About Humming Grove

Humming Grove is a five acre "eco-nest" nestled in amongst a piñon–juniper forest in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo mountains southeast of Santa Fe, New Mexico. It is the natural habitat of a variety of birds, reptiles, rabbits, squirrels, coyote and even the rare appearance of bobcat and black bear.

Since April 2004 we have transformed the house, studio and casita into a versatile facility for Talking Hands Talking Feet workshops, concerts and day camps. We chose this location for convenience and ease of access, given that it is fifteen minutes from Santa Fe, five minutes from Eldorado and just one mile from Interstate 25.

We are in the process of expanding the studio space to include a foyer, expanded bathroom/changing room, greenhouse, sitting room/library and guest room loft. The building will be passive solar heated with backup solar hot water (and eventually solar powered). The greenhouse itself will demonstrate sustainable year round food growing as well as being a wonderful meeting space.

Along with the building renovations, there are ongoing landscape projects using sustainable permaculture methods in design and implementation. Sixty percent of the piñon trees were killed as a result of the drought which ended in 2004. As you walk along one of the many pathways weaving through a variety of micro-ecologies, you will spot hundreds of new piñon seedlings that have sprouted since the last sprinkling of piñon nuts in 2005 and 2008! Many of these are being transplanted as part of the upper property reforestation/restoration project.

We have planted dozens of native trees and shrubs, fruit trees and grape vines. The arroyo now runs frequently through the monsoon season after having been "extinct" for ten years prior to our arrival. The arroyo constitutes a micro ecology on its own account, with cottonwoods, black walnut, redbud, blue-stem willow and maple trees creating a beautiful mini-Bosque area.

At the low end of the arroyo we have created a wetlands sanctuary as part of a comprehensive water management system. Already, the children and adults who come to Humming Grove enjoy the added benefit of this beautiful setting, its walking paths, the arroyo, the forest and the multiple garden ecologies.

The whole of Humming Grove is becoming a demonstration complex in sustainable design in its buildings and landscape as well as being an excellent service facility for the many THTF projects and programs. We have always drawn inspiration from where we live. At Humming Grove we are creating an ecology which serves as a sanctuary for native species and children, a water magnet, a restoration project for sustainable living and a multi-purpose learning center indoors and out!