“The feeling I hope people will have on this farm is that deep sense of safety and surrender. The feeling of being deeply nurtured and nourished. That feeling you get from visiting your great aunt or your grandmother. That one elderly female family member where you go when you just want to be deeply nourished and you feel completely at ease and safe. All your worries just sort of dissolve instantly.”
We’re in great company with Fleur and Nicole, partners in life and in profession who serendipitously found and meticulously stewarded Sterrekopje Farm in South Africa, a biodiverse farm and soulful sanctuary where curiosity blooms, creativity flourishes, and laughter is ever-present.
Here, they have carefully curated a community of chefs, farmers, holistic practitioners, and artists to share, teach and connect with guests– in an environment where every ritual, every bite, every breath is a chance to celebrate the gifts of Mother Nature, from ‘soil to soul’.
In this episode, as we celebrate Women’s History Month around the world, Nicole and Fleur share with us their serendipitous story, their thoughtful travel tastes, their everyday rituals—providing us with the fertile ground and nourishing energy we crave to pursue our own dreams and desires.
Top Takeaways
[1:45] A story of how two Dutch women, since early childhood, fell in love with travel to cultures beyond their familiar Western world and how a serendipitous flight became fate that would lead them on their next big adventure together.
[6:30] How Nicole knew Sterrekopje Farm, ‘the bright star above the little mountain,’ was the sanctuary she had been searching for—a beloved family farm dating back to the 17th century that once produced wine and olives and was in need of nurturing back to health.
[10:15] Over the course of five years, Nicole and Fleur have grown alongside the farm itself—transforming monoculture into biodiversity, harvesting their first honey, and witnessing a beautiful season of abundance that extends beyond the land to the guests who visit—which today flourishes as a wild, fertile sanctuary.
[13:20] Nicole reminds us all, “What is so important is to get people out of their heads and into their bodies because we're living so much in our heads these days. And to really connect with your body—that opens the ability to connect to other people, but also to yourself and to nature.”
[16:50] Close your eyes and listen as Fleur transports us all to a day in the life at Sterrekopje Farm, painting a stunning picture with a palette of serene senses.
[22:00] What some may call “a beautiful mess,” is intentionally a curated collection of fabrics and antiques from a multitude of cultures—creating not a standard hotel with sterile rooms, but a soulful place with personal sanctuaries.
[27:20] Discover what makes Sterrekopia a playground for adults to relearn the art of play—a place where curiosity and creativity blossom.
[32:20] Here, ‘farm to table’ tastes more like ‘soil to soul’ as Nicole and Fleur invite their guests to satiate conscious indulgences and savor communal dining experiences.
Notable Mentions
Jennica Arazi of Marbella Club in Spain
