ECHO North America Impact Center

06/12/2026

☀️ Adventure is calling!

Explore the natural beauty of Southwest Florida with the Summer Nature Navigator Digital Pass—and don't forget to make ECHO one of your stops along the way! 🌱

From tropical food crops to global seed collections, ECHO's Global Farm offers a glimpse into how agriculture is transforming lives around the world. 💚 As you explore, you'll discover plants, practices, and innovations that connect Southwest Florida to ECHO's Regional Impact Centers across Africa, Asia, and Central America—making every visit a gateway to global impact.

The pass is now LIVE and has been extended through September 8, giving families even more time to explore this summer and beyond.

📍 Start your adventure today: https://www.visitfortmyers.com/summer-nature-navigators

Tag a friend or family member you'd love to explore with! 🌎✨

06/11/2026

🌧️ A little rain didn’t stop today’s sapodilla harvest

Sapodilla is a tropical fruit prized for its sweet flavor, often described as a blend of brown sugar, pear and cinnamon. One challenge, however, is knowing exactly when it’s ready to harvest.

A simple technique called the scratch test can help. By gently scratching the fruits skin, growers can check the color underneath. If the flesh beneath is still green, the fruit needs more time. If it reveals a tan or brown color, it’s ready to be picked and allowed to ripen.

It’s one of many practical observation that farmers use to make informed decisions in the field—small details can make a big difference in harvest quality.

👇 Have you ever tried sapodilla? Let us know in the comments!

06/10/2026

📣 Save the Date: November 10-12

The ECHO International Agriculture Conference returns for its 33rd year!

Each year, this gathering brings together a global community of agricultural practitioners, educators, researchers, development workers, and ministry leaders to share knowledge, exchange ideas, and explore practical options for strengthening food systems and livelihoods around the world.

Through workshops, field demonstrations, and conversations with peers, participants gain new insights and build meaningful connections, leaving inspired by what God is doing through agriculture and collaboration.

Join us November 10-12 as we learn from one another and explore how faith and agriculture can cultivate lasting impact.

📍 Fort Myers, FL, USA
📆 November 10-12

🔗 Registration details coming soon!

06/02/2026

Grafting sapodilla with our interns this week! 🌱

During their weekly rotations, interns spend time with our propagation team learning more about plant propagation techniques and tropical agriculture. Learning to graft sapodilla, an important staple crop in many tropical regions, gives interns practical skills they can carry into the communities they serve long after their internship at ECHO. 💛

🔗 For more information on grafting techniques, visit ECHOcommunity.org for more.

05/29/2026

Have you ever tasted the creaminess of a sapodilla? 🌿

This unique tropical fruit comes in many different varieties, each with its own flavor and story. From creamy and sweet to crisp and caramel-like, sapodilla is just one example of the incredible diversity God has woven into creation around the world.

At ECHO, growing and sharing tropical crops is part of our Christ-centered mission to connect people through agriculture and learning. Every fruit in the Market Garden represents cultures, communities, and the power of plants to bring people together. 🌟

Come taste and take home sapodilla as well as many other tropical fruits fresh from the farm this weekend!

📍 Friday: 9 AM – 4 PM
📍 Saturday: 9 AM – 3 PM

05/27/2026

What a blessing! 🌱 Recently, our ECHO staff traveled to Guatemala to support one of our newest Impact Centers, representing Central America & the Caribbean. 🇬🇹

From participating in the seed exchange to sharing resources with attendees, it was incredible to witness the network come to life through collaboration and connection. 💛

We are deeply grateful for the opportunity to support our Impact Centers around the world and to see the ways God is working through these partnerships to strengthen communities and create lasting impact.

Many more moments like this to come — and a huge applause to ECHO Central America & Caribbean Impact Center.👏

05/22/2026

04/17/2026

A full circle moment—and a meaningful finale 🌱

Tim Watkins, former ECHO intern and now co-founder of Ecovision, LLC with his wife, returned to lead our Mini Food Forests Workshop—sharing the same sustainable agriculture practices he first explored here.

This workshop also marked the conclusion of our GF3 workshop series, ending on a powerful note of growth, learning, and shared impact.
From learning to leading—and now passing it on.

04/16/2026

Hands-on learning is at the heart of what we do 🧶
Our interns are learning how to spin wool—connecting agriculture, practical skills, and sustainable livelihoods. Experiences like this help build a deeper understanding of resources and resilience in the communities we serve. 💛

04/14/2026

Fresh eyes in the field! 🌿📸

Our new interns joined us for a BioBlitz, capturing photos to document plants, insects, and wildlife around the farm. Each image becomes part of a growing digital dataset that informs our research on sustainable agriculture and practical strategies for communities worldwide. Hands-on experiences like this connect learning, science, and impact—building skills while supporting resilient communities.