A French farm opens its doors during school holidays, offering Halloween-themed workshops and educational activities to reconnect children with rural life.
Farming holiday events attract visitors
During the autumn school holidays, many farms labeled "Bienvenue à la ferme" opened their doors, including the La Chèvreline farm in Valdallière, Virois countryside. The farm organized various activities from Wednesday, October 28, to Saturday, October 31, with Halloween-themed events during the last week of October.Halloween activities engage children
On Wednesday, about twenty children, mostly dressed up, participated in a workshop at the La Chèvreline farm in Vassy, near Vire, making flying witches. The workshop, which involved cutting, gluing, and painting, was fully booked during the All Saints' Day holidays.Label requirements ensure quality
The farm is labeled "Bienvenue à la ferme," a label from the Chamber of Agriculture based on two criteria: safety and cleanliness standards for the welcome, and the requirement that more than 50% of the products in the shop are produced on-site. Farmers must also be MSA contributors, distinguishing them from discovery farms similar to zoos.Farmers have operated since 2017
Caroline Bourgeois, the farmer, and her partner, Aurélien Vautier, have been running the farm since 2017. The farm currently has 75 goats, including about sixty dairy goats, and became an educational farm in 2025. It welcomes school groups, Ehpad, and IME throughout the year.Farm design accommodates visitors
The eight hectares are designed to accommodate visitors with animals accustomed to handling and access paths. The farm's activities aim to support local producers and provide children with an understanding of farm life.Adult visitors emphasize education
Many adults visited the farm during the holidays, choosing outdoor activities to support local producers. Anita, a retiree who came with her granddaughter Ambre, emphasized the importance of children understanding the farm environment.Concerns about small farms
Daniel, a grandfather who came with his granddaughters, raised concerns about the challenges faced by small farms, noting the difficulty of competing with large industrial farms. He also mentioned the impact of regulations on agriculture.Starting a farm faces obstacles
Bérangère, a farmer near Bayeux, highlighted the obstacles to starting a farm, including opposition to construction and excessive regulations. She noted that children are more open and curious about rural life than adults.Workshops boost cheese sales
The success of the workshops, which regularly reach maximum capacity, has increased cheese sales at the farm, although it mainly works with resellers in Calvados. The activities, which include a visit to the farm and feeding the animals, aim to educate children about the milk production process.Education in agriculture is needed
Caroline Bourgeois, who holds a DUT in social careers, emphasized the need to reintroduce agricultural education into schools to reconnect people with rural realities.Future plans for the farm
Beyond dairy, the couple plans to add about fifteen pigs for meat sales and open a building for broiler chickens, although the farm cannot expand due to neighboring farms. They are considering an educational vegetable garden to show children the complete cycle of food production.Upcoming Christmas market
The next event at La Chèvreline is a Christmas market on November 15, featuring 25 local artisans and producers in Vassy.
