From farm to history

It is thanks to about thirty farmers located in the North of the Drôme that the event Ferme en Ferme® ( from farm to farm) was born. More particularly, it is under the title of the CIVAM "Ahead Drôme of the Hills" that the first edition was set up April the 24th, and 25th 1993. 

These farmers were worried about the increasing distance between city and country dwellers. They thought their was rather badly perceived, therefore badly understood by the others. Moreover, each one in its countryside felt more or less isolated. profession 

Since 1993, the adventure from Farm to farm ® started, Now, it's a red letter day. The event takes place the last weekend of April. 

After two years of experimenting in the North of Drôme, 1995 marks the departmentalization of the operation. From 30 farmers in 1993, we rose to 80 in 1995 out of 9 circuits. 

In 1996, the CIVAM "Ahead" decided to deposit the mark from Farm to farm®. At the same time, the number of visitors increased from 20.000 to 43.500. 110 farmers opened their doors and received nearly 70.000 visits. The machine was launched! Visitor numbers increased in an exponential way every year. In 1999, one spoke about 180.000 visits. Proud of this success, the CIVAM members decided to develop their know-how outside the Department. 

Thus, France from Farm to farm® appeared in 2000. For this first national edition, 7 regions, 13 departments carried out the operation: 300 farms opened their doors April the 29th , and 30th 2000, 250.000 visits were made. 

Gilles BURLON, one of the inventors, recalls us the adventure 

"Poultry producer since 1986, I sold through my farm shop in Saint Martin d' Août. In 1990, I met for the first time Emmanuel MOSSE, who told me about a CIVAM group in the North Drôme which was looking for solutions to solve various situations. I joined the CIVAM "Ahead". 

In June 1992, in Hauterives, opened "the farmers of the Palace" shop where the association members' produces are sold . 

I then exercise the departmental mandate of vice-president in charge of the presidency of the steering committee of the operation of Farm in Farm. With C HERDSMAN, G BIDET, E MOSSE, we prepared in February 1992, during a meeting in the Champos inn, this first operation of Farm in Farm. We did not suspect the success that it was going to meet. We then had to organize and structure the CIVAM and especially the two links: basic CIVAM and the departmental level. I accepted the presidency of the Drôme. During 5 long mandates, I handled enthralling files, in particular the extension and the departmentalisation of the operation from Farm to farm®. 

From this adventure that I lived intensely, I retain the principal points:· the explaining of our trade as a farm producer, the great solidarity which linked us more especially as we must assume the training courses, the organization of the days of publicity and creating new actions. Throughout this period, it is the support of the elected officials (political, local, departmental, regional) which enabled us to progress, with various financial help The elected officials of the CIVAM also always supported us, like our exceptional employees, who have often been surprised by our initiatives and our requests. 

In the final analysis, I felt CIVAM from the very start in 1990.I wanted to implement the words defining our national action. 

Success was with all the appointments of the departmental movement and I wish that it could last for a very long time."

What does happen
from farm to farm® in Drôme?

From farm to farm® is a weekend of opened doors by farm producers and agro-tourist service providers (tables and rooms of host, camp-site to the farm.), initiated in 1993 by the farmers of Drôme of the Hills.

The doors of the farms are opened to the consumers of today or tomorrow. So, they are opened for everyone, consumers or not. This narrow concept of consumption is well too reducing; overall, we want to show each one what we live, our daily work.

We wish to reinforce our direct contact with the not-farmers, and create relations of confidence, with the valorization of our products, our agriculture with human size and our know-how.

From farm to farm®: a Drome idea

Morre than a simple event, the operation FROM Farm TO FROM Farm ® is today an element of the identity of Drôme. Conveying the image of a diversified agriculture and a strong rurality, the operation of communication is a true tradition.

Either if it rains cats and dogs, like this Saturday April the 26th 2003 or if the sun shines like this Sunday April the 27th, people passion remains the same one. Some have awaited the event for a long time and prepared their route of visits. Others preferred to leave to the adventure and to be let guide along the wire of the farms.

Whatever, user-friendliness in farms and farmers of Drôme improve quality of their reception each year to make discover a job and a way of life. It is thus a very satisfactory assessment 2003, as well as for visitor, as for farmers. The farmers privilege this invaluable moment of dialogue with the consumer-citizen to be quite listening of their waiting and their interrogations.

In 2003,

We wanted to approach with the visitors the concept of sustainable agriculture, we can hear here and there, but which remains very vague for many of us.

In 2004,

In addition to animation and reception suitable for the operation, pilots farmers explain and illustrate several topics:

• educational reception,

• inheritance,

• sustainable

• invitation of artists and craftsmen,

• Saturday

Educational reception

Grounds of KNOWLEDGES is a network of educational reception in Drôme, whose members are farmers, coming from the operation FROM Farm TO FROM Farm. It is the occasion to find other farmers interested in educational reception.

• To sensitize public with the interest of  educational reception in the farm 

• To allow children to understand the farm and its environment 

• To make clear that the farm can be a complete teaching support in term of education of the citizen.

The farmer must take into account the presence of the children in the group of visitors. He must encourage them to pass in front of, and adapt his explanation as well to the children as to the adults. The farmer can set up teaching supports adapted to children to allow them to take part with their parents in discovering the farm. The panels intended for the adults can be translated on children panels.

The farmer must set up one or more workshops; teaching workshops must include several activities between 10 and 15mn, following one another, in order to better manage the flow of the visitors. The workshops are animated by the host, and allow the children: 

• To try out by simple gestures work with the natural elements (repotting, herbarium.) 

• To understand the natural cycles: ludique explanation of the growth of the plants, the cycle of water, the reproduction. 

• To acquire a global vision of the farm and its production: drawings of the species present, history of the farm, play of the scents. 

INHERITANCE 

Aside the most prestigious monuments of the department, there are modest buildings, landscapes, trades, know-how which deserve our admiration as much as the others . It is our Inheritance of Country . The CIVAM Ahead Drôme of the Hills engaged in this valorization while taking part in the national day of the Inheritance of Country in June 2004, and organizing a formation "To know and Develop its inheritance". 

FD CIVAM wishes to develop this initiative and to extend towards other farmers this step of valorization of the inheritance.

What is the Inheritance of Country?

• Built elements neither classified nor registered by an organization of conservation, and being of historical, architectural interest or of curiosity (house, farm, barn, pigeon, mill, public or religious building, agricultural building, launderettes.) 

• Landscapes and characteristics of a country site and their elements (gardens, low walls, hedges, plantations.) And also folk music, tales, legends and traditional cooking which belong to our memory and are still present in the everyday life of our campaigns. 

• To emphasize the inheritance in the farms 

• To show the evolution of landscapes and architecture of the farms  

• To sensitize the public with the importance to make live this inheritance

During the visit the farmer supplements the traditional visit paid for FROM Farm TO farm by elements: 

• Of interpretation of the built inheritance: history, evolution, building materials, 

• Of interpretation of the landscape inheritance: relief, vegetation, evolution, history, use, safeguarding 

• Of development of specific know-how and old know-how 

• Of integration of the farm inheritance in the village or territory history

Sustainable agriculture

CONTEXT

CIVAM actions are based on the values of sustainable development and interdependent of agriculture and the rural sphere. On his exploitation, the farmer must be able to release a decent income and to manage his working time, while producing in a sparing, autonomous, environmental protecting way. The farm must be sustainable for the farmers who live about it, without endangering soils and needs for future generations. 

FROM Farm TO farm 2003 allowed to carry out a first approach of sustainable agriculture by general public, using explanatory panels. Today, we attend a second level by including concepts of sustainable agriculture within the visits.

• To allow general public to understand the interest of sustainable agriculture, for perennial agricultural activities. 

• To sensitize the visitor with the stakes of durability. 

• To establish the link between sustainable agriculture and sustainable development, by a citizen behavior.

The farmer explains at the beginning of the visit his role of pilot farm to understand sustainable agriculture. Throughout the visit, he will establish the link between farm practices and sustainable agriculture concept, by associating his existing practices and those to improve. The farmer will approach sustainable agriculture under his three dimensions, in bond with his farm: 

• economic 

• social

• environmental 

Artists and craftsmen Invitation

The CIVAM  help to promote the agriculture and the rural medium. The federation of the CIVAM of Drôme, thanks to FROM Farm TO farm , made it possible to promote agricultural produces and to develop the activities of reception in the farm. However, there are other professions in rural medium which deserve our attention, and which represent know-how to be preserved: craftsmen and artists. This year, FROM Farm TO farm can be the occasion to associate them in the discovery of our agricultural and rural know-how. In addition, territorial logic is dominating today in the development of the agricultural activities. More and more, farmers work with the actors of their territory, in a preoccupation of coherence, partnership and a sustainability of their exploitation. The reception of other actors of their territory in their farm watch well this evolution.

• To show a craftsman know-how or local artist creations

• To talk about farmer implication within his territory with the public 

• To explain social links and interdependence of the whole campaign 

The farmer invites a craftsman or a local artist in his farm and  arranges a place for him, with a solution of fold for bad weather. The artist or the craftsman exposes his products or his works, and proposes free demonstrations to the public, throughout all weekend. 

FROM FARM TO FARM
SATURDAY NIGHT SHOWS

Culture and agriculture live happily together.

First summer 2003 Farmers Parties have maid it the proof, as well as the many agricultural initiatives of the moment. 
With theatre performance, tale or music, these artistic performances make it possible to spend one true moment of user-friendliness and exchange. The chosen places, in the heart of the rural sphere, mark this authentic moment, where the artists move into farms or villages. 

• To propose a federator and artistic entertainment on each circuit FROM Farm TO FARM

• To discover spectacles and new local artists