We want to become peasants. In order to
feed ourselves, to learn to work the land, to
learn from each other, to create a rural
collective space to experience alternative
ways of living, producing food and
communicating.
Autonomy!
We asked Terre de liens for funds for
buying a farm. After having found a place,
we presented our project to the members of
Terre de Liens (i.e. our motivations,
histories, a detailed economic study about
our development strategy – vegetables,
bread and milk products to be sold in the
neighbourhood). 3 months later, Terre de
Liens accorded us its support. This
partnership accredited us not only credit by
professional organisations that control and
administer access to land in France, but also
by the banks we asked for credits to cover
renovations and material expenses.
Moreover, Terre de Liens is a network
where we can find support, advice, the
possibility of rethinking our project
(through yearly meeting on the farm), to
have exchanges… And we know that what
we will do on this farm will not end with
us: Terre de Liens is engaged in preserving
the integrity of the bought farms.
From our side, we took the following
responsibilities:
- to fund-raise 25% of the farm ́s price. In
order to collect those 70 000 euros, we
will regularly organise information stands
- or host information meetings on Terre de
Liens during the next months.
- to practice an environmental sustainable
peasantry on the farm. This means that we
will have to leave the farm if we stop
producing, stop being “farmers” or use
chemical
products.
25
- to pay a rent.
Since September, our administrative
hurdles are almost over. We’re
waiting for the previous farmer to
retire and we’ll get to work!!
-Marco
Gaec Radis&co, la Goronnière,
53240 MONTFLOURS