Following the Transhumance and a stay of over 5 months roaming the rolling hills of Fronsac, summer pastures await the 400 ewes starting in late March as they return to their Basque and Béarn lands (Ossau, Barétous, and the Aspe Valley).
Once again this year, we had the privilege of hosting our faithful guests! It is with great pleasure that we have expanded the project, creating a shared dynamic thanks to other Fronsac estates that have joined this wonderful partnership between BREEDERS & PRODUCERS.
For the estates, the benefits are manifold: natural mowing, manure supply, soil cultivation, and a reduction in our carbon footprint.
But what about the breeders, the shepherd, and the ewes?
For the shepherd?
This joint project helps support permanent employment for the shepherd. He will thus care for the flock throughout the year rather than just during the summer season. A commitment of 365 days instead of just a few months.
Let us talk about the breeders and the ewes!
Each year, the new generation of ewes is too young to breed and therefore does not produce milk or cheese. For the breeders, this represents a “shortfall.” To provide for their needs, the breeders and the estates organize a Transhumance. This allows the ewes to graze in the heart of the vineyards and receive a diverse and varied diet that promotes their digestion and intestinal microbiota.
And what happens to the ewes afterward?
After this winter Transhumance, it is time for the summer pastures. The ewes will return to their Basque and Béarn lands and will then be mature enough to breed. This will be followed by the production of milk and, consequently, sheep’s cheese for each of the breeders! A new generation will be born some time later and who knows, perhaps they will also pass through the Fronsac region?
