Ruby Grow

Ruby Grow is a social enterprise business operating within High Rocks Educational Corporation. This business is an agriculture program where young people in the community work while learning and earning as they grow and sell food. The Ruby Grow program is an educational market garden that focuses on growing people and growing food while strengthening the community.

We grow food in high tunnels and outdoor field space. Some of the crops we grow include garlic, lettuce, kale, tomatoes and bell peppers. Our customers include local schools, farmer markets, local restaurants, food pantries, and local stores.  Enhancing personal and professional skills, building partnerships and relationships that create strong networks, and strengthening entrepreneurial skills are all areas of focus in the Ruby Grow program. We use the High Rocks methodology to teach about and act upon topics such as food security, food preservation, farm to school efforts, marketing and selling products, business planning and community resilience.

The land for this program was donated by Ralph Burns of Hillsboro, WV. The farming operations at this property are named “Ruby Grow”, in memory of Ralph’s mother, Ruby Burns, a founding board member of the High Rocks.  In honor of the Burns family, High Rocks helps local young people to develop leadership and community engagement as they create pathways to stay here in Pocahontas County, building a secure economic future for themselves and their communities.

Check out our video feature in the West Virginia Department of Agriculture's Digital Market Bulletin.