From Milking to Market — My Week on a Small Farm

After spending a week at “Ferme Arc-en-Ciel,” in Juriens, a small village in the Swiss canton of Vaud, I realized that small farms are a world of their own. What stood out to me most was how you’re involved in everything — from production to transformation to selling — every step of the way.

Every morning starts early, with the familiar bleats of goats and the chilly air rushing past my ears. From the farm, you can already see the Alps stretching across the horizon and catch a glimpse of Lake Geneva in the distance.

Alpes et canton de vaud — Countryside between Lausanne and Geneva

From Milking to Feta-Making

Cédric, my dad’s childhood friend who runs the farm, is already milking when I arrive. I try to remember how, last summer, I learned to milk the goats on my own to help him.

milking goats and ewes — Milking — first task of the day.

After finishing with the ewes and goats, we bring the milk to the fromagerie — the little cheese room — where the magic begins. That week, we mostly made feta. We heated the milk, added bacteria, waited for the curds to form, then carefully poured them into molds. The next day, we unmolded the cheese, cut them into thick slices, salted them, lined them up on racks, and later packed them in salty whey. It was hard work, but also fun — Cédric would whistle, joke around, and make the whole process feel light.

goat cheese making — Flipping the cheeses to help them drain evenly.

Cédric and his dad, Nicola Chezeaux —a multi‑generational farm

From Ancient Wheat to Bread-Baking

But what Ferme Arc-en-Ciel is perhaps best known for is its ancient wheat varieties. They don’t just grow the grains — they mill them right on the farm. Nicola still runs the mill. He patiently showed me how to weigh, bag, and label each sack of flour.

In the grain mill, Nicola transforms modern and ancient varieties of wheat, spelt, emmer, einkorn, rye, and buckwheat into flour.
📸 Photo not taken by us — thank you to the author.

ferme arc-en-ciel Juriens — The village shop where they sell their products directly.

On Friday, Amélie, one of Cédric’s daughters, and I baked all the bread for the market. We made over a hundred loaves: whole wheat, seeded bread, tresses, and even chocolate buns.

Saturday at the Farmers Market

Around 7 a.m., we were in Lausanne, setting up the stand. Loaves were stacked high. Jars of jam, syrup, and Nicola’s honey filled the table. The cheeses and meats were chilling in the fridge. Soon, early customers were already arriving. It took me a little while to get the hang of making change and adding up totals, but once it clicked, I loved it.

famers market palud lausanne — One of the best moments was spotting customers pick up the very cheese I had helped make earlier in the week — a rewarding end to the whole process.

What Will Stay With Me

The feeling that a small farm can feel like a whole world — from growing to making to selling. This week, I saw how nature and people can work together in harmony. The farm respects its animals, grows food without chemicals, mills its own organic flour, and sells directly to the community. What makes it even more special is that it’s a true family effort — three generations working side by side, sharing knowledge, skills, and a deep love for their land.

milking goats, making feta and market day — 🎥 Watch my YouTube Short to see the week in action —
from milking to making feta to selling at the farmers market.

🤝 Before You Go

🍞 Is there someone in your family with a skill worth sharing — or learning from? Please email us, we’d love to know. If they’re open to it, we might even write an article about them in a future issue!

💌 New here? You can still catch up — read our previous newsletters here.

Zélia, for SoliaVenture