A vital tool still used today in agave farming is the “Coa” which means “hoe”.  It is used for harvesting agaves and “jimador” is  the agave harvester.   At seven years old, the Blue Weber Agaves will start to throw their stalk up 10-15 feet in the air in order to put out flowers at the top and reproduce.  But, the jimador cuts that stalk off so that all the energy that would have been used to make that giant stalk, is instead kept inside the base of the plant and fattens up with those sugars that will then be what is distilled 8 months later when the jimador strips the agave leaves, or pankas from the agave core or “piña” with this flat, spade-like tool that has a sharp rounded head and a long handle.   Let’s hear it for the coa, a vital tool in the production of  tequila and mezcal!

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