Rural Europe on the move English_chap7_13 | Page 20

CHAPTER 8
FIELD TRIPS
During our gatherings, we dedicate time to put
our feet on the ground and discover the place
where we are. Field trips get us in touch with local
people, nature, culture, climate, as well as local
problems and solutions. Following the visits, we
share what we have seen and heard in plenary.
We often discover that we have seen the same
places and talked to the same people, but have
understood different things. That is what we call
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‘reality check’. If possible, we involve our local
hosts in such reflections, so that we can further
clarify and reach mutual understanding between
people from usually many different professional
and cultural backgrounds.
5a. 5b. Field trip to “Ferme du Bersend”,
farmers and sheep cheese producers
Be as independent
as possible
At the Forum Synergies’ European
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able to develop renewable energies
from local resources. The Swiss taught
us how to make Beaufort. This has
allowed us to be more autonomous in
Rural Sustainaibility Gathering of 2014, terms of making food from grass, in the
we visited Pierre Gachet’s farm. He is a form of milk and cheese. We preserve
small milk farmer and member of the the cheese only with salt. We are five
Beaufort de Praz farmers’ cooperative. workers here. I consider my employees
He shared with us his recipe for as partners. Their salary is the same as
survival in the high mountains: “We ours. So my example as peasant farmer
are several owners. The cooperative is simple: Let’s say I invest a fixed
has allowed us to move in the right amount of our money in the morning,
direction as peasant farmers. We must and there’s nothing left of it in the
be as independent as possible, use as evening. In fact it is not a sum of money
few external inputs as possible and be that I have on the table. It is a sum of