Under a strong winter sun, the wind sweeps the 7 and a half hectare site, placed on the Thymerais plateau in Tremblay-les-Villages (Eure-et-Loir), between Dreux and Chartres, which is home to the new permaculture market garden farm Grace in the garden. Jean-Marie Lioult, observes this large expanse of fertile land, allocated by the Urban Community of the Pays de Dreux, where the first trees were planted, while volunteers work to mulch the last seedlings.
This 60-year-old priest, former parish priest of Châteaudun and Dreux, decided to change his life to devote himself to this project born after the first confinement: “I reread Pope Francis’ encyclical on integral ecology Laudato Siwhich triggered my desire to participate in the rescue of our common home, the Earth, which man is destroying”, explains the Eurelian cleric, who left his ministry in Dreux last September after more than 30 years of priestly life.
He returns to his primary vocation
Holder of an agricultural baccalaureate and a horticulture-landscape BTS, Father Lioult returns in a way to his “first vocation”. Surrounded by a dozen people, with very diverse profiles, who today form the office of the association Grâce au jardin, Jean-Marie Liout imagined this farm, which promotes techniques on living soil and respect for natural cycles. , around a local organic garden, a market garden run by a young farmer, an edible forest, an experimental garden.
A supporter of “integral ecology”, he did not see this project without a strong social dimension. In this regard, beneficiaries of Restos du Cœur, one of the association’s partners, will be able to grow their own fruits and vegetables. Surpluses will be distributed during food distributions. Finally, the local association GRACES (Gestion Regroupement Administration Contrat Emploi) will be in charge of an integration project benefiting about twenty people.
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