Joel is a veteran in the Santa Fe landscape community, having worked in the local industry for over 25 years. Originally from a small ranch in Chihuahua, Mexico, he grew up tending horses, cattle, goats, chickens, and other livestock. Much of his youth was spent seasonally sowing fields and maintaining small and large vegetable gardens and also making produce to sell at the local markets. He is a family man and a hard worker. He has much experience guiding outdoor projects, and he values hard work and doing the best work possible in the first time around. Joel has a wealth of experience with tree and shrub installation, building green infrastructure, irrigation systems, general maintenance, coyote fencing and fountain work. He has much experience with machinery such as backhoes, skidsteers, grinders and chainsaws; he is also an adept stonemason.
As Foreman at Seeds of Wisdom, Joel is the backbone in the field of many of our projects. He guides and oversees the practical implementation of the work that we do, ensuring that it is done in a way that is not only functional and effective, but also lasting. He often plays active roles in troubleshooting and constructing irrigation and sprinkler systems, and he oversees larger installations that include sustainable green infrastructure and rock work. He ensures that projects are streamlined, and that the work being done is carried out in an orderly and systematic way such that it will be done well.
He is also an accomplished tree pruner, and is at the forefront of tree trimming projects. As Arborist Assistant at Seeds of Wisdom, Joel focuses on maintaining and promoting tree health in diverse landscapes. His efforts often include the removal of dead, obstructive, or intersecting limbs; the therapeutic treatment of diseased and infected trees; or the careful removal of dead or unhealthy trees altogether to support nearby plant life. In concert with the Seeds of Wisdom ethos, Joel applies an ecological approach toward tree health, taking into account the surrounding context within which a given tree, or cluster of trees, thrives. This often involves a careful consideration and evaluation of local plant, insect, and animal habitats, as well as a concern for proximal manmade structures such as houses, fences and walkways. He also routinely constructs green infrastructure technologies for trees.