I have already started to order seeds. I got a list of seeds from the company Bingenheimer Saatgut (Germany), which offers very good seeds. Here I will order some vegetable seeds for testing. But because we want to plant the large arable land for soil improvement with potatoes this year, I will limit myself mainly to it (but of course I can´t live without some flowers Because large parts of the property still need to be cut free and the front outdoor area designed and planted, I am unfortunately not able to devote 100% to the garden yet. But from next year on I plan to grow many different varieties of fruits and vegetables.

Some plants and flowers need to be grown quite early, so that they manage in the cool region here in Thuringia, before the first frost comes in fall. Tomatoes and peppers, for example, are already sown in a few weeks here. From February to March I also grow some flowers in pots, like snapdragons, marigolds and many more. The ideal time for sowing is always written on the back of the seed bag. For this I simply use the plastic trays of fruits and vegetables, which are provided with holes, fill them with soil and you’re ready to go. I put the planting trays in a warm place in the window sill, and then it does not take long to see the first sprouts. The plants have to be watered, but be careful to avoid mold.

In the last few days I sat down and recorded the outside facilities of the Lifestylecenter Eyba. The approximately 2 ha large property has an incredible amount of capacity. So it is not so easy to find the right trees, shrubs and woody plants for the right spot. But it has been tremendous fun for me to learn about new plants and see which location suits which place. I’m still in the middle of it, but the results are worth seeing These drawings are definitely not finished yet, I’m always changing something. For this year my goal is to get as much as possible to be done and start implementing it right away in the spring. Let’s see how far we get….

In the middle of a charming landscape there is a wonderful place that was discovered by our friends a few years ago. That’s how the idea was born to open a lifestyle center.

About two years ago I (Lydia) was asked to take over the management of this project. I asked for time to think and pray about it, because I had just finished the training as a nurse and wanted to visit the mission school PEACE (England) for the next months. So I forgot about the matter. Benni and I had met about a year before, had been in a relationship for only a few months at that time and Benni was still in his studies for computer science in Potsdam. After some time, another request came from the founders of the project and the question bothered me again. I told Benni about the idea for the first time then. When he was in the area, he drove by Eyba to have a look at the object. When he saw it with his own eyes, he was immediately thrilled. After a time of prayer we decided to take on the project together. That was in fall of 2019, when I had just returned from England.

Unimagined opportunities, challenges and great experiences awaited us, of which we knew nothing; we have been richly blessed. The outdoor area, which had been totally destroyed by wild pigs and had to be reclaimed of nature, was straightened and thus a wonderful green space was created. At this point we would like to express our gratitude to the company Keilhau (Eyba), which supported us considerably with earth deliveries. Last fall, an area of arable land was planted, on which we intend to grow potatoes from spring 2021 to improve the soil.

In addition, we would like to establish a meadow for fruit trees in the fall of 2021. For this, 25 fruit trees are to be donated to us by a dear neighbor.

Unfortunately, we could not begin with the official opening in September 2020 as desired, since legal permissions are still missing. We will keep you updated on this as we are currently working on it.

We are very grateful to have had this experience and are excited to see what happens next. Also check us out on Facebook (@LifestylecenterEyba) and Instagram (@lifestylecenter_eyba) to stay up to date.

Do you also want to help and support us? There are still many open “construction sites”, but things are progressing steadily. Financial contributions can make a big difference. Soon the rest of the property has to be fenced (about 6000 €) to protect the fruit trees from wild animals. Three very old gates need to be replaced (3000 €), and both ponds need restoration. The small fire pond urgently needs a new weir and the large pond is completely silted up and needs to be dredged. We are very happy if it is on your heart to support us through prayer or financial donations. We thank you very much in advance. Even small amounts can make a big difference!

Account details for donations:
Verein für Leben und Gesundheit e.V.
IBAN: DE96 8306 5408 0004 2421 65
Intended purpose: “Donation”

I am already eagerly waiting for spring to work on the garden design. But for now everything is covered with snow. This night we had -12°C – ideal weather for planning work in the house. So see you soon!

Best regards from Benni and Lydia