Hybrid Workers Finding Fulfillment in Part-Time Farming
In response to burnout and a desire for purpose, a growing number of professionals are combining city jobs with part-time farming in France. This trend, supported by the organization Slasheurs-cueilleurs, enables urban professionals to cultivate land and produce food while maintaining the financial security of city jobs. The movement is growing as individuals look to bridge the benefits of rural and urban lifestyles, creating a balanced hybrid approach that many say brings fulfillment.
From Digital to Dirt: Merging City Life with Rural Work
For people like Julien Maudet, a data engineer who also makes cider, and Matthew Charlton, a Sorbonne professor turned watercress farmer, the blend of urban and agricultural work provides both intellectual engagement and a hands-on connection to nature. This “slasher” lifestyle, as it’s called in France, embraces a blend of tech-driven careers and manual labor that allows these workers to find renewed purpose.
Charlton, for example, balances his teaching schedule with cultivating watercress in Essonne, a region south of Paris, where he enjoys both physical labor and the satisfaction of harvesting produce for farm shops and restaurants. "The beauty of watercress is that you don’t need machinery or massive investment," he explains, underscoring the simplicity and fulfillment this lifestyle brings.
Burnout to Balance: How Hybrid Farming Can Address Office Fatigue
Many “slashers” are drawn to part-time farming for its sense of purpose and low investment. Marie Paitier, a cider-maker and part-time HR consultant, and her husband turned to rural life to escape the emotional toll of their urban careers. Now, they live in Normandy with their children and find a balance that allows them to pursue fulfilling work without abandoning the city completely. For her, this mix represents an ideal balance: a stable income, meaningful work, and a more connected lifestyle.
The Environmental and Social Impact of Hybrid Farming
Maudet sees this model as a potential solution for agricultural sustainability. With more people involved in small-scale, organic farming, local food quality improves, and the reliance on large-scale, industrialized farms decreases. As technology enables flexible work schedules and remote roles, this hybrid model offers a feasible way for professionals to contribute to agriculture, support rural communities, and find a greater sense of purpose.
A Movement for the Modern Era
The hybrid career approach embraced by Slasheurs-cueilleurs reflects a larger shift toward lifestyles that prioritize fulfillment, sustainability, and balanced living. As the pressures of office life grow and environmental concerns take center stage, this model provides a pathway to meaningful work that blends the best of urban and rural life. For these new-age “hunter-gatherers,” technology, flexibility, and a desire for balance are driving a movement toward more resilient, purpose-driven careers