Public Food Forest in Sierra Vista
Open to the Public in 2024
SIERRA VISTA, AZ - December 15, 2023: Two nonprofit organizations have teamed up to start work in 2024 in a West Side neighborhood to create and then maintain a food forest for public use in 2024. Reap Goodness and Echoing Hope Ranch have teamed up to work - one to develop and one to maintain – city owned land at E Busby Drive near 3rd Street in Sierra Vista with volunteers. The volunteers will then plan for which luscious fruits, berries, grapes plus smaller perennial veggies, herbs and medicinal plants to grow for the public to harvest.
When asked about thoughts on the final project, Sierra Vista resident Jesse Evans replied, “We see this project benefiting the local community by bringing the community members together to work towards and benefit from a common goal, also taking pride in their local development. As this project develops and solidifies further, it has the potential to inspire other local communities to implement similar projects.”
Beginning in January, teams of area volunteers from a few organizations and individuals will come together and remove invasive plants in this flash flood zone, then create rainwater harvesting land structures for watering the eventual plantings. Then, a variety of food plants at different heights, like a typical forest has, will be planted with care, using natural fertilizers like compost and worm castings. The volunteers will be also getting their hands dirty with plants that attract pollinating insects and birds, as well as those that cleanse the soil of street contaminants.
Nothing like this has ever been done before - dividing into three distinct teams dedicated to rainwater harvesting, food forestry and environmental plantings, each with their own decision-making plus overall focus together. The result will be free foods for the public for many years to come.
Reap Goodness is requesting volunteers in Sierra Vista and nearby communities to team up shoulder to shoulder to make the work light. Reach out at contact.rg@reapgoodness.org. See more information at https://www.reapgoodness.org.
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CONTACT INFORMATION:
REAP GOODNESS
Carol Manetta
480-993-6869
cmanetta@reapgoodness.org
