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Oregon truffle foragers are the focus of a new Discovery Channel series, "Unearthed," which premieres Wednesday, April 29.

(Discovery Channel)

We've seen Oregon gold miners, chefs, fashion designers, body painters, singers, tattoo artists and many more on TV reality shows. Now, get ready to watch Oregon truffle foragers, in a new Discovery Channel show called "Unearthed."

The series, which premieres Wednesday, April 29, is another in the Discovery Channel lineup of shows featuring guys making a living doing outdoorsy things. "Unearthed" follows Oregon "truffle men," who work the woods around Falls City, Oregon, looking for delicious truffles, the fungi that are delicious to eat, and can command very high prices.

Here's how the Discovery Channel press release describes the show, which consists of five hour-long episodes:



"Buried deep in the forests surrounding the small town of Falls City, Oregon is a fortune that only a few men know how to find. During the weeks leading up to the holiday rush, they are on the hunt for one of the most expensive delicacies in the world: black truffles. For the foragers of Oregon, truffles are actually more valuable than gold. This season, an historic drought hits Oregon and then winter comes early, bringing the truffle supply to an all-time low with prices predicted to hit an all-time high. With increased competition between the foragers and even more diggers seeking riches, the truffle men of Oregon will be pushed to their limits to survive."

The drama doesn't end there, as the press release continues:



"The search for truffles is treacherous. From dangerous terrain to unpredictable weather to animal and human predators, every hunter must pull out all the stops to earn their living. They make their own rules and live for the thrill of scoring a huge hunt. But will this be the worst hunt yet?"

Such drama! Here are the descriptions for the "truffle men of Oregon" featured in "Unearthed":



"Roy Siegfried and Terry Drazdoff -- 'The Old Timers'

Oregon's original truffle masters, these veterans have found all the truffle patches over the last forty years. Known as the 'Old Timers,' Roy and Terry invented every secret to finding truffles, and this year they must constantly try to outwit the younger generation of truffle hunters they originally trained.



Ty Hale and Levi Schwartzendruber - 'The Young Generation'



Ty and Levy have learned the truffle business from the 'Old Timers,' but have since broken out on their own, netting close to $100,000 a season. They are young renegades who can cover up to 600 acres a day and will go to any length to make as much money as possible.



Richie Maxfield - 'The Lone Wolf'



A self-proclaimed truffle engineer, Richie is a lone wolf who doesn't trust anyone. This truffle season, he must find a way to get water on one of his prized patches, 'Old Faithful.'



Justin Anderson - 'Oregon's Truffle Kingpin'

Justin is a woodsman and an opportunist who moved his massive black truffle operation into Falls City ten years ago and has turned it into a big business. This season, he must defend his truffle grounds from small-time diggers who try to poach his valuable land."

In 2011, The Oregonian reported that Maxfield had found what might have been the biggest black truffle ever found in Oregon, a 1-pound morsel the size of a grapefruit. It was sold for $80 to Higgins Restaurant, in downtown Portland, where chef Greg Higgins told The Oregonian's Katy Muldoon that he planned to finely dice the fungus, then warm it in a vin rouge sauce made from red wine, vinegar, fish stock and cream. The sauce would be served over polenta and Columbia River sturgeon.

Has "Unearthed" whetted your TV appetite? Will you tune in?

-- Kristi Turnquist



kturnquist@oregonian.com

503-221-8227

@Kristiturnquist