Epagny / 28 octobre 2013

« Ferme des Grands Bois »

www.fermedesgrandsbois.ch

• Based at Epagny / municipality of Gruyères (full community), 3 associates

• Mountain zones I + II (III)• Total of 110 hectares SLU made up of:

. 11 hectares of maize

. 11 hectares of cereals (wheat)

. 20 hectares of temporary meadows

. 15 hectares of grassland

. 53 hectares of natural grassland

Our grassland…

• Local Alpine grazing used (Moléson andHaut-Intyamon): total of 270 hectares

• Livestock:. 90-95 Holstein and Red Hostein milking cows. 140 young livestock

• No silaged fodder (first and second crops of hay, dried maize)

Summer grazing• All the young livestock (except for male calves)

are on the Alpine grazing• 200 additional heifers from some 20 farms in

the canton also taken on• 50 of our milking cows are on the Alp from

mid-May to mid-September• My brother and associate stays on the Alpine

farm during this period

• Annual production of milk for cheese-making/processing

• 730,000 kg, of which 140,000 are made into cheese on the Alp by our cheese-maker in the village of Moléson

Labour• 3 associates who work 100%• 1 labourer with a federal certificate who works 60% as

from 1.9.2012 (works elsewhere for 4 months over the winter)

• 1 person who works 70% on the farm (cheese-maker); in winter he works elsewhere

• 3 people who work between 20 and 50% (family members, especially from April to October, for the summer grazing)

• 1 apprentice (male or female)

Buildings• Albeuve: 45 LU young livestock (1994)• Epagny:

. Main farm (2004 + extension built in 2010); 120 LU including old building

. Chaumiaux farm (500 m from the main farm);18 LU young livestock

Large shed (1000 m2)

for machinery built in 2010

Mechanical

workshop, 160 m2

• Covered standing and shed / stock 200 m2

• 150 m2 cellars for storing cheese and cold-room• 13 huts on the alp

Agricultural activities• Alpine grazing and cheese production = 30%

of turnover: important factor in view of the 200 heifers from other farms taken care of for 150 days

• Production of around 14 tonnes of cheese: Vacherin Fribourgois AOC and ourspeciality the Petit Moléson(small cheese of around 1.5 kg, sold tosome 30 shops and 3 restaurants in the area from July to January)

Our products

• Our cheeses are not sent away for maturing. They are kept in our own cellars and supplied by us.

• The cheese is made over a wood fire in the village of Moléson and tourists are welcome to visit the dairy, which is open from 1 May to 1 October; around 15,000 visitors come every year.

• The bulk of our milk production, i.e. around 590,000 kg, is brought to Pringy to be made into Gruyère AOC cheese.

• In the season, we collaborate with Gruyères Aerodrome, which is surrounded by our land; we scythe the grass and usable borders and mow the runway.

• We breed dairy cattle and show them at Swiss Expo, Junior Expo, Expo Bulle, etc.

• Improving our breeds is a continuous job; we sell some of our livestock but do not buy in

• We manage the CAUMA and carry out tasks for third parties• 9 farms in the region for 25 years; we jointly own 30 machines

(for large fields, combine harvesters, manuring, spraying, etc.) and carry out work for third parties with a clientèle of some 220 names, as well as returning land to farming after building work

• The CAUMA buys in our aids to production wholesale: diesel oil, motor oil, plants, seeds, fertilisers, cleaning materials, milking equipment, etc.

• Management of the CAUMA and maintenance work takes up 30% of our time

• In winter: maintenance work in our forests

How the farm works• 3 associates who complement each other• Different focuses of interest:

– breeding and Alpine grazing for François– genetics, livestock, shows for Cédric– machinery, crops, CAUMA for Olivier

• Different training:– François: federal certificate and diploma in agriculture + 10 years

experience as a breeding specialist for the Holstein Association of Switzerland

– Cédric: federal certificate + agricultural trading + management– Olivier: master diploma in agriculture + federal certificate in

agricultural mechanics

Conclusions

• We have income from various sectors = greater security

• Our individual skills can be fully used and we can each develop in our own way

• We have achieved a good level of rationalisation in our buildings and machinery

• We enjoy leisure time at weekends and time with our families

• We get on well together and are motivated by each other’s dynamism

Thank you for your attention!