Innov’action in Lizac at Jean-Louis Bouysset’s farm
On Tuesday, 7th of June 2017, Jean Louis Bouysset, Blue Whale apples and kiwis grower, opened his orchards for the Innov’action 2017 event.
This initiative is led by the chambers of agriculture of Occitania (French region). The aim is to present the new techniques used by farmers. The Innov’Action issues are to detect and valorize innovating farmers. These discovery days allow professionals to exchange, but also to integrate little by little the innovation in agriculture and finally to create a dynamic on the different territories of our region.
This was the opportunity for Jean Louis Bouysset to introduce to us his organic parcels and his new irrigation systems.
The Organic culture at the Bouysset farm is a long-standing story. It all started in 2003 with a conversion of 3ha Hayward kiwis. Then, over the years, conversions of apple varieties succeeded, such as Canada and Ariane and finally there was the development of organic varieties such as Crimson, Opal, Dalinette … If we ask Jean-Louis Bouysset, why he decided to develop organic farming in his orchards, he answers spontaneously that it is first of all to protect the environment but also for economic reasons.
Today, he counts 9ha of organic apples and 3ha of organic kiwis on a whole 30 hectares. His 3 year project is to continue developing varieties resistant to scab to the cost of varieties such as Braeburn, Rouges and Granny… To go even further, Jean-Louis whispers us that he still wants to develop agrobiology in his orchards. The practice of sexual confusion is not new for him because it has been in place for 15 years in his orchards and today it is present on the whole farm. He wants to test the bands of flowers and the fallow lands. The aim is to favour auxiliaries (insects, spiders) to decrease the amount of aphids.
Beautiful projects on this family farm combining both technology and respect for the environment.