We thought it was about time to honour the men and women in the Metropolitan Area who have been keeping our supermarkets well-stocked with high quality organic produce.

Some of these producers may not be well known in the region. They don’t sell directly from their farms. Sometimes their facilities are a long way away; far removed from towns or villages, or which are hard to access. They mainly focus on making fresh produce (vegetables, cheeses, etc.) and on rearing animals with respect for organic farming standards.

Come and discover these farms which play such an essential role in our daily eating habits.

Organic eggs at Walcourt

The Longs-prés farm, at Rognée, sells high quality organic eggs. This family-run farm, passed down through 6 generations, ventured into organic farming a few years ago.

Martine and Eric Bedoret, together with their son-in-law Laurent Decaluwe, attach a great deal of importance to the chickens’ well-being: having access to the outside, rest and hygienic premises… Nothing but the best for their feathered friends!

There is a vending machine allowing you to buy eggs directly from the site.

Fruit and vegetables at Wanfercée-Baulet

Two primary school teachers, Nicole Tournel and André Lefevre, turned their hand to organic market gardening in the 1980s, with the idea of feeding healthy food to their 5 children whilst protecting the planet.

Despite the obstacles and challenges they faced along the way, their farm Toubio started to grow with the passing years. Three of their children joined the team. Today they grow over 20 hectares of vegetables (salads, greens, etc.).

The orchard, consisting mainly of apple and pear trees, extends to over 18 hectares.

A farm shop is open on Fridays and Saturdays.

Plums at Cerfontaine

The fourth generation Simon farm, based in Gembloux and in Cerfontaine, converted to organic farming in 2010.

The fruit farm has diversified on various fronts: since 2004, new varieties of plum trees have been planted which had all but disappeared from our lands. They include the ‘Altesse Simple’, the ‘Reine-Claude Dorée’ and the ‘Prune de Prince’.

Mirabelle plum trees, rarely grown in the region, add to the farm’s range.

Buying from a cooperative

There are many other organic producers in the region. On a smaller scale than those listed, these farms either sell their produce directly from the farm or distribute it through cooperatives.

Don’t hesitate to stock up on fresh, local and seasonal produce from Coopesem, Coopeco, Botte Paysanne,  Commun’halles or les Ruches.