Farmer and Baker (France)

  • Bread is very important in France and it is part of our culture. But in th epast few years, bread has lost its quality because there are more and more industrial bakeries.

    But things are changing, especially in our region, in the southwest of France.

    In Auch, there is a new bakery, a different type of bakery. Indeed, the baker is also a farmer. He grows ancient types of wheat and uses the old fashioned way of making bread. And guess what, the bread is delicious, healthy and the bakery is a real success!!

    Andy Cato who is English,used to be a famous musician. He travelled the world before finally deciding to start a new life in Gascony, southwest France.

    Here is what he says on his website :

    "I’d chanced upon a remark from an American journalist that made me think “if you don’t like the system, don’t depend on it”. When I read that, I was living in one of the most rural parts of France, an area where you can’t go far without seeing a veg patch and some chickens. Emboldened by the successes of my neighbours, I started reading about how to do it myself. Until I was 35 years old, I’d never planted a bedding plant never mind sown a seed. The first time I walked down to the greenhouse and saw seeds sprouting, it was a revelation. When, a few weeks later, this became food on the table, it changed my life. Why isn’t this the basis of our education? From the simple wonder of watching seeds turn into tomato plants grew a fascination with the processes at work in the soil that allow this miracle to unfold. Shortly followed by shock at the disaster that is our agricultural industry."

    In our region, there are many new farmers/bakers. Indeed, people are looking for healthy and authentic food.

    We really recommend you to visit the photo gallery on his website. Not only will you see beautiful photos of our region but you will see his farm and his bakery in our town.

    You can also browse through the different pages on his website to learn more about this very tall man! This is the English version of the website, so enjoy :-)

    https://therealfoodfight.uk/gallery/