Learning with the Moroccan herbalist

Learning with the Moroccan herbalist

ruth-and-haj

This is where it all began. A chance meeting led to in invitation to study with a renowned herbalist. I was welcomed as part of the family; for breakfast we dipped freshly baked bread into Argan and Olive oils. I was intrigued, how often do you come across something you have never heard of before? As if the delicious taste was not enough, I learned of the traditional uses and health benefits of Argan oil.

I vowed to find out more and on my return to the UK I got in touch with Dr Chris Leon at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. I was invited to the Centre of Economic Botany where I met Dr.  Mark Nesbitt. It was he with the others of his team who encouraged me to start importing Argan oil to the UK in order to create a market  in order to provide employment in its production and thus encourage the conservation of this endangered tree. He subsequently invited me to co-author an article for the Kew magazine, I was honoured to do so.