Global Farm Tours

Please note: ECHO will be closed on Monday the 27th for Memorial Day and the 29th for refurbishment. Thank you for your understanding.

A unique attraction for Lee County, ECHO’s Global Farm Tour is a fascinating walking tour of the most creative working farm you have ever experienced. You will find demonstrations, plants, and techniques useful to farmers and urban gardeners in developing countries and learn all about ECHO's mission of helping the poor help themselves. Experience seven settings of the Global Farm and taste tropical leaves while you explore rain-forest habitats, stop at a simulated rural school and witness urban gardening techniques that allow gardens on rooftops. You will also see some of our simple technologies and visit our friendly farm animals: goats, chickens, ducks, tilapia, and rabbits.

...and if that is not enough to entice you, ECHO has one of the largest collections of tropical food plants in Florida.

Join us for our Appropriate Technology tour. Discover simple technologies made from local or recycled materials that can improve lives. Learn how sand can be used to filter water, how manure can be converted into energy, even how a bicycle can be used to run a power saw! Explore this and much more on a guided tour through ECHO's Appropriate Technology demonstrations.

Public Farm Tour Schedule:

December through March: tours at 10 a.m., noon, & 2 p.m. Tue.-Fri.; 10 a.m. & noon on Sat.

This tour takes about 1.5 hours. Please allow 2 hours for this attraction. Reservations cannot be made for Public Farm tours and we have a limit of 20 people per guide. Please arrive early and fill out a registration form located on the front porch. A registration form is required for every single visit. Tours begin promptly on the hour. Late arrivals cannot be guaranteed a spot on the tour, nor can they join once the tour has left the Visitor's Center. If you are interested in bringing a group (8+) please scroll down for more information.

Discounts are available for seniors, AAA members, military, students, and overseas missionaries.

This tour takes approximately 1.25 hours. Reservations cannot be made for the Public AT tour and we have a limit of 20 people per guide. Please arrive early to fill out a registration form located on the front porch. A registration form is required for every single visit. Tour starts promptly at 2 pm and late arrivals cannot be guaranteed a spot on the tour nor join once the tour has left from the front porch. If you are interested in bringing a group (8+) please scroll down for more information.

Discounts available for seniors, military, AAA members, students and overseas missionaries.

Coming out on a Tuesday? Ask about our bundle ticket price if you are interested in taking both the Farm and AT tour on the same day!

Group tours are available for a Farm tour and/or AT tour for parties of 8 or more with an advance notice of at least two weeks. Please note that group tours are scheduled seperately from public tours, so 10 am, 12 pm and 2 pm time slots are not available for groups.

ECHO Nursery & Gift Shop Hours:

Monday through Friday 9-5; Saturday 9-4; Closed Sundays and holidays.

The Tropical Fruit Nursery and Global Bookstore and Gift shop sell fruit trees and many of the same seeds ECHO distributes to impoverished tropical farmers in more than 180 countries.

More Information

Directions

26 comments

Author: Connie Marthaler - 12/08/2009

Hi I have just heard about you and will possibly be trying to come and see you this winter I am in WI i am very intrested in learning all I can to help my farmers I work with in Aquin, Haiti. Do you ever go to Haiti? I would love to take you to my farmers.My husband will come to FL with me he is a veterinarian. Wants to learn from you. Bless you for what you do

Author: ash simpson - 01/17/2010

You are featured on Day of Discovery. I have always had the greatest respect for soil and have always used natural means to grow crops, etc. However, in noting your devotion to soil, may you eternally have to tread barefoot on wire cage mesh, as do your rabbits. Too bad they aren't plants; they would receive kinder treatment.

Author: Danielle Flood - 03/04/2010

Bryan, I'm sorry, ECHO will be closed on April 2nd in observance of Good Friday.

Author: Marilyn Chassagne - 03/24/2010

I have a group going on a short term mission trip to South Africa this September. One the the activities the group will be involved in is teaching the locals to grow gardens in an effort to have them help themselves with food. Would a tour be adequate to teach the missionaries techniques we can bring to South Africa?

[Editor's Note: Hi Marilyn! ECHO's Global Farm Tours are focused on giving the public an overview of ECHO's ministry around the world with an emphasis on some of the techniques that could be used to assist others. That being said, one 90-minute tour would not be enough to train your people to train those in South Africa. Please look into our guided Self Study Program (http://www.echonet.org/content/studyprogram) or Introduction to Tropical Agriculture workshop (http://www.echonet.org/content/coursesAndWorkshops) for more hands-on training that we can offer you. Thanks!]

Author: Mary Jo Golley - 07/12/2010

My two sisters and I visited the Nursery and Farm on 7/10/10. We were elated to see such innovations towards self sustenance. ECHO provided me with hope for the future of man and earth and the partnership we should be seeking to sustain our planet and its inhabitants.

Author: Anonymous - 08/16/2010

Suggestion; Print your various hours on every piece of info on website...Thanks

Author: Phyliss - 08/16/2010

am working in a semi=arid area of a limited access country recently impacted by flooding and am interested in how we could model dry farming techniques and possibly improve nutrition for territory surrounding our health care facility. Also interested in solar or other appropriate technologies as we have no dependable power. Would I be able to observe, see what you are doing, consult, or otherwise work with you on a project on our compound? I'd love to arrange a visit to your facility. C

Author: Daniel Halsey - 08/18/2010

Will you be open for visitors Sunday the 22nd? We will be passing through and hoped to stop by. Thank you, Daniel Halsey Educational Director Permaculture Research Institute, Cold Climate, Minneapolis

Author: Goshen Vision Community Organization - 09/30/2010

We are christian organization and do social development.

Author: Angie Henderson - 10/14/2010

Question: There are just 2 of us coming for a tour on Tues 10/19/10, do I need to reserve or anything. Do we just show up? Thank you.

[Editor's Note: Hi Angie! Just show up! We have a regularly scheduled tour that you will be able to attend.]

Author: Harold Samtur - 12/13/2010

Two questions: 1. Your staff bios indicate most have a church background in some way. Is your organization connected in some way to religious institutions or belief? 2. If I visited your farm, would there be trees or shrubs available to purchase amenable to southwest Florida climate or only seeds? Thanks.

[Hello, Harold! Our mission statement is: ECHO is a global Christian organization that exists to equip people with agricultural resources and skills to reduce hunger and improve the lives of the poor. To answer your second question, our retail nursery does sell plants, trees and shrubs that would assist you in landscaping in Southwest Florida. Just stop by our nursery and tell the staff what you're looking for. Thanks for asking!]

Author: Tom Davis - 01/08/2011

Your tour and bookstore look very attractive to me. I'm a Master Naturalist in Illinois and have been asked to make a presentation later this spring (~May - June 2011) on composting to restore and improve the native soils (ours are alfisols with very high clay concentration and nutrient depletion owing to over cultivation). I'm currently on a winter hiatus and staying in N. Ft. Meyers aboout 1/2 mile from ECHO. Would I find a tour and some of your other resources useful? BTW, I was asked to do this because none of our Master Gandeners felt comfortable with it and I have 16 years of teaching in my past.

[Hi Tom, I think you would find the tour extremely interesting, and we have various resources that you might find helpful in preparing for your presentation! We have guests from all walks of life and all professions.]

Author: d. - 01/24/2011

Is there seating available throughout the tour grounds? My sister has a debilitating back problem, but still manages to garden despite her disability. We are interested in taking your interesting tour. She needs to know if she should take a lightweight folding stool with her if seating is not easily available. Do you also have any practices for the disabled? She'd be very interested in that.

[Hi Scott, Thanks for your question. The Global Farm Tour does have benches along the way and proceeds at a relaxed pace. There is a time halfway through the tour where the entire group stops for a few minutes to rest and hear from the tour guide. That being said, we also have a golf cart that can be available to transport anyone unable to walk/stand for that long of a time. Please call ahead if you feel that a golf cart would assist your family to best enjoy the tour.]

Author: Angela Hemstreet - 03/10/2011

On January 29 a number of the GoodGuides mentors and mentees toured ECHO. We had a great time and learned so much! We have a collage of the visit that our graphic artist at Goodwill created for us to remember our day. I don't see a way to attach it here though. Maybe let me know if there is another email address? Thank you!

Author: mark - 03/10/2011

is the tour wheel chair accessible?

Author: Debbie Baack - 03/22/2011

Do I need to make reservations for a Saturday visit?

Author: Holly - 04/17/2011

The church I attend sends out numerous short term mission teams every summer through UMVIM. Would there be a way to train some of our volunteers (who live in Orlando) to organize community gardens appropriate to the various sites they go to? We are also developing a ministry in Kenya to assist child-headed families become self-sustaining. There is no on-site missionary. Rather we are working with a pastor in Kenya. How might the resources of ECHO be helpful in that situation? Thank you for your response, and blessings on your work.

Author: Sharon Rosenborg - 05/02/2011

I would love to become a member, possibly donate my time and abilities.

Author: Tiz Tom Williams - 08/22/2011

What are the thoughts of this book? FUTURE FERTILITY: Transforming Human Waste into Human Wealth by John Beeby addresses a question many development workers face. "The soil here is so depleted and so few inputs are available. Is it safe to recycle human waste into our fields or gardens?" This book takes a careful look at the topic of processing human urine and manure so it may be safely added to the soil to sustain productivity. For those of you in areas where human waste is currently unmanaged and causes the spread of disease, this book may be very helpful in defining treatment options you could implement. Nine different methods for recycling manure (aquaculture, algae, solar heating, composting, trees, grains, etc.) are outlined and compared based on purification levels, resources required, and the value of the finished product as fertilizer. This book will answer many of your questions about how to manage a waste recycling system safely and effectively. The 164-page book is US$18.50 plus postage ($4.50 within the USA; others write for exact cost) from: Bountiful Gardens, 18001 Shafer Ranch Rd., Willits, CA 95490-9626, USA. Return to TOP

Author: Tiz Tom Williams - 08/22/2011

Thank you for the thoughts. Human waste is in all third world .

Author: Alexandra Fitzgerald - 08/31/2011

I am a student at Shorecrest Preparatory School in St. Petersburg Fl. I want to do my science project on whole food source plants that will grow in difficult climate and terrain.I will be presenting this project at the science fair and would like to come to echo to see the work you've been doing. I would also like to use your suggestions for soil and seed combinations. I believe in the work your doing and would like to help further understanding of the types of agriculture that are proving successful in needy areas. Thank you for any help and I hope to hear from you. Have a blessed day Alexandra Fitzgerald

Author: Bill Wolfe - 02/27/2012

I have taken the TOUR 3 times and plan on taking it again tommorow with guest from WV. I enjoy and learn something new each time.

Author: Angela Hiske - 03/02/2012

Hello. I am an Environmental Science teacher at Lee Adolescent Mothers Program (LAMP) and would be interested in possibly doing a field trip at your center, perhaps in April. However, our school hours are from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, so your tours in April will not work with our hours. Do you offer different times for groups?

Answer: Hi Angela, Yes we do offer special times for groups. I will have Celeste contact you regarding your tour.

Author: Dr. Neal Caldwell - 11/12/2012

Hi, I just returned from a volunteer trip with the US-AID and ACDI/VOCA in Liberia and am inquiring as to whether you have ever sent seeds to that area or ever been involved in assistance in that part of Africa? Please advise me as to your consideration in participation and if you have any history in that area. Many thanks for your time and consideration. Neal Caldwell DVM

Author: Faith Miller - 11/29/2012

Hello-

I've done the tour three times with the students and my co-workers from Edison Collegiate High school...what I'm wondering is if you guys think the tour would work for my 4 and 5 year olds? They are dying to see ECHO and we have an open Saturday this weekend and I thought we'd stop by. My oldest wants to know if they can feed the goats and/or bunnies-- LOL. Let me know your thoughts.

Thank you,

Faith Miller :)

Hi Faith,
We do encourage families to come on our tour, but understand that the tour does focus on hunger issues and poverty, topics that go over most little ones' heads. For safety reasons, we cannot allow the children to feed the animals, but occasionally a trained staff member or tour guide could offer them a leaf while the children watched.

We are thrilled that you enjoy the tour and thank you for your support of ECHO!

--Danielle

Author: Cy Englert - 12/05/2012

I've been on the tour and would like to take my mom, just before Christmas, on our way to relatives. What is the last day of tours before the holiday?

Hi Cy,

We will have tours now through Saturday December 22nd. They are at 10, 12 and 2 through Friday, and 10 and 12 on Saturday.

We thank you for your support of ECHO and hope you have a wonderful tour!

--Danielle

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