LES JARDINS DU CAPELIN / SAINT-MICHEL
Organic market gardening with animal traction
The adventure began for Agathe Oddon in January 2021, when she bought a 14-hectare farm in Saint-Michel, a commune in the south-east of the Cœur de Garonne region.
In the idyllic setting of the Petites Pyrénées, Agathe now grows 1,500 m² of vegetables in the open field and a 370 m² greenhouse. She plans to triple her outdoor area and double that under glass.
Agathe is helped by her husband Baptiste and her mare Églantine, who uses animal traction to work the soil without turning it over, in line with the principles of agro-ecology.
The vegetables are grown without plastic mulch, and weeding is done either with the mare or by hand. Agathe keeps treatments to a minimum, in particular with the help of beneficial insects such as ladybirds and mini wasps. She also takes preventive action by placing nets and sails over the crops to protect them from pests.
These agro-ecological principles help to reintroduce biodiversity into agricultural production systems. A great deal of attention is paid to the choice of varieties grown by Agathe. There are no F1 hybrids, and priority is given to local and old seeds. These choices enable her to produce tasty vegetables with the best nutritional qualities that everyone will appreciate.
For all your vegetable purchases, Agathe offers :
– sales to order (no obligation) on Tuesday evenings at Saint-Michel (contact her on 06 88 68 22 64)
– meet her at the Salies-du-Salat market on Monday mornings.
– From 1 July, baskets or farm sales at l’An 01 in Cazères, on the road to St-Julien.
Horse and pony boarding
Agathe also welcomes your horses and ponies all year round. The horses are pastured in herds, with access to the forest and water. The meadows are natural and certified organic, with a wide variety of wild species for complete, natural nutrition. The hay is produced on site and is guaranteed to be free of ragwort (a toxic plant). The gentle slopes allow the horses’ joints to be exercised gently.
Approximate cost of board: €100/month (depending on the animal and its needs).
*** Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version) ***
