Partner Spotlight: Echoing Hope Ranch

Written by Ina Lee, Board Member & Director of Communications

Photo credit: Echoing Hope Ranch

At Reap Goodness, we are committed to creating healthy communities through sustainable food systems. One of our partners is Echoing Hope Ranch (EHR), a unique and inspiring place that serves adults with autism and other intellectual disabilities.

EHR has been operating in Hereford, Arizona for over 10 years, providing vocational, residential, home, and community-based care for individuals past age 17. EHR’s mission is to offer a safe and supportive environment where people can grow, learn, and thrive.

EHR runs an agriculture-based program with a full barn, two hoop houses, and four acres of row crops. The residents work together to produce fresh and organic food for themselves and the local community. EHR also offers expressive therapies, pottery classes, meditation and wellness programs, job coaching, and other supportive services. Some residents also work at paying jobs in various fields, such as restaurants, auto shops, and theaters off the ranch property.

EHR is not only a ranch, but also a hub of social and cultural activities. The residents engage at the farmers markets in Sierra Vista and Bisbee, attend farm-to-school events, and help at the Sierra Vista Theater. They also assist with the building of earthbag homes, an innovative and eco-friendly housing solution, in the Cochise County Building Permit Opt Out program.

One of the exciting projects that EHR is involved in is the maintenance of the Heartland Trail food forest in Sierra Vista. The food forest is a public space that features a variety of edible plants, such as fruit trees, berries, herbs, and vegetables. It is designed to mimic a natural ecosystem, enhancing biodiversity, soil health, and water conservation.

The people of EHR help with the upkeep of the food forest, such as pruning, weeding, harvesting, and composting. Through this activity, they can acquire new skills and learn the environmental benefits of planting. They also have the opportunity to work in a new setting and interact with different people. By engaging in the food forest, they promote healthy beings in healthy communities in city life while sticking to an agricultural focus.

EHR is a remarkable partner that shares our vision of creating a better world through food. We are honored to work with them and learn from them. Together, we can reap the goodness of life.