Sierra Vista Farmers Markets Update for 01-10-19

Spring Gardening Tips – –
We hope you all are drying out from the unusually wet weather. Between the two snows and this weekend’s rain we got nearly 8″ of snow and 2″ of rain. What a great start to this year’s precipitation! If you are gardeners like us, the warmer weather has you itching to get out and get your hands dirty. If you are planning to get your garden ready for spring planting there is still time to improve your soil with a nitrogen fixing cover crop. If you are conscientious about water usage, now that the rains have added a substantial amount of moisture to our soil in Cochise County make sure you take advantage of that moisture by planting a good cover crop over your garden area. Not only does the proper cover crop add nitrogen to your soil, it also helps prevent erosion and come planting time you can rototill your cover crop into the soil which also helps improve the soil.

Fun Gardening Fact – Nitrogen Fixation
For those who don’t know, the reason legume based cover crops produce nitrogen is because there are bacteria that live on the roots of legumes which help convert the nitrogen taken from the air by the plants into usable nutrients for your garden. 

Ordering Your Onion Sets
If you are planning on planting onions this year, its about time to order them. When ordering make sure you ask for “short day” onion sets because that is what grows best in our area. Are your onions always rather small, no matter how well you water or fertilize them? You probably aren’t planting “short day” onions.  If your local nursery or retailer doesn’t know the difference, you can order the onion sets from a nursery like Dixondale, or if you only need a small quantity (less than 60 sets) you can ask one of our farmers at the market to sell you some.

This Week At the Market

Agricultural and Produce Vendors Spotlight

Colorful Garden Pots and Greens If you are looking for a variety of plants, greens, and early bedding plants,Ruth Lefever might have what you are looking for. She’s at West end of the Market so be sure to check out her booth.

Bakers and Food Vendor’s Spotlight

Wraps, Breads, and Stromboli
This week Celestial Breads will have their delicious all beef Stromboli baked with three cheeses and Chef Scotty’s mouth watering marinara sauce.  If Cinnamon Date Craisin Rolls, Honey Apple Breads, or Banana Walnut Bread is more to your taste you’ll find that too along with other equally tasty baked goods as well.

Artisans, Craft, and Body Care Vendor’s Spotlight

Shea Butter Soap
For the month of January Desert Oasis Soaps was inspired to create a special Hibiscus Shea Butter Soap. Greg is pretty proud of this new soap and it’s been a great seller, so make sure you stop by and get yours before he runs out.

Special Announcements and Events
Saturday January 12, the Arizona Department of Agriculture will be offer FREE Training Program for Good Agricultural Practices & Good Handling Practices. This four hour training program will be held at Groth Hall Room 503 of the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension at 1140 N. Colombo Ave in Sierra Vista. For more information contact: Stewart Jacobson (Program Coordinator) You can call him at (620) 542-0950 or email him at: sjacobson@azda.gov 

Registration Form MS Word File: Registration

You can download the PDF flier here: Good Agricultural & Good Handling Practices Flier

We hope to see you all at the Market this week!

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