In August 2020, a soon-to-be farmer posted a family photo to a brand-new Instagram account: “That is us, two months out from moving to our dream property, oblivious to all the unimaginable realities of starting an organic farm and homestead. But we’re in it for the long run!”
Still holding this sense of wonder and hearty commitment, Sylviane Dutrisac, 34, and Emeric Deslage, 35, (along with Emeric’s mother and their two young children), are now settled into their farmstead on 27 acres of mixed fields and forests, bordering the Peanut Line in Williamstown. They’re excited to be celebrating year one of their adventure with Ferme Butte & Bine.
Photos by Nicholas Seguin Creative
Both grew up surrounded by nature—Sylviane on a hobby farm in Sarsfield, east of Ottawa, and Emeric on the rugged Corsican coastline in France. They never explicitly decided to one day become farmers, but after starting a family in Vancouver a few years back, “the dream to farm organically first took shape.” The couple started modestly by planting one-tenth of an acre in 2021 and drew on Emeric’s education in permaculture design and volunteer experience on an urban organic farm in Vancouver.
“We’d like to offer some heirloom vegetables that are not so common to this region and our palates—like sunchokes, celeriacs, and salsifis,” says Sylviane. In the future, they may also expand up to two acres, all using regenerative and organic farming practices. “We don’t have plans on growing much more,” Sylviane explains. “But we are working on starting a small orchard and food forest and potentially getting some honey bees.”
As they ramp up their operations, they both continue to work for others, Sylviane as a development officer for terego.ca (a company that pairs RV travellers with agrotourism destinations), and Emeric as a sous chef with a Casselman catering company. Somehow, they’ve also successfully started a B&B farmstay out of their renovated 1814 farmhouse, a garden market, and a micro-bakery.
“[We look forward to] continuing a harmonious lifestyle that fully lives up to all of our values including community, nature, curiosity, nutrition, and growth.”
Follow the Dutrisac/Delage family’s progress: @whenwebecamefarmers and @fermebuttebine
