I am launching a crowdfunding campaign, from 22nd March to 22nd April to be able to develop my agricultural and educative project around medicinal plants in the Tarn region of France.
Here is the link for the original page where you can contribute, but it’s all in french, so I have translated all the info below:)
https://www.miimosa.com/fr/projects/partager-la-passion-des-medicinales
You can also click here to directly see all the available rewards (if you look at the amount, then you can find the corresponding reward on the original page)
I have chosen to go this route to fund the beginning of my project, rather than through the usual bank channel for a few reasons. One being that it makes more sense that a project for the community is funded by the community:) Another one is that my project is a small-scale project, that offers alternative and doesn’t always fit in a box, so banks and agricultural funding are not really adapted for what I am trying to create (and to be honest, I cannot deal with anymore of the french administration!!)
So have a read and see if something takes your fancy, or if you cannot contribute, you can be of great help by sharing this project. Thank you so much for supporting a small project and helping bring back information around herbal medicine – that was for so long the medicine of the people!
Among the various rewards (all the products are certified organic): hydrosols (floral water by distillation in a copper alambic, alternative to essential oils), personalized herbal products, kits to make your own salve and lip balm, workshops (from 1/2 day to 5 days), visits to the farm, do a distillation of your favorite plants with me, themes herbal products box and many more!
Help me create a space to welcome people to share my passion for medicinal plants and offer distillation workshops in the Southwest of France.
The project
Hello everyone!
Let me introduce myself : Adeline, obsessed by plants (growing – organic of course !- foraging, making herbal products,…), Nature and simplicity! I am just starting a small-scale, organic medicinal plants farm – to transform and sell directly to the public – in the Tarn ; as well as developing a touristic activity around discovering the power of medicinal herbs through farm visits & various workshops.
It is while doing my Msc in psychological Anthropology in London that I discovered the power of plants with medicine men & women in Peru. Beyond their extensive knowledge of the plants, their environment and ecosystem, and their humility to know when to refer their patient to Western medicine, what really touched me was their connection with an ancestral knowledge and the way that a person’s health was looked at holistically: their emotional state, what was happening in their life at that moment, their place in their community, their environment and the natural world, all contributing to keep someone’s health in balance.
Back in Europe, I was lucky to be introduced to herbal medicine by a trained herbalist who had also studied with a north american medicine woman, where I found a similar approach to health. This was also the beginning of my obsession with plants, to the point – if I’m really being honest – that it feels like they are the ones taking the big decisions for me in my life!!! I start to spend hours looking at a small square of grass where I see many treasures, and let’s not speak about the ones you find in hedges and my tendency to drive very slowly on country lanes to spot
all the « weeds » that are growing at the moment! And I didn’t even mention the fact that the tiny space I live in is now full of dried plants, jam jars full of different mixtures & other accessories of a witch in training!
And then ,after over 15 years spent travelling & living abroad, the plants decided that it was time for me to go back to my roots and move back to France and settle down so that I could grow them. Let’s stay that fro a nomadic soul, it wasn’t something I had thought about, but the desire to go back to the Land and live in a simple way, with the rhythms of the seasons (and the need to have space for plants) got the better of me!
On my return, I take a year long agricultural course specialized in medicinal plants, with long periods of working on herb farms, with essential oils distillators, wldcrafters, growers and various period of wwofing after that and learn at the same time to fall in love with France and her various landscapes again.
But the main way I learn about plants, is from the plants themselves, by observing them, harvesting them, making medicine from them, tasting, smelling, experimenting their effect on me through a deeper listening of my body, as well as reading heaps of books about them that come to take over the last corners left in my small living space!
At the same time, keep training in herbal medicine, and deepen my knowledge after finding an approach that speaks to my heart: vitalist herbalism.It is a practice of herbal medicine that is very lively, it doesn’t limit itself to learning boring plants lists and their actions or to replace a drug by a plant but that looks at people unique specificities and at their health holistically. It also looks at the relationship between plant and people and tries to follow the natural body’s intelligence, ts vital force,to support it in what it already know to do very well – but just needs a herbal nudge once in a while:) – rather than just trying to suppress a symptom and ignoring the root cause. And I keep training everyday because you can never know enough about plant, and they anyway won’t leave me rest!
I am also fascinated by the way plants can really support our health, not only at the physical level, but also for our mind and emotions. And I love finding a person’s specific herbal allies, or in other words, matching plants & people:)
But let’s get back to now! After over 3 years of looking for a piece of land to start growing my precious plants friends – and trying to figure out where in France I should start my life over! – I find myself, without consciously deciding it – and I suspect that the plants had planned that all along! – back to the land of my ancestors, about 1h away from where I grew up (and have since learnt that I can trace ancestors from my 2 main lines back to at least the 1700!). So it’s really back to the roots in every way!
So this years marks the beginning of me finally starting to grow medicinal plants – who were really starting to wonder if it would ever happen! I will be growing them on pasture land that was used by my grand parents and that my uncle graciously let’s me use. it hasn’t been used for over 20 years, so I was able to get certified organic immediately yipppi!!! This will be (very) small-scale on about 2500m2, and I will be making them into products that doesn’t need too much plant matter so that I can stay close to my philosophy of really looking after the land, the soil and the plants. Everything will be done by hand and by yours truly, from seeds to finished products!
My small-scale approach and my philosophy didn’t exactly fit in with the banks and big agricultural fundings, so this is why I decided to turn towards you all for help – while you also receive some nice rewards to experience the power and beauty of plant medicine yourself! And it made sense to have a project for the community funded by the community:) (while also avoiding filling the pockets of institutions that do not always take care of our beautiful planet!)
Aprt from growing medicnal herbs and making harbal medicine products, I am also very passionate about sharing my passion for plants and support people to take back their health in their own hands and invite plants in their life and in their garden so that everyone can benefit from nature’s generosity!
For the growing side of things, some small savings and a loan from my family helped me get started with 4000€ which allowed me to buy a greenhouse, seeds, water infrastructure, tools… so that I could get my first range of products going this year.
At the same time, I also launched at the end of last year a series of workshops on herbal medicine & medicine making locally through an association (and yes, in English too as there is a lovely community of English-speakers around here!) which happen in my home for now, but i would like to build a small shed on the land so that we can continue to learn about the plants with them being present!
And I also would like to be able to receive people visiting the region or people coming from afar especially for this, who are wanting to learn about herbal medicine for a few hours, a day or a few day for plant retreats where you can learn everything you want about plants, leave with your own herbal medicine chest & taste all sorts of herbal treats and herbal teas!
So it’s mainly to put in place what need to receive people and some material to offer workshop that need your help with for this crowdfunding campaign. The reason why I’m doing this now, is that the french crowdfunding website Miimosa has partnered with AirBnB & Bienvenue à la Ferme, to offer from 1000€ to 5000€ extra to 10 projects whose crowdfunding campaign is successful. So this is definitely an extra incentive for me as it would really help me kickstart my project without as much of the financial stress that is associated with a new venture.
The land is in a beautiful, lively and touristy area of the Southwest of France (you can learn more in the about section of this website) and I would be delighted to welcome you here and spend some time together with the plants. The proximity of touristic sites – while having the tranquility of a countryside setting – is definitely an asset for the success of my project that has been brewing and growing in me for a long time!
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me adeline (at) rythmesdelaterre.com
A big thank you to you all for contributing/supporting/sharing this project!!!!
How is the crowdfunding going to be used?
The first thing I need to be able to welcome people, I will need a wooden cabin of about 20m2, so that people who come for a farm visit or a workshop can have a space to sit, make a herbal product, have a herbal tea and be dry when raining!
The second thing I’ll need is a copper still/alambic to make floral water and share this alchemical process (the same process -mostly – as when distilling essential oils) during workshops as well as during local plant markets and others.
The budget can be broken down as followed:
- 1 600€ for a wooden cabin and its installation
- 150€ pour for a compost loo cabin
- 1 300€ for a copper still
- 280€ for the commission that the crowdfunding website takes
- 170€ for posting and packaging of the rewards
If, with great joy, the amount ended up being beyond the original target, the money will be used for :
- 400€ for extra laboratory material for the still
- 350€ for storage material of the hydrosols + various items to make the cabin comfortable + other materials needed to run the medicine making workshops
- 300€ to buy some extra plants to grow
- 200€ to improve the water system
And, i don’t yet dare to dream beyond that, but who knows!!:
- 2000€ for a bigger car so that I can transport the copper still more easily to various events & to make farm work a bit easier:)
THE REWARDS:
https://www.miimosa.com/fr/projects/partager-la-passion-des-medicinales
- For 10 € or more
A big thank you !
A little step for you, a big one for me:) A big thank you on the Facebook page + exclusive offers not available to the general public for a year.
Availability: October 2019
Shipping : Europe
- For 20 € or more
Hydrosol & recipes
10€ Reward + a 200ml hydrosol of your choice + a hydrosol recipe booklet (cooking, natural cosmetics,…)
Availability : November 2019
Shipping : Europe (or in person)
Limit : 150
- For 25 € or more
A personalized hydrosol synergy
10€ Reward+ send me a short email about yourself & i will create a personalized hydrosol synergy for your physical/mental/emotional wellbeing.
Availability : November 2019
Shipping : Europe (or in person)
Limit : 50
- For 35 € or more
Personalized visit
10€ Reward + a personalized 1h30 visit of the farm & info on medicinal plants & herbal tea tasting (for up to 2 people)+ 1 medicinal plant seedling to take away
Availability : August 2019
Shipping : In person
Limit : 30
- For 45 € or more
A kit to make your own salve & lip balm
10€ Reward+ Everything (ingredients, containers) you need to make a salve & a lip balm with the infused oils of your choice + a how to video + a recipe booklet to inspire you to make other salves.
Availability : November 2019
Shipping : Europe (or in person)
Limit : 35
- For 55 € or more
Themed gift box
10€ Reward + A gift box with 3 herbal products + a booklet with self-care/health tips & recipes around the theme of your choice (anti-stress, digestion, winter ailments, women’ health, emotional balance): A hydrosol synergy + an herbal infused oil + a flower essence or a vinegar
Availability : November 2019
Shipping : Europe (or in person)
Limit : 45
- Pour 65 € ou plus
A personalized half-day around medicinal plants
10€ Reward + A personalized 4h workshop around medicinal plants on the theme of your choice (and an optional visit to the farm + we’ll make a herbal product together that you’ll take away + a medicinal plant seedling
Availability : August 2019
Shipping : In person
Limit : 25
- For 75 € or more
Workshop distillation of your own plants
10€ Reward+ A distillation workshop (around 3h) of the plant of your choice that grows in your garden (max 2kg) & of course you keep the result of the distillation! (around 1l of hydrosol for 1kg of plants). f you don’t have your own plants, we can distillate plants from the farm or foraging. You can invite up to 2 people to join you.
Availability : August 2019
Shipping : In person (or at your home within 30km of Cordes-Sur-Ciel)
Limit : 15
- For 85 € or more
A Feminine Wellbeing gift box + an online class
10€ Reward + A gift box with 4 products to take care of yourself physically/mentally/emotionally at the different phases of your woman’s life (different option: menstrual years, fertility, menopause, beyond menopause): 1 plant glycerite blend + 1 herbal infused oil + 1 hydrosol synergy + 1 flower essence + a 1h30 online class + 7 monographs of plants that have an affinity with the feminine
Availability : November 2019
Shipping : Europe (or in person)
Limit : 35
- For 110 € or more
A day long plant immersion
Same reward as the one at 65€ but for the whole day + 1 lunch & herbal snack and herbal tea tasting
Availability: August 2019
Shipping : In person
Limit : 15
- For 135 € or more
A personalized gift box
The 10€ Reward+ A personalized gift box with 6 products (1 hydrosol synergy + 1 herbal glycerite blend + 1 flower essence + 1 infused oil + 1 herbal vinegar + 1 syrup); we chat 30min on the phone/skyp or you send me a detailled email & I’ll concoct 6 products for your wellbeing + a little PDF explanation on my choice of plants
Availability : November 2019
Shipping : Europe (or in person)
Limit : 15
- For 165 € or more
A workshop at your home (or mine) for up to 4 people
The 10€ Reward + A 4h personalized workshop on the themes of your choice at your home (within 50km of Cordes-Sur-Ciel) or mine. Every participant will take a herbal product that we’ll make together + A medicinal plant seedling.
Availability : November 2019
Shipping : In person (or at your home within 50km of Cordes-sur Ciel)
Limit : 9
- For 300 € or more
A 3 days plant immersion
The 10€ reward+ A 3 days immersion (excluding accommodation & evening meal) to learn more about plants (their uses, how to grow them, how to forage them, how to make your own herbal medicine chest & anything else that you might want to know) + 3 herbal products that we’ll make together to take away with you + 3 medicinal plant seedlings + 3 hydrosols.
Availability : Agustt 2019
Shipping : In person
Limit : 7
For 500 € or more
A 5 days plant immersion
The same as above but with 5’s instead of 3’s! + a foolow up once a month for 5 months for your questions, 30min via phone/skype or email
Availability: August 2019
Shipping : In person
Limit : 5
https://www.miimosa.com/fr/projects/partager-la-passion-des-medicinales