daba78

hello all,

I was planning a trip to tuscany for May but now have the opportunity to go to Oktoberfest so deciding if i should add Tuscany to that trip. I know its a bit far but coming from Canada that is not a big deal to me.
My pros for Tuscany in late September is the truffles and porcini mushrooms. The cons are plowed fields and empty vineyards. I was in tuscany in early sept. 2012 and had a hard time finding truffles (we had to travel to Umbria to get them)

My questions are
1. when do most fields change from lush green to brown dirt?

2. when does the porcini and truffle season kick off

Thanks for any help photos would be a great way to get an idea

Thanks again folders family

bvlenci

It's too early for the prized white truffles, which begin to appear in mid-October. You might find porcini mushrooms, especially if the weather is cool.

bilboburgler

lush green in May, the summer burns off any colour (though trees remain green), the green vendage will take off many of the leaves on the vines in August, the grape harvest will be in early sept but can be through to end of sept, the good thing is some of the leaves will have turned red.

Well that is my experience, anyone else?

bvlenci

The lushest green in Le Marche, where I live, just east of Tuscany, is in late winter/early spring. In fact, the wheat fields are green all winter, but in early February and March you begin to have the fruit trees in bloom and in March you also have the new leaves on the deciduous trees.

The wheat is harvested in June, and from then on the wheat fields are brown. Other crops, such as sunflowers, are harvested in Julyor August, but they're allowed to completely dry before the harvest, so they're pretty ugly for several weeks before that.

I've never seen leaves turn in late September in this part of Italy.

nochblad

A few observations -

- obviously the wheat harvest comes earlier in Italy relative to Northern Europe and equally the further south in Italy the earlier it come. bvlenci says wheat is harvested in June but that is true in Le Marche and Tuscany but will differ slightly in more southern regions. In more northern regions the crop of choice is corn.
- sunflowers: early in the season they really live up to their name turning like clockwork following the sun but as they develop the weight of the flower becomes too much and they become droopy and face down in a fixed position.
- porcini mushrooms are generally available from late August / early September onwards but a lot depends upon the location, temperature and rainfall leading up to harvest time. Be very careful as to the source of the mushrooms as many come from Eastern Europe and not only are not of the same quality but have been picked a number of days before being put on sale in Italy. Any serious greengrocer will be prepared to slice a mushroom in front of you so you can see the internal structure of the mushroom. The very best and freshest mushrooms can be eaten raw in a simple salad.
- truffles: the weather is again a determining factor. Various types of truffle can be found all over Italy be they black or white. Without wanting to offend anyone the two best known centres are Norcia for black truffles and Alba for white truffles. The white truffles of Alba are considered the best in the world but are in season later than your dates.
- vineyards: whether they are "empty" or not depends principally upon three factors. The region of Italy (the further south the earlier the harvest, generally), the season in general (how early the flowering, how hot the summer, the timing of the rains etc) and the altitude. With climate change and other factors, some winemakers are growing grapes at higher altitudes which allows for a less aggressive period of maturation and a later harvest.

daba78

bvlenci: nice to hear a fellow Marchegiani, mostly Calabrese and friulano here in Canada. My father is from Ascoli Piceno, Acquasante terme. My wife and I where there in October 2013 and it was very green still, Beautiful part of Italy. Thanks for the info

nochblad : Norcia is high on my list also, maybe spend a few days there. I have 8 days in tuscany and will probably avoid florence and siena(city) staying mostly in the crete sinesi. one option is a couple days in Umbria if I can't get my truffle fix in tuscany. Thanks for the info


I enjoy photography and eating so this is why I have such a dilemma. Great scenery in may but great food in fall. What to do, what to do.