La Ferme des Trois Moutons an inspiring local concept
On June 25th in Ciplet, the Ferme des Trois Moutons officially opened a shop. Some people will tell me that this is just a local news. But in my opinion, it is a concept that deserves some attention.
A history of over five years
The Ferme des Trois Moutons is the brainchild of Sarah Van Heertum and Benjamin Elleboudt, who set out on the adventure of restarting a farm that had been inactive for over forty years.
By chance, they came across this farm in Ciplet (Belgium) and fell in love with it. They then read a lot, learned a lot and of course worked a lot to restore the abandoned farm. After two years of hard work, with the help of Antoine and Ahmed, two market gardeners, the farm is once again operational.
Sheep, chickens, bees... and fish
As far as I'm concerned, it's mainly the concept that appeals to me. The principle was not to simply restore a farm, but to create a viable concept that is also local and sustainable.
- Local production: of course, as a farm, an essential activity is to produce local products. The Ferme des Trois Moutons produces vegetables, eggs, but also its own honey and soon even fish will be available.
- Aquaponics: Yes, fish! With a sustainable vision and a desire to respect the planet in mind, Sarah andBenjamin decided early on to opt for aquaponics in their project. Rainbow trout are distributed in two large basins in the farm's barn. The water flows slowly to feed the roots of the vegetables in production and is constantly recycled.
- Sustainable production and vision: In addition to using aquaponics techniques, a small pond has been built to collect rainwater. The aim is of course to avoid having to water the plantations with city water.
- A local shop and a healthy commercial vision: Finally, what I like about the project is that the aim is not to impose quantities. The production takes the seasons into account, and the vision is to sell via the farm shop, but also via local caterers or restaurants that will be able to benefit from fresh products. In addition to its own production, the farm also displays local products from other producers or start-ups in the region.
My 20/CENT
In my opinion, the Ferme des Trois Moutons project is a great inspiration for the future of the food world. It is a return to the land, combining modern techniques to optimise production but also to make it more sustainable.
It is also a good example that the future lies in local projects.
PS: I have of course got the information you are all interested in. So as an EXCLUSIVE BREAKING NEWS, I give you the names of the three sheep of the farm: Covid, Croque Mou and Loïc.
Ferme Des Trois MoutonsAquaponieFarmingLocalProduits LocauxLocal Products