“We can combine fashion and agriculture!” : Crystèle represents Tarn in the Miss France Agricole competition

An original way to highlight your profession. Tarnaise Crystèle Gourjade, a young 23-year-old farmer, is participating in the Miss France Agricole competition. Crystèle is a farmer that we had the opportunity to present in our columns a year ago. She had just settled at a place called La Roussarié, at an altitude of 300 m, between Montfa and Saint-Jean-de-Vals, on a 38 ha farm. She raises around thirty Angora goats there, for their mohair wool, which becomes as many hats or scarves as she can sell. The farmer has also set up an educational farm, where she presents chickens, dwarf rabbits, rams, ponies and Shetlands to visitors.

“Talk about my atypical breeding”

This “Miss and Mister France Agricole” competition is anything but a beauty contest. Above all, it’s about highlighting farmers. And that’s what Crystèle wanted to do: “I want to show and tell about my atypical breeding, to show that there are farmers who work alone. It’s a great experience to participate in this competition!”

Additional reason for the young woman to try the adventure: “I find that it is complementary with my sector, close to fashion. I want to show that we can combine fashion and agriculture, while managing a farm.” Crystèle also claims to “like driving tractors as much as wearing dresses!”

The Miss and Mister France Agricole competition takes place in two stages: the first is a selection via social networks, where each participant is subject to votes by Internet users. This selection is made via a photo and a short presentation of the farmer. Then, secondly, the 20 participants in each category – men, women, juniors or adults – will be scrutinized by a jury of agricultural experts.

On his family land

“I'm quite active on social networks, explains Crystèle with a smile. This competition is not essential for me, I take it as something nice to experience! If I don't move on to the second stage, it won't It's not a big deal.” For the young woman, it is the opportunity to tell the story of the life of a farm. She wants it all the more because she took over the family land, even though she was not intended to do so. Until a few years ago, it was his father who ran the farm but for health reasons, since 2010 and until his retirement, he produced hay and cereals and maintained the land. Crystèle remembers: “I always had this passion, but my father never pushed me into it. He preferred that I do something else, he was afraid for me, the job is difficult… But for me, it was inconceivable not to resume.”

At the time of writing, we do not know if Crystèle will be among the 20 selected for the second stage. But his goal has already been achieved: to make his farm known.