Heading to Isère to meet Aurélien, our small producer of chamomile made in France.
Our chamomile grows less than 200 km from our home
It was in Isère, in the small village of Panossa, that Aurélien settled in 2010 as a farmer.
Starting from scratch, he chose to specialize in specific crops. His favorite? Matricaria recutitat, or chamomile if you prefer!
Originally wild, this beautiful plant is now cultivated in much of Europe.
Aurélien cultivates a little less than 15 hectares around his home.
From the earth to the cup
Chamomile is a rather demanding plant.
Before sowing it towards the end of November or the beginning of December, the ground must be prepared: the soil is first plowed before being scratched on the surface.
Immediately after sowing, you still need to "roll" the soil to ensure that the seeds are firmly in place.
In a few months, pretty little white and yellow flowers will appear. The sooner they are harvested, the more concentrated their active ingredients will be!
Flower Power
It is generally around May 20th, in full bloom, that Aurélien climbs onto his tractor to begin his harvest.
Then place for drying in ventilated bins at a mild temperature between 30 and 35 degrees.
After around a hundred hours of drying, the dried chamomile flower heads are back on the farm, ready to be bagged and taken on the road: heading for the burrow of the 2 Marmottes, where they will make up the key ingredient of our 100% chamomile herbal tea !
