Tractor tour: 900 km by tractor to raise awareness and discuss agriculture

Alexandre Richard, can you introduce yourself?

I am a cereal grower in the department of Indre in Berry. For some years I have been explaining my work on social media, including YouTube. I am the son of a farmer, my grandmother was a farmer, my great-grandfather … is from generation to generation with us. I have two children, but they will do whatever they want!

The purpose of making videos is to show what happens on a farm, to tell a story lived by a farmer. We often hear about agriculture from people who are not in the industry. Social networks are our generation, it’s a good way to show things as they are. Because by filming yourself, you can’t hide anything! We show the good stuff as well as the bad stuff. Sometimes it even allows us to question ourselves when we watch our videos again!

Today agriculture is much more modern and there is also much less pollution. The use of fertilizer is highly regulated, we do nothing. But this needs to be explained. And who better than a farmer to do it?

Is it a bit to defend yourself then?

No, first of all it’s about presenting a passion because to be a farmer you have to be passionate today. It’s not with what he wins…

It’s also a way to convey well-being. Sometimes we hear of peasants with suicides, etc., but it’s not just that. Being a farmer is a passion that is handed down from generation to generation, it’s the land, the animals, there’s everything that is handed down behind it. We have the possibility to work normally in a non-stressful environment, in the countryside…

And then, a farm is a business, it evolves. It’s changing right now with the climate, we can see that. These videos are also for young people who want to settle down. They want to get on the tractor right away, but they have to look elsewhere, see other farms before they start.

What is the concept of the tower tractor?

We are about ten agricultural youtubers from all over France, we have a passion for agriculture and communication. The idea is that on each tractor tour we go to a region. And each time we highlight the rural villages we go to and the farms that are diversifying. It also allows us to meet our subscribers and the general public.

This week you are crossing part of New Aquitaine and Occitania. A journey of 900 km. Will you be at Lavit this Sunday at 4pm?

Yes, we will be at La Ferme Pezetis from 4pm to 6pm. These are farmers who love duck and foie gras. They are having quite a few difficulties in their field, especially with bird flu. The point of going to see them is for them to explain what they do at times like this so that people can understand. I’m a breeder too but I’m neither into ducking nor breeding, I don’t know. It allows everyone to understand their own difficulties.