The begining of the beans
The begining of the beans is a Bruxelles organisation that gathers several urban agriculture projects. Their name is a french expression and game word, that in a way is saying ''even if things are not going so well, there is hope, hope for a new begining''. They have for example a garden roof, a neighbourhood tree seller, and a gardening farm. This three elements take place within the city. It means that it doesn't take place in the lands but right between the buildings in the big city of Brussels.
Here is their website : http://www.haricots.org/
We had the chance to work for four days in the farm of the begining of the beans, le début des haricots.
Friday the 2nd of December we came to visit the farm, and luckily, Arthur was there. He naturally showed us the farm. After which we helped him out with Tenzy and Lola, the two donkeys of the farm. Through the discussion he offers us to come and help them during this week. By the end of the afternoon, Arthur told us about many initiatives, this with a warm tea. This meeting was for us a starting point with our Bruxelles contacts. With him, we also visited the Nos Pilifs farm wich we talked about in the article about the mushrooms. (their website : http://www.fermenospilifs.be/ )
Monday morning the 5th, here we are on the spot, ready to help out. It was the harvest day, and we harvested some Brussels sprouts, in Brussels! And that is cool. It was around -5 Celcius degree, and that, was less cool. So we have for four days, met and helped the farmers with the different jobs.
There are many different gardening areas, three greenhouses included ( one is made for the seeding, they prepare the plants in pots there). One area is in building process, we participated to it, shoveling the permaculture hump. Another area is invested by a former intern, she's making medicinal and tea plants. There is a chicken coop, two donkeys and two geese very naughty but good farm keepers. However at the end, Anna wasn't scaured of them nor was Aymeric, despite their tries to chew our calfs.
The farm works in a particularly interesting way. Eight farmers run the place. Volunteers come often to the farm as well. Four of these farmers are ''instructors'' and work half time and four others are ''interns'' and work full time. The interns are persons who have concrete projects for sustainable agriculture.
When we asked ''but who rules all of that?'' , the answer was the same every time: '' here, everyone is the boss''. The human organisation is horizontal. That is to say that everyone's word is worth the same, that decisions are made with the group, with the agreement of all. They use tools such as non violent communication, collective intelligence and managing with agreements. They regularly participate in formation on these topics. The last one was given by the Us University, l'université du Nous, a french school who re-invents the ''acting together''.
(Source ; université du Nous.)
The farm sells it's production with pre-paid vegetables kits. But also with a ''harvest yourself'' system where consumers harvest themselves the products.
The farm production helps for two wages but the other have subsidies. These subsidies can show some limits to the independant financial system of the farm.
By the way, the farm is completly biological, but has given up the ''biological agriculture'' label. For them it's a logical and natural agriculture , they want to develop a ''trust contract'' between the producer and them on that level. This trust contract wouldn't need an expensive label and wouldn't promote the intensive bio agriculture as well. These meetings with the people this week have opened our mind on this level and we want to learn more on the bio label.
In this farm, no tractors, few engines, and, back to the roots with animal power. A small house made of straw, earth, lime and wood stands in the middle of the farm. It is the living building on the farm, the addic is used to store vegetables and herbs. We had the chance to be there the day of the solar pannels installation wich allows electricity in the straw house.
The land on wich all of this takes place is lended by a women who didn't do anything with it. Now, it's very useful.
We also discovered the eco-rap, Monkey, instructor in the farm is part of PANG, it's pretty heavy! Good listening: PANG music
Big thanks to all for this week. Thanks Emma, Laurent, Arthur, Adrien, Nico, Jay, Monkey and Louis.
See you,
A&A