Revealing the Existing Pine Nut Orchard

Embark with us on a journey to Reveal the Hidden Native Pine Nut Orchard  of Crestone, Colorado. For many years, the piñon forest has produced nuts every seven years on average... but there is the opportunity to have a yield of pine nuts as much as every two years! Through research into traditional ecological knowledge, environmental alchemy, and fire management, we now endeavor to steward this existing wild piñon pine forest through specific treatments to have a more regular and sustainable harvest. Our research has uncovered that the practice of pruning, controlled burning, and application of trace elements & micro-organisms tend to support the trees in becoming a 'wild' orchard. 

Benefits of this forest stewardship project include:  reduction of relative fire danger, sharing native herbal medicine education, building community involvement, increasing native species, and producing an abundance of pine nuts - which can help to support local food sustainability, as well as the local economy.

E3 Kundalini Fire Management (E3KFM) has served Crestone and the San Luis Valley since 2003 in fire mitigation and management. Its Program Director, Peter May, has a passion for forest stewardship with the application of natural intelligence that serves both the community and nature. His nickname "Piñon Pete" comes from his years of working with the native trees here which includes elemental landscape management, essential oil distillation, and formulation of natural sports creams.

Every dollar goes to the non-profit E3KFM to support bringing this project to life. The money raised in this campaign will go to support the necessary equipment and insurance that will allow us to reinvigorate the practice of cultural burning to sustainably produce pine nuts. If you are a land steward in the Crestone area and are interested in having your piñon trees participate in the Hidden Pine Nut Orchard project, please contact us at: [email redacted]

Thank you for interest and support!