Our Village Community Center marks its seventh anniversary this month, commemorating seven years of nature-based preschool, community workshops and farm-fresh produce for Moab families.
What began in April 2018 on a five-acre plot once owned by beloved “Farmer Ray” Alger has grown into a vibrant hub where children learn among fruit trees and neighbors share skills.
Annie Thomas, Our Village’s founder and executive director—named Southern Utah Entrepreneur of the Year in 2022 by the Women’s Business Center of Utah—recalls how Ray, then in his early nineties, welcomed preschoolers that Thomas was watching onto his land.
“I’d always be afraid that they would knock him over,” she laughs, “but they never did.”
Photographs from April 2017 show wide-eyed preschoolers exploring sagebrush and orchard saplings before Thomas purchased the property, just days before Farmer Ray passed away.
“He said he wanted it left open for our children,” she says with warm affection. “He entrusted me to preserve the farm for Moab’s families.”
That field was transformed into a playground and garden plots where toddlers scoop sand and pick berries under towering cottonwoods. Thomas has emphasized the intergenerational nature of the community space, ensuring everyone from elders to the smallest children have a place to be in the sun.
Securing that five-acre farm brought immeasurable joy—and no shortage of hard work.
“Learning to be farmers on top of everything else has been a joyful challenge,” Thomas said, describing the many roles she and her husband juggle—running multiple businesses and a nonprofit farm. And that, she notes, is on top of their own children.
Our Village programs and events for 2025
That’s one reason that Thomas is passionate about supporting young families and connecting mothers in our community—a project she’s aiming to grow in coming years.
This summer, over 130 people have picked up fresh, local produce from Our Village’s weekly free markets each week, coming to the farm in the evenings and enjoying “amazing sunsets,” Thomas says.
The markets have been funded by a grant set to expire next year, so Thomas is seeking volunteers to help with planting, harvesting and distributing free produce to families.
“We always need more hands to keep these programs growing,” she said.
This year, Our Village is also the beneficiary of Moab’s annual Soup Bowl fundraiser put on by the Clay Artisans of Moab.
Recently, Thomas attended an event where artists were at work crafting hundreds of bowls for the November event.
“I was so moved by their passion and commitment,” says Thomas. “We have an amazing community.”
Get Involved
Volunteer farm helpers welcome — assist with planting, harvesting and produce distribution. Ongoing through 2026. Email info@ourvillagemoab.org or call 435-260-0294.
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