Project Info
Web:
EcoNomad
Name:
H4OPE
Project Value:
300,000
Category:
Desert Homestead
Start Date:
February 6, 2024
End Date:
September 13, 2025
Location:
Surprise, AZ
H4OPE Desert Homestead (AZ, 2 acres)
H4OPE is a 2-acre eco-village and school initiative led by Rob & Alyson in Surprise, AZ. Designed as a living response to Arizona’s crises of water scarcity, housing shortage, and cultural fragmentation, the project brings together renewable energy, workforce housing, permaculture, and heritage preservation into a single living classroom. EcoNomad partners with Rob & Alyson to anchor the design, secure funding, and weave apprenticeship programs into every build stage.
Here to Know About This Project
Agriculture and the environment are deeply interconnected. Sustainable farming is crucial for preserving natural ecosystems while supporting the global demand for food. This project aims to address environmental challenges such as soil degradation, water scarcity, and climate change by promoting eco-friendly agriculture.
We focus on practices like regenerative farming, agroforestry, and organic farming to reduce environmental impact while maintaining productivity. Our approach ensures that agriculture works hand-in-hand with nature, preserving resources for future generations. Farmers are encouraged to adopt practices that improve soil health, conserve water, and increase biodiversity, all while producing high-quality, nutritious crops.
Project Requirement
Follow safety guidelines during active builds (gabion, trenching, solar install).
Respect the desert ecosystem (water conservation, waste limits, fire safety).
Participate in work-trade, apprenticeship, or program enrollment for access.
Honor the cultural and heritage practices integrated into site programming.
Analysis & Planning
Alignment with Policy: Directly addresses Arizona’s municipal priorities: water conservation, renewable energy, affordable housing, workforce training, cultural anchors.
Implementation Phases: Site prep (Sept 2025), infrastructure (water, RV pads, gabion staging), high-visibility builds (café, aquaponics, herb store), and volunteer housing.
Funding Strategy: Quadrant-specific grants (trees, solar, STEM, housing, heritage) with sponsorship opportunities and funder events.
Community Engagement: A September 21 launch with Indigenous leaders, historians, sustainability experts, and funders builds credibility and partnerships.
Long-Term Vision: Become a training ground for apprentices and a replicable EcoNomad hub model in desert climates.
The Eco and Agriculture project is designed to be a model for sustainable farming. Our analysis focuses on minimizing waste, optimizing resource use, and promoting biodiversity. With careful planning, we integrate renewable energy, water management systems, and organic farming practices. The objective is to reduce the carbon footprint of agriculture while ensuring food production remains efficient and sustainable.
We help farmers create a sustainable blueprint, from seed selection to harvest, with an emphasis on environmental stewardship. Soil health, water conservation, and renewable energy use are prioritized, ensuring that farming is not just productive but also environmentally responsible.
"A future where farming nourishes both the land and the people, sustainably and harmoniously."
-Sophia Greaves
Project Solution
The site is divided into nine themed quadrants, each addressing a local challenge:
Mulberry Grove (A1): Shade and food orchard.
Living Well Commons (A2): Central well, trees, and gathering space.
Workforce Roots Housing (A3): Affordable housing for workers and volunteers.
Greenhouse Gateway (B1): Hydroponic greenhouse for food security and education.
Community Workshop Row (B2): Maker space for welding, gabion walls, and trades training.
Roots & Walls (B3): Ecological defense via gabion walls and tree planting.
Solar Grove (C1): Solar panels integrated with shade trees.
Heritage Circle (C2): Cultural space for storytelling and community events.
Wall of Belonging (C3): Completing gabion fencing and safe housing for excluded groups.
Our solutions focus on transforming traditional farming methods into environmentally responsible practices. This includes adopting regenerative agriculture, which restores soil health and increases carbon capture, and agroforestry, which enhances biodiversity and creates resilient ecosystems. We promote organic farming techniques, reducing chemical inputs and ensuring food production is safe for both the consumer and the environment.
The integration of renewable energy solutions like solar panels for powering equipment and drip irrigation systems to conserve water are at the core of this project. Our goal is to create farming systems that not only produce healthy crops but also benefit the planet.
