The farm
Armand Heitz
Located at the gates of Morvan, the farm consists of 40 hectares of crops and 140 hectares of meadows with a herd of 260 cows and 150 sheep.
Why breeding
In 2017, I realized that a wine estate , even covered with all the labels, is neither autonomous nor sustainable. This is how I wanted to diversify my activity with breeding in order to move towards a more virtuous agronomic model . Reintegrating the animal into the heart of a farm is essential. It consumes grass or harmful insects and restores a maximum of microbiology to the soil with its droppings. It recycles our waste and contributes to natural selection. A pasture without animals is a pasture doomed to disappear .
Polyculture
The agronomic work of these lands is fascinating. The farm is almost autonomous. A rotation of the plantations is carried out on each parcel in order to improve the biological activity of the soils and to diversify the nutrition of the animals. From April to November, they enjoy the pastures and feed on grasses. In winter, hay and haylage with rotation between legumes and ryegrass. Animal nutrition is crucial for meat quality.
Cattle
The cattle herd consists of two noble breeds:
charolais and salers . This allows me to offer pure breeds but also crosses. Charolais has recognized meat qualities . Salers will bring a more marked marbling and an intense gastronomic flavor. The crossing of the two breeds proves to be interesting for associating these qualities but also other specific attributes, in particular for calving .
Sheep
The females are the result of a cross between two breeds : the Limousin , which has an important hardiness, and the Suffolk whose breeding and dairy qualities, but also butchery, are recognized. My rams are pure Charolais with meat qualities that allow them to obtain a mild and delicate taste. They have little fat, which greatly contributes to the delicacy of the meat . The lambs are therefore the fruit of half-Suffolk, half-Limousine mothers and 100% Charolais fathers.
“The grass that grows in the Morvan is not the same as that which grows in the Charolais or in Bresse. The meat will also necessarily be different. But obviously, we care more about the well-being of a bunch of grapes than that of a cow. »
Animal wellbeing
At the estate, animal welfare is as important as the environmental impact. I advocate a reasoned and responsible breeding , the opposite of industrial breeding and its excesses. In France, 800,000 males per year are exported to Italy to be fattened there at a lower cost. The meat of females is in the minds of many buyers more tender than that of males. We have chosen to market the young uncastrated males in order to avoid this deportation and this ecological aberration .
Distribution
We refuse to work with partners who only want tenderloin and ribs. Where is the respect for the animal in marketing only a tiny part of its meat? We have the privilege of working in a short circuit with local restaurateurs and caterers who share our values and our convictions. We also offer boxes of different sizes and pieces for individuals .