EP 75 From Pastures to Cheese – SoR Part Seven

For this very special French-language episode of the Rural Routes to Climate Solutions podcast, recorded in the late summer of 2023 during the Stories of Regeneration tour, Sara Maranda-Gauvin of Regeneration Canada talked with brothers Vincent and Simon-Pierre Bolduc of La Station: an organic farm and cheese factory in the Eastern Townships of Quebec. The Bolduc brothers are the 4th generation of farmers in their family enterprise. While La Station has been practicing organic farming since their childhood, in 1996, the brothers keep improving on the agricultural practices in place, turning to regenerative agriculture to create a healthy environment for the soil, the livestock and the human beings who are working with both. Highlights: 2:45 – Vincent and Simon-Pierre talk about their roles at La Station. 4:40 – The Bolduc brothers share the story of how they joined the family enterprise. 9:11 – Vincent and Simon-Pierre describe the farm and the landscape. 12:51 – Vincent explains the consideration that is given to worker well-being at La Station. 16:49 – The brothers describe the practices they put in place for animal well-being. 19:19 – Simon-Pierre and Vincent talk about the evolution of La Station through the generations towards organic and regenerative agriculture. 26:11 – What does organic dairy production bring to the sector in terms of traceability? 28:32 – The brothers explain their vision of regenerative agriculture and why they practice it. 31:39 – The brothers detail the practices in place to promote soil health at La Station. 39:08 – How does soil and animal health impact the taste of the cheeses produced? 50:06 – Simon-Pierre and Vincent reflect on the past years’ improvements on the farm and talk about their plans for the future. 1:01:18 – What can be done to help transition the dairy sector towards regenerative practices? Useful links: La Station Stories of Regeneration Stories of Regeneration Short Film Series Regeneration Canada’s Farm Map Dedicated Dairy Farms Want to learn more? If you want to learn more, we recommend you check out the following: EP 67 – Total Grazing – SoR Part 1 EP 69 – Loyal to the Soil – SoR Part 2 EP 70 – Maximizing Soil Function – SoR Part 3 EP 71 – Sharing the Land – SoR Part 4 EP 72 – Connecting People to Place – SoR Part 5 EP 73 – Diversity is Resiliency – SoR Part 6   Our Farmers Blog shares stories about Alberta farmers who do an exceptional job of caring for the land, producing food, and building up their communities. This podcast has been partially funded by Agriculture and Agri-food Canada