Takeover of an ecologically and humanely committed spirulina farm in Drôme Provençale (France).

 

Brief history

 

La Belle Verte is an ecologically and humanely committed spirulina farm in Drôme Provençale. Driven by the desire for a circular economy, it is committed to participate in the revitalization of its territory. Financing its takeover and redesigning means promoting the establishment of an innovative and environmentally friendly family farm.

La Belle Verte is a high quality peasant spirulina farm located in Sainte Jalle, a small village in the Drôme Provençale, in the Baronnies massif, between Mont Ventoux and the Alps. This mountainous region with a Mediterranean climate, once famous for its linden trees, offers a rich and varied soil: olive trees, vines, lavender, fruit trees...and spirulina! Indeed, it has been cultivated for 15 years in the valley of Sainte Jalle at "Jardins Coquet", one of the first producers of spirulina in France, and at La Belle Verte since 2015!

Guilhem Boudes, our friend who built this farm, took up the challenge of cultivating this wonderful cyanobacterium on a rocky ground where very few things could have grown. With its daring installations (four circular basins, gravity harvesting, self-built straw-bale laboratory...), Guilhem's "eco-logical" culture goes off the beaten track and favours quality over quantity, balance over productivity.

To find out more about La Belle Verte https://magazine.laruchequiditoui.fr/albums/guilhem-boudes-passionnement-spirulinier/

My anchoring in the Sainte Jalle valley began in 2013. Of Basque origin, I arrived in this region, without speaking a word of French, to prepare for the birth of my first son, Hodei, and to work in the agricultural environment that has always fascinated me. Market gardening, wine growing, arboriculture, craft brewing, small fruits and ice cream production...this valley has offered me a multitude of experiences and encounters, including Guilhem, who was one of the first people to welcome me here.

Since Laura, my companion, has been in my life, and since this valley has seen the birth of my second son, Felix, all that is missing to my happiness is the possibility of being able to live from a pleasant activity that respects the environment and creates social bonds. Faithful lover of La Belle Verte, when I learned that Guilhem was selling the farm, it seemed obvious that I was going to take over the torch.

La Belle Verte is above all a state of mind I would like to carry on.

 

 

The project

I would like to take over the farm La Belle Verte in order to continue producing this magnificent food, spirulina, which is still often unknown to the general public. Above all, I would like to offer a quality product that can become an everyday food and not just a simple dietary supplement.

This would require, as a matter of priority, the renovation of the existing system while developing new facilities, mainly around the ponds to facilitate cultivation. It also seems to me to be essential to forge a link with consumers by giving priority to markets, direct sales and public reception. And finally I would like to be able to propose new blends and recipes based on spirulina and in collaboration with other producers (soap, honey, jam...).

 

 

Spirulina

It looks like a seaweed, but it is in fact a cyanobacterium, a microscopic spiral organism which reproduces endlessly. Full of proteins, iron, vitamins, antioxidants, trace elements, mineral salts, essential fatty acids, beta-carotene ... there is no best nutritionaly complete food. If it is carefully prepared in the form of fine flakes, spirulina has a subtle taste that accompanies both sweet and savoury dishes.

As such we can surprise our taste buds while taking full advantages of its benefits! And what benefits! It helps to detoxify the body, strengthens the immune system, stimulates and regulates the functioning of the body and the nervous system, spirulina cataplasms improves skin problems and reduces inflammatory conditions …. in short, spirulina is an exceptional product!

 

 

Growing spirulina

The cultivation of spirulina is environmentally friendly. It does not require any use of pesticides and contrary to popular belief, spirulina breeding requires very little water, because the water in the ponds is constantly recycled.The culture needs:

- brackish water (half-fresh, half-salt) between 25 ° and 38 °, shallow and non-stagnant
- sun and light (The climate of Provence is therefore ideal!)

- minerals and trace elements in order to reproduce its natural environment (potassium, phosphorus, sodium, magnesium, iron, etc.)

- wagging the water is necessary to homogenize, promote the elimination of oxygen and ensure a good distribution of spirulina.

Spirulina developps from May to October. Carefully dehydrated and transformed into fine flakes then stored away from light and humidity, La Belle Verte Spirulina will bring to you its benefits all year round.

 

 

Planned works

• Greenhouses

Currently, greenhouses do not allow easy access to the spirulina production area. Indeed, the tarpaulins are very low and in direct contact with the basins, so you have to lift part of the tarpaulin and get down on all fours to be able to put your hands in the crop, which is not really comfortable, especially when you're tall! Therefore, I would like to experiment something on one of the ponds. The building of a greenhouses-domes, that is to say a geodesic structure, independent of the pond would leave a circulation space all around and the height to be able to stand upright underneath. It will also be necessary to equip the greenhouses with shadow nets.

Example of greenhouse-dome:

• The ponds

To make the ponds more accessible, it will also be necessary to reduce their area a little bit in order to build the greenhouses domes. As the ponds are made of straw bales and natural rubber, they will have to be completely dismantled and reassembled. The straw bales will be coat and those in poor condition will be replaced. At the same time, it will be an opportunity to clean and disinfect the natural rubber before sowing a new crop, because impeccable cleanliness is a guarantee of the quality of spirulina.

• Agitation
Currently, only one of the four pools is equipped with a circular water wagging system with a solar-powered motor. I would like to extend this system to the other pools.

• The laboratory

It would be necessary to finish equipping the laboratory with more accurate measuring tools, renovate obsolete equipment, and rearrange the workspace. And ideally, put in tiles and insulate the roof.

• The storage, packaging and sales building

This building needs good reffreshment and appropriate equipment to facilitate the bagging of spirulina and provide a pleasant shopping area for passing consumers.

• Marketing

Creating a website to facilitate online sales, test new packaging bags, rework the graphic design, innovate recipes, equip for markets ... so many "odds and ends" that take time (and money!!).

 

Your support to La Belle Verte

To finance this beautiful project I need future "godfathers" and "godmothers" for La Belle Verte!
I will need € 15,000 to buy the land and the farm and at least € 10,000 more for the renovations and refurbishments I wish to carry out to improve the working conditions and the quality of spirulina.
Aware that it will be complicated (but not impossible!) to collect the € 25,000 I would ideally need through this participative financing, I am therefore aiming at 10.000€ as a first objective and I will complete what will be missing by a bank credit, which I hope will be as little as possible!

To make this project a reality, I would like to be able to count on your help, family, friends, anonymous acquaintances and curious people, all those who are interested in spirulina and eco-logical agriculture, all those who would like to facilitate the installation of a small producer!

I thank you in advance for each drop of water you will bring, wishing you beautiful green adventures!

SALUD Y AMOR!

For those who do not want to pay on-line, you can also contribute by cheque by sending it to the address below (specifying "with" or "without consideration"), we will forward it to Miimosa to add it to the amount of the contributions.
For companies wishing to support us, take advantage of a 28% tax advantage.
 

Iñaki VALLE ARTETXE,

Les Bégonds,

26110 ROCHEBRUNE , France

For any further information, do not hesitate to contact me
Tel: 06 76 03 64 20 - valleartetxe@gmail.com
 

ESKERRIKASKO!

 

Considerations

 

For 10 € or more

Thank you! Visit and tasting at the farm.
I will be pleased to welcome you for a visit and tasting at the farm!

For 25 € or more

Thank you! 50gr bag of spirulina and a visit of the farm
I will be pleased to welcome you for a visit and tasting at the farm and you will receive a 100gr sachet of spirulina.

For 50 € or more

Thank you! 100gr bag of spirulina and a visit of the farm
I will be pleased to welcome you for a visit and tasting at the farm and you will receive a 100gr sachet of spirulina.

For 100 € or more

Thank you! 200gr of spirulina, a book of recipe and a visit!I will be pleased to welcome you for a visit and tasting at the farm and you will leave with 200gr of spirulina and a book of "spirulated recipes".

For 150 € or more

Thank you! 300gr of spirulina, a book of recipe and a visit!

I will be pleased to welcome you for a visit and tasting at the farm and you will leave with 300gr of spirulina and a book of "spirulated recipes".

For € 250 or more

Thank you! 400gr of spirulina, recipe book and 10%! I will be pleased to welcome you for a visit and tasting at the farm and you will leave with 400gr of spirulina and a book of "spirulated recipes". You will also benefit from 10% for 3 years.