Sunday is Mom’s Day, a universal celebration of what moms do for us all. Let mom sleep late and take the kids to the farmers’ market.  Saturday at the Oro Valley market you will find both interesting and fun gift ideas that I am sure any mom will love. Check out Desert Oasis Soap company for sweet smelling luxurious soaps, lotions and scrubs.  If your mom loves coffee or tea, Adventure coffee has over 20 organic special roasts that put any national coffee chain to shame, and if she is a teetotaler Maya Tea Company has over 40 different blends of black, green and herbal teas.  At Maynard’s farmers’ market downtown, you will find Ironwood goats milk soaps,  Maya Tea Company’s Teas, or a tasty pie or tart from Big Skye Pies.  While you are at the markets you can pick up all the necessary ingredients for your Mom’s Day breakfast, like sweet cinnamon rolls and savory breads from Small Planet Bakery, tamales from Tucson Tamale Company and of course the freshest local vegetables from our awesome farmers!

On Sunday, take a Mother’s Day stroll at the farmers’ market at St. Philip’s Plaza for your Mom’s Day cookout.  If you want to give her the night off, our ranchers offer a wide variety of brats, roasts, steaks and salmon for your grill.  If your mom has a garden, a few varieties of starter vegetable plants and seeds will gear her for summer growing.   And, if you get to the market early, you may find a few garden fresh flowers that I am sure your mom will love.

What could be better than fresh, local, good-for-you food to celebrate your mom on her special day?  After all, she always said, “Eat your veggies.”  Now you can say, “Yes, mom–and I picked them out myself at the farmers’ market!”  She will be so proud.

See you at the markets!

Jojoba Beef on the Range

So, I am re-writing a blog about beef.  The most recent draft was very formal and full of details about the differences in branding, marketing, and especially the health concerns and issues in the world of supermarket beef (really scary!), but I decided to leave all that out.  I just want to keep it simple–I want to explain in concise terms what you should be looking for when you choose any meat.

Find the freshest, grass-fed or grass-finished meat from your local rancher or farmer… period.  End of story.  Talk to the person who is raising the animals–you should be doing the asking!  They will tell you what the animals are fed, how they are treated, and may even show you pictures of the environment in which they are raised.  What more can you ask for?

Now, I know that the meat products at the farmers’ market are slightly more expensive than the supermarket, however I want you to ponder a few things.  At your supermarket, how fresh are the meat and eggs that have been shipped from farms in the mid-west?  Where are the cows coming from?  Cows are ruminants which chew the cud, which means that they are meant to eat grass.  No regulations demand that the type of feed process be named on the product label however.  Almost all supermarket beef, even products labeled “organic”, can mean that the cows have been fed on corn and grain products.

When you choose to eat meat, eggs, and dairy products from animals raised on pasture, you are improving the welfare of the animals, reducing environmental pollution, helping small-scale ranchers and farmers make a living from the land, creating sustainability within our communities, and giving your family the healthiest possible food.

So join us as we celebrate our ranching and farming families that are truly devoted to their work at the annual “GrazeFest”, hosted by the Tucson Farmers’ Market.

GrazeFest celebrates Arizona’s ranching and farming heritage by celebrating our area’s

leading producers of natural grass-fed and range-fed meats.

• Friday, March 23 at Jesse Owens Farmers’ Market

Chef Maria Mazon from BOCA

9:30 am Chef Demo

• Saturday, March 24 at Oro Valley Farmers’ Market

Chef Angel Fabian from NOBLE HOPS

9:30 am Chef Demo

For me, the most interesting speaker of all was Ken Meter. He is one of the most experienced food system analysts in the United States, and his message was both ominous and inspiring. Most of us are aware that we are losing our farms to growth, housing developments, and urban infrastructure, but the extent to which this is happening is astounding. Our region alone is losing farms at a rapid rate–since 1960 we have lost over 65% of our local food shed to urban growth. With a smaller local supply, our produce needs have been outsourced. Currently $3.3 billion dollars a year is spent on food that is trucked in from areas outside of our region. $3.3 billion. It’s amazing when you think about it. Can we afford to lose any more farm land? How about the farmers? But it isn’t so hard to turn these figures around. Did you realize that if everyone in Tucson spent just $5 a week on locally grown food, we would generate $287 million dollars in local farm revenue for the area’s farmers and ranchers? So often we think that we need big solutions to the big problems, but the truth is, a small personal effort can make all of the difference. If we start little by little, buying locally and eating seasonally, what would our world look like twenty years from now? What would we look like?

Times like these are bringing change, and it is up to us how we respond to it. We can either stubbornly stick to our old habits, or we can alter our course just a little–as little as $5 a week! Doing so would not only affect you, but also your family, your neighborhood, your city or country, and even the planet. I know that I am ready… are you?

Now is a great time to stock up on the best of cold-weather produce: kale, chard, spinach, collards, mesculin mix, heads of lettuce, cilantro, parsley, and cauliflower, carrots, beets and broccoli. You may even find Romanesco Broccoli, known for its unique fractal-shaped spears. It is so beautiful you almost don’t want to eat it, just place it on the counter and gaze at it for a while. Be sure to take advantage of these great vegetables now, while they are still in season. Those tomato starts may look small now, but it won’t be long before they flourish and the market is overflowing with fruits of the like.

Along with spring comes allergies. The winds that signal the change of seasons also blow around all that pollen and dust outside, and many of us are left sneezing and coughing in the aftermath. A box of Kleenex sits next to me as I write, but there is a better, proactive way to survive the spring allergy season. Local honey. All those critters we call bees have been busy hovering and collecting from all of the wildflowers, cacti, weeds and grasses that are blooming this time of year, exactly that is causing our noses to twitch. In honey, these allergens are delivered in small, manageable doses and the effect over time is very much like that of undergoing allergy immunology injections. The major difference though is that honey is a lot easier to take, and is certainly a lot less expensive. Just make sure that the honey you are ingesting is as local as you can find it, as honey from another city or state may have allergens that are not native to this area. Ingesting orange blossom honey from Florida may not have the same effects as, say, cactus or mesquite honey from Tucson.

So if spring fever has you outdoors, come and take a stroll at the farmers’ market. Take advantage of the surplus of winter produce, and get a head start on your summer garden. And don’t fear those little yellow blossoms of the mesquite trees overhead—just visit the local beekeeper at the market and stock up on his seasonal honey. You may just find out what the local buzz is all about!

A CSA share purchased in the spring or fall gives the farmer an idea of just how much to plant, and also helps fund the operation. CSAs are extremely helpful for the farmer, but they can be of just as much benefit to you–when the produce begins to mature it becomes available to you on a weekly basis and you can pick up your share at a designated pickup point. Now, lets say we have an extremely wet spring and the offerings at the market are slim. If you purchased a CSA share, your portion is locked in for a certain amount of vegetables. You won’t have to fight the crowd at the market for the dwindling supply of peas or carrots. The only downside can be that you may occasionally get too much of a good thing; for instance, you may get a surplus of bok choy. After several weeks, you may grow tired of cooking and creating with this ingredient, so what do you do with all this bok choy? Why not give it away to your neighbor, friend or family member who may enjoy it.
All in all, it comes down to supporting your local farmer. Sometimes your share will feel like Christmas in a box and sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming. I look forward to the challenge of incorporating all of the fresh, local ingredients into my meals, and moreover I believe that I will have saved time, effort and money, and it just feels like the right thing to do. I know who my farmer is, what their growing practices are, and I don’t have to worry about what is in season. And perhaps my cooking will become more creative too–I bet that I can make bok choy a most inspiring ingredient in my repertoire.

For more information and general questions about individual CSA opportunities:

Sleeping Frog Farms
www.sleepingfrogfarms.com

River Road Gardens
Contact Jon at CSAinfo@riverroadgardens.com

Walking J Farms
www.walkingjfarm.com

I consider myself lucky to be part of the local farmers’ market movement here in Tucson. Every weekend I have the opportunity to purchase delicious food that is locally grown here in the region.  February brings with it a plethora of citrus and greens, while in other parts of the country lay buried in mountains of snow.  Crisp fresh greens, cabbages and roots lay bundled dewy with water droplets clinging to their leaves.  I am in admiration at the beauty of it all. It was during the Sunday market that I was looking over the day’s bounty when I had a conversation that struck me as quite funny-Debbie from Sleeping Frog Farms and I were talking about the beautiful colors and ripeness of the bok choy cabbages.  Then we moved on to the ruby beets, beautiful blending of forrest green of each leaf and the bright crimson of the bulb.  I am sure that listening to our conversation is similar to those in a jewelry store amidst the gleaming gems, however, ours was over beets!  I must admit my heart goes pitty pat over the bright oranges, and the bountiful displays in each individual tent. At once we laughed at our exuberance over something so simple as a beet, however, it is just the beginning of a love affair, but one I must give fair warning to those gentlemen that are reading this…not all women would be excited at the prospect of receiving a ruby beet as a gift.

For me I am thrilled to be able to transform the expanse of concrete into a vibrant community of farmers, merchants, friends and neighbors who come to the market to experience the colors and tastes of our regions bounty.  Sometimes I do get a little annoyed with the large chain and box stores tout the words ‘farmer’ and ‘local’ or use the words ‘farmers market’ in their campaigns, or because of the popularity of farmers’ markets you find many popping up-that are just craft shows – when me and my farmers’ market family work hard to develop a ‘sustainable community’ for those of you who have chosen to buy your produce directly from the producer.  You will find when you take that bite of crisp apple or juice from that local orange that it may have cost you just a smidge more, but the effects of your support outweigh the cost, for your health, for your community and for the future of the land.   For me a ruby beet is priceless.

As part of our philosophy at the Tucson Farmers’ Markets, we visit each farm, ranch and small business in support of our vendors.  Recently I was lucky enough to visit a ranch nestled in the shadows of the Galiuro Mountains near the tiny town of Mammoth, Arizona.  Campstool Ranch has been passed through familial hands since the early days of the pony express, and today is run by Laurie  and Mike Mercer.  Their superb beef products are sold at the Oro Valley farmers’ market  and in other local arenas under the name Sombrero Butte Beef Company.

    The expansive landscape and beautiful vistas took my breath away.   I could only imagine what it would feel like to wake up to such a view each and every day. Now, I know that working and visiting are two very different things and I wanted to experience what a day on the ranch really meant, so I insisted that during my visit I wanted to help out.  Laurie was ready and waiting for me by the truck, I hopped in and we rambled down the road to pick up a load of salt blocks.  Down by the recently-built corrals, Mike was busy putting up more pipe fencing.  He quickly hopped on the loader and picked up a pallet of salt blocks and loaded them on the back of the truck.
Mike gave Laurie directives and away we went.  The day went like this: unlock/lock gates, drive to watering hole, unload 4-8 blocks at 50 lbs apiece, drive 4-5 miles to the next stop, repeat, drive 4-5 miles, repeat.   Just to be clear,  we are not talking about smooth paved roads, but bumpy, rocky four-wheeling roads.  But I was happy to be bouncing along and it gave me a chance to ask Laurie a number of questions that were brewing in my mind.  We talked about the number of cattle that were currently roaming freely among the hills (around 350 head), the type of breeds that do well (Brahman cows bred by Angus-Charolais bulls), and what makes them so well-suited for the desert (they withstand heat well and they eat desert plants). Amongst all of the issues that cattle ranchers experience in our harsh climate, water availability and very large predators like mountain lions and coyotes are some of the most challenging.  Laurie was particularly excited about some of the new technologies currently being tested on their ranch.  Certain cellular devices use solar power and help to monitor the water level in their water tanks.   The technology is really beneficial to the ranching way of life, helping to monitor the cattle and make sure that they are well taken care of. Laurie pointed out to me that the recent rains have given life to small green grasses, cats claw, cholla and jojoba leaves that are particularly good for the cattle to eat.  Six to eight months before the cattle are butchered, Mike grazes them on the native grasses in his new native seeded grass area, complete with a pivot irrigation system to keep the grasses growing.  Finishing the herd on this diet helps to tenderize the meat.
I got to see the old homestead that Mike’s great-grandfather built, a small one-room cabin, complete with an enlarged chimney with steps leading to the top for defense against any Indian attack. 

The homestead sits empty at this time and is used only when it’s round-up time. Laurie indicated that she would love to live there permanently someday.  Laurie and Mike love the ranching life, and couldn’t imagine any better lifestyle. They are building their dream and hoping to hand it down to their daughter, who is also quite enthusiastic for the ranching life (a rare thing these days!).

Heading back through all the gates and locks, I was really hungry and elated with having done a good half-day’s work.  I was headed back to Tucson; The Mercers were going to work until sundown.  Driving back home on paved roads I pondered their lifestyle, and it made me proud of them and of our markets.  I am so glad to support them in any way that I can.  I must also continue to do what I do, providing and promoting a marketplace where they can offer their one-of-a-kind products to the public.  In this way, it’s like I’ve been helping out at the ranch all along!

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