Do you want to eat more locally but don't know where to start? L'Instant Ardennais shares with you 6 initiatives to discover the best of the Ardennes and consume more responsibly. Farmers' markets, farmers' drives, cooperatives and even self-service lockers… So many ways to support local artisans while filling your baskets with local and tasty products.
1. Farmers’ markets
The particularity of the Ardennes is that farmers' markets are an institution and a departmental feature in the North-East. Many markets bring together many sellers and buyers. For example, that of Sedan and Renwez are very famous for their diversity of products.
Initiated by the Chamber of Agriculture of the Ardennes, the country producers' markets are also real gourmet meetings in Launois-sur-Vence, Avaux, Charleville-Mézières, La Cassine, Mouzon, Harcy and Givet where sellers share common values.
Online drives
The “Drive Farmer” is a project originally born under the initiative of the Ardennes Chamber of Agriculture. Today, the Farmer's Drive is managed by an association which offers products from 25 Ardennes producers with several drop-off points in the department.
Locavor and Cagette.net are national internet platforms which operate in the same way as Drive Fermier. They allow you to find producers near you and order products which will be delivered to well-defined distribution points.
Cooperatives
Producers decided to come together to sell their products in one place. This is the case of the Authentic Farmer in the Les Ayvelles commercial area. The store is run by the producers, which simplifies exchanges with customers. La Marcasserie, located in Charleville-Mézières, is an association which brings together citizens concerned about the impact of their purchases and who wish to play an active role in their consumption. They offer producers from all over the Ardennes.
Farmers’ lockers
To simplify sales to consumers, some producers have invested in self-service lockers with very flexible hours. This is the case of L’assiette fermière Bio in Charleville-Mézières or Les casiers agricole in Flize.
Direct sales from the farm
Some producers sell their products directly from home. And the Chamber of Agriculture has set up a directory with the farmers who have chosen to be part of it.
AMAPs
An AMAP (Association for the Maintenance of Peasant Agriculture) is based on a solidarity commitment to regularly offer a basket composed of healthy agricultural products. This creates a regular income for the producers and a fair price for both partners. In Champagne-Ardenne, there is a site which lists the AMAPs of the old region.
For professionals
The Filières des Ardennes Association (supported by the Chamber of Agriculture of the Ardennes) which aims to promote and develop local sectors in the Ardennes. Several sectors are developed (fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy products, etc.) and it strives to promote conventional, organic, HVE, Ardennes products to large-scale distribution, out-of-home catering, restaurateurs, high schools, colleges…
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