Guillaume visited an autonomous farm in Jura and shares his trip with us.

My visit to the Jura with the anarchists of Longo Maï

I finally had the opportunity to meet the mythical eco-resisters who have taken refuge in the mountains since the 1970s! It deserved a little write-up, thanks Maëlle for the suggestion!

So, Longo Maï is a network of about ten cooperatives in France, Switzerland (in canton Jura, at the Montois farm near the village of Undervelier, and the association’s headquarters in Basel), Austria, Germany, Romania, and Ukraine. The movement originated in Provence in 1973, inspired by the 60’s idealsand advocates for self-management in a horizontal democratic mode, an egalitarian society, farming agriculture, to remain free and preserve nature. « Longo maï, » a Provencal greeting meaning « May it last a long time! » remains a daily challenge even after around 50 years of existence. A lesson of humility, but also the reality of alternative farming movements!

I can’t quite recall when I first heard about this group, perhaps through a dreamy mountain-loving friend fascinated by the idea of autonomy. For the past few years, I’ve been actively researching communal living initiatives trying to reconnect with nature and explore sustainable lifestyles, perhaps the seeds of a post-collapse society, or survival rafts that could be developed and systematized in times of crisis. At the very least, a way to live certain ideals, on the fringes of a society that seems hell-bent on going down a destructive path. Longo Maï welcomes interns and visitors; an anarchist friend who knows them put me in touch (though they do have a website: prolongomaif.ch), and a date is set for a little visit during a November weekend!

I travel with my daughter, taking the train to Bassecourt, passing through Bienne, Moutier, and Delémont. Beautiful landscapes in the steep and forested hills of Jura. We are picked up at the station by car, because buses are infrequent on Saturdays. The Montois farm is located near Undervelier, a small hamlet with some notable buildings: its restaurant, taken over by a collective that emphasizes cultural events, and its former hotel, which may also be taken over by a cooperative. Politically, all sensitivities are present in the region, I’m told: from the rather conservative hunting association to the housing collective of young people with a revolutionary tendency. It’s seen as a richness to collaborate with people who have different viewpoints, according to a young woman, a member of the housing collective which I met at the folk concert given that evening for a birthday. Nevertheless, there is a fertile ground for collective action, perhaps linked to the Jura history of workers’ struggles or for political independence. There are also opportunities: the region is sparsely populated, and there are abandoned houses. A young wanderer from Zurich I met at the same party is looking for a place to settle with a group of friends he’s bringing from Portugal! Oh yes, here they speak both German and French. I also met some Turkish immigrants who are managing as best as they can in German.

The Montois farm covers about ten hectares, with sheep, chickens, one or two horses for field work, a pond with ducks, beehives, a vegetable garden of about 1000 square meters with two greenhouses, some fruit trees, and the forest all around, providing mushrooms, firewood, and sometimes trunks that can be turned into boards at the local sawmill. The pond used to host fish, but not anymore, as they didn’t have time to take care of it. The vegetable garden is mainly used to feed the residents, who also exchange products with other farms in the region, for example dairy. The sheep’s wool is sent to the Chantemerle spinning mill in the French Alps, which produces clothing sold at the farm’s shop. In the shop, you can also find cooked or fermented preserves, jams, honey, olive oil from a partner farm in Greece, coffee, herbal teas, plant extracts, and political pamphlets. The farm also relies on donations to the movement, collected in part by the Basel presence. This week, cooperative members from Longo Maï who came up from Provence are visiting to participate in a fundraising campaign.

Counting visitors, there are usually about twenty people at Montois. Four families reside there permanently, a couple approaching retirement has been there for thirty or forty years, and the others, younger with children, 4 or 5, from 4 to 12 years old, enjoy themselves with communal cooking activities, the trampoline in the garden, and the surrounding nature in this idyllic setting. My daughter joins the group! The atmosphere is relaxed; it’s the weekend, a time to rest. Some read in the living room, but others cook, a cooperative baker prepares focaccia for the folk concert in the evening, some of the children make cupcakes, and hummus is also prepared. A strategic meeting takes place in the attic, where it seems political discussions happen (judging by the anarchist, anti-militarist, anti-capitalist posters in the corridors or bathrooms, or the titles of books in the library). Denise, the wife of the older couple, takes care of some administrative tasks.

During the meal, organizational matters are discussed. I talk with the group’s herbalist, who explains to me the legal constraints that make it very complicated to sell extracts of medicinal plants for small structures. We exchange thoughts on the state of the world and ways to change it. The welcome is friendly, even if the cooperators have little time to spare for me. It must be said that even on the weekend, there are tasks and chores, and they need quiet. Denise will take care of giving me a tour of the farm. I try to lend a hand and show interest without imposing myself. It’s evident that life at Montois is not easy every day, and there is a lot to do! Before leaving, I chat with the older man, whose name I forget. He asks me how I found out about them, what I do. He gives me addresses of people he knows in the Geneva region, suggests putting me on the newsletter list (exclusively in paper format). Longo Maï is a network that extends over a large part of the European territory, and their letter contains first-hand information about political and ecological struggles in the countries where they are present.

Sunday afternoon, it’s time to leave. A little « tschuss mittenand » (goodbye everyone) around, and we set off on foot with backpacks to take the bus. The children follow us running; they are heading to the trampoline. Ernestina had a great time and would love to come back. For me, it’s a bit as I had imagined it, a simple and « aligned » life, well-filled. Diverse personalities, sometimes warm, sometimes more challenging to approach. A fair amount of goodwill!

If you want to know more and meet people from Montois, they will be at the Grottes Market from December 7th to 10th. Take the opportunity to taste their products and express your interest to the Workteam « producers » (GT producteurs)!

– Guillaume Schlaepfer