This month of October 2022, we had the pleasure of attending the harvest of the nuts, those that are found in our Novëm skincare products.
We absolutely wanted to tell you about this day rich in discoveries and passion.
The history of Michallet Farm
La Ferme Michallet is a family business that was founded in 1882 when Frédéric and Auguste Michallet became farmers of the Givors property on the Chaponnière estate between Clermont-Ferrand and Lyon.
The members of this family remained farmers until 1962, when Léon and Aimée Michallet bought the family property. It is still the current headquarters of the company.
It was then that Joseph in turn took over the family business while retaining his job as a mason. In 1980, it was the heyday of dairy farming, small fruits but especially walnut trees. Nine years later, a possibility of increasing the plots of walnut plantations is offered to them.
In 2002, the arrival of Laurence echoes with the signing of a Territorial Exploitation Contract - Sustainable Agriculture.
As early as 2004, a request from GLOBALG.AP began to allow current and potential customers to be given full traceability and transparency on the methods used to grow their nuts. And it was in 2006 that they obtained their first accreditation.
Two years later, they decided to create their own shop near the farm, to enable direct sales of their harvest. Also their processed nuts such as their delicious walnut oil or their favorites. But not only !
All of our Novëm treatments are on sale in this shop on the edge of the departmental road between two perfectly aligned fields of walnut trees. You can find our superb Joli Minoix oil , our silky day cream or our cleansing balm with a melting texture.
Following the death of Christophe Michallet, the farm must undergo a reorganization.
Since 2012, Bastien, the son of Christophe Michallet, has become the co-manager alongside Laurence, his aunt.
And it was in 2018 that Vincent, Bastien's brother, in turn became co-manager of the family business.
This is followed by the arrival of Etienne, Laurence's son, who is hired on the farm.
The family business has just obtained the Organic Farming label.
The stages of our day at Ferme Michallet
We arrived in the early afternoon at Ferme Michallet under the October sun. Suggesting a perfect harvest day.
At first we were invited to tour the estate of walnut plantations, hectares of walnut trees as the other would say.
A harvester (like those on the golf course, but more robust!) took care of collecting the nuts that had fallen to the ground. Previously the trees are shaken by another device, a grapple. The mechanical arm grabs the trunk and shakes it. "Before, you had to climb the tree" the seasonal employee told us!
We then went to this small factory, where everything happens. The nuts are sorted, cleaned, sorted again, dried and again sorted (AOC calibration). It is a know-how that continues in this family business, and which ensures us the best nuts in our care.
You can find our vlog of this day on our Instagram account !
