The car drives along a winding gravel road, a path that meanders between imposing elevations taken over by vegetation. The route to Sa Vall de la Nou, located between Petra and Manacor, has some adventure. The vehicle wobbles, raises a cloud of dust that dissolves after a few seconds. The view through the side windows gives us a pastoral landscape: crop fields dotted with citrus trees; wild olive trees and bushes as guardians of a wild path. Margalida Bonet drives safely along an itinerary she knows like the back of her hand. The path becomes narrow, like the neck of a funnel. The branches of a fig tree scratch the mirrors and Margalida warns us: soon we will run out of cover. Soon we will arrive at the farm where the project she directs with an admirable taco, T'Estim, works its particular miracle with nature.
The car stops in the shade of a walnut tree, next to a rustic-looking house whose stones resist the passage of time. We are accompanied by the chirping of birds and the bells of sheep, which chime from the slopes of the valley. A kite hovers above our heads and we think the welcome could not be more idyllic. "You are in an irrigation community. Here the water is distributed through irrigation ditches and we receive it on Monday. We use it to fill the cistern". Water plays a leading role in a project like T'Estim, because its medicinal and aromatic plants are hydrated thanks to the irrigation system that sustains the entire region. The stream that runs next to the planting and delimits the perimeter of the farm also supplies thyme, rosemary, lemon verbena, lemon balm, marigold and other species that produce organic teas and infusions.
We stroll among the crops, the earth crunches under our feet and our nostrils surrender to the orgy of smells. In front of the fennel field, Margalida stops and explains to us how such a complete and solidary project was inaugurated. She points to some orange trees. "Before, you couldn't see them because the brambles covered them. We realized they were here during the first year, when we cleaned the farm. The second year we planted them and were able to pick some. We presented the infusions in December and now we are making ourselves known, which is always difficult".
"We have experienced spectacular cases that give you goose bumps".
This initiative stands on the shoulders of Estel de Llevant, a non-profit organization aimed at caring for people suffering from mental health problems. Beyond the organic production of herbal teas and teas, T'Estim creates jobs for those who suffer from psychological disorders. There are about twenty people who are dedicated to the planting, care and harvesting of these plants that then, through a procedure that flees from pesticides and fertilizers, grant a natural product that depends on the Mediterranean climate. "We have three dual training groups. And two of these groups are designed for vulnerable people with a mental health disability certificate. We offer them a paid contract and they work here in the valley. These are people who are eager to work".
Sa Font de na Memòria is a millenary fountain that has been known for centuries. It is the one that distributes the so precious water to Sa Vall de la Nou. Its current flows through a network of irrigation ditches, making the soil of the place fertile. From its sediments a flora is born that, in spring, explodes in colors. Opportunities, on the other hand, also take root in it and give fruit to those who deserve it. Margalida does not hide her satisfaction when asked about the evolution of T'Estim's workers. "We have experienced spectacular cases that give you goosebumps. People who don't have good life prospects come here. They find themselves evicted. And just by having a job, they make a dramatic change. They need to feel useful, valued and financially independent. According to her, these improvements are also attributable to the sensations that Sa Vall de la Nou radiates. Vibrations that we witnessed when we let ourselves be rocked by the acoustics of nature. A geographical isolation that connects us to the sound of the wind, the chirping of insects, the gurgle of water. The collaborative work in this wild place exerts a kind of enchantment.
"You have to love to remove the stigma".
T'Estim's team lends its hands to treat what such fertile ground provides. After a while, they move the plants to the outskirts of Manacor. The product arrives directly from the field to the nursery, not even a day goes by before the drying process begins; the transition is immediate. The dryer, as if that were not enough, works from a solar energy collector that traps the heat. Then everything goes through the painstaking task of leaf removal, a manual procedure that requires patience and the good work of Fatma, the person who carries out the task when we arrive at the nursery. Her henna-tattooed fingernails delicately detach the leaves from the stems. The nursery premises, even when they are empty waiting for the next harvest, still give off an intense smell of lavender. "In September we might pick mint again, because in theory it has to sprout again".
All the stages that complete this assembly line are committed to sustainability. Even the final packaging phase has packaging that is one hundred percent compostable. "The entire process, from the seedling to the final product, is carried out without using any chemical elements and following the most appropriate environmental criteria: low water requirements, natural manure and rejection of phytosanitary products. Everything is certified by the CBPAE". One of the infusions that make up its catalog, a mixture of sage, lemon verbena, fennel, lemon balm and calendula called Dona, has won the award for Ecological Product of the Year.
This idea launched by Estel de Llevant - promoted under the umbrella of SOIB - has a strong component of social responsibility. The day we visited the nursery, in the packaging room there were numerous bags in the form of gifts. Their destination is the IV Race and March for Suicide Prevention, held this year in Manacor, organized by AFASIB. This is the level of commitment of an initiative that exudes duty to others. Apart from tilling the fields, T'Estim's staff attends training courses in gardening and nursery gardening. The classrooms are located in the heart of the nursery itself. But it is not only a question of protecting the mental health of those who work on the farm. In the opinion of the person leading this project, the mission is to care for the wellbeing of everyone. Because in that sense, the last word has not yet been said. In fact, it is necessary to continue talking about the subject in order to focus on this problem. "The name of this project comes from Estigma (stigma), which if you take away the letter g, it becomes Estima (esteem). You have to love to remove the stigma".
Infusions and teas invite you to take a moment with yourself. To feel good, at ease. They have been developed to enhance the love that we all need.