The history of the Domaine de Grangeneuve beganin the 13th century, according to the earliest known mention of a new barn or ‘grangeneuve’ here. The farm, built by the monks of Hauterive Abbey, gave its name to the site. Over centuries, a rich terroir was created producing milk and dairy products on a fertile soil. In the second half of the 19th century, after the monks had been forced out of Hauterive, the canton took over management of the Abbey and the Domaine de Grangeneuve. In 1900, a school was opened to train the region’s young farmers in the practice of agriculture. Its teaching played a key role in preserving and passing on expertise in farming and milkprocessing, and complemented the Station Laitière de Pérolles, set up a fewkilometres away in 1890, where instruction was theory based.
The two schools soon merged at Grangeneuve in anew building that stood on what is now the Institut Agricole’s main car park. Through out the 20th century, the school continued to grow, expanding its curriculum beyondthe fields of milk and agriculture. It offers courses in sectors as varied asagri-food, forest economics, horticulture and even hospitality management.
High standards of training together with the values instilled by the Institut Agricole at Grangeneuve have, undoubtably, been a key contributor to the reputation of the region’s dairy products. Through its respect for tradition and its rigorous programmes, the Institute has helped preserve and enhance the ancestral expertise of farmers and producers, driving towards excellence the processing of milk and its derivatives. Gruyère and Vacherin cheeses, which have been granted AOP and IGP labels certifying their origin and quality, are among the most well known.
The region’s dairy industry is another processor of this valuable raw material, directly sourcing locally produced milk and transforming it into products recognised far and beyond cantonal and national borders.
From pasture to plate, through the commitment andknowledge-sharing of local dairy producers, today’s consumers can enjoy a rangeof outstanding products.
Sources :
- History of Milk, from the Mountains to the City, Anne Philipona
- 'Hauterive (abbey) ', in Historical dictionary of Switzerland (DH)S), version of 29.11.2007, Ernst Tremp
- Centenary of the Agricultural Institute of the State of Fribourg. 100-Jahr-Feier des landwirtschaftlichen Institutes des Kantons Freiburg: 1888-1988 Grangeneuve, Posieux: IAG editions, 1988, Philippe Gex
- Grangeneuve Historical Archives
- Dominique Zamacking, master farmer
