Eve Beukes
uit
Cape Town, South Africa 11 december 2025
Our three months at Land Belongs to Mother Earth were deeply enriching and heart-opening. From the moment we arrived, we were welcomed with warmth by Eric and Joëlle, who embody a genuine, conscious, and natural way of living. Their land is a sanctuary of peace, simplicity, and connection, perched on top of a mountain with breathtaking views in every direction.
During our stay, we were immersed in a beautiful rhythm of daily life on the land. We learned so much from Joëlle’s extensive knowledge of permaculture, gardening, and food processing, as well as from Eric’s practical wisdom and grounded presence. Each task – from harvesting and tending the gardens to processing fruit and caring for the animals – felt meaningful and connected to a larger purpose.
Cooking for the yoga retreat was a highlight, as was joining activities like conscious morning walks and evening satsang. The retreat guests were a joy to meet, and the whole experience carried a sense of community and intention that we will always treasure.
We were grateful for our comfortable accommodation, with a private room, a cozy fireplace, and a fully equipped kitchen. Living so close to nature—surrounded by clean air, wildlife, and silence—was nourishing in every way. We took many walks and loved exploring the land and its surroundings.
Another unforgettable experience was harvesting olives during the season and tasting fresh olive oil—an incredible gift from the land.
Our time here has inspired us deeply. We leave with new skills, new perspectives, and a deeper appreciation for natural living. Land Belongs to Mother Earth is a place of authenticity, learning, and beauty, and we are grateful to have been a part of it.
We were happy to be conscious contributors!!
With love, Eve & Tiana
A wonderful and inspiring stay with Eric and Joëlle who invite you into their home with open arms. They are incredible hosts who immediately make you feel relaxed and welcome. It was so hard to leave this paradise and I do hope to return one day. So much attention to detail – it’s a place built with love and vision. They are true custodians of Mother Nature. Living in harmony with the land. Sleeping in the yurt and eating delicious food harvested from the gardens and prepared by Tiana and Eve was so nourishing. I feel completely revitalised by my stay and hope to bring some of the magic of this place home with me.
Lieve Eric & Joëlle,
Super bedankt voor de lieve ontvangst op jullie mooie land! Het was gezellig en we hebben veel geleerd van jullie manier van werken. Het was bijzonder om even mee te mogen kijken en ervaren. Heel veel moois en geluk voor in de toekomst en veel plezier en succes bij het creëren van jullie paradijs op Land belongs to Mother Earth.
Liefs.
Bedankt voor de mooie week samen en jullie gastvrijheid op deze heerlijke plek.
We zijn geïnspireerd, nemen veel ideeën mee en komen zeker nog eens terug!
Merci!
We met Eric and Joëlle on a market in Folques. After a Nice chat, we decided to take a look at their beautiful paradise. It was the best decision of our trip!
Eric and Joëlle and Tania showed us their land, their permaculture vegetables and magnificent yurts. They took excellent care of us and they were so kind to show and teach us all kind of things. We learned soooo much! And on top of that, there were such Nice energetic connections that became friendships. We could use a lot of facilities, and we were spoiled with very healthy food. We Will never forget this heartwarming place. The vision of this association should take over the world! Because it will make the world such a better place!
We stayed sadly only 3 days at Land belongs to Mother Earth. But it has been the most intense 3 days in our adventure so far. Eric took his time to exchange with us about many aspects of community life and project building. In such a short time, we were able to share our views and go back with tons of insights, ideas and inspiration to build our own community back in France. Not mentioning the quality time spent together, along with Joëlle and Lilou, having deep talks and laughs. And the quality work done together like maintaining garden and preparing conserves.
We wish we could have stayed longer, as the crush was instant ! But had already some plans ahead…
A beautiful way to close the year 2023. I stayed for two weeks in December, I have spent Christmas here. The experience was amazing. Eric is a great host, is comprehensive, empathetic and like a big brother. I learned to cut the grape brunches, to do grafts with plants, to make a different kind of jam. It was beautiful when before sunset I did my meditation in the yurt. How much I miss! Sometimes we walked in the mountain nearby.
It was a short and happy workaway. I stayed for only four days, as I had to leave early because of personal reasons. I did painting of the common areas in the house, learnt a bit about farming, and sustainable living. I like the place and Eric's idea of building the association of like-minded people and taking them as co-creators. I wish him the best to create his dream association.
I spent 10 wonderful days with my friend Alax in the association. It has been a few days full of nature and learning. Eric was like our family in this short time, they welcomed us with open arms and showed us all the little wonders of the place, and being comprehensive and empathetic. We were involved in the permaculture project, taking care of the crops and planting new plants, we made juice and jam with the grapes we harvested, along with cleaning and painting the second house. I am sure it will be perfect for the new ones.
What I would highlight most about this experience would be how organic the day turned out to be. The tasks to be done were thought out day by day, so we were able to flow and be more flexible with the tasks. You could propose activities and jobs, as if it was literally your own home for those days. The hours indicated in the profile were not strict at all, they were open to any proposal.
Besides, the surroundings were amazing, I highly recommend getting lost in the forest paths.
I couldn't be more grateful for this experience. A big hug to Eric.
