Sierra Vista Farmers Markets Update for 07-25-19

Ancestral Herbals – –
Did you know, your skin is the largest organ of your body? Indeed it is. Your skin is also one of your first layers of defense against infections; it is responsible in part for regulating your temperature, and when exposed to sunlight your skin plays a large part in the synthesis and absorption of Vitamin D. These are just a few of the better known ways your skin is responsible for your overall body health.

As important as our skin is, you’d think we’d be more conscientious about how we take care of this vital body organ. Unfortunately, this is usually not the case. Ironically, most of us filter our drinking water because of the chemicals it might contain. We avoid foods that are high in preservatives and other toxic chemicals. Yet, even the most health conscious among us often neglect to consider the chemicals and toxins we expose ourselves to in our everyday skin care products.  We’d be mortified if someone encouraged us to consume a drink laced with heavy metals, antibiotics, hormones, or other toxins, yet every day most of us in one way or another expose ourselves to these nasty things by the creams, lotions, sunscreens, makeup, and other skin “care” products we use.

Such concerns were part of the reason Julee Davis of Ancestral Herbals started making her own “clean” baby products after their first child was born. As a child growing up, Julee never thought she’d one day be making soap like her great-grandmother had taught her. Her grandmother, to give some “Ancestral” context, was born into captivity at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, in 1889, and as a young child she and other children would listen to Geronimo tell them stories. Part of the heritage she passed on to Julee was making soap the frontier way –with hardwood and lard – simple, clean, effective.

That model has served Julee well over the years as she developed her own brand of healthy body care products. Some of those products include soaps that don’t exacerbate eczema, lotions that moisturize the skin but doesn’t leave it sticky, and Herbal Aloe Cream which was Julee’s substitute for a (not so clean) product touted for eczema and psoriasis treatment. Today her Herbal Aloe Cream is so highly sought after that it usually sells out shortly after she makes a batch.

Julee started Ancestral Herbals nearly a decade ago in an effort to help people who had some of the same problems and concerns related to their skin care products. Julee didn’t start selling her products at farmers markets until 2015, but since then there has been no looking back. If you are interested in learning more about Julee’s healthy skin care products, stop by her booth at the west end of the Sierra Vista Farmers Market on Thursday. Julee is a wealth of knowledge and she loves helping people find clean solutions for their daily body care needs.

Vendors Spotlight

Incredible Snacks
Looking for a healthy snack, something a bit sweet, or just some dried fruit to munch on? David with Incredible Snacks has dozens of delicious snacks for you to try. This week he has dark chocolate pecans, peanut brittle, cinnamon apples chips, and so much more. 

Just a Pinch
This week Michael returns with his variety of culinary herbs. He’ll have 11 different types of mint along with Egyptian walking onions, basil and other herbs. His mints include:

• Peppermint
• Spearmint
• chocolate mint
• sweet mint
• apple mint
• orange mint
• grapefruit mint
• ginger mint
• Kentucky Colonel mint
• Mojito mint
• candy mint

Peppermint: Fun Facts from Michael Burgess
A hybrid plant of the mint family, the strong-flavored peppermint herb is most popular in desserts & drinks, though it can also be found on main courses & side dishes in Mediterranean & Middle Eastern cuisines.  An important ingredient in peppermint, menthol, makes an important medicinal additive in sore throats, digestion aides, and even some burns!  Other uses for peppermint include deterrence of mosquitoes, mice, & rats!

Emu Enterprises 
Forgot your sun screen OR just too much sun; with discomfort and itching.  Roger says that a sure help to relieve those problems is pure Emu oil.  He says that not only will it reduce discomfort or itching, it will help damaged sun burned skin heal at lot faster.  He notes that a couple drops go a long way!  Roger reminds you that Emu Oil is NOT A SUN SCREEN OR BLOCKER.

Celestial Breads
Celestial breads makes fresh calzones and Stromboli every week. Try their chicken calzone with Chef Scotty’s garlic sauce or beef calzone with his famous marinara sauce; both have two cheeses added (mozzarella and cheddar). They also make delicious sweat breads, cinnamon rolls, various types of challah bread and jalapeno bread.

This Week’s Special from Celestial Breads:
Buy 1 hot item, one savory loaf and get one dessert or sweet bread free. Or make a purchase of $20 or more and get any loaf of a $5 or less value for free! 

Four Kings – Golden Ticket Contest
No one won the Golden Ticket Contest last week so Four Kings Kitchen is running the contest again this week. They have hidden Golden Tickets in three of their 100 large bags of Batch #50 Granola. If you purchase one these bags of Granola and find a Golden Ticket you’ll win a large (10 oz.) bag of each of their yummy granola flavors. If granola is on your shopping list this week be sure to stop by the Four Kings Kitchen, who know you just might win enough granola to keep you stocked up for a week or two or keep you in great healthy snacks for that special occasion.

Special Announcements and Events This Week

Thunder Mountain Alpaca Ranch
TMAR will be back this week with their alpacas. Weather permitting Lisa will have her spinning wheel and maybe a friend with another spinning wheel to share with you how alpaca fleece is turned into yarn.

Lisa’s friend Naette may also come and bring her mama and baby alpaca again. Last time she was at the market they were a big hit. Be sure to bring your children and look for Lisa at the East end of the market in the shade by Krazy Koyote Kettle Korn.

SNAP – Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program
The Sierra Vista Farmers Market now accepts SNAP and Double Up benefits. Just visit our information booth near the center of the market to swipe your cards. Remember you can use them for all produce, dairy products, meats, spices, baked goods, and frozen ready-to eat meals (such as lasagna), plants that produce edibles like tomato plants and herbs. Double Up is only redeemable for Arizona grown fruits and vegetables, though.

Ride Vista Transit to the Market for FREE
Did you know that you can ride Vista Transit from their Coronado/Wilcox station to the farmers market for free each Thursday? That’s right, it’s free. If the traffic is a bit much for you at the market each week you can park your car at the Coronado/Wilcox station and Vista Transit will deliver you safe and sound to the market. With pick up and drop off every half hour, you can do your shopping and get a ride back to your car without any inconvenience. Pick up at the station is on the hour and half hour. At the market pick up is at 15 and 45 after.  Give it a try and be sure to thank your driver and the City of Sierra Vista for their great service.

Musical Entertainment This Week:

For your enjoyment music this week will be by Ken Cantrell.

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

This Week’s Weather Forecast

This Weeks Vendors
(Vendors are Alphabetized – attendance at Thursdays market subject to change without notice)

– – Vendor Grown – – Agricultural and Produce Vendors with the – – Vendor Grown – – seal are known to grow at least 85% of the products they sell.
– – Vendor Brokered – – Agricultural and Produce Vendors with the – – Vendor Brokered – – seal do not grow a majority of the produce they sell and are known to purchase  a majority of their products from third parties.

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This section is under construction – thank you for your patience.

Ancestral Herbals
Ancestral Herbals has a new lotion refill station. 

Arevalos Farms – – Vendor Grown – –
Aaron Cardona with Arevalos Farms has a wide variety of seasonal vegetables such as kale, carrots, onions, beets, and canned vegetables.

Backyard Gardening & Growing – – Vendor Grown – –
Zane Struse will bring onions, okra, eggplant, cucumbers, peppers, apricots, plums and flat and regular peaches.

Bisbee Balms
Frena with Bisbee Balm will have her all natural lemongrass essential oil insect repellent which she has been selling for five years to protect humans and animals from those nasty seasonal insect bites. She’ll also have organic salves for summer issues, insect bites, and stings. All Frena’s products are “kid-safe and friendly”.

Big Skye Baker
Bodie with Big Skye Bakers always has tasty baked goods for you to try.

Big Woody’s

Café Cultiva
 Jesse and Jessica will have fresh brewed coffee by the cup. They will also have fresh roasted whole beans from Guatemala, Colombia, Costa Rica, and India. If you need your beans ground they’ll be happy to do so while you wait. If you have a sweet tooth ask them about their been to bar chocolate.

Celestial Breads
Celeste with Celestial breads makes fresh calzones and Stromboli every week. Try their chicken calzone with Chef Scotty’s garlic sauce or beef calzone with his famous marinara sauce; both have two cheeses added (mozzarella and cheddar).

Desert Oasis Soap
Greg brings a wide variety of soaps to the market every week. Ask him for his favorite scent.

Designs by Copper Canyon
Nancy with Copper Canyon has a great selection of hand made bags, pillows, skirts and tops as well as a wide assortment of hand made home décor items to brighten your home.

Dolce Amore
Teresa with Dolce Amore bakes Italian specialties for you. Try her gluten free cookies, vegan cakes, Italian cakes, puff pastries, and regular cakes and cookies.

Echoing Hope Ranch – – Vendor Grown – –
Echoing Hope Ranch will be bring a variety of produce and greens grown down on the beautiful San Pedro River. If you want to help support a great cause, stop by Echoing Hope’s booth and ask them about how they are changing the lives of children and adults with autism. While you are there pick up one of the their t-shirts and help them get the word out about their mighty efforts to fight autism.

Emu Enterprise – – Vendor Grown – –
Roger Taber provides us with yak meat every week. Try something new for dinner. Also, Roger has several emu products available.

Fizzy Wonders

Four King’s Kitchen
April brings a good assortment of home-made granola to the market each week.

Ginny’s Eclectic Kitchen
Ginny makes fresh sourdough bread for you every week. But it is not only her baking that makes this sourdough so delicious. She has to “feed” her sourdough leavening starter every day to keep it “alive” and healthy. Ginny only uses unbleached, unbromated, unenriched wheat flour, so come and sample her bread or some of her scrumptious sweet treats.

Golden Rule Dairy – – Vendor Grown – –
Remember to pick up your raw milk and cream at Golden Rule Dairy. For those of you who like granola the Strite family makes their own healthy granola. They also offer kefir grains. Oh, and not to leave out Fido, the Stride’s also have a variety of deer antlers which make great dog chews. Must be an acquired taste…

Gracewater Farm
Trudy brings seedlings and other plants each week. You’ll find her in Ginny’s booth at Eclectic Kitchen.

Gray’s Garden of Eat’N – – Vendor Grown – –
Clinton Gray will have his wonderful tomatoes, 5 varieties of Garlic, and three varieties of onions this week at the market.

Greenstone Pottery & Crafts
Charlatta and Eric are full-blooded Navajo and proud of their heritage.  Their pride and skill bring you genuine hand made Navajo artisan works that you will not find anywhere else at the market. Winnie was intrigued by their cedar berry necklaces which are made from the seeds found in juniper berries. Those seeds are also used in dream catchers and their pottery. Stop by and ask them to tell you about their fine works of art.  —- This week Greenstone will have Christmas Ornaments and native jewelry. 

Hilltop Hydroponics – – Vendor Grown – –
 For some of the most beautiful lettuce and greens around be sure to stop by Tom Hanson’s booth.  Tom has living lettuce and spring mix available as well as kale. If you ask, Tom will tell you about how he grows his greens hydroponically. 

Hone Ranger
Scott the Hone Ranger will sharpen just about anything you bring to the market.

Horton Farms –– – Vendor Grown – –
Welcome to one of our nest produce grower.  Mark and Jessica with Horton Farmers brings fresh tomatoes, squash, zucchini, beans, radish peppers, and carrots.

Incredible Snacks
Each week David brings an incredible assortment of dried fruit and nuts.

 Just-A-Pinch – – Vendor Grown – –
Michael Burgess with Just-A-Pinch will have his culinary herbs. Treat yourself this week to fresh mint, and basil. Buy it by the ounce freshly cut at the market or take home a healthy plant. New are his Egyptian walking onions.

K-1 Kreations
K-1 owner Kris is one of our regular vendors. Her product line includes aprons, coaster, pot holders, dish rags, table runners, and  tote bags made out of unique fabric patterns. She loves special orders and will customize anything, even cloth pin bags or a grocery bag holder, just ask her.

Ketoluscious Bakery
Please come and see Janet with her Keto and some Paleo compliant baked goods… jalapeno, cinnamon raison, everything, blueberry and plain bagels, donuts and cookies just to mention a few.

Krazy Koyote Kettle Corn & Smoothies

La Pina Raw Juice
If you haven’t been to the market recently, come on by and try Alexa’s incredible raw juices. With only the best ingredients Alexa uses a vertical “slow” juicer which helps keep all of the goodness (enzymes, phytonutrients) alive in her raw juices.  The result is the best tasting raw juice available. Did I say it tastes delicious? My favorite is the Apple – Ginger – Turmeric – Lemon blend. It’s refreshing with a nice tangy bite at the end.

Alexa also has Kangen Water, a filtered/ionized water produced by Enagic – a Japan-based company who has been a leading manufacturer of alkaline ionizers/water filtration for over 40 years. Alexa is happy to give you samples of her juice and water. So make sure you stop by and give it a try.

Lazy KJ Ranch
Stuart with the Lazy KJ Ranch which specializes in “Farm to Table” all natural grass-fed pork.  Stop by their booth and try their outstanding smoked pork ribs, BBQ pork sandwich, white truffle fries with parmesan~romano, double stacked nachos, burritos, and air fried quesadillas. All prepared fresh table side. This week Stuart is offering ribs by the bone along with amazing BBQ pork any way you like it.

Lasagna and More
Chef Scotty will be at the market this week with his mouth watering Lasagna. A consistent favorite at the Sierra Vista Farmers Market, these ready made meals will delight your family for dinner tonight. If you are wondering what the “more” is in Lasagna & More you might also like one of Chef Scotty’s killer burritos. Scottie makes a two meat (beef/pork) burrito as well as a six vegetable vegan burrito.  Just a note, all of Chef Scotty’s burritos are lard free.

Lettuce Man – – Vendor Grown – –

Not at the market this week.

Maggie’s Dog Treats & Accessories
Zia specializes in all natural treats for your pets that do not contain any chemicals or artificial flavors. Treat your pets right and stop by Zia’s booth. 

McDonald Farm
Scrumptious baked goods are brought to you by Donna. Try lemon bars, cinnamon rolls, scones, hand pies, and the ever favorite seven nut caramel bar. She also brings chicken and duck eggs.

Mustang Mountain Eggs

Mistik Valley Farms – – Vendor Grown – –
Mistik Valley Farms, a group of young growers, who offer home-grown produce such as salad mix, lettuce mix, spinach, kale, Swiss chard, and other greens. They harvest the day before market and hand-wash all their greens. Their farm is outside of Bisbee. Come welcome them and check out their produce.

Papa Mike‘s Jerky 
Papa Mike and his much loved beef jerky will be at the market this week. Papa Mike has a flavor for everybody so come and find your favorite. His best selling jerky is mesquite flavored and the chili lemon.

Pappardelles Pasta 
Erin has dozens of artisan pastas made with organic wheat. She also has gluten-free and vegan pasta as well.

Peace, Love, & Smoked Cheese

Not at the market this week.
Mickey has samples of all the smoked cheeses he brings.

Queen Ceviche

 Feliz makes her special salsas fresh for you. The chipotle has a slight smoky flavor after your first bite. Don’t forget to try her guacamole or of course her royally delicious ceviche- all are available with a bag of fresh tortilla chips. Feliz will quench your thirst this week with her ice cold hibiscus lemonade. If spicing up your life is more your speed then try Feliz’s salsa or guacamole.

Ruth’s Garden – – Vendor Grown – –
This week Ruth will be bringing beautiful tomatoes and squash as well as many varieties of succulents. Many new herbs in small pots, tomato plants, geraniums and betting plants. Ruth’s Garden also carries organic fertilizers to feed those heavy feeders (plants).

San Pedro River Valley Salsa
Gary with San Pedro River Valley Salsa will be at the market with their great variety of delicious salsa.

San Ysidro Farms – – Vendor Grown – –
If you are looking for quality grass fed beef or lamb for your next meal or special occasion, Nathan Watkins of San Ysidro Farms will be at the market this week. Nathan has a 100% grass fed beef and lamb. Their heritage cross pigs provide their fine pork If that’s not on your menu tonight then you might try their alfalfa fed and non-GMO grain supplemented pork from their heritage cross pigs.  Make sure to ask him about their other fine meat products as well. If a quick bite to eat is more your speed try one of Nathan’s warm (or take home frozen) pasties (pictured).  

SAS-Z Nuts – – Vendor Grown – –
If you’d like to spice up your pistachios a bit, Steve has garlic onion, green chili garlic, chili lime and hot chili in addition to premium salted pistachios.

Sky Island/47 Ranch – – Vendor Grown – –
Ranch owner Dennis Moroney tells us that he will bring their grass fed beef and lamb as well as wild Salmon from Alaska. He and his wife Deb make their own peanut butter from certified organic peanuts. Also, they bring all natural churro sheep wool in a variety of colors (no dye added at all).

Simmons Honey Ranchito 
 Their local mesquite honey is now in season and its the largest crop of the year, its light amber color is beautiful reminder of the wild desert mesquite from which it originates.

Fun Honey Fact: Did you know: Honey is a natural sweetener (sweeter than table sugar) mostly composed of fructose and glucose and about 18% water (the lesser water content the better the quality of the honey). It is rich in antioxidants, fat free, and cholesterol free. Honey is an excellent energy food, so make sure you stash a few honey stix in your hiking backpack, it might just give you that extra edge to make it there and back.

Sivonn’s Garden  – – Vendor Grown – –
Fresh backyard garden produce by Sivonn. Seasonal greens and other produce.

Super Natural Organics – – Vendor Brokered – –

Sweet Arizona
Roger and Debra will be bringing a large selection of homemade toffee, brittle and fudge. All their products are always naturally gluten, soy and preservative free. They also have dairy free, vegan and nut free options available. Ask them about their market special – Buy 4, get 1 free.

Tawin’s Gardens and Crafts 
Tawin’s Garden not only brings potted plants and succulents, but she is a whiz with her crochet needle, come check out her cute little cacti and Yodas. They make great souvenirs or gifts for the grandchildren.

Toy’s Eggrolls

Tortilla Arevaloes aka Esperanza

Ready for a hot lunch freshly prepared by Esperanza for you while you wait? Carne asada, bean burritos, and quesadillas are available, but she also brings her much sought after flour tortillas (some are gluten free).

Tigerlily Boba Tea

White Cane Salmon
Not at the market this week.