Understory is a small-scale nursery and community engagement project in Northern New Mexico.
We grow native, medicinal, and dryland plants and create opportunities to learn, share, and deepen our connection to the lands we love.
We believe this connection grows through observation, memory, relationship, and lived experience. It is a story continually unfolding.
We grow a selection of native, medicinal, and dryland plants from seed gathered from locally adapted ecotypes and trusted seed-saving sources.
We work with Northern New Mexico College’s La Querencia Greenhouse to offer plants, seeds, and continuing education classes growing resilient gardens.
Understory was started by Ash Haywood whose background spans nearly two decades of farming, learning from the landscapes of Northern New Mexico, and working with communities through agriculture, youth mentorship, and multimedia storytelling projects. Through its nursery, workshops, and community projects, Understory grows plants and centers the knowledge, stories, and relationships that connect people to place.