A family-run herbalism school that connects producers and consumers through local organic produce baskets

The Academy for Integral Ecology was founded by the Brothers of Saint John, who oversee the Marian shrine of Notre-Dame-du-Chêne, located in Vion near Sablé-sur-Sarthe,  in response to Pope Francis’ call in his encyclical Laudato si’.

The Academy for Integral Ecology is affiliated with the École Saint-Jean, a Higher Institute for philosophical and theological formation headquartered in Rimont in Saône-et-Loire (71).

The Objectives

The ecological issue has become a universal concern.  The preservation of the planet, the duty to reduce social inequalities, the pursuit of sustainable development, and the return to relationships that respect the person are central issues for the future of humanity.  We must work and commit ourselves at all levels, “from the earth to the person.” The Academy for Integral Ecology wishes to contribute to this broad contemporary challenge.

The objectives set by the Academy for Integral Ecology are:

• To provide multidisciplinary training across all levels of integral ecology:  environmental ecology (of the earth and soil), human, economic, social, and cultural ecology, enabling the integration of new ways of life that respect nature and the human person and shedding light on major current anthropological issues.
• Inviting people to embark on a concrete path toward ecological transition, by providing a welcoming space for research, training, and exchange.  The Sanctuary of Notre-Dame du Chêne has itself embarked on this path by demonstrating consistent and ecological management.
• Develop vegetable and fruit production on the Sanctuary’s grounds according to the principles of permaculture, to experiment with these new farming methods and for the Sanctuary’s internal consumption.

Connect producers and consumers of organic fruits and vegetables

On local.bio, not only do products travel an average of just 10 km, but they usually arrive via carpool! 

Pick up your produce from producers who work together to offer as many of their products as possible as close to your home as possible. 

anti-waste & zero-waste 

Our pre-order system allows producers to adjust their production based on their sales and thus avoid waste from unsold items.    Deposits and bulk purchases are naturally arranged when you meet with the producers at your local farmers’ market. 

Committed to organic 

To offer organic producers a dedicated app they can make their own, we’ve developed a version of our local.direct app: local.bio!  Through partnerships with organic networks, local.bio supports producers in selling as much of their produce as possible directly. 

Ethical & Community-Driven 

Co-developed over the past 9 years with producers and collectives, local.bio enables producers to earn a better living while reducing their carbon footprint.  To serve all producers, regardless of their means, local.bio is entirely accessible on a pay-what-you-can basis.