Les Trois Rivières at Atout Fruit Fete des Plants

Last Saturday, 7th May was the second Atout Fruit Fete de Plants at Chalabre Station. Atout Fruit, a fellow Association based in Chalabre, plant, study, protect and develop heritage variety fruit trees such as apples, pears, plums and figs in the valley of the River L’Hers in both the Aude and the Ariege.

The Fete des Plantes is a true celebration of Spring – a festive day where abundance of plant life in our area can be celebrated. Not only were local producers of flowers and vegetables selling their plants, mainly bio, there were bike rides, refreshments, garden visits, workshops, a film on the 4 seasons of birds at Lac de Montbel and a concert by Maxence des Oiseeaux.

It felt like it was the right place to continue spreading the word about our Association. Claire was volunteering on the Atout Fruit stand in the morning so Robert and Arlette set the stall up on the Voie Verte with information to take away, membership forms, Sue’s beautiful plants and our stunning fish paintings and crocheted trout by Julie and Della.

3RIV Asso member, Sue, brought almost 50 medicinal plants from her garden to offer people for a small donation to the Association including borage, marigolds and violets. They made a beautiful display.

Le Trois Rivières President, Robert Brown, said of the day, “The 3RIV Asso’s participation in Sunday’s plant sale was terrific. It gave us an impressive number of new friends and supporters.”

Geoffrey Thomas, le secrétaire observed, “it was great to talk with people, tell them what we are up to and gather their ideas and impressions.”

We saw friends old and new, gained new members and almost €70 donations from the plants. Alison, our treasurer summed it up, “my first plant sale and as one of our members said, the highlight of the year. Thank you all for coming to our stall and sharing ideas and thoughts.”