La Meule Permaculture Farm

Project Type

Project Summary

The farm is named “La Meule” – English meaning: “Grindstone” as a tribute to many generations of labourors and workers who have worked in the valley and who have sharpen their tools on the Old Grindstone found on the property. It symbolises durability in our Mission, sharpness in our Vision, respect for people, and care for the environment. La Meule Permaculture Farm is a family project to create an agro-ecological sustainable farm using the Permaculture Concept and Ethics. The land owner is Société Familial Marylou and has a long-term Lease Agreement with Terganic Limitée for the setting up and operating the farm. Both entities are owned by the same family. The Farm being completely off-grid will sustain ourselves with its vegetable gardens, main crop fields, food forests, animal husbandries, water harvesting systems, energy systems, and other appropriate technologies. The farm acts as a permaculture research center, in collaboration and/or partnerships with compatible local businesses, wildlife foundations, and potentially, governmental units, working towards the same goals. We implement on site our positive results, sustaining us and feeding ourselves from our produce, selling all surplus to visitors, and the local markets. GOVERNMENT PROGRAMME 2015–2019 The President of the Republic of Mauritius 27 January 2015 “Sustainable and eco-friendly development ranks high on Government’s agenda and is expected to pave the way for a cleaner, greener and safer Mauritius.”

Project Description

The farm is being created on a 27 acres of agricultural land acquired in December 2014 and located in the Bambous Valley near the village of Bambous Virieux, on the East coast of Mauritius. The land is situated on the lower slopes of Mountain Bambous and is bordered by Rivulet Bambous. Partly under sugar cane cultivation (13 acres), the land will be completely converted in phases into an agro-ecological mixed farm using Permaculture designs and technologies. Landscape design will include specific zones, with a system of swales, and connecting ponds and dams will be created on the contours of slopes to reduce erosion, harvest rain water, and enable natural irrigation and regeneration where food forests will be planted. Farm animals will be introduced and will include cows, sheep, goats, ducks, chickens, guinea fowls, turkeys and rabbits. Animal droppings will be used as a natural fertiliser. Compost will be made on site. A small aquaponic fish farm will be started. Beekeeping will help pollinate fruit trees and vegetable crops. Vegetable gardens will be planted on specific zones. All will be organic and nutrient-dense. The farm will include eco-lodges, training & information facilities, a small shop (selling farm produce and other accessories promoting environmental ethics, and Permaculture tools), and a small "table d'hôtes” for staff, students, residents, and visitors. Overnight Accommodations The overnight accommodations program is an opportunity for people to be immersed for multiple days at the farm. By hosting the public in the facility overnight we have the capacity to broaden the experience that can be attained through a tour or workshop. By sharing the space on the farm for longer periods of time the public receives more intimate exposure to the working of the operations. Our overnight accommodations allow guests to participate in the day-to-day workings of the farm. They are invited to participate in chores and other farm activities. In addition they have exposure to fundamental aspects of sustainable systems, such as the compost toilets, and renewable energy systems through actual usage. While touring the grounds they have the opportunity to grasp an understanding of the gardening, animal husbandry, construction, and forestry work that is ongoing on the farm. On-site visitors People arrive with many different expectations. Some arrive from main road looking for fresh vegetables or farm store products, while others visit to walk the grounds and view the animals. For us, we hope to meet the expectations for the visitors while also ensuring that our organisational activities are not disturbed by unscheduled arrivals. While safety of visitors should be protected, we also have concerns about the welfare of our domestic animals and cultivated landscape. It is important to allow the public to interact and connect with the animals with minimal stress. Consequently, we will maintain adequate signage and verbally assert to guests the parameters of their visit. The overall goal is to bring people on-site and provide a forum in which others without land can feel at home. The grounds are open to the public, and while we state that visitors should feel free to follow any path to where it leads, our policy is to prohibit the public from entering personal living spaces without prior agreement.

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