Charcoal Production
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area : Srce Slowenije |
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category : practices concerning nature |
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Even today Dole near Litija boasts the presence of an almost disappeared old craft, i.e. charcoal production. The tradition of burning charcoal was brought to these places by Italian charcoal burners over one hundred years ago. The preparation of a clamp and producing charcoal in the traditional method is a procedure that has been preserved by local charcoal burners over years; they are very close to the forests and life next to them. Twenty-five charcoal burners work in the area and they burn around 30 clamps, which amounts to 150 to 200 tons of quality charcoal.
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The technique of charcoal burning and producing it in upright clamps was brought to these places by Italian charcoal burners in the middle of the 19th century. During World War II charcoal production was discontinued since the majority of the population was deported to Germany. After World War II charcoal production picked up again. After the war, charcoal was exported mainly to Italy while the most important among national users were Litostroj Ljubljana and Strojna tovarna Trbovlje. Recently, charcoal has mostly been used for the preparation of grilled food and smaller quantities are required by the chemical industry, rubber production, in soldering copper and zinc sheet metal and for the production of special steel in the ironwork industry. Quality charcoal is used by artists for drawing, some doctors treat stomach disorders with it; charcoal is also used for whitening teeth.
The preparation of a charcoal clamp is a demanding task, the procedure is connected with the preparation of the clamp area, wood, and it involves piling and covering the pile, burning or charcoaling and finally undoing the pile. A charcoal burner needs about 43 days for the entire procedure with an average charcoal pile. With larger piles which generate up to eight tons of charcoal he needs around 47 days. The work is done mostly by a charcoal burner and his family; it is only when backening that charcoal burners help each other by monitoring the clamp in turns. A group is most frequently composed of three to four charcoal burners and they undo an average-sized clamp in one day. In one day, to wit, overnight, charcoal cools down and the next day it is ready to be bagged. The preparation of charcoal for selling, from undoing the clamp to packing requires three to six days.
In the area of Dole, today 12 charcoal farms burn charcoal, some of them welcome visitors and present the tradition of charcoal production. The charcoal farm Brinovec offers a presentation of charcoal production, an assortment of charcoal, receives groups and educational training for the young. The charcoal burner at the farm is glad to tell everything about charcoal production, preparation of a clamp and offers you a charcoal meal. There is Oglarska pot (Charcoal Way; translator\'s note) along the farm which brings you to the charcoal farm Medved where at this moment they are demonstrating burning of charcoal in the traditional manner. The interconnected charcoal burners at Dole near Litija appear today under the brand Oglarska dežela (Charcoal Land; translator\'s note) which has rubbed off not only on the locals but on the visitors to the area as well.
Charcoal Land
(Stane Kmetič, Dole near Litija)
I will sharpen my saw and start to fell,
I will rid our grassland of weed,
green grass of mine, God speed,
Charcoal Land has no match!
Now a large clamp is set up,
Come, wifey, it starts to smoke,
You, wifey of mine, no joke,
Charcoal Land has no match! |
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