OUR VALUES
About Flowering Tree
Flowering Tree is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization working with the concepts of permaculture- a design method using whole systems thinking derived from studying natural ecosystems.
Today we teach classes on how to farm and garden in our high desert climate with low water use, how to understand micro-climates, and how composting and seed saving are a part of growing sustainably with our environment. We also teach classes in animal husbandry, such as; how to take care of turkeys, chickens, ducks, pigs, sheep, fish, and even bees. We have taught classes on how to butcher, store and cook different kinds of meat, shear sheep, spin wool, make milk, make cheese, harvest honey, and how to create ecosystems of ponds with fish and plants. We also teach building techniques including; adobe construction, mud plastering, straw-bale construction, solar energy, water catchments, and outdoor bread ovens.
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Recently, we have been more focused on maintaining cultural knowledge such as weaving, language preservation, and other cultural practices.
" It’s an evolution of cultural preservation. This has Pueblo roots. We’re planting seeds within ourselves and outside. "
- Roxanne Swentzell, President
Integrity
Love
Reciprocity
Communication
Work
Consideration
Intention
Our Story
Flowering Tree Permaculture Institute was established in 1987 at the homesite of Roxanne Swentzell in Santa Clara Pueblo located in northern New Mexico. The initial goal was to create sustainable homesteads using permaculture practices. Our hope was to preserve traditions that were based on the care of and connection to the Earth, and the beings who inhabit it. In so doing, we also hoped to preserve the knowledge of survival and independence.
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As a Native American women-run organization, Flowering Tree began to implement these practices by studying the sustainable lifeways of our Ancestors. What we learned we began to share with the community through teaching and publications. We continue to work on creating sites that support healthy traditional lifeways.
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Today Flowering Tree owns multiple properties that house greenhouses, beehives, crops, seedbanks, learning spaces, animals, and other spaces for our community to gather, learn, and share knowledge. As we look toward the future, the need for sustainable practices and ways of living are more important than ever. Flowering Tree works to continue to support our community, educate our neighbors, and provide resources so our people can continue to survive and thrive on our own land.
