🍷 Cork harvester
A craftsman who strips bark from the cork oak with a hatchet without harming the tree.
A cork harvester is a craftsman who strips bark from cork oak with a small axe without wounding the tree. It is delicate work: the bark must be separated in sheets without touching the inner layer, because the tree's life depends on it. Experienced harvesters do it in one motion.
Cork oak grows in Portugal, Spain and other Mediterranean countries. The bark is first stripped when the tree is about 25 years old, and then roughly every nine years. Between strippings the bark grows back. The tree lives for many decades. The bark is removed by hand in summer, when it separates more easily.
The bark is used to make wine stoppers and other products. The cork harvester's work is tied to the cork oak, which remains the main source of material for wine corks. The work demands strength and experience, and such craftsmen are highly respected. The process does not harm the forests: cork oak woodlands are even considered a valuable natural habitat.
How it connects to Wine
🍷 Cork harvester ← then ← 🐝 Cork oak → kind of → 🍾 Wine containers, glassware and serving → kind of → 🍷 Wine
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Frequently asked questions
Who is a cork harvester?
A craftsman who strips the bark from cork oak with a small axe without harming the tree.
How often is bark stripped from a cork oak?
First at about 25 years of age, then roughly every nine years.
When is bark stripped?
By hand, in summer, when it separates more easily.