Our Story

One hundred years ago, Colonel Boyce Thompson set aside land near his mine in Superior, AZ and envisioned a center for the study of improved plant food production.  That place became the Boyce Thompson Arboretum, an extraordinary collection of desert Plants from around the world. 

In 2022, the Arboretum agreed to lend 5 acres of its surrounding property for the purpose of experimenting with a community food forest.  Carol Manetta had a vision for teaching people to create a sustainable and mutually beneficial relationship with the land.  These visions have come together in the Arizona based, non-profit organization, Desert Abundance.