In total, 3811 eggs, 500 heads of garlic, 36 plants of Sainte-Anne shallots, 2 plants of Lebanese cucumbers, 5 kilos of grated mozzarella, 5 liters of maple syrup, 3 whole kids. And unlimited nettles and lettuce.
From pages 37 to 40 of Perennialhis most recent work, Dominic Lamontagne lists in great detail all the products in outdoor crops, outdoor perennials, greenhouse cultivation, breeding, picking and processed products that he and his family obtained from their family farm in the Laurentians over a period of one year.
Therefore, no one will be surprised that his work, a personal diary written over a period of 12 months and dust, is subtitled Basic autonomy notebook. Dominic Lamontagne and his family have chosen to produce, transform, consume and distribute differently. With a constant objective of preserving the resource, the earth, the planet.
There is a word for that, or rather a neologism signed by Lamontagne: omniculture. A word that “opposes” veganism as well as conventional monoculture. “With us, we are versatile, multidisciplinary, multidimensional,” he said in a telephone interview. We work to find shelter, food and clothing. »
The more we do on site, the better. This is why Mr. Lamontagne fought in favor of on-farm slaughter, an idea that has become a pilot project in which he is participating and which, as we will understand from reading, does not suit everyone in the sector.
At home, income is modest, but the land gives back. And those who make a living from it give back to the earth. “Know how to take and give back,” the author writes in one passage.
The latter has a very good vision of his omnicultural project. In addition, he has verve and he is combative. The writing is to match, with accents of tenderness, without falling into the marshmallow.
Three major themes intertwine throughout the pages: gesture, debate and openness to the world.
The gesture? Yes, that of kneading and baking bread, of picking mushrooms in his “forest of fir and spruce trees”, of preparing the house for winter, of making canned duck for sale, of sowing the seeds. gardens, etc. Very colorful, these passages are imbued with gentleness, love and a lot of effort. These are our favorites.
Those who like debate will be served. Lamontagne recounts his interventions in the media and his exchanges, sometimes tough, with those he calls the “barons of the Quebec poultry industry” or with the vegan activist Jean-François Dubé, with whom he co-wrote the book The goat and the cabbage.
He equally expresses his refusal to take fashionable ideas for granted. Take the example of plant-based milk. What is the ecological footprint of these plant-based drinks? he asks.
These debate segments are, unsurprisingly, more didactic. We sense a more assertive and telegraphed writing, less relaxed.
The other theme, openness to the world, includes family, friends, travel, the quest for information, etc. No, Dominic Lamontagne and his family are not survivalists stuck to their land and cut off from the rest of the world. They learn a lot, exchange ideas, visit, hold workshops. Dominic maintains a very popular Facebook page. And above all, the book is stuffed with several recipes transmitted with joy.
This book and the lifestyle it highlights will certainly not be unanimous. But the author addresses readers with respect and intelligence. It’s up to them to return the favor and read through his work with an open mind, regardless of their life choices.
Extract
“All the food we throw in the kitchen compost bin is perfectly edible for our poultry. Thus, trimmings and peelings, withered fruits and vegetables, sour dairy products, tomato pulp and stale bread, strawberry stems and excess sourdough become eggs, chicken flesh and poultry droppings which enrich the land on which we produce this that we eat. Little is lost and much is created when we get into the habit of not throwing anything away. »
Who is Dominic Lamontagne?
Formerly the owner of the bistro Le Naked Lunch, rue Wellington in Verdun, Dominic Lamontagne has lived for several years with his family on a property in Sainte-Lucie-des Laurentides where they practice subsistence farming. Since 2015, he has authored four works: The Impossible Farm, The artisan farmer, The goat and the cabbage (with Jean-François Dubé) and Perennial.
Vivace – Basic autonomy notebook
Leméac
328 pages
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