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  • Men prune, women deleaf

Men prune, women deleaf

Pruning and disbudding are tasks that have for a long time been considered work for men, while women have handled the work with leaves: attaching, deleafing, pinching back unwanted shoots. Among these leaf workers are working women from Valais, from the Martigny region, who join groups from the nearby Italian region of the Aosta Valley to work the vines of large landowners and vineyard overseers in canton Vaud. Payslips show that women and children were paid less than men for work on the land and harvesting.

Men and machines

Men were responsible for mechanical work: turning the soil, cutting back the vines, sulphur treatments. Women may take part, helping by dragging the tubes. The use of chemical products in the vineyard, starting in the 1950s, brought an end to manual weeding by women; this work shifted to men. Thinning out grape bunches is a practice introduced when quotas began in 1992; the work was not seen as just for men or women. Watering is the business of the entire family, especially if it involves surveying the rate of flow of the bisse (irrigation channel).

Women running cellars

When harvest time arrives, women handle the shears and men carry and transport the grapes. For a long time, managing the grape press and work in the cellar was exclusively the work of men. Woman have gradually taken on greater responsibilities, training in œnology, tasting and sales. By the end of the 20th century women in the wine world were few, but renowned. (lien vers http://www.artisanes-vigne-vin.ch)

Source: Histoire de la Vigne et du Vin en Valais, «Les hommes taillent, les femmes effeuillent», Isabelle Raboud-Schüle, ethnologist.

Step into the memory of the Switzerland’s largest wine region! The information that you will find on these pages comes from the book "Histoire de la vigne et du vin en Valais, des origines à nos jours", a reference work that brings together the most recent scientific discoveries about the fine wines of Valais and their rich past.

Order the book

Musée du Vin - Rue Ste Catherine 6 - 3960 Sierre | tél. +41 27 456 35 25 | contact@museeduvin-valais.ch

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  • F
  • D
  • E
  • Home
  • Exhibitions and Trail
    • Permanent exhibition
    • Current exhibition
    • Wine Trail
    • Past exhibitions
  • Events
  • “Discovery” programme
  • Schools
  • The Museum
    • Presentation and mission
    • Collections
    • Historical
    • Organization
    • Infos pratiques
  • History of wine
    • From its origins to today
    • History of grape varieties
    • Did you know?
  • Support
  • Shop
  • Media
    • Documents for media
    • Archives
    • Press rewiew
  • Information