Welcome to the farm
In the Comminges countryside, just outside the Gers, discover traditional craftsmanship: an organic farm with 8 Bretonne Pie Noir cows (a conservation breed) and 30 Alpine and Poitou goats—all of whom respond to their names!
Hello, Aligot 🐮
I spot a little head in the middle of the herd—the kind that makes kids and their parents say, “Ooooh, sooo cute…” It’s Aligot, a 15-day-old Breton Pie Noir calf! This tiny little one drinks his 3 liters of milk for breakfast, and then I finally get a look at his little wet black head, adorned with a white heart 🤍. Once he’s had his fill, he sets off to explore the surroundings!
Aligot has had his share of milk; the rest will be used to make delicious farmhouse cheeses from raw milk.
François is working “just like before”
The herds live right outside the house. Don’t look for machines, there aren’t any! Everything is done by hand : the milking , the production of the lactic ferment , the yogurts and the cheese .
For François, hand-milking means harvesting the best milk and being attentive to his animals . If he detects mastitis, he treats it with homeopathy and adjusts his milking schedule; thanks to the calf suckling, it clears up naturally within 24 to 48 hours. Here, the aim is to implement sustainable agriculture that respects the environment and animal welfare .
Educational Tour Among the Herds
François shares his daily routines, his expertise, and his love for his work as a farmer with passion and great teaching skill. He lives among his herds; here, there is a sense of serenity—happiness in the meadow! The animals are treated with affection and enjoyexcellent living conditions. All of this brings back memories of my childhood on the farm!
The Taste of the Region
The whey must be acidic enough to make good cheese, and the milk must be fatty enough to give it a creamy texture. During milking, François first collects the milk that quenches the calf’s thirst, and then the milk that is richer in acids unsaturated fats that give the cheese its flavor.
The production process takes several days (molding, salting, aging), or even several weeks for a Tome or Parmesan. La Ferme de la Monge offers a selection of organic raw-milk cheeses made in Comminges. Mmm, my favorite treat: the creamy , smooth “Cœur de Bretonne” on the inside?
François welcomes you to the Monge Farm by appointment to share his craft with you.
www.fermedelamonge-comminges.fr
Practical info
- Les Pyrénéennes: Pyrenees Agricultural Fair – September 19–22, 2024, Comminges Exhibition Center
- Local producers in the destination