Inspiring moments

As mankind has progressed from hunter-gatherer to crop-producing civilizations, little recognition was given to the farmers who provided the food necessary for this development— and the trees that helped shape agriculture.

Over the millennia, farmers in Portugal have transformed—through their sweat and toil— malarial swamps into fertile, crop-producing lands. In recent times, however, reclamation of the Algarve region has been furthered by the introduction of the blue gum eucalyptus from Australia. This tree flourishes in wet soils and will, within a short time, turn a swamp into arable land. Today, this region produces simply delightful wines that are in constant demand as a companion to the cornucopia of fresh seafood on local menus.

The cork oak, a native tree, has also been important to Portuguese agriculture.

For many years, cork was the stopper of choice for fine wines (and remains so for top-drawer houses).

Portugal produces upwards of 94 per cent of the cork used in the wine industry. And while demand for cork stoppers has declined in the face of increased use of alternatives, demand for cork is ever-increasing. We use cork as sound barriers in our homes and as foot-friendly floor tiles. It’s also used as insulation (including places as far removed as the International Space Station). The only problem is finding young apprentices willing to learn the skills of harvest (in early July) from the dwindling number of aging experts.

I always have a moment of deep reflection when I walk on historic land. I had just such an experience when we visited the majestic monastery of Jerónimos, located on the north bank of the river Tagus in Lisbon’s Belem district. Within these walls, Portuguese explorers made their peace with the Creator before setting forth on their voyages of discovery.

But you need not leave Canada for such moments of inspiration. You can marvel at the fortitude of the early settlers who created Quebec City, Montreal or, closer to home, the settlement of Sainte-Marie among the Hurons (Midland). Canada remains ours to discover from coast to coast to coast.