A Project for the Future: Oaks, Truffles, and Barrels!
- Martin McNicoll
- Feb 24, 2024
- 2 min read
Hello everyone!
On this beautiful sunny Saturday in February, I wanted to tell you about a little side project that perfectly complements our vision for the Distillerie des Cantons de l'Est: planting oak trees to eventually make our own barrels!
Of course, these oaks will take 30 years or more to reach maturity. I might not even be around to see it, but that is the whole point of this project: building for the future.
The Ideal Location
We are currently at the far western edge of our property, right next to a beautiful 100-acre forest. The section behind me has already been harvested; there are still a few trees left, but there is plenty of room for our plantation.
What surrounds us here are mainly hardwood trees, which is a great indicator that the soil is perfect for planting oaks. If you look just a bit further away, the forest changes and is full of conifers (cedars, hemlocks). But this small hardwood plateau is the absolute dream spot for our project.
Black Truffles on the Menu?
We purchased about thirty oak trees that we are trying to inoculate with black truffle spores! The good news is that we will be able to harvest these truffles long before the 30-year mark. Who knows, our master distiller Jean-François (JF) might be able to craft some amazing recipes or mushroom and truffle elixirs for us!
The Joys of Winter Forestry
As a true city dweller, I also learned something new: winter is actually a fantastic time for logging and working in the forest. Because the ground is frozen solid, it is much easier for heavy machinery to access the site and extract the timber without sinking into the mud.
I'll leave you with a few images of our future plantation site. See you soon!
Martin
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