Saturday, February 21, 2009

The largest farm in the world opens today


Like last year and the year before, Le Salon de l'Agriculture (the International Agricultural Show) is now open. Even though we have less and less farmers in France (less than 4% of the active population), the French - and the Parisians in particular - love them. That is why this show is extremely popular. Of course, because of the crisis, time is tough for farmers even though they are heavily subsidized by the European Community (Brussels gives them €10 billion every year).

45 comments:

  1. Ooh, cute little porkers. I'm sorry the farmers (like the rest of us, of course) are having a hard time.

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  2. I remember you post for this from last year, Eric. You always manage to make it to this—like a good farm-loving Parisian.

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  3. Okay, despite my #^&*@ slow computer, I think I actually get GF. Oui?

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  4. Times are tough for everybody, small businesses especially.

    Awwwwww... those are cute! pigs with cow-hide.. a mixed breed? totally cute!

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  5. Wilbur! Babe! J'adore les petits cochons! Comment dit-on "piglets"? They look like they're having sweet dreams.

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  6. A great photographer has an eye for composition. I get to "see" through your artistic eyes. I love it!
    I have a photo of the little piggies who wind up in the Marche St Denis display cases...in this case it is strictly half faces and they too look like ,ahhhh, like they are sleeping.
    Yes, Alexa, you are official GF!

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  7. Merci, Eric! Bon weekend! I'm off for Mexican food tonight - I was thinking about carnitas, but now I've changed my mind!

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  8. Thanks, Phx.

    Like Pont Girl, I'm going to pass on pork tonight!
    Eric -- was it hard to get directly above these petit porcelets for a perfect picture?

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  9. Are they alive? Will M "casse-toi" show up again? ;)

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  10. awww...which piggy went to the market? lol

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  11. Congrats, Alexa! Err, you'll have an interesting crown today ...

    They are adorable, Eric! Aussie farmers are also doing it tough - like all farmers - droughts, floods, you name it. My mum's third hubby is a tomato farmer {sorry, Tomate Farcie}. Thank Heavens for all of these enduring souls!

    {No pork for me tonight, either. Though my hubby kindly gets all of our meat from the meat tree. That's how I prefer to think of it.}

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  12. I love the photo, Eric. Wonderful composition. They're adorable little piggies. We were going to have pork roast tonight but have decided we prefer left-over pasta instead.

    I'm told pigs are smart and make good pets. I haven't tested that, though.

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  13. Cuteeeee!!!!!!!!

    I don't like to think they will end up at Pied de Cochon... although I know I'm being naivy, they will probably end up in some place like that :(


    On a lighter note, I saw the Moulin ROuge dancers today!!!!!!!! They were all dressed up for the show, I even saw they dancing and singing a little during a press conference at the hotel.
    They are gorgeous!!! It felt (a bit) like Paree!!!!!!!

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  14. From Cali, the same thought went through my head as well - **THWWAPPP!**THWWAPPP!**THWWAPPP!**THWWAPPP!**

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  15. oh my Eric! You have perfectly captured how sweetly contented these guys are sleeping there altogether. Love this!

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  16. I wonder if Monsieur Le President will be calling anyone names this year?? Remember last year.."pauvre con"!! LOL!!! Maybe Carla will keep him in check this year!

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  17. For one second I thought I wasn't in Paris. Wonderfully contented piglets and beautifully captured.

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  18. I'm signing on in my new French name today! : ) (Formerly Carrie).

    I can't believe its been a year.

    Petrea I absolutely love your new photo. Its beautiful. Alexa - congrats on GF.

    Eric - yes, how did you get up directly above them??

    I love this photo and I love that the French are in love with their farms and farm animals. I didn't know that about them. When I first visited France and was driving around the countryside I used to stop and watch the cows (sometimes I'd sing to them!). I fell in love with les vaches on that trip. Oh, la belle France - tu me manques!

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  19. OOOH!! It still registered me as Carrie even though I put my name in as Caro! Well, I guess there's no escaping reality. ;}

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  20. "A pig, a pig, my kingdom for a pig!" "Withdraw, my lord; I'll help you to a pig."

    I do love Shakespare ribs! and I love this photo too. :-)

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  21. Coltrane: I can't wait to read what Jeff or TG will counter with. You guys crack me up.

    Tomate: they probably are a mixed breed. Mutts are in. :D

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  22. These are really cute little snoozing piggies, and are probably dreaming of a better fate than the one that awaits them.

    I think the GF rules are positively stupid. I don't believe Eric made them up, and I don't think it's right that a third party did.

    As long as the first commenter mentions in some way the actual photo,and doesn't make a generic comment, I think that's fine, and Nikita Debeau is GF today...as if that really matters.

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  23. Carrie, I shall think of you as Caro forever more, even if blogger chooses otherwise.

    TG: Have you been taking photos in my backyard again?

    ROFL, Coltrane!

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  24. This little piggy went to market,
    This little piggy stayed home,
    This little piggy had roast beef,
    This little piggy had none;
    And these little piggies went wee wee wee all the way to PDP.

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  25. Is it me or is everyone in competition for the funniest commenter?
    Coltrane you are the best!I am going to be laughing for a while... oink oink...

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  26. Ooooh soooo cute.
    Piglets in Paris - not what you would expect.

    The photo is great. They lay as if they were arranged (did you do that,Eric ?) and the colours are lovely.

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  27. Considering that I've been posting pics of a play called "The First Pig in Heaven," I guess it's appropriate that I find someone who posted a pic of real pigs!

    The piglets are so adorable, but such sad news about your farmers. But they sound so much more appreciated in Europe. I'm afraid they're not yet well taken care of in the Philippines. Sad and wrong, considering the fact that we are so dependent on them.

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  28. he he Michael, I like it.
    What sweet little piglets all snuggled up there.
    Farmers in the UK are having a hard time too, I know. I don't think they get much help at all and are diversifying, running accommodation establishments, workshops etc., just to stay afloat.
    Hi Caro!

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  29. When you find out how our little porcelets have been fed you will understand why they look so contented.

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  30. Merci Shell Sherree!
    Bonjour, Lynn!
    - Caro : )

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  31. I rather like the runt of the litter. They are cute. Trouble is they grow up to be enormous!

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  32. Michael, that's as cute as the little piglets themselves!

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  33. You guys are a hoot!
    Shell -- I was rather hoping to hang a silk purse on the crown today, but then I remembered the rule, so I guess it'll have to be "a pig foot and a bottle of beer."
    TG -- OMG, is that Carla in that photo. I've heard of a wet nurse, but never a pet nurse—that may be taking the milk of human kindness a bit too far!

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  34. This little piggy....

    Cute little porkers, but I have to say I still like bacon!

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  35. you're clever too, Alexa!

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  36. As we near the end of comments for today's Paris Daily Photo this may soon be appropriate.

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  37. Heavily subsidized but still nearly impossible to make a living. We pay 2012 prices for feed and the price we are paid for lambs is less than it was 25 years ago. Forget wool...we are talking 1940. We have 300 sheep in the Basque Country if we didn't sell milk we could not cover the cost of the business.
    les charges of the self-employed need to be paid like any other business (as well as insurance etc). When my Sheepfarmer was ill for a whole year with NO Income coming in he had no rights to allocation malady even though he pays into it...
    Farming is a 7 day a week job, weekends included and no holidays. I am sure that at the end of the year hours worked are not even paid. Flu? Forget the luxury of staying in bed...livestock depends on you.
    I resent the comments regarding subsidies because I myself used to make the same...until I married a farmer. I now understand why less and less people do it. It is a thankless job and it is tough.
    I invite you for a week's stay anytime and I am sure you will eat your words.

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