The Domaine d'Haugimont boasts 56.5 hectares of meadows, including 11 hectares of high-stem orchards of old varieties of cultivated apple trees managed organically.
Meadows
Pastures are amended with composted manure from the Centre de Recherches Ovines. This is an exemplary practice.
All the pastures are also listed as Site of Great Biological Interest (SGIB) due to the presence of fairly rare species. This area is subject to periodic inventories and specific maintenance as part of the implementation of Agro Environnemental and Climatic Measures (MAEC).
Three ponds have been created in the grazed areas, helping to strengthen the area's ecological network. Four other ponds will also see the light of day in October 2024 as part of the implementation of a project to develop the network of ponds in agricultural environments with Natagora. Find out more.
The orchard and organic apples
UNamur has the largest organic high-stem orchard of old varieties in Wallonia. 600 trees spread over 11 hectares where over 400 ewes graze peacefully. Until 2023, the orchards included 25 different old varieties.
Since then, a project to rejuvenate them has been launched to complete this exceptional heritage with the planting of 80 new apple trees from 25 other different old varieties from the collection of the Agronomic Research Center (CRA-W).
Apple production is valorized in a short circuit:
- the public has the opportunity to harvest 5 tons of apples during the traditional marauding in autumn
- apples are pressed on site