Our story

I’m Irma – born in South Africa, living in Belgium and working as a medical herbalist, married to Karel, born Belgian, sculptor, counsellor and Body Stress Release practitioner. Teaching and restoring balance in people’s lives has been at the heart of our journey since we opened our first health practice in South Africa in 2008. When life brought us to Belgium in 2011, we continued – but the dream of a space that is truly rooted in nature kept sticking out its naughty head :)

In 2015 we bumped into a 5,000m² piece of land right in the centre of France. No one wanted it – it was too steep, too rugged, too thorny, odd… but when we stood there, surrounded by stillness, birdsong, brambles, hawthorn and a sea of wild carrots and agrimony elegantly rocking to the breeze, we knew: this place holds something hard to pin down. We had to have it and have loved it ever since.

It feels remote, yet it sits on the edge of a tiny village in one of the most beautiful regions of France – Centre-Val de Loire. Nearby is St. Aignan with the river Cher for summer cooling, history-soaked Loches with its bustling Saturday market (and best garlic on earth!), and Montresor – a treasure of riverside beauty and artistry that lives up to its name: “my treasure”.

This land has been resting. We've left it untouched, simply enjoying and dreaming, waiting for the right moment, which has finally arrived. We are so ready to turn all our thoughts, ideas and dreams into a beautiful reality!

Why This Centre Matters

Our core mission is to promote herbal knowledge, and to bring herbalists together - alone we are a drop, together we are an ocean (or a herbal force rather!). Herbal medicine is growing in interest worldwide, especially among people longing for a slower, more connected way of sustaining health. The world needs more herbalists!!

At the same time, more and more people – students and clients alike – are craving face-to-face contact with like-minded souls, real plants, heartfelt conversations and practical, hands-on training. Online learning and browsing for information is great, it is informative, it can bridge many a gap… but it is not the same as smelling, touching, harvesting, asking questions under an elderberry tree.

This centre will be a living classroom, not just a souped-up building. It will become a hub where herbalists in training can finally learn with plants, not only about them. A place of retreat, rewilding, shared knowledge and slowing down.

What We Are Building

Our vision is to turn the existing barn into a warm, open learning space and create a working herbal garden. The purpose of the garden is not to sell herbs, but will be part and parcel of the learning process. To make this possible we need:

This will allow us to host:

Additionally we would love to make the facilities available to other groups, when we are not using it

Why We Are Asking for Help

We have the land.

We have the knowledge.

We have the calling.

What we don’t yet have are the funds to create the infrastructure.

With your help, this land can become a meeting place, an exceptional centre for learning and reconnection – not only for us, but for every future herbalist, student or practitioner who passes through its gates.

There is no formal reward system, but we warmly welcome the idea of contributors using the facilities when we are not teaching, or being part of the early community that helps bring this dream to life. Also the possibility of attending workshops and herbal walks are available, as well as natural products like soap and herbal tea blends…

Whether you give a little, a lot, or simply share this campaign with someone who might want to contribute, you are helping us turn the page. Thank you — truly — for taking the time to dive into our story, and who knows, maybe some day soon, we can thank you in person in the shadow of the oak.

Budget breakdown:

Water connection (50m trench + plumbing) - digging, pipes, connection fees

€3,200

Electricity connection (50m + interior circuit) - trench, cabling, distribution board, lighting

€3,500

Site preparation / clearing - a lot of dead robinia trees that need expert chopping to avoid it falling on the neigbour's fairy garden!

€5.000

Insulated sandwich panels for barn conversion - walls + roof

€12,000 approx.

Cement floor (120m² @ €35/m²) - pouring, reinforcement, labour €4,200

Interior electrics & plumbing - sockets, lights, basic kitchen/wash station

€3,000

Doors / windows / weatherproofing - to secure & seal structure

€3,000

20 raised wooden beds (1.2 x 2m)

€700

Soil, compost & mulch Approx. 6m³

€300

Irrigation system - simple drip line + fittings

€300

Pathways (woodchip) - accessibility + mud and weed control

€800

Barn teaching setup - shelving, benches, jars, drying racks, storage etc. €2,500

Gardening tools - wheelbarrow, spades, hoes, composting tools, rain barrels

€500

Second-hand light-duty tractor with attachments

€6,000