La Ferme du Chant des Cailles is an urban, participatory, and ecological agriculture project located in Watermael-Boitsfort, Brussels. This initiative, open to all residents, flourishes in the neighborhood, originating from a field situated at the heart of the Le Logis-Floréal garden city, a social housing cooperative. The project encompasses the production of vegetables, fruits, and aromatic herbs, sheep farming with milk processing, a participatory grocery store, chicken coops, educational activities, open-air film screenings, conferences, and festivities. (chantdescailles.be ) The cooperative structure of La Ferme du Chant des Cailles brings together three professional sectors: Le Bercail, Le Maraîchage, and Les Aromatiques. While these professional sectors have been active since 2012, La Coopérative du Chant des Cailles SCRL-FS was officially established on December 21, 2016. This cooperative aims to promote agriculture that respects both the land and people, is viable, empowering, and fosters social connections. The cooperative's structure ensures that agricultural activities are owned by the cooperators, who provide the capital for investments. Social shares are fixed, meaning cooperators recover the same amount they invested when they choose to leave, ensuring no individual enrichment. Each shareholder has one vote in the general assembly, regardless of the number of shares held. The cooperative also emphasizes equitable remuneration for workers and encourages citizen participation without granting rights to a portion of the production. (chantdescailles.be ) The governance of La Ferme du Chant des Cailles is characterized by a horizontal structure inspired by shared governance principles and collective intelligence tools. The association is citizen-driven, with no permanent staff; producers and facilitators are employed by the cooperative. This model allows for innovation in collective organization, fostering collaboration, participation, and democratic transition. Members of the association and various sectors invest in decision-making bodies and working groups, ensuring autonomy within a collectively decided framework. A common foundation and internal organization have been developed to involve more members in key decisions affecting the farm's internal and external life. (chantdescailles.be ) La Ferme du Chant des Cailles offers various activities, including vegetable, fruit, and aromatic herb production, sheep farming with milk processing, a participatory grocery store, chicken coops, educational activities, open-air film screenings, conferences, and festivities. The project emphasizes local engagement, environmentally and human-friendly production and consumption methods, aesthetic and natural space preservation, job creation, resource valorization, synergies between professionals and citizens, collaborative and inclusive functioning, simplicity, conviviality, intergenerational dynamics, social cohesion, knowledge sharing, and networking with other actors and projects. (chantdescailles.be ) The participatory grocery store, known as L’Épicerie Participative, is open to all individuals interested in engaging in a citizen-driven project. Its philosophy centers on participation, environmental and human concern, and neighborhood openness. The grocery store operates on a participatory model where customers are also the grocers, ensuring fair pricing for both producers and consumers, and offering products with the lowest possible ecological footprint. It fosters proximity for increased conviviality and exchanges of knowledge and practices to strengthen community bonds. (chantdescailles.be ) La Ferme du Chant des Cailles is located at Avenue des Cailles 12, 1170 Brussels, and La Coopérative du Chant des Cailles SC is situated at Avenue Léopold Wiener 67, 1170 Brussels. (chantdescailles.be )
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