My land in Fuveau is where it all began.

My father had been looking for a place to store his equipment for a while, as he worked in construction. One day, after searching for a long time, he found an open gate. He went inside and discovered a malnourished woman and man in a shed. He called the emergency services, who told him that they were siblings. The neighbours who were supposed to be looking after them were letting them die. It's a crazy story. My father was in shock. The man had advanced gangrene and did not survive, while 'Granny Moustier' lived for another four years.

The neighbours had already prepared the paperwork to inherit the five-hectare plot of land. Ultimately, all of this was cancelled. The two landowners had debts, so my father sold the land to pay them off and then bought part of it back.

When he died two years ago, I inherited the land with my brother and sister. It is agricultural land. I tried to convince my siblings to keep it and work on it together. My brother will take care of all the mechanical aspects, my sister will handle communications, and I will be the farmer. The land had been left to fall into disrepair, so we are cleaning it up and rebuilding the fences.

I have had this idea for a long time. When we were children, our father used to say, “This plot will be David's, this one will be Marie France's, and this one will be Michèle's.” We've always had a very strong connection to this land, and we want to restore it to its former glory. I have a CAP (vocational training certificate) in floristry, and although I was involved in something completely different for years, I have always loved plants and flowers.

I was an administrative manager and one day, I had a breakdown at work. I had knee surgery and was off work for several months. My manager used to come and check on me at home in secret. Two years ago, I decided to leave everything behind. Pôle Emploi is funding my training and, thanks to the BP REA, I have all the information I need to access subsidies. I can't wait to get my project off the ground. I don't want to grow vegetables, but pistachios and Provençal herbs. I'd like to start planting in the autumn.

I want to promote Provençal terroir; pistachio trees were grown here from the 7th to the 19th century. Then they were all uprooted to make way for vineyards.

I love this tree and its fruit! I am a member of the France Pistache union and I am trying to get the right information about growing pistachio trees. I think the most suitable for my land is the Terebinthus, which is perfect for the Provence region because of its root system. It will take between 5 and 8 years to get the fruit. It's a long time, but I'm patient!

Pistachios are very popular. I've already approached chefs and ice cream makers, and they're all enthusiastic. They're tired of buying products that come from far away. Why should pistachios travel all the way from California when we can grow them here?

In the meantime, Provençal herbs will allow me to grow crops more quickly: thyme, rosemary, savory, the mixture used in the Provençal herb recipe, even if it is labelled and I cannot use the name. For the moment, I am going through the administrative procedures and trying to understand where I can buy organic plants, according to the agreements with the nursery growers. I need the organic certificate. I'm also going to grow medicinal plants: cornflowers, chamomile, verbena and arnica, mainly for making herbal teas. My children are helping me. They are 8 and 10 years old and they are really into it! It's becoming a real family project. You have to follow your heart, even when everyone tells you you're crazy.

There are sheds on the land, and we want to renovate them and then perhaps move there to live as a family. My husband and I had planned to do this in our old age, but in the end, why wait? I can't wait to get started because I regret having already wasted too many years behind a desk.

Michèle