye out for updates.

On Southern Cross Truffles's To Do List:

We are well into the summer now so all cultivating should have already taken place as well as pruning low hanging branches on trees. At SCT we have started application of our biostimulant, but still have several more applications to go before we will be satisfied with this for the season.

There is still a bit on the list of key husbandry requirements before we can sit back and wait until the truffle hunting begins for another year:

• Spray where needed
• Set bait stations for pests 
• Apply bio stimulant around trees (especially those that have produced in previous years)
• Start watering at key times

Jax Lee has just been awarded a US$10,000 scholarship to attend the Entrepreneurial Development Programme held by the experts at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

As the Christchurch paper “The Press” stated, she is “…one of a group of 10 Kiwi entrepreneurs selected to attend the programme. It introduces New Zealand entrepreneurs to MIT’s culture of high-tech entrepreneurship to help them learn how to develop ideas into successful businesses. The programme includes lectures by senior MIT faculty, visits to high tech start-ups, and case studies with successful entrepreneurs. The participants will work on team projects, develop business plans, and network with members of MIT’s entrepreneurial community.” Tamlyn Stewart

Jax won the award by pitching an investment preposal for truffles, which is a good indication of how far the New Zealand industry has progressed with regard to finacial feasibility, as more and more is being learnt on how to successfully grow and market truffles.

As well as attending the course in late January of this year, Jax will first visit France on her way over to Boston and then will spend time in the US. Following the course.

Her French itinerary includes meeting with several truffle growers, dog handlers, scientists, truffle marketers and distributors to observe and learn from the best in the business.

Her itinerary includes visiting a top truffle distributor and consultant in Cahors who will take her to see several different sites, visit the Lalbenque Truffle Market as well as see people at work preparing truffle ready for sale.

Also in Cahors a meeting with a top truffle scientist has been arranged.

Jax will then head to Bordeaux to meet with the General Manager of the largest provider of truffle infected seedlings in the Northern Hemisphere, Agri Truffe.

Then on the way home a stop will be made in San Francisco to meet with some distributors of truffles and high-end edible fungi. Bill Lee and his wife Susie have already spent some time with the company so it will be a matter of further establishing SCT’s working relationship with them and getting a plan in place ready for all the truffles being harvested in the 2013 season!