Seeds to Sustenance: Nut Tree Symposium | THIS EVENT HAS PASSED.
Sunday, March 15, 2026 | 9 AM–4:30 PM

Seeds to Sustenance is a full day gathering for professionals and curious gardeners alike, that explores the ecological, cultural, and culinary value of nut trees in the Northeast. Centered around American chestnut restoration initiatives taking root at the Garden, this inaugural symposium brings together growers, researchers, and artists to examine agroforestry, resilient food systems, and the deep connections between people and perennial landscapes. 

Registration closes March 5, 2026. Check back often for the most up-to-date information regarding speakers and registration.   

Registration:
$95 Member  
$99 ELA Member
$105 Non-member
$65 Student 

SCHEDULE

8:00 AM

9:00 AM

Registration and Refreshments

Welcome and Introductions 

9:30 – 10:20 AM

People of the Hazel: Recollecting ancestral roots in perennial culture
Seva and Kalyan Water, Nutwood Farm, Cummington MA

10:30 – 11:20 AM

From Seeds to Sustenance—Agroforestry and Cultivating Nut Trees for a Resilient Future
Jono Neiger, Big River Chestnuts, Sunderland, MA

11:45 AM – 12:20 PM

Natural Botanical Dyeing Derived from Nuts, Bark, and Trees
Liz Ives, Textile Artist and Educator

12:30 – 1:20 PM

LUNCH

1:30 – 2:20 PM

Return of the Chestnut Tree: NEBG’s Endeavor to Restore a Valued Species
Robert Graham, Land Steward Supervisor, New England Botanic Garden

2:30 – 3:20 PM 

Walk & Tour: The Chestnut Tree Project
Lois and Denis Melican, Volunteers – American Chestnut Cooperators’ Foundation (ACCF)
Robert Graham, Land Steward Supervisor, New England Botanic Garden

3:30 – 4:30 PM

Networking and Garden exploration

5:00 PM

GARDEN CLOSES

SPEAKERS

Seva and Kalyan Water
Nutwood Farm, Cummington MA

Seva and Kalyan Water own Nutwood Farm, a small agroforestry farm growing hybrid hazelnuts, chestnuts, and other perennial edible tree crops on unceded land of the living Mohican Nation. Lecture: People of the Hazel: Recollecting Ancestral Roots in Perennial Culture.

Two land stewarts, Seva and Kalyan Water of Nutwood Farm, posing side by side with green aprons on

Seva and Kalyan Water pronunciations: (“SAY-va”) and (“Ka-lee-AN”) steward Nutwood Farm, a small regenerative family nut farm on traditional Mohican homelands, in the present-day Berkshire foothills of Western MA. They planted their first hazelnut shrubs on degraded land in 2016 and have committed to growing soil and local food sovereignty through integrated livestock and perennial agricultural systems. They are part of a committed group of farms working to develop educational, cultural and economic opportunities in agroforestry in the Northeast. In 2023 they finished building an off-grid solar home where they now raise their two sons and tend to unruly gardens, sheep, goats, ducks, geese, and rabbits. 

Visit: Nutwood Farm  
Contact: nutwoodfarmers@gmail.com  

Jono Neiger 
Big River Chestnuts, Sunderland, MA 

Jono Neiger is the owner of Big River Chestnuts, a chestnut agroforestry farm in Massachusetts, with decades of experience in permaculture and land stewardship. Lecture: From Seeds to Sustenance – Agroforestry and Cultivating Nut Trees for a Resilient Future. 

Jono Neiger smiles in front a gray building with clear glass tiles

Jono Neiger is a founding partner of Regenerative Design Group, and the founder of Big River Chestnuts, a chestnut agroforestry farm in Sunderland, MA. He has over 30 years of professional experience in permaculture, agroforestry, conservation, and restoration. Jono has taught at The Conway School and was the founding Board President of the Permaculture Association of the Northeast (PAN). He has worked as a land manager for Lost Valley Educational Center, a Conservation Officer for the Town of Palmer, MA and a Restoration Specialist with the Nature Conservancy. He holds a MALD from The Conway School and a BS in Forest Biology from S.U.N.Y. College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Jono is the author of The Permaculture Promise. 

Visit: Big River Chestnuts | Facebook 
Contact: bigriverchestnuts@gmail.com   

Liz Ives 
Textile Artist and Educator 

Liz Ives is a textile artist, arts educator, and staff member at NEBG. She focuses her teachings on natural dyes as the intersection between science, ecology, and art. Demonstration: Natural Botanical Dyeing Derived from Nuts, Bark and Trees. 

Liz Ives thread a string

Liz Ives is a textile artist based in Central Massachusetts whose work explores the intersection of time, place, and the natural world through the medium of cloth. She holds a BFA in Textile Arts from the Art Institute of Chicago and an MA in History from Villanova University with a focus on material culture. With over 25 years of teaching experience—from college classrooms to private mentorship—she believes that anyone can make art with curiosity and guidance. Her practice centers on natural dyes, textile printing, embroidery, and quilting, using color and texture drawn from the landscape to tell stories of place and season. Liz currently teaches workshops in natural dyeing, embroidery, and bookbinding at NEBG. 

Visit: TheAlchemistsColorCodex.com 
Contact: Instagram @lizivesart 

Robert Graham 
Land Steward Supervisor, New England Botanic Garden 

Robert Graham is the Land Steward Supervisor at New England Botanic Garden, where he oversees the stewardship of both cultivated and natural landscapes. Lecture: Return of the Chestnut Tree: NEBG's Endeavor to Restore a Valued Species and Tour: The Chestnut Tree Project. 

Robert Graham

Robert Graham is an ecologist, horticulturalist, and botanist who has been with New England Botanic Garden since 2017. He is responsible for overseeing formal groundskeeping and equipment, as well as the management of the Garden’s natural areas, including meadows, woodlands, and wetlands. His work includes habitat restoration, invasive species management, sustainable equipment practices, and arboriculture.  

Robert serves as Vice-Chair of the Native Plant Community for the American Public Gardens Association and frequently teaches and volunteers with organizations such as the Ecological Landscape Alliance, the New England Botanical Society, and the Native Plant Trust. 

Visit: nebg.org 
Contact: rgraham@nebg.org  

Lois Breault-Melican, and Denis Melican 
Volunteers, American Chestnut Cooperators’ Foundation 

Lois Breault-Melican and Denis Melican are long-time volunteers and advocates of the American Chestnut Cooperators’ Foundation and have played an important role in regional chestnut restoration efforts. Tour: The Chestnut Tree Project. 

Lois Breault-Melican and Denis Melican in the forest

Lois Breault-Melican and Denis Melican have been long-time volunteers and advocates with the American Chestnut Cooperators’ Foundation (ACCF), a Virginia-based nonprofit dedicated to restoring pure American chestnuts through traditional breeding methods. Together, they have championed chestnut restoration across New England, coordinating seed distribution, organizing community plantings, and mentoring landowners interested in reintroducing chestnuts to local forests. Their work bridges scientific research and grassroots action, helping reconnect communities to this iconic native tree and its ecological legacy.  

Visit: American Chestnut Cooperators’ Foundation 
Contact: loisbreau@gmail.com  

ISA – 4.0 CEUs
APLD – 4.5
NOFA OLC – 4.0 CEUs
MCH – 1.0 CEUs
MCA – – 1.0 CEUs
MCLP – 2.0 CEUs

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS & EVENT PARTNERS

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