Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
We liked the look of a relatively simple, hydraulically operated mechanical hoe that at-
tached to the tractor and worked the soil between the vines where a regular plough could
notreach.ThesalesmaninvitedSeantoademonstrationatanearbyfarmownedbyThierry
Daulhiac. We had never met Thierry but we knew he was the president of the Saussignac
appellation union. He probably had a reliable view on machinery. We also heard that he
farmed organically. Sean still struggled with French - being an independent winegrower in
France was a lonely job - and Thierry's English being little better, they communicated as
only fellow farmers can. Sean was desperate for male company. He spent his days farm-
ing alone and his nights with his wife and very young daughters. Even his weekends were
completely consumed by the vineyard. We had bitten off a lot more change and risk than
we expected back in the heady days of planning our move.
Sean saw the machine in operation at Thierry's farm and was impressed. We ordered the
hoe and waited. The weeds were growing with more vigour than the vines. Even Cécile
was ruffled. The weeds grew. We waited some more. The weeds grew faster.
'Perhaps we should do one pass of a chemical herbicide to keep control of the vineyard,'
said Cécile, struggling to see anything but weeds. We hadn't started organic certification
yet as we had missed the annual cut-off, but we could not stomach using herbicide. I har-
assed the supplier again.
In the intervening four weeks since we ordered the hoe Sean had more trips to Monsieur
Bonny. The vine sprayer we had bought with the property was broken. Monsieur Bonny
estimated that to fix it would cost almost the same as getting a more modern second-hand
one. The second-hand one he proposed cost more than Sean had budgeted in equipment
costs for the entire year but we needed a working sprayer
tout de suite
. In our region mil-
dew poses a potentially lethal risk to the grape crop and preventative sprays are obligatory.
The cash budgeted for our first year's expenses was diminishing much faster than planned.
We were way outstripping the costs expected even after the vineyard accountant's judicious
adjustments.
We collected the bulbous spraying beast with eight arms from Monsieur Bonny. He was
his usual bouncy self, showing Sean how it worked with me listening in for the odd bit
of translation while trying to control the girls. I was almost unnecessary; although Sean's
everyday French was pitiful, he already knew far more French agricultural machine terms
than I did.
'Be very, very careful to keep the power-take-off shaft in position otherwise it will break
because of the height of the connector,' said Monsieur Bonny as we prepared to leave. It
meant little to me, but Sean reassured him he'd be fine; all was clear.
I waved goodbye and set off for home. Sean followed with the beautiful sprayer behind
the tractor. As he drove into the courtyard at Haut Garrigue I knew something was wrong.
I rushed out to find Sean almost in tears.
