In about thirty minutes – I blame my computer crashing that I’m not revealing this sooner – The Kale Project will be on JT on Canal +!
What started as a simple email from a journalist turned into a whirlwind of planning and completing two days of shooting the report. It’s incredible to see how much goes into just a 2 minute segment for a news program. Here’s hoping that tonight turns out alright.
A few behind the scenes photos of tonight’s reportage:
The first day was made possible by the lovely ladies at Thank You, My Deer, who let us prepare and film guests to the café as they ate the salad. A special thanks goes out to Daphne who saved the day by eating the last salad and talking about her alkaline diet – all while I had been preaching that kale is an alkaline vegetable during the entire interview. It’s always helpful when someone backs you up.
The other two that tried it were not necessarily those that I would expect to ever eat kale. One guy came in for a coffee and was forced to try the salad but my bet is that he never really eats anything green at all. The second woman, who lives next to the cafe, apparently comes in every day and tries the food but never really has a very enthusiastic opinion. She liked the salad, could tell that it is very healthy for you and said she would try it again, but she didn’t really grasp the concept that it was different than other cabbages.
The next day of shooting involved an early morning train ride to Lyon, where the lovely farmer, Gérard met us at the train station. Gérard contacted me mid-winter explaining his interest in planting kale. Encouraged by a chef-friend of his, he was excited to try something new and one thing led to another which led him to The Kale Project – and lucky for me, he spent some time in Philadelphia which means he also speaks English – making our interactions much easier than my normal farmer interactions.
Greeted by such adorable bunnies – who also happened to be very soft, making me realize that perhaps I’ve never actually held a bunny until two weeks ago – we took a tour of the farm.
Along with multiple lettuces, gorgeous summer courgettes, cucumbers, onions, peas and herbs, we made our way to the kale fields.
As Gérard is an organic farmer and this is his first time growing kale, he’s had a bit of a pest problem. And given that spring started about six weeks late this year, everything is a bit behind. That’s why keeping the beautiful ladybugs around is so important as they keep away the pests.
The Canal+ team settled in and began asking Gérard a few questions about his life, farming and why he decided to grow kale in the first place.
As if the day could not get any better, Gérard who sells a lot of his produce to local restaurants, arranged a lunch and a meeting with a chef who is excited to use kale later this year when Gérard’s crop is ready! And he agreed to be interviewed as well. To have a chef that is part of Les Toques Blanches talk about kale on national television to me is such a huge step towards awareness for the vegetable and all-around credibility.
The day consisted of chatting back and forth in French and English – although I did much more talking in English and listening in French – discussing why I started the Project, how things were going, what ultimate goals were…
I told Gérard just how important it was that someone like him has been willing to test out growing kale and taking something that most of the French farmers have considered a risk. And he does not have a lot of land – enough – but not that much where devote the space used for kale – we should all be very grateful.
The Kale Project on JT, Canal+
Tuesday, June 25
18h45
thefrancofly says
Gaaah! Wish I had a tv right about now! Bravo!
kristen says
Thanks cou cou! Your support keeps me going! x
Emily says
Bravo lady! Gorgeous pics- the farm is amazing. Also: bunnies?!?!!!
kristen says
YES Bunnies – they were so so cute. You would have loved them!
Craig says
Woohoo! Bravo! Don’t forget to let the farmers know that we’d be interested in “jeune pousses de kale” too!
kristen says
Hi Craig! For sure. My farmers in Normandy should have some jeune pousses ready soon AND Madame Mustard is growing a second crop and that’s her specialty!
sevenhappyhens says
YEAH! The Kalevolution continues.
kristen says
Bit by bit… hoping for a good fall harvest!
Donna says
Oh…my…I just stumbled onto your blog via a MadameFigaro jump…and I see that you are the mastermind behind kale FINALLY being made a reality here in France…and grown in Lyon to boot! (We live in Lyon!)…Do you have any suggestions on where to purchase it?…In the outdoor markets such as in the Croix-Rousse area…or Cerises & Potiron?…or even in certain select supermarchés?…..I have been searching only recently, and hope to find it. Alas …all I have been able to substitute in recipes are “Chou Frisé” and épinard (spinach)…which I am not certain have the same iron and calcium profiles!…I love your initiative and drive. Impressed by the engaged hard work and camaraderie between you and your farming team.
kristen says
Hi Donna! Thank you for the kind note! The farmer growing it in Lyon is named Gérard and he is part of the operation behind Jardins de Vartan. http://www.jardinsdevartan.com/shop/qui-sommes-nous.html
He is such a nice nice guy and actually has an online shop and a little store on the farm where they sell their produce and other bio products. His kale is not mature yet but still growing!
When it is ready for sale, I will be doing an update on where/when he will be selling it.
As for shops, the supermarchés and even the bio shops have not caught on yet. It’s one of my goals for 2013 as kale is slowing being grown by more farmers.
The Project is only a year old… so there is still a lot of work to be done!