Bearn mowers

“The mowers on legs” is the name of the association created in June 2020 by Jean-Marc Souverbie in his native Béarn.

His livestock now includes 45 ewes and four donkeys which replace lawnmowers in private homes and businesses around the city of Pau. This is called eco-grazing, and this use of animals is becoming more and more common throughout France.

The idea of ​​”Mowers on legs” came to Jean-Marc Souverbie during the first confinement :

“I am an itinerant sales manager, and I am used to traveling a lot in France. There, like everyone else, I found myself stuck at home and I thought back to an action that I had already put in place with my grandparents in the village of Vic-Bilh.To maintain an orchard full of grass and brambles, I had the idea of ​​taking 5 or 6 ewes.

Gthanks to them, we have succeeded in developing biomass, biodiversity and re-emerging a beautiful green lawn! So, I created this association, embarked with me some friends in this environmental, ecological and economic project.

“I quickly realized the effectiveness of these rustic Basque-Béarnaise sheep.”

Jean-Marc Souverbie

at franceinfo

The project is quickly taking shape. The first 10 sheep soon have new friends and big-eared pals: “I like donkeys a lot, and they are perfect allies for sheep. Donkeys eat invasive weeds and things that sheep refuse to eat. And they are two animals that get along well.”

Jean-Marc Souverbie takes care of distributing the animals to the various customers, he visits them regularly to ensure their well-being and good health. The project pursues a goal other than the maintenance of green spaces:

“The association makes it possible to offer a new life to animals intended for the slaughterhouse. I have recovered culled ewes. These are animals that a breeder can no longer keep. These ewes have had mastitis, they produce less milk for the cheeses, or they can no longer produce lambs, or are no longer able to keep up with the pace of the transhumance herds on the Pyrenean summer pastures.

But these ewes are still able to be placed in eco-grazing with individuals, in companies around Pau and in the Ossau Valley.

In winter, it is also Jean-Marc who takes care of the animals housed for 5 months in a barn. And since there is no lack of ideas, the shepherd is thinking about what to do next.

In 2024, he plans to duplicate “The mowers on legs” in the Basque Country, then in the Bordeaux region. In the meantime, he has to deal with more and more local demands for eco-grazing.

If you want to help Jean Marc Souverbie’s initiative, you can make a donation to the association “Les Tondeuses sur Pattes”. It is recognized as being of general interest and donations are tax deductible.