About

The Nurse Tree Arch project began in March of 2012 when Michael Ray built a back yard garden version of a common farm structure: the gusset arch. He secured a well used shade cloth over the 12 foot by 8 foot structure and used it to protect a squash patch from the blistering summer sun, with immediate results in squash production.

The prototype shade arch

In October 2012 Michael attended a Business Model Generation seminar in order to realize a dream that grew along with the squash that summer – a convertible “screen to greenhouse” that helps a small garden stay productive throughout the extremes of freezing winters and lengthening summer heat. The arch is a bridge structure for those with a permaculture vision of food forests, but as of now no forest canopy to garden within. It’s adjustable footprint makes it useful as a patio structure, a school teaching center or as a culinary resource for restaurants.

The Nurse Tree Arch is transforming from a citizen research project to Nurse Tree Design, a for-profit social enterprise that incorporated in 2014 as a L3C (an LLC that is formed as a low-profit limited liability company). Private investment through Kickstarter and individual supporters provide the energy for the project.  The Nurse Tree Arch is actively seeking investors to help take the business model from prototype stage to production. For more information see the project blog at:/ http://www.nursetreearch.com.