From Flood to Food: A Collaborative Effort to Transform a Land into a Food Forest

Written by Carol Manetta, Executive Director

Reap Goodness is ready to move forward with the plan to design and create a public food forest in a lower-income neighborhood on the west side of Sierra Vista, Arizona. This good effort will benefit the neighborhood for many years to come.

In order for the city to lend this land to Reap Goodness, there is a requirement for guarantee of long-term maintenance by an organization. A maintenance agreement has been reached with the Echoing Hope Ranch of nearby Hereford, AZ. This compassionate organization supports full-time residents who are neurodivergent, and wishes to provide their residents with quality activities they can learn and engage in, both at the ranch and outside in the community. The agreement is for 10 years of maintenance after Reap Goodness plans and plants the food forest with inputs from nearby community residents.

Now that the agreement has been submitted to the city government, Reap Goodness will appear before the city council at their next regular meeting for discussion and then wait for final approval to proceed.

This is an exciting time, and all volunteer participants are eager to begin the work on the property which is in a flash flood zone. This will give the opportunity to slow down the water during rains to help grow fruit trees, berry bushes, grape vines, and other plants that will need that water. In just two years, the plants will have reached a point where they will be self-sufficient and will produce healthy, delicious foods for nearby neighbors for many years to come.