About this Retreat
Aaron Piepszny teaches Chi Gung, Buddhism, and somatic embodiment studies online as well as at Menla Mountain retreat where he is the head of horticulture. He received his Permaculture Design Certificate in 2016 at the Paititi institute in Peru.
Aaron has studied, supported, and enacted a wide variety of integrative food production methods with locals and First Nations in Spain, California, NY state, Peru, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Germany, and Poland.
He received his BA in Cultural Anthropology from SUNY Buffalo. He started his farming career in 2001. Aaron has been a professional dancer for over 15 years.
A naturalist, farmer, and Gaian steward, Aaron has been wildcrafting food and medicine plants and foraging mushrooms for 25 years. He brings great excitement, reverence, and joy to sharing wisdom, learning, and concepts regarding nature, health, and mindfulness.
Details of this retreat
The garden, forest, and landscaping at Menla supports the enjoyment and nourishment of many beautiful, rare, and important pollinators, birds, and humans.
Come exponentiate our stewardship of the glorious space that is the Menla ecosystem.
We will create forest garden beds to increase water retention, build soil, and sequester carbon, weed the garden beds to focus the energy of these areas to our perennial nectary and food plants, rake leaves to turn into fertility-building mulch, and remove invasive species that crowd out our valuable native species.
We need help from people like you! The work is quite rewarding, knowing that a wide range of people, plants, and animals will benefit from focusing resources towards the purposeful end of carbon footprint reduction, diversity, and sustenance. This is a terrific opportunity to experience Menla for very little money and in a way few people get. Join Menla's experienced horticulturist Aaron Piepszny for a weekend out in the sun, woods, and gardens experiencing the healing dimensions of the land, while getting great exercise working and enjoying the company of others. With trowels, shovels, picks, and our hands, you'll be surprised how much we can accomplish in just one weekend!
Volunteers for this retreat must be able to lift 30lbs and be in good enough physical condition to be out hiking on the trails for much of the day. Work includes hand weeding garden beds, raking and gathering leaves, removing invasive Japanese barberry. (apprx. 9am-4pm each full day, and 9:15 am-12:30 pm on the final day, followed by lunch buffet). This retreat is not for those looking for a relaxation experience, this is a work-focused event.
Schedule
Thursday, May 9
3 - 8 pm Check-In
6 - 7 pm Dinner
7 pm Evening for Relaxation
Friday, May 10
8 - 9 am Breakfast
9 am - 12 pm Garden/ Forest Work
12:30 - 1:30 pm Lunch
1:30 - 4:30 pm Garden/ Forest Work
4:30 - 6 pm Complimentary Steam/Sauna Session
6 - 7 pm Dinner
7:30 pm Bonfire
Saturday, May 11
8 - 9 am Breakfast
9:15 am - 12 pm Garden/ Forest Work
12:30 - 1:30 pm Lunch
1:30 - 4:30 pm Garden/ Forest Work
6 - 7 pm Dinner
7:30 pm Bonfire
Sunday, May 12
7 - 9 am Check-out of Rooms
8 - 9 am Breakfast & Check-Out
9:15 am - 12:30 pm Garden/ Forest Work
12:30 - 1:30 pm Lunch & Departure
* Please note that the schedule is subject to change at any time
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