The primer on everything CORK; a fascinating video.

[Roy Hersh]

The basics, but some new cellular innovations that will be cool for all to see:

http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/busine ... -glass.cnn

[John F. Newman]

also other tidbits of info in there about cork, like how they punch holes in the raw cork for wine-corks.

Cork bark is harvested every 9 years. However, the very first harvest of a tree is around 25 years after planting, and that is considered "virgin" cork which is only good for certain things. So it is about 35 years from planting to the first real harvest. Therefore, the saying is that you plant a cork tree for your grandchildren.

My father in law has some old farmland and his not-so-secret desire is to hold onto it for his grandchildren (my wife says sell it and enjoy the money). I told him to plant a "montado" (cork forest) as an investment into the future for them. He thinks I am joking, I am ... but not really.

[Roy Hersh]

In NEW JERSEY???

[John F. Newman]

Lol. That would be a scientific advancement (or some serious global warming).

In the Algarve. Farmland that has been in the family for generations, and also slowly divided up each generation. Today it's a few parcels here and there.

If any FTLOPer plans on retiring in 30 -40 years to own a vineyard, I (or my children) may be able to supply your cork needs by then!

[Andreas Nielsen]

Great video. Thanks for sharing

[Bradley Bogdan]

Was kind of surprised that a single tree only yields about $100 of cork in a given harvest. Would seem tough to turn much of a profit at that point without a ton of trees or a day job.

[John F. Newman]

Was kind of surprised that a single tree only yields about $100 of cork in a given harvest. Would seem tough to turn much of a profit at that point without a ton of trees or a day job.

I went back to re-watch that section of the video. I was hoping that it was $100 for that section of the bark that was stripped. But I think you may be right.

I was wrong in that after the first stripping, that that the second stripping was commercially valuable for cork stoppers.

You have to wait around 20 to 25 years before the first extraction. And even that extraction is what we call virgin cork, which can only be used for decoration after being ground in agglomerated granules.

“The second extraction, only possible after another nine years, has a little more industrial value, but it is still not completely stabilised in terms of structure. The best cork only comes after the third, fourth or fifth extraction. So, in effect, you have to wait around 34 years for the second extraction, and around 43 years for the first crop that fetches a good price.”
http://www.algarveresident.com/0-7079/a ... of-closure

So the saying, you plant cork trees for your grandchildren is pretty accurate!

Another quote from the article that expands on the grandchildren line: ‘If you are thinking of yourself, sow a vineyard; if you plant for your son, sow olive trees; and if you are thinking of your grandson, plant cork.’