Name: The Truffle Orchard Ecosystem: From Soil to the Scent of Success
Start: 2026-08-14T12:30:00-0600
End: 2026-08-14T13:30:00-0600

SCHEDULE LAUNCH IS JUNE 21st, 2026

Welcome to the largest wild mushroom happening in North America, the 46th Annual Telluride Mushroom Festival! This program of the Telluride Institute, a 501c3 non-profit, offers a plethora of events ranging from foray and mushroom ID sessions, to hands-on demonstrations and lectures—all led by regionally, nationally, and internationally-known experts, (and we cannot forget the wide variety of social and cultural events offered, along with the famous Mushroom Parade!) there is plenty for everyone, every day.

On this website, you can filter your search by events, venues, presenters, etc. Each year the Mushroom Festival features many wonderful presentations on “all things fungi.” Presentations on similar topics are grouped together at the same venue so that attendees interested will be able to spend more time learning and interacting, and less time walking between venues. See who else is interested in each event and interact with our extended Mushroom Family.

See you soon!

The Truffle Orchard Ecosystem: From Soil to the Scent of Success

Friday August 14, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm MDT

Ah Haa School - SkyDeck Rooftop @ 155 W Pacific Ave, Telluride, CO 81435

Truffle cultivation is equal parts ecology, patience, and precision. In this talk, we’ll demystify what it actually takes to grow truffles in North American landscapes—starting with the core relationship that makes truffles possible: a healthy host tree partnered with a thriving mycorrhizal network. We’ll walk through the foundational building blocks of a successful truffle orchard, including site selection, soil texture and drainage, pH and mineral balance, irrigation strategy, and the long game of root health and orchard maturation.

We’ll also zoom into the living soil: bacteria, fungi, micro-arthropods, and the underground food web that supports truffle formation and the aroma chemistry that signals truffle maturity. You’ll learn what “orchard function” looks like in the field—how to read tree vigor, groundcover, soil structure, and seasonal patterns—and how to troubleshoot common challenges such as weak colonization, drought stress, compaction, nutrient lockups, and competing fungal communities.

This session also offers an industry-facing update through the lens of the North American Truffle Growers Association (NATGA), which has been advancing truffle cultivation in the U.S. for more than a decade. Each year, NATGA grows its list of successfully producing orchards through dissemination of ideas and practices, rigorous scientific research, and collaboration with growers and researchers around the globe. I update this presentation annually with new and improved data informed by these collective efforts—so attendees leave with a clear, current framework for truffle cultivation as a whole ecosystem: where success comes from building resilient soils and relationships, not shortcuts.

Speakers

Stephanie Jarvis

Pacific Truffle Growers, LLC

Stephanie Jarvis is a truffle cultivator, mycologist, ISA Certified Arborist, and founder of Pacific Truffle Growers. She holds a Master of Science degree in Conservation Genetics with a specialization in mycology and has spent more than 25 years working in mushroom cultivation, mycology... Read More →

Friday August 14, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm MDT
Ah Haa School - SkyDeck Rooftop

Passholder Event (included in Festival Pass), Workshops

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46th Telluride Mushroom Festival

Stephanie Jarvis

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46th Telluride Mushroom Festival

Stephanie Jarvis

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