Making a living through environmentally friendly farming within a framework of sustainable development. Les mômes du Fjord is a vegetable and fruit farm that also processes its own produce, located on the shores of the Saguenay Fjord in the province of Quebec, Canadaa. For more than 20 years, Nathalie and Marc have been working on The Kids' Garden Project. After winter, they're getting ready for the growing season. A journey into the heart of the boreal forest, to see what's fact elsewhere…
A French woman who is well established in Quebec
It was during a vacation as a tourist that Nathalie, who is originally from mainland France, fell in love with Quebec. «At first, I hadn’t planned on settling here. The idea of wanting a farm and living in the forest came about because of Quebec.».
Shortly thereafter, she met Marc, who shared her vision for the future. For both of them, the goal was to live in harmony with nature and the environment and to achieve as much self-sufficiency as possible. So they quit their respective jobs and embarked on this adventure to settle down, build their home, and start a family.
From yesterday to today…
Le jardin des mômes began by selling baskets of vegetables, herbs, and lettuce. Over an eight-year period, sales increased fivefold to serve families and a few restaurant owners. Gradually, processed products and waffles made their debut, and one thing led to another: the sale of baskets ceased to make way for the processing of produce grown on the farm.
For several years now, Les mômes du Fjord has been working to develop agritourism on its 145-acre (approximately 60-hectare) property. Hiking trails, campsites, and interactions with farm animals are just a few of the activities offered to visitors.
The Saguenay Fjord
The Waffle Restaurant
At first, the waffles were sold at weekend festivals, but for the third year in a row, you can enjoy Brussels waffles at the farm restaurant.
Once again this year, the crêperie will be open from July through September, on Saturdays and Sundays. People come to the farm to enjoy the waffles and visit the gardens and the animals.
The waffle restaurant housed in a barn
Future Projects
For the next few years, Marc and Nathalie plan to finish the projects they’ve already started and live life to the fullest. Enjoy it! «We see ourselves working here for a long time to come—we hope… We’ll see, but one day we’d like the farm to become a cooperative. We’d like people to settle here—for example, a beekeeper to produce honey. Maybe a baker—why not? We want to expand so that we can have a little bit of everything.»
A major undertaking
Between the two of them, Marc and Nathalie have put in a tremendous amount of work, but the scale of the task requires some help. A helping hand is essential for the gardens. From the very beginning, as is common practice in many places, they’ve been hosting «WWOOFers,» offering them room and board in exchange for a hand on the farm. «We’ve seen all kinds of people come through here. These are exchanges we still really enjoy. I think I’d have a hard time doing without them now.»
Justine and Nathalie working among the raspberry bushes
Justine, 25, from Brittany, «WWOOF”»euse" at Les Mômes du Fjord
«This is my first time WWOOFing and my first time in Quebec, Canada. I’ve only been here four days, but the experience has been really great so far! Marc and Nathalie are really nice and incredibly generous people who share so much with us, both on the farm and at their home. The conversations are really enriching, and it makes me want to do this again. It’s not really «work» in the strict sense… it’s just really laid-back. We talk a lot, share stories, and laugh. I’m leaving next week to travel around Canada, and I’m already a little sad to be leaving them…«
Mariska Desmarquis
Website: http://lesmomesdufjord.com/
Email: info@lesmomesdufjord.com
