Coming Soon: The Treemendous Fruit Tree Retreet, February 2025!

Stay tuned for all the juicy details by signing up for our newsletter here.

Treemendous!

  • Have you been wishing to learn more deeply how to care for fruit trees, specifically here, in New Mexico, with all the special challenges we have?
  • Are you longing for a way to channel your concern and worry for our world, for the climate, for the beings who live here into a culture of care and mutual support that ripples far into the future?
  • Are you curious about the best ways to prune fruit trees in our local area, and why we can’t follow many ‘standard’ approaches?
  • Would you like to feel more confident in your ability to care for fruit trees so that you are eager and able to help your neighbors, your community, your family, your customers?

Join land tender and arborist Corva Rose; music and rest sharer maria mcCullough; and our band of merry assistant teachers for this exciting and interactive Retreet.

I'm Ready Sign Me Up!
Retreet?
  • We are calling this alternately a Course and a Retreet.
  • It’s a Course because we’re creating a practical and hands-on learning environment.
  • It’s a Retreet because we’re building in time for quiet, self-reflection and creativity, so that we can rest, digest and integrate and hopefully mitigate overwhelm/overload.
  • The fun name is to support us in inviting joy into our relationship with treees.
I'm Ready Sign Me Up!

Your Teachers

Corva Rose

Corva Rose

Corva Rose (she/they) is a certified arborist, meditation instructor, Permaculture practitioner, and long-time devotee of fruit trees, beginning with befriending and climbing the front yard apple tree as a young person. Corva is devoted to weaving compassion and equity into gardening culture, habitat creation, and urban forestry. Cultivating joy, silliness, and presence in the midst of this traumatic climate threshold is something that makes Corva’s heart smile.

maria mcCullough

maria mcCullough (they/she) loves to share and explore with beings through music, gentle movement, laughter, love and rest. maria is in a practice and study of sharing music to those passing through the death portal. maria is grateful to be living on Southern Tiwa Land and to be in a relationship-building journey with the land, water and beings here.

Other teachers

our other teachers are being gathered and will be added here as they join!  Have an idea of someone who would be a good addition?  Write to us here.

The Schedule

We ask all participants to be present for the following days and times:
  • Feb 27 – 4:30 – 6:30pm – Plants of the Southwest, North Valley, Abq
    • Registration, orientation, tool sharpening
  • Feb 28 – 9:30am – 4pm – Chispas Farm – South Valley, Abq
    • Lunch noon-1p
  • March 1 – 9:30am – 4pm – Chispas Farm
    • Lunch noon-1p
  • March 2 – 9:30am – 4pm – Chispas Farm
    • Lunch noon-1p
  • March  3 – 9:30am – 4pm – Chispas Farm
    • Lunch noon-1p
  • There will be opportunities at lunch and at the end of the day to participate in rest sessions with maria; enjoy/play music with Jason; create at the craft space; visit with the goats; or just find a nice spot to sit on the farm.

  • There will also be opportunities to help with some basic set up and clean up during the retreet, and we thank you in advance for all of the ways you help!

  • It’s really important that each person who attends finds a way to make the time to block off space on your calendar for the entire course, and to take care of yourself so that you can show up and be present.
I'm Ready Sign Me Up!

What We Will Cover

We created the Treemendous Fruit Tree Retreet to be a deep-dive immersive experience. Our hope is that you emerge feeling more confident, more connected with others who are also fostering fruit tree health in NM, and more joyously steadfast in your fruit tree practices. To that end, we will cover:
  • Tool care and sharpening.
  • Soil prep, tree selection, planting, mulching.
  • Training young trees, including pruning and how/when to stake.
  • Earthworks to support watering fruit trees in our arid urban environment.
  • Establishing good structure, and the difference between (and interdependence between) structure and form.
  • Pruning of different kinds of fruit trees, including stone fruits, apples + pears, figs, jujubes, and bonus: grapes!
  • Health care, including using Biodynamic Tree Paste as a way to foster good health for our trees.
  • The learning will be a combination of listening, reading handouts, and hands-on practice to really embody what we learn.
  • We will have integration time built in as well, so that the information and learning can be absorbed.
I'm Ready Sign Me Up!
Benefits of Attending This Course
  • You will receive instruction and hands-on practice in the above areas (What We Will Cover).
  • You will receive a folder of juicy materials.
  • Each participant is required to outfit themself with a few necessary tools before the course begins. Even though this is a requirement, the benefit is that you will learn to use these, care for them, and live your life with them. See below under FAQs for more info on this.
  • You will be invited to join our online Tree School Slack Space if this interests you, where you will have access to Corva and maria and the Tree School community – for encouragement, questions, and community building. On Slack, you will also find out about volunteering on jobs with Corva (see below, in this section.)
  • You will receive a Certificate of Completion. (In future years we aim to have this course qualify for CEUs in different disciplines.)
  • You will have the opportunity to join Corva on their jobs during 2025 if this interests you. In return for volunteering a few hours, you learn valuable skills, keep your practice going, and can have meaningful conversations ranging from work to horticulture to climate resilience.
  • If you maintain contact with Tree School during 2025 through Slack, volunteering with Corva, or in some other way that connects you with Tree School as you continue your fruit tree care practice, you can attend the following year’s Treemendous Fruit Tree Retreet free of charge in exchange for helping guide the next year’s students. In this way, we can move deeper together – co-creating a learning environment where we are growing resilient communities and resilient fruit trees.
I'm Ready Sign Me Up!
This Retreet is for you if:
  • You’re ready and excited to take a deep-dive into fruit tree pruning and care, so that you can share this with and bring benefit to others – your neighbors, communities, family, clients.
  • You learn well with a mixture of verbal instruction, visual instruction, hands-on learning, community building, rest, and integration time with art, quiet, or music.
  • You can commit to the entire retreat. You are open, curious, and happy to block off space on your calendar for all of this. And to take care of yourself so that you can show up and be present.
  • You have any level of experience and you are open to learning.
I'm Ready Sign Me Up!
This Retreet is not for you if:
  • You are not able to attend the entire Retreet. It’s really important that each person who attends finds a way to make the time to be there for the entire course.
  • You’re interested in learning about fruit trees primarily for yourself and your own trees. Of course, we want you to learn about your home garden, but Tree School is also about how our home gardens are connected with our neighborhood, the world, and our hearts. It’s this integration that builds deep resilience. If you aren’t nodding your head (or heart) to this, then this Retreet might not be a good fit.
  • You’re looking for visual and verbal instruction only, you want a fast pace, and you get frustrated when there are gaps built in for integration of material.

Cost
Early Bird Discount until midnight on December 27!

Prices in each tier are available until that tier is sold out.

  • $200 – [Early Bird Discount $180 with Coupon Code "TS180"] for those with little-to-no income beyond meeting basic needs.
Registration Now Open!
  • $435 – [Early Bird Discount $390 with Coupon Code "TS390"] is the actual cost of the class. This is for folks who have funds beyond those needed for basic needs and can afford this program as an investment.
Registration Now Open!
  • $735 – [Early Bird Discount $690 with Coupon Code "TS690"] is the Pay-It-Forward price. It’s a bit above the actual cost of the class and that extra money goes towards those needing a discount and a scholarship for 2 local Indigenous people. This is an opportunity to support a fellow retreet participant.
Registration Now Open!
  • Two scholarships available for a local Indigenous person. ~ free

(If this tier is sold out and you would like to join the waitlist in case something becomes available, please fill out this form.

Scholarship Registration Open!
  • Guest Teacher Registration - please register here if you are one of the scheduled guest teachers.
Teacher Registration Open!

FAQs

We are asking each student to please acquire the following tools for the course. A list such as this can sometimes feel intimidating, but that’s not our intention in the least. It’s an invitation to fall in love with good tools, and have fun getting to know them. Having your own good tools, on a tool belt, is a game-changer. And we’re here to change the game!

  • Hand pruners – we recommend ‘bypass pruners’, the ones with a curved blade that ‘bypasses’ the anvil.  Top knotch:  Felco hand pruners, and a good price can be found at https://frostproof.com/pruners/  Coronas and Fiskars are other good brands.
  • Pruning saw – we prefer Japanese pruning saws, and many good ones can be found locally in person (they do have a small walk-in store) at Vermeer (off Alameda), or online at https://hidatool.com/list/?q=pruning+saws (Berkely, CA).  The type Corva uses is a Silky Gomtaro 300, with the straight blade.
  • Sharpening –  to get your pruners / saw sharpened before the retreet begins, we recommend Precision Sharpening in Albuquerque.
  • Sharpeners – hidatool.com carries a really great diamond blade sharpener, here.  A sharpener is not required for this course, but would be good to get eventually.
  • Please also get a belt that your tools can hang on, so that your hands are freed up.  A ‘holster’ for hand pruners is easy to find at any hardware store, or online here.  If your saw is a folding one that does not come with a scabbard, look for some kind of holder so that it can hang on your belt, or treat yourself to a saw with a scabbard.  A belt can be any kind of belt that will fit through the holster, to hold the tools.  The importance of a belt is, well, important : )  Our hands need to be free to move and touch the trees without having to be encumbered by tools.  Tool belts for pruners are common around the world, and there are loads of creative ways to embrace this.  We look forward to seeing all your belts!
  • Gloves – take the time to find some gloves that can be warm enough, strong enough, yet flexible enough to grip your tools.  I found some on sale at Carhartt last week, in Uptown!  Hardware stores are a good place to look too.

We will have sets available for up to 2 people from the group. If borrowing a set would help you out, please indicate this on your registration and we will do our absolute best to make them available. We will make the decision who will get to use them by Thursday, Feb 20.

  Yes!  

    • VRBO in the south valley, called "Perfect Casita for Two."  If you wish to reserve, contact them directly:  jill.duval33@gmail.com, Jill & Marty.
    • South Valley Filling Station “Shakudio” is available for someone/someones staying from out of town who have a financial need.  Contact Maria directly:  mariaannemccullough@gmail.com
    •  tinyhouse air bnb about 15 min walk to Chispas! 
    • Camp Dark Moon – this is home/HIPCAMP about a 30 min drive to Chispas if you can stay in an earth dome or camp. (might be chilly in Feb, but if you’re a hearty sort, check it out!)

You can have any level of experience, from Brand New to Many Years.

We are moving toward having Tree School be all-ages, but due to the intensive nature and long duration of this retreet, it’s for adults only. If you have a young adult under the age of 18 who has the maturity and stamina for a 5-day course we will go with your assessment – they are welcome to attend.  All minors must be accompanied by an adult.  

  • If you would like to attend and participate as well, please register separately for both of you.  
  • If you are not interested in participating you do not need to register for yourself but you must be in attendance; there are places on the farm nearby where we are gathering where you can create a little nook for yourself.  On your young adult’s registration, please indicate your name and phone number as well.

🧡 Register Here 🧡

30 6 Spots Available

Note: if you are here to sign up and registration is full, and you really would love to come,
please click here to get on the waiting list. We will be in touch when space opens up!

Note: if you are here to sign up and registration is full, and you really would love to come, please click here to get on the waiting list. We will be in touch when space opens up!

Registration Now Open

The next Playshop will be in February, 2023

To stay in touch and get notified as soon as the date is announced, sign up here for our newsletter; (newsletter peeps get first crack at registration!)

As a welcome and thank you for your trust, you’ll get our Pruning Guide,
called Slowing Down to Connect.

The exercise of journaling and reflecting on our own inner garden and how we relate to the world was an unexpected, but wonderful grounding activity that seeded a kind of compassion and empathy for the world. It gave me the insight I needed to see new pathways not only in my own life, but the gardens I cultivate in my own yard, and in the world. In such a demanding and difficult time, spaces like these are so rare and should be deeply valued and cherished.These playshops are a unique and unbelievable experience that everyone should get a chance to experience.
~ Natalie
Corva's workshops, or "playshops," are inclusive and welcoming. She helps us draw our own connections between the gardens of the heart, the literal garden, and the world. As a teacher, she provides that rare mix of the spiritual/philosophical, and literal down to earth knowledge. I learned how to prune a flower bed. I learned how to let go of things in my heart, another kind of pruning. Wisdom emerges from the combined process, yet is playful and unforced. I suspect no two of us at this event had the same journey, yet all came away nourished, challenged, and refreshed.
~ Dvorah Simon
Thank you for a lovely class on Saturday. I thought the pace and content were just right. I am still meditating on what I learned, and will continue to do so for some time. ~ Christal
~ Christal

Curious about our past Playshops?

Check It Out

The Playshop
is Now Full

Be the first to know when our next Playshop is open for registration.

Join our community of vibrant gardeners and inquisitive cultivators DIGGING in to create a resilient world garden in the here and now. As a welcome and thank you for your trust, you’ll get our Pruning Guide, called Slowing Down to Connect.

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Mentorship Dates:

The 2024 Mentorship is in-progress, and the 2025 dates have not been set yet.
The following dates/times are when we will be meeting together in person, for our 2024 cohort. Please check to see if you are able to attend all of the following dates, as Tree School has a magic of its own that comes together when we all participate. If you know that you will not be able to make all of the sessions, please indicate this in the application below. If you need to miss a session, we will provide materials/handouts, but there are no makeup sessions.
  • April 20:  (10am – 2pm) We open our circle with a nourishing and welcoming 4-hour retreat/garden time/creative day!
  • April 27:  (10am – 1pm) 
  • May 11:  (time TBA) We will participate in the Yerba Mansa Project Bosque Restoration Day
  • May 25:  (8 – 11am) 
  • June 15:  (8 – 11am) 
  • June 29:  (8 – 11am) 
  • July + August:  We take a break from meeting in person.  These 2 months are Integration/rest/individual project time. There is a Playshop during this time, and we are also connected via Slack.
  • July 14:  Made in the Shade Playshop
  • Sept 7:  (8 – 11am) 
  • Sept 28:  (8 – 11am) 
  • Oct 12:  (10am – 1pm) 
  • Oct 26:  (10am – 1pm) 
  • Nov 2:  Playshop 
  • Nov 9:  (10am – 1pm)
  • Nov 23:  (10am – 2pm) We close our circle with a replenishing and grounding 4-hour retreat/garden time/creative day!

Habitat: Developing wildlife habitat from a place of compassion

You’re very clear about not spraying harmful chemicals in your yard but now you want to learn more about how to actually cultivate a healthy garden ecosystem.

You’re concerned that wildlife are losing habitat at an alarming rate, and your heart hurts thinking about how the climate crisis is affecting them.

You’d like to learn how to make your space both wildlife friendly and a thriving garden that humans can eat from as well.

You’re ready to put your compassion for the seen and unseen beings around you into action, and have your outdoor space be part of the local (and world!) habitat quilt.

Results of the program:
You feel confident in your good-hearted gardening practices, and through the process of certifying your space as Wildlife Habitat, you become an informed and knowledgeable habitat advocate. You get to see more wildlife using the space and receiving benefit, which feels so good!

Community: Cultivating community, belonging, and hope

You feel some isolation and disconnection after the last 2 yrs, and some fragmentation between what’s happening internally in your heart and externally in the world.

You might feel intimidated or unsatisfied by mainstream gardening classes or instructional videos that don’t feel like they speak to your sensitive heart, your worldview that includes equity and justice, or the sovereignty of the Indigenous peoples who are the original stewards of this bioregion.

You long for instruction that speaks to your specific garden and helps you develop the skills you need.

You are ready to be part of a like- minded community of supportive gardeners who are digging deep together, creating a world where we all feel we belong.

Results of the program:
Through getting to experience the tangible support of the community working in your yard, and learning with the other Tree Schoolers over your six months, you feel connected, supported, and supportive. Through building connections with others in the program, you experience feeling cohesive, integrated, and hopeful.

Joy: Mixing your adaptive gardening methods with JOY

You feel fearful and anxious about the unraveling of climate, both locally and globally. You want to know how to effectively prepare for what’s coming, and how to pivot and respond as things change.

You’re ready to learn as much as you can about climate adaptive practices, but you don’t want to feed your fear in the process.

There are so many methods out there, and the clock is ticking. You want to make the most of the time you have, but you know that a light touch and a loving heart will be more fruitful than pushing for results with a worried state of mind.

You are ready to learn how to cultivate joy in the midst of all we are facing, and then co-create adaptivity from this playful place.

Results of the program:
You feel joyful, confident and clear about how to foster more adaptability, and what actual steps to take. You learn the skills needed to transform your yard into the climate resilient garden you want.

Strategy: Moving from confusion to strategic planning & achieving your goals

You look at your garden and wonder where to start and what to do. You don’t want to do it ‘wrong’ but also don’t want to get trapped by ‘shoulds’.

There might be gaps in your skills and figuring out what exactly you need to learn is a bit daunting. Maybe you’ve tried a lot of things and gotten mixed results.

You are tired of getting sporadic help, not really making the progress you want, or it’s slow and feels fragmented and not cohesive. You are longing for some deeper transformation in your yard and your relationship with it, not just a superficial ‘fix’ that addresses one aspect of the garden but not the whole.

You are ready to create a strategy that lays out exactly where you are going with your garden space, what skills you will develop, and how to achieve your goals.

Results of the program:
You are clear and on-track, with momentum, and feel happy with yourself in the process.

You receive help with a plan/design, and also with making solid, important decisions – thus saving time/money.

You learn the gardening skills you need, and experience cohesive, steady, holistic progress that continues and develops into the future.

Engagement: Moving from overwhelm about the world to engagement with the world

You feel deeply about the climate crisis and the suffering in the world, and want to be a positive force for healing and change, but you find yourself getting overwhelmed and frozen about how best to use your energy in service.

You are ready to use your garden space to be part of the solution.

You want to learn what  your role and your next step is here, and how to move into engagement with the world that is grounded and steady.

Results of the program:

You are able to use your depth of feeling to become a more effective, loving presence in your spheres of influence (family, neighborhood, circle of friends, city, or workplace).

You feel clear, on-purpose, and good about your role and engagement in the world.

Important notes about communicating with me:

  • Phone/texting: I prefer to not be contacted via phone or text at this time. If you are a previous Divine Earth customer and you have my phone number, I ask you to please respect these new guidelines to help me keep my health and sanity. Thank you!
  • Emails: I answer emails between 9am and 5pm, not before or after.
    My aim is to answer emails within 24-36 hours.
  • My device boundaries: I turn my devices off for chunks of the day. On the weekends I pick one full day to have all tech off. This feeds many birds with one scone: I become more focussed when I’m ‘on’; I can relax and recharge more easily when I’m ‘off’; I become less beholden to the energetic/emotional tug of the ever-present and yes so helpful gadgets in my life (as one of my Teachers says, created by distracted people for distracted people); I can more easily tune into the outer gardens and the inner garden in my heart.