These market gardeners want to make preserves for the most deprived

A really good idea. In Cabrerets, a handful of market gardeners have been working for several months on a more than useful mission. The Caracol association, created in 2020, wants to develop canned goods in order to then distribute them to a precarious public. “We first tried to work exclusively with food aid associations but it was too complicated. Many foods must be consumed directly but transport and distribution take time,” notes Désirée Lorenz, co- administrator of the association. No matter, the structure will create its own circuit. “We were inspired by the food social security model for our project. This national collective wishes to set up a food vital card credited with 150 euros per month and per person,” she explains again. The Lot association, which has 4 market gardeners and 20 volunteers, is not there yet. But already, the roadmap is full. “We will offer a contribution of 50 euros per year and we already have in mind a premises in Cahors to ensure distribution”, specifies Guillaume Deloison, co-administrator. The members already imagine producing around 5,000 liters of canned goods per year.

It is within the framework of this project that Caracol obtained a grant of 11,800 euros from Grand Cahors to build its processing laboratory. The building is under construction on the association's farm, in Cabrerets. “We have optimized everything to save money. The technical rooms are built of load-bearing straw without a wooden frame, the coatings are made of earth and lime. And under the roof, the beams are latticework”, lists Guillaume Deloison. In short, market gardeners have divided the cost of such an installation by 6. When a classic building would have cost 400,000 euros, Caracol budgets 70,000 euros.

80 liters produced per week

Despite its savings, the association uses crowdfunding. In an online kitty, members are asking for €34,000 to finish financing the laboratory, equip themselves with seeders, nets, forcing sails and a van. In the laboratory, heating tanks and two autoclaves have already been installed. These sterilizing devices will produce 80 liters per week.

On the association's 6.5 hectares in the middle of ponds and dry stone walls, the two plots are ready. Here will be planted, next spring, tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, eggplants; celery, carrots, cabbage; onions, even watermelons and melons. And all this using a very specific technique. “We grow a lot of vegetables on the same bed to maximize space and reduce costs,” explains Désirée Lorenz. While waiting for sunny days, Caracol occasionally supplies the Red Cross and the Pierres d'Espoir solidarity restaurant in Cahors. The association plans to launch pre-registrations next spring, at the same time as the growth of its vegetables and fruits for a first distribution in September 2025. Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.