Shade and insect nets are not a must, either. “The sun can, of course, be harsh here. So, to protect the fruit, we leave many leaves hanging on the plants. It does slow down harvesting somewhat, with tomatoes occasionally being missed. And though labor’s cheap, the availability of good workers is coming under pressure, so we’re looking forward to mechanizing certain cultivation operations, especially planting. Pruning, thinning, and harvesting, on the other hand, will remain manual work,” says Antoine.
All rain and melt water is collected in a basin
“We may have to invest more in shade nets in the future because of climate change, though I believe that could eventually benefit us. If the summer lasts longer, our season does too. We currently cut the plants back after seven to eight bunches. In the future, we might manage to continue slightly longer.”
