We abandon the project of the hamlet in the Ardèche. It is too ambitious and too heavy to carry just by the two of us, and we didn’t find any partners. Too bad, it gives us a boost of demotivation! The quest continues, but where and how?
Mathieu found a job with a shepherd with a herd of 500 rove goats. Impressive! They graze ambrosia (an invasive plant) in the riverbed of the Drôme.
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYRX_QPMWVg
I’m still working at the goatfarm of Mathilde’s and some little jobs in other farms from time to time.
I enjoy the summer by welcoming friends here in Drôme and forget a bit the search for a farm. Because I’m tired of searching, searching again and finding nothing concrete. Tired of projecting myself every time in a new place, imagining myself living there, then paf, nothing. But with the departure of my friends, I realize that time does not stop. I really want to find something before winter comes. And not start again a year of research, waiting and temporary work.
But here is a new track! Quite far from here, but the possibility is interesting. We visit a farm in the Ariège. A 90 hectare “Terre de liens” farm, biodynamic. It hosts two farming activities, animals and vegetables and a Steiner-Waldorf school. The breeders, currently two partners and one employee, are looking for one or two more partners. They are nice people, and we like their way of farming. They have three herds: cows, sheep and goats, which graze all year round, which they take care of as naturally as possible, etc. The milk is transformed into a variety of products. Our hesitation points are: – they are looking above all for a referent for the herd of cows; – the climate is rather cold and humid; – we will have to move again and leave the Drôme; – joining a farm already existing means finding your place (not easy), not building ourselves, making a lot of compromises, etc. So we have to think about it! The idea would be to do a month of wwoofing in automn, to get to know each other better. Then, if that fits, to do a year of testing under the CEFI contract for one, and as an employee (part-time) for the other.
But first, we are playing our last cards in the Drôme!