Farmer designers, agriculture on the move

from 14 July 2021 to 8 May 2022

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10. Three portraits of young farmers

FARMERS draws the portrait of a new generation of farmers who decided to work accordingly to its ethic and to its ecological conscience. Shepherdess, breeder, tea producer, these three farmers rethink our relationship with nature and are involved in a positive transformation of our agricultural production system. Based on traditional know-hows, they develop their own working methods and adapt to today’s climatic conditions.

Three movies directed by Colombe Rubini and produced by Les films du Worso.  

Maina Chassevent, landless shepherdess, Pays Basque region.
Following Basque literature studies, Maina Chassevent instead chose a life in the open air, alone and independent, surrounded by her one hundred and thirty Basco-Béarnaise sheep. She milks them all by hand and produces summer and winter tommes, small cheeses at different stages of maturity, sheep's yoghurt, fromage blanc, breuil (whey cheese) and mamia (sheep's curd cheese), which she sells directly, in markets for example.

Nina Passicot, pig breeder, Lathus-Saint-Rémy, Vienne region.
Nina Passicot lives alone on her farm Les 3 Petites Cabanes. Her free-range pigs flourish on these 20 hectares of (organic) land, with five breeders and sixty pigs for consumption each year. From their birth until they are sent to the abattoir, Nina treats her animals with care and respect; she knows them all and is passionate about looking after them.

Mikel Esclamadon, tea producer, Ustaritz, Pyrénées-Atlantiques region.
One of the pioneers in establishing this crop in the Pays Basque, Mikel Esclamadon is preparing to sell his first harvest in 2021. He is learning throughout his newly gained experience and has chosen to prioritise quality over quantity when it comes to his product. Mikel is experimenting with techniques to find the one that is the perfect fit, but the first leaves harvested are already of a high quality.

None of the three comes from a farming family, but they were drawn to these professions by pursuing their desire to practise a more respectful and desirable type of farming.

Maina can be found at Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port market every Monday morning, from December to May. Her cheeses are also available for sale on the website www.culinaries.fr
Nina's products are available for sale on her Facebook page “Adapte les Amis des 3 petites Cabanes”.
Mikel's products are also available for sale on his Facebook page “Ilgora-Herriko tea”.