Growing Together: Join us in our Vegetable Garden's daily routine
Working Together for a Greener Tomorrow
The philosophy of La Vieille Cheminée is to be constantly in harmony with nature and the environment, and to apply the principles of sustainable and re-generative agriculture.
We take great pride in our vegetable garden which is free of pesticides and herbicides, with only organic fertilizers being used.
The team, consisting of Guillaume, Nicolas, Isabelle and Mirella, grows a wide variety of fruits and vegetables that are then used by our kitchen to prepare meals for our Guests.
The main fruits being grown are pineapples, bananas, passion fruits, papayas, litchis and cherries, and vegetables range from carrots, leek, zucchini, salads, cabbage, to more local varieties such as Chouchou (Chayote), Engive, Lalos (Lady Fingers / Ocras) and Manioc (Cassava).
an early daily routine
Of course such a vegetable garden requires quite some time and work which is why the team follows a daily routine starting early in the morning.
6.30 – The team gets started at this early hour when the weather is still pleasant and it’s more comfortable to be working outside.
They start by feeding all the animals, the goats, the ducks and the chicken, and ensure they have new, fresh water. Around 40 eggs are collected from the 45 chickens present on the farm and they are brought to the kitchen to be used for morning breakfast for the guests.
ORGANISATION IS A MAJOR PLAYER
When having a vegetable garden, planning is required to determine when to plant which fruits and vegetables, in order to create a rotating system that will not only allow soil to recover, but also ensure that there is always fresh produce available for the kitchen.
7.00 – After all the animals are taken care of, the watering of the plants starts. The rain harvesting from the various roofs and the irrigation network allow for the daily watering of all the fruits and vegetables, especially in the dry season.
7.30 – Next step on the list of daily tasks consists of clearing the grounds from pesty weeds that grow between plants. Those weeds are then added onto the compost that is produced here at the farm and is used again for soil enrichment at the garden, bringing back nutrients, a full circle.
FROM SEEDS TO PLATE
8.30 – a break for the team, where they can enjoy their morning meal and take a breather before continuing their work
9.00 – After breakfast starts the planting and harvesting of the day. Fruits and vegetables that are ready are picked, and new plants are planted depending on the season and the needs of our Kitchen.
11.30 – Just as it starts to get to the hottest part of the day, the team finishes up and brings the fresh harvest to the kitchen and so the cycle begins again the next morning.
