Our Partner ADATRIS: Putting Plant Intelligence to Work

Posted on: 13 • 11 • 2020
 

François is a medicinal and aromatic plant grower in Anjou. Mint, chamomile, borage, calendula, sunflower, fennel, cornflower, and nasturtium are just some of the plants he cultivates with expertise and passion. Together with a network of around twenty dedicated growers across the Pays de la Loire and Champagne regions, he is committed to promoting the richness and potential of the plant world.

If I tell you that he is not a grower “like any other,” you might immediately think of pesticide-free, insecticide-free cultivation, 100% certified organic, and entirely French-grown production. And you would be right—but that would only scratch the surface of his truly holistic relationship with the living world.

For him, caring for people's health begins with cultivating medicinal plants in harmony with nature.

With a background in agronomy, François adapts his work to the natural rhythm and cycles of nature. As he observes plants growing, he has come to realize that they interact with one another, communicate, adapt, retain memories, and even move. This hidden life, largely imperceptible to humans, often goes unnoticed by most of us as we navigate increasingly busy and demanding lives.

Adatris verveine champs

And yet, a growing number of researchers, agronomists, and forest rangers are highlighting the remarkable interconnectedness of living beings. Their conclusions are unanimous: diversity and proximity between different species create complementarities that enable living organisms to perform a wider range of functions and become more resilient and adaptable.

Beyond genetic evolution, research has revealed the existence of highly symbiotic relationships among living organisms: mutual support, complementarity, interdependence, and even forms of fusion that can give rise to entirely new species.

Human beings must encourage interactions between species in order to preserve biodiversity and help it thrive in a world where climate change is putting increasing pressure on nature: diversifying crops while maintaining natural habitats such as grassy strips, fallow land, and hedgerows.

Today, this network of growers, organized through regional hubs in Vendée, Charente, Anjou, Normandy, and Champagne, cultivates 25 species of organic plants, producing around 200 tonnes annually while actively promoting the protection of ecosystems and biodiversity.

The landscapes are managed as a mosaic of habitats, with crops rotated across plots and monoculture strictly avoided. The growers also continuously explore ways to make better use of agricultural by-products, including recycling plant stems when only the petals are harvested and used.

They personally taste the plants they grow, and some are even able to identify, in a blind tasting, the region where a particular mint was cultivated. To reinforce a commitment that extends far beyond the plants themselves, they have also pursued Fair Trade and Organic certification through Bio Partenaire, ensuring fair compensation for growers and promoting distribution through specialist retail networks.

A long-term commitment that is reflected in the solidarity among growers, who support one another whenever difficulties arise, particularly in the event of poor harvests.

Adatris champs plantes bio

Implementing such an approach requires a way of assessing the value that farmers provide to biodiversity. This is why François created the BiodiScore© index, which combines four key factors to evaluate the level of connectivity between species within cultivated plots. An additional source of motivation for those who work the land!

This approach resonates deeply with us and reflects our own commitment to protecting nature and sourcing organic and Fair Trade teas, herbal infusions, and botanical ingredients. The future belongs to committed and innovative growers!

Discover François's calendula flower petals in our organic sleep herbal infusion.

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Posted in: Commitment

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