Washing, peeling, packaging: the farm is equipped with machines to capture new customers
The harvested asparagus is washed, sorted, sold in stores, on the markets, at the Veymerange farm. The Foetz family farm decides to go further. René and his sister Mireille are testing two machines likely to win over new customers. The first peels the freshly picked asparagus: they pass one by one in an alignment of eight rollers equipped with peelers, in order to target all sides. The peeler is adjustable, it adapts to the size of the asparagus.
A second machine takes care of attaching an airtight seal to the tray of peeled and packaged asparagus. “Just put everything in the microwave without piercing the protective film and it cooks in a few minutes”, announces René Foetz. For now, the packaging is plastic. The company that markets this process promises compostable containers, which are more expensive but ecological.
The market gardener gives himself the time to see how the customers react before finalizing his investment. “Consumer habits have changed. We try to respond to the wishes of people who have less time, ”notes the producer from Thionvillois. Difficult to know where the requirements will stop. The farm must sell. She does not rule out using this packaging machine to market her celery, carrots or already grated cabbage.
The farmer must listen to the customer even in his fields: “At the beginning we produced 90% white asparagus, today we have increased the production of green asparagus because there are more recipes with this variety on the internet. »
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