This couple of market gardeners from Lisle-sur-Tarn opens the doors of their organic estate, where they grow and sell their tasty products to locavores and lovers of responsible culture. Nature lovers, discover the new local address for your little seasonal shopping!
Much more than a story of terroir
Dorothé and her husband Jean-Marc left everything behind seven years ago to grow their own organic vegetables and develop their sheep farm in the Tarn.
Dorothé and Jean-Marc, market gardeners
“I first worked in tourism in Lisle-sur-Tarn, then the idea of working the land grew inside me. I then began a farming career change to train myself. Little by little, the project of doing something with my husband was born. So we moved towards a market gardening project. There is both working the land, growing plants, seeing the evolution of the seed to the vegetable, then the link with food, cooking, sharing and taste. We wanted to share with others what seemed important to us personally.”
A quid pro quo with Mother Nature
After finding a farm and settling in the commune of Lisle-sur-tarn, everything has come together successfully for this couple in their thirties who are retraining. In 2020, they started selling their seasonal vegetables and organic eggs and the customers are there.
“On our 37 ha farm, there are 17 ha of sheep farming, 4 and a half ha of market gardening and we also have cereals. We sell meat and eggs alongside vegetables, all our products are certified organic.”
We support the organic sector 100%, we buy our seeds in organic farming, fertilizer, compost, everything is organic. On a new farm, change is complicated, but it is a commitment that meets the challenges of tomorrow.
The vegetable garden of Fontjalabert
Except for one producer
Customers who visit the Potager de Fontjalabert have made a habit of choosing local produce and would never miss out on these visits to their favourite producers.
“For them, Friday is very often shopping day. They pick up meat from a producer in Parisot, then come here to get their vegetables and choose their fruit from the orchard next door. If they haven’t found everything they need, they top up in a supermarket, but it’s first of all to the producers that they come to do their shopping.”
When time gets involved
In addition to being very demanding in terms of the seasonal calendar, market gardening requires a great deal of anticipation.
Our work evolves with the seasons, we must always anticipate the next season and maintain a certain regularity. Plant maintenance is the biggest part of the job. Anticipation is also done for the following year, let's take the example of leeks.
“We plant them at the end of June and harvest them in March/April of the following year. On our farm, we have about 25 different types of vegetables, knowing that for each vegetable there are at least 5 varieties.”
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