“In the military, if it has to get done, it has to get done. Getting up early: I’m used to it. Hard work: I’m used to it. When you say you’re going to do something, you do it.”
Career Soldier, Boutique Farmer, Community Leader
Some are born with a desire to serve, and some – like Council member-elect Elizabeth Robb — find that calling in unusual ways.
“I grew up a National Guard brat. Dad got out of the Army when I was little. I saw him go to drill every month. In college, I saw ROTC, and they said, ‘we’ll teach you to shoot and we have really good leadership training.’
“Someone chimed in: ‘it’s an easy A!’
“I thought, ‘I’ll take an easy A!’ And I just kept going.”
European Tour
That “Easy A” led Elizabeth to proudly serve her country for 13 years.
Her basic training at Fort Huachuca brought her to Arizona. She served in roles including Second Lieutenant in the North Carolina National Guard, Intelligence Officer in the United States Army, and Captain in the United States Army Reserve.
“I was fortunate enough not to go to the war zone…I went to Germany. It’s very green there. There were really nice people, and it was interesting to learn about so many different cultures.
“My unit being an intelligence unit – we had people from many different countries come work with us. Soldiers coming in for intelligence training. It was a blast!”
Community Servant
Elizabeth Robb moved to Oro Valley 26 years ago. She lives in a historic neighborhood that was the birthplace of OV.
As someone who continues to serve the public interest, she has taken on many volunteer roles, including:
- Rescuer with the Cochise County Search & Rescue
- Parent/WEBELOS Den Leader/Camping-Outdoor Coordinator/Treasurer for Cub Scout Pack 211
- Treasurer for the Mesa Verde Elementary Parent Teacher Organization
- Treasurer for the Alpine Highlands Homeowner Association
- Rescuer/Board Member/OEC Instructor with the Southern Arizona Rescue Association
- Parent/Committee Member/Treasurer/Merit Badge Counselor for Boy Scout Troop 248
- Treasurer & Spirit Wear coordinator for the Canyon del Oro High School Parent Teacher Organization
Cave Dweller
And she found her husband through another twist of fate.
“I was an Army lieutenant at Ft. Huachuca and heard an ad on the radio for ‘Cochise County Search and Rescue’. I called the number, and went to a meeting.
“Do you cave?”, they asked. “Come with us – we will bring all the gear you will need. Do you know how to rappel? Great. Do you know how to climb a rope? That’s ok, we can teach you.”
“I was very young and adventurous. I rappelled down 35 feet, and went around the cave. Loved it! Then, I watched two people go up. I hadn’t realized there was a lip along the top. It took me 10 minutes to figure it out. They couldn’t help. But I got out of the cave.
“I passed that job interview,” she jokes.
“After spending several years with Cochise County Search and Rescue, I started training with the Southern Arizona Rescue Association. I heard a guy talk about caving: That was Bill, who ended up being my husband!
“We started caving together, and the rest is history.”
Nourishing the Community
You’ve probably seen Elizabeth in her “day job”: she has been the owner-operator of Elizabeth’s Garden at the Oro Valley Farmer’s Market since 2009. Her most popular items are baked goodies like muffins & brownies, but she offers a wide range of citrus and locally-raised animal products.
Eating locally-sourced, organic food is one of the best things you can do – for your health, for your local merchant, and for the environment. And Elizabeth’s products are primarily sourced about as local as you can get: her home in OV.
How does a soldier become a farmer?
The Boutique Farmer
“I was headed toward a Bachelor of Sciences in Animal Science, but I got sidetracked by the Army.” And then many years later, she picked back up where she had left off.
“It just sort of happened. I started gardening. I was at home taking care of my son at the time. I was harvesting gobs of tomatoes. I would trade a basket of tomatoes at the farmer’s market. Eventually, someone said you could sell those. It started as a basket of tomatoes, then it was green beans, and that’s how I started.”
When asked how being a farmer compares to being a soldier, she says “the military was much more about teamwork. As an entrepreneur, the buck stops with me.”
But a career in the military makes for a strong work ethic: “In the military, if it has to get done, it has to get done. Getting up early: I’m used to it. Hard work: I’m used to it. When you say you’re going to do something, you do it.”
Wild World of Animals
Elizabeth raises chickens, turkey, geese, and quail. She’s also a beekeeper. She has a misting system to keep the animals cool during our intense summers. When she sees drops of water on their backs, she knows they are enjoying it.
Her family helps with taking care of the animals, picking fruit, watering, and more (“they work for room and board,” she jokes.) Elizabeth has 4 children (2 stepdaughters and two sons (one biological, one adopted)) and 2 grandchildren.
The hardest animal to raise? Geese. The eggs have to be sprayed several times per day for a month if you want them to hatch. And some animals are less smart than others: “Turkeys are just stupid!” she laughs.
The Campaign Trail
“Campaigning took some work – I had to learn how the process worked. I had to learn all about the town. I had to learn what people wanted. When I gathered signatures, I got to talk to people. I met several thousand people.
“At the library, some of the people thought I was the abortion person, so they didn’t want to talk to me!”
“The hardest part was the campaign signs. I was constantly having to repair them.”
Ready to Account
“I’ve always been good with numbers. At one point, I toyed with being an accountant. In the Army, I helped soldiers with their taxes.”
Once her kids were in kindergarten, she found out that no one was volunteering for the school Parent Teacher Organization. She turned to the Mom sitting next to her and said, “I’ll be the treasurer if you’ll be the VP. She’s my best friend now.”
As a Council member, she plans to apply her facility with accounting to the town budget.
“I want to dig in, I want to understand. I’m going to look, evaluate, and ask ‘why are we doing this?’”
Making the Big Bucks
Council members receive a nominal payment that can average out to less than a dollar per hour.
“I was surprised that I was going to be paid. I’m used to being a volunteer, so I’m used to not being paid. Being paid is a bonus! It’ll cover the clothes that I have to buy because I’m used to being a mom and a chicken farmer!”
