Sierra Vista Farmers Market Vendor Update for 7-29-2021 – –

A Day in the Life Of – The Sierra Vista Farmers’ Market

A day In the Life Of – The Sierra Vista Farmers’ Market

By Uncle Ralph (Ralph Wildermuth) 28 July 2021

As I have mentioned before, farmers’ markets are an ancient invention brought to us by the Egyptians some 5,000 years ago. The Europeans then brought the market concept to America and in 1634 the first farmers’ market opened in Boston Massachusetts. But did you know that farmers’ markets almost died out during the 20^th century?

Being a market where the local farmers get a chance to meet their customer face-to-face and sell their produce is what almost killed the markets. Why you ask? Well, if there are no farms then what does an unemployed farmer have to bring to the market?
But before I get into that I would like to welcome some new vendors to the market.

Rick Sauerbrey and Auralee Durecki bring 30 or so years of baking experience to the market with Mystic Eatz. They bake white and sourdough breads, pies, cinnamon rolls, assorted other baked goods, and they make jams.

John with the Rocky Creek Ranch, hailing out of Hereford, specializes in “Farm Fresh Butt Nuggets” as a sign at his booth says. He carries Quail, Chukar, and Duck eggs along with eggs from cage free chickens raised on organic feed.

 Zumi Juice owned by Krristie and Chris Zoumis provides refreshing fresh squeezed fruit-based juice drinks. They are starting with a small selection of recipes, but plan to expand the selection as they grow.

Just a head’s up, if you spend $10.00 or more at Greywood Company, you get an extra free item this week.

I’d also like to give a shout out to a young lady by the name of Chloe who jumped in when asked to bring her booth Chloe’s Creations to the market as a fill-in when another vendor couldn’t make it. She brought her collection of soaps and accessories and vows to be back for the Christmas season upcoming if not sooner.

Now back to “the rest of the story” as Paul Harvey used to say. In the early part of the 20^th century the worst economic downturn in the history of the industrialized world hit America. The years from 1929 to 1939 are known as “The Great Depression.” The stock market crashed in October of 1929, sending Wall Street into a panic and consequently financially destroyed millions of investors. By 1933 some 15 million Americans were unemployed and nearly half the country’s banks had failed. Several events had caused this problem long before it happened, but eventually all of this affected the farmer directly and all consumers indirectly.

Consumer confidence vanished, spending and investment slowed to a trickle, causing a slowdown in production and a rise in unemployment. The unemployment caused less money in the market and more people to buy on credit. Foreclosures and repossessions soared, including farms.

Farmers were especially hard hit during this time in 1931 as Mother nature added to the devastation with severe droughts in the Midwest farming regions and the Southern plains, along with high winds and dust from Texas to Nebraska, killing people, livestock and crops. It was called “The Dust Bowl” but known by all as the “Dirty Thirties” and it forced what little farmers were left to leave the farmland and move to cities in search of jobs.

Many Farmers didn’t have the money during the Depression to harvest their crops, and just left them rotting in the fields. Ironically, this had the effect of leaving people everywhere without food, feeding the devastation caused by the economic collapse. By 1934, roughly 35 million acres of farmland had been made useless for farming. On top of that, the winds rendered the topsoil from an area about three-quarters the size of Texas another, 125 million acres, blowing in the wind. These “black Blizzards” as they were called even carried topsoil as far east as Washington D.C and New York city. There were even reports of ships in the Atlantic Ocean coated with dust. The dust bowl period lasted for five years until the end of 1939 when it began to rain again in normal cycles. The damage was done, however, and the effects lingered until well into the 1950s.

With the end of the Depression, America went to war. A government program to help the war effort was the introduction of the “victory garden” where families were encouraged to grow their own food, freeing up food for the troops. This met with limited success as most stopped after the war, but it did have the effect of reviving the farmer market concept particularly in San Francisco. In 1943 what was left of farmers couldn’t find an outlet for the products and people couldn’t get enough of the fresh vegetables they wanted. So, John Brucato, a man with a plan and founder and director of the San Francisco Victory Garden Council, opened the San Francisco farmers’ market on August 12^th in 1943 as a trial run. It was an outstanding success as over 1000 people showed up the first day. By the third day of the market nearly 50,000 people had bought out 135 farm truckloads of farm products. The farmers ‘market boom had started again and by 2004 there were more than 3,700 farmers markets across the country and that is only the ones that were reported. As you can see farmers’ markets are still here and thriving to this very day.

In the “Sierra Vista Farmers Market: Market this week” article that appeared in the Sierra Vista Herald, dated Dec 25, 2018, Jim and Diane Jones turned over the management reins for the SVFM to Winnie and William Struse. Not only is she now the manager of our Market, she is also a farmer in her own right. She owns Backyard Gardening & Growing providing fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables in the true spirit of a farmers’ market.
The Struse family garden started in 2008 as a family project using the encouragement and teaching of their friend Clinton Gray who used to have a farm called “Garden of Eat’n” south of Sierra Vista. Even though there were five kids in the family and everyone was actively involved, it didn’t take very long to figure out that the garden produced more than what was needed. Now what? Well, 2008 also became the year she opened a booth at our Market with a selection of onions and baseball bat sized zucchini. As time progressed, and with a little nudge from the market manager of that time, so did the variety of produce.
Her passion is, however, growing flowering plants for the flowers and as such, always has a variety of small plants and flowers at her booth. Her oldest daughter was the master flower arranger in the family, but marriage took her away so mom is now the flower arranger. On the produce side her favorites tend toward the fruits. They grow apricots, peaches, seven different varieties of plums and pluots (a cross between plums and apricots), figs and a little later in the season she has citrus such as oranges, mandarins, limes, lemons, and cumquats. Even though they say you can’t grow citrus in Arizona, the secret is to get past the first five years and then the trees are much hardier and the survival rate is much greater. Since the plants were small enough when she started, she wrapped them in Christmas lights and covered them to protect from the cold.
Among the produce she carries are cucumbers, squash, bell peppers, jalapenos, basil, eggplant, turnips, and other peppers. Tomatoes are on the way, but she brought some cherry tomatoes and yellow tomatoes with her this past week. As the tomatoes grow, she plans to bring more varieties until the frost comes and ends the season on tomatoes. Just to round things out she also carries farm fresh eggs.

All of the farming practices are done outdoors using standard farming techniques, although she does add a few newer technologies to her garden, one being Sola Mulch, a biodegradable plastic covering for the plants that is thin and helps control moisture and weeds. Since Arizona is a little on the windy side, she also uses a product called Agribon, a fabric type material, stretched over hoops to ward off the effects of the wind on small plants. During the colder months she puts the hoops over the delicate plants such as lettuce to help keep them from freezing.

Check out her booth. I can testify to her apricots, cherry tomatoes and figs as I have had them all. I can tell you they all taste great! If you miss her here, look for her at the Rillito market in Tucson on Sundays, but only during the summer months.

Along with Backyard Gardening and Growing, our market also features the following produce vendors:

The Echoing Hope Ranch from down in Hereford, as their website says, “is a place where teens and adults with autism can be productive in a peaceful, supportive environment in Southern Arizona.”

Located in Hereford, Horton’s Farm is a family business run by Mark and Jessica with help from the kids to bring fresh produce and eggs to our Market. The summer crops bring eggplant, cucumbers, squash, chilis, carrots, bell peppers, onion, garlic, beets, radishes, Zucchini and a variety of other produce as it becomes available such as lettuce, spinach, arugula, green beans, tomatoes, some herbs and watermelons and blackberries. Come check out the selection.

Chris began Just a Pinch 10 years ago when the Market was still at the corner location on Wilcox Avenue. He specializes in herbs and cuttings. You can get small herb plants as well as bunches of cut herbs. If you want to start your own plants with cuttings, he has a good selection of those too. He is working on growing other produce items to bring at a later date.

Ruth’s Hens and Garden, a 10-year veteran of our Market brings an assortment of plants, flowers and produce. The selections of her summer crops include white and green cucumbers, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, figs, gala apples and a large selection of potted plants, including fruit trees.

The Triple J&R MicroFarm brings a selection of fresh microgreens and sprouts.

As always, many of the market vendors accept WIC Farmers Markets & Senior Farmers Markets Vouchers in exchange for fresh fruits and vegetables. SNAP vouchers can also be used at some of the vendors booths. You can use your EBT card at the info booth for SNAP vouchers and Double UP tokens (unlimited amount right now).

We are looking forward to seeing you all at this coming week’s Market. For more information on all our vendors and the products they will be bringing, please see this week’s Farmers’ Market newsletter at www.sierravistafarmersmarkets.com.  Also, check out our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/sierravistafarmersmarket/.

Vendor Updates
Please see the vendor listings below with updated vendor information and the products they will be bringing.  Please keep in mind the social distancing while you shop at the market.

Market Hours: Thursdays from 10 am to 2 pm at Veteran’s Memorial Park.

SNAP and Double UP food bucks available at the info booth.

NOTE: Pick up free Herald Review newspaper at the info booth.

Music Entertainment: Holly & Co.

BASA is a volunteer board non-profit with a mission: “to promote local, sustainable food production, marketing and education in southern Arizona.

Webpage: http://basamesquite.org/
Webblog: http://bajaaz.blogspot.com/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/125627894978189
Email: brownchristie1@gmail.com

Updated Vendor Listing & Contact Information

– – 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.

Produce & Plant Vendors

Allred Family Fungi – – Vendor Grown –
Oyster mushrooms and other varieties.

Backyard Gardening & Growing  – – Vendor Grown –
Brown Turkey figs, onions are available. Red, white, and yellow. Cucumbers (Armenian, suyo, and lemon), beets, and turnips. Peaches and Okra.
Fresh Seasonal Fruits & Vegetables
Herb and flower plants.

Beatty’s Orchard – – Vendor Grown –
Edith will NOT be at the market
For more information please visit one of their links: Website
520-378-2728 or 520-678-9443

Echoing Hope Ranch – – Vendor Grown –
Variety of greens and herbs from their green house.
Kale, radishes, lettuce and more.

Horton’s Farm  – – Vendor Grown –

Garlic, onions, Eggplant, chilies, patty pan squash, lettuce mix, radish, zucchini, tatsoi, red Russian kale, and beets.
For more information please visit one of their links: Facebook

Just A Pinch – – Vendor Grown –
They still have fresh-cut herbs available, but due to the pandemic still in effect, they will be limiting what they bring to farmer-selected,
pre-portioned herbs and custom orders made through phone (520-234-3254), email (justapinchllc@yahoo.com),
or in person at the market the week before!  This week’s selection of fresh harvested herbs are Strawberry Mint,
Chocolate Mint, and Italian Oregano for $1.00 per bundle!

Ruth’s Garden

Ruth and Ray will be back with a load of plants and soil. Fresh Garden Produce and Eggs and Flowers. Come visit and find fresh veggies to your liking.

The Lettuce Man’s Daughter – – Vendor Grown –
Donna will NOT be at the market this week.
Salad mix, red and green leaf lettuce, spinach, kale, and young bok choi

SAS-Z Nuts – – Vendor Grown –
Locally Grown Pistachios
For more information please visit one of their links: Facebook

Sivonn’s Garden – – Vendor Grown –
Fresh Seasonal Garden Produce such as mushrooms, salad mix, collards.

Tawin’s Gardens and Crafts – – Vendor Grown –

Seasonal Garden Plants

Triple J & R – – Vendor Grown –

“We are a family providing homegrown microgreens and sprouts. We carry a varied selection of microgreens and sprouts grown hydroponically on food safe screens using only pH balanced water and food grade nutrients for microgreen growth. If you don’t see one you like just let us know and we will grow it for you. Email us at triplej&r@arizonaremountstation.net or give us a call at (520) 266-2479. Our Website is arizonaremountstation.net.”

Meat, Milk, & Honey Vendors

Emu Enterprise – – Vendor Grown –

Roger will NOT be at the market.
For more information please contact Roger at: 520-585-6148 or email:
circlet@juno.com for orders

Golden Rule Dairy – – Vendor Grown – –
NEW: Raw butter and Ghee.
Golden Rule dairy Special: Their very own chicken eggs!
Fresh Raw Milk, Cream, and Dairy Products and their yummy granola.
Golden Rule Dairy Special eggs will be available in July and August.
For more information please visit one of their links: Website, Facebook
Instagram-  golden_rule_dairy
goldenruledairy@gmail.com
www.goldenruledairy.com
520-210-2857

L&B Farm
Burt will be at the market on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th , and 5th Thursday of every month.
Frozen chicken and lamb, fresh eggs

Papa Mike‘s Jerky 
Locally Made Jerky
For more information please visit one of their links: Website Facebook

San Ysidro Farm – – Vendor Grown – -,
Jackie will NOT be at the market (every first Thursday) with beef, lamb, pork, chicken, turkey and frozen pasties.
email jackie.syf@gmail.com
For more information please visit one of their links: Website, Facebook

Sky Island/47 Ranch – – Vendor Grown – –

Sky Island/47 Ranch – – Vendor Grown – –

– Locally Raised Range fed Criollo Beef, and Navajo Churro Lamb.
All natural, no hormones, no antibiotics, and no grain feeding.
– Wild caught sockeye salmon from Naknek Fisheries, Bristol Bay, Alaska.
– Apple or Mesquite smoked bacon from Willcox Packing House (uncured bacon, nitrite, and nitrate free), pork chorizo, and pork sausage.
– Homemade Cowboy Style Peanut butter (made with slightly-roasted organic peanuts, no salt or sugar added).

YouTube Channel (Ranching in the Right Hemisphere): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrfx3NWeUSGZ7KOnV8XL4tQ

For more information please visit one of their links: Facebook and YouTube
520-507-5203
crossu@vtc.net

Simmons Honey Ranchito 

Our many varieties of local honey will be available in one pound jars up to one gallon jugs.
520-364-2745, no text, no call id
520-368-2039 text welcome
simmonshoney1@powerc.net

Baked Goods & Snack Vendors

Designs by Copper Canyon
New: Gluten-free breads.
Delicious truffles and sweet & savory breads.
Home decor items.
coppercanyonind@gmail.com

Ginny’s Eclectic Kitchen
Crumb coffee cake, oatmeal sandwich cookies, sourdough, and another fun bread.
Instagram is @ginnyseclectickitchen

Celestial Breads
Celeste will NOT be at the market.
Fresh Baked Goods and Prepared Foods
For more information please visit one of their links: Facebook

5 Nut Granola by Better Than Provisions
Better Than Provisions 5 Nut Granola is a nutrient dense, grain-free, sugar-free granola made with a premium 5 nut blend (macadamia, almond, pecan, walnut, and hazelnut) plus organic pumpkin seeds, coconut flakes, and spices. It suits a variety of dietary preferences including keto, paleo, vegan, gluten-free, low-carb, dairy-free, and diabetic. Available in 3 flavors.
For more information please visit one of their links: Website, facebook

Farmer’s Daughter
Cassandra will NOT be at the market during the hot season, but
for orders call 623-523-7367.
Gluten free baked goods

Incredible Snacks
An Incredible Variety of Snacks
For more information please visit one of their links: Facebook

Katerina’s-It’s Original Greek
Kathy & Jim will be back in October.
Fresh Made Greek Baked Goods and Prepared Food
New: Artisan Greek breads.

McDonald Farm
Baked goods such as cinnamon rolls, pies, and nut bars. Fresh eggs, pecans, beans (black, pinto, 9-bean mix), chicken and duck eggs.
SAS-Z-Nuts pistachios
Leave a message for Dona 520-220-3000

Mystic Eatz
Baked goods such as quick breads, cinnamon roll muffins, and seasonal pies.

Steph’s Sweets Bakery
Stephanie will NOT be at the market (every 1st Thursday)
Granola, cookies, muffins (all vegan)
Desert Bloom Photography &  Ray’s Leatherworks 520-368-2454

Sweet Arizona
Locally made Toffee, Brittle, & Fudge
For more information please visit one of their links: Website, Facebook
www.sweetarizona.org
520-312-5351

Sweets By Shelly
Cake pops in a wide variety of flavors, almost too pretty to eat, but oh so yummy.
Toffee and pretzels.
308-708-1680 for special or custom orders.
Shelly will NOT be at the market for the hot summer months.

Wild Arizona Gardens
Wild Arizona Garden will have pink oyster mushrooms this week. The bread selection will include na’an, green chili and cheddar bread, 5 seed bread, honey oat bread and rye bread. Also on the menu will be apple pie and strawberry rhubarb crisp. If you would like to have some held for you, please text 520-508-2494.

Personal Health & Household Vendors

Ancestral Herbals (Arizona Soap Company)
In order to serve our community, she is offering free shipping to local customers. Enter discount code SierraV during check out.
www.ArizonaSoapCompany.com
Hand made soap, lotion, balm, muscle rub, etc.
For more information please visit one of their links: Website, Facebook

Desert Oasis Soap
Home made Soaps
For more information please visit one of their links:Website, Facebook
desertoasissoap@outlook.com
520-822-5330
desertoasissoaps.com

Nature’s Premium Skin Care
Aloe Vera miracle cream

Prepared Foods & Beverage Vendors

Big Woody’s
Hot Dogs, Mac & Cheese, BBQ, and Pulled Pork
For more information & their menu please visit one of their links: Facebook

Bombshell Sweets
Chris will NOT be at the market this week.
Variety of cotton candy

Café Cultiva
Fresh Coffee and Hot Beverages
For more information please visit one of their links: Website, Facebook
774-316-2328

Cliff’s Salsa
Cliff will NOT be at the market this week.
Pickles, and jalapenos and salsa

Esperanza
Pre-order tamales by calling 520-954-7782
New: Pasties
Fresh made Tortillas, Tamales, Baked Goods
For more information please visit one of their links: Website, Facebook
Esperanza will ship orders.

Crazy Coyote Concessions
Kettle Corn and Smoothies
For more information please visit one of their links: Facebook
734-430-1996

Mi Burrito
Burritos from the grill with fresh salsa for lunch.

Lazy KJ Ranch
Locally Grown Organic Pork for lunch specials.
For more information please visit one of their links: Facebook

Lasagna and More
Complete line of Take-n-Bakes, sauces, Chef Burritos, SW Spice Blend
For more information please visit one of their links: Website, Facebook

Mulcogi

Spices and herb mixes.

Queen Ceviche

Feliz will be back in August.
Fresh Made Salsa, Ceviche, Hand Sanitizer, and  hibiscus syrup.
For more information please visit one of their links: Facebook
520-904-4715

Pet Food & Product Vendors

Maggie’s Dog Treats & Accessories
All Natural Pet Snacks and Treats
For more information please visit one of their links:
480-488-1053
ziabischoff@gmail.com

Services

Hone Ranger

Scott wants to let you know: “I’m back in a replacement vehicle with new equipment for onsite sharpening on most items and I wish to thank all those who helped, and some that still are, with my rebuild!
I am indebted to the wonderful patrons at the market, and the market itself for the opportunity to be involved w/ all of it.

Lindsay
Handmade fitted masks.
520-546-1058
meyerwill@cox.net

In Stitches
Variety of face masks

 
Artisan Vendors (are back)

Greenstone Pottery & Crafts
Hand Made Pottery, Jewelry, & Crafts
For more information please visit one of their links: Facebook
520-537-4859
courage.4life4u@gmail.com
530-539-4859
greenstone.collection@gmail.com

Thunder Mountain Alpaca Ranch
Alpaca boutique of Unique Hand Made Gifts
For more information please visit one of their links: Website, Facebook
520-249-0362

Bernie & Bill Medley
Paintings, Custom Frames and Woodwork
Every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month.
For more information please visit one of their links:

Promise Farm LLC & Ash’s Amber
Ashley comes every 1st and 3rd Thursday.
Baltic Amber jewelry
Chicken eggs and small plants.

Migrant Shelter Workshop Carpentry
Furniture from their introductory carpentry school and bird feeders

Sue’s Closet
Sue will be at the market on the first Thursday.
Tie-dye and painted clothing (hats, silk scarves, shawls, blouses)

Rita Obenauf’s Windchimes
Every 1st Thursday when the weather cools again.
Up-cycle bottle wind chimes
909-957-0368
Insta-gram Lifeabove100

Inner G Cells
Handmade orgonite item (includes jewelry)

Quails Qrafts
Tie-dye clothing (onesies, t-shirts, masks, scrunchies, pants)

Artisan Vendors (soon to return)

Jim Williams Woodworks

Checkerboards and many new lazy Susans,  one of a kind, all sizes of cutting boards, pens, pencils, fountain pens!  Key rings, toaster tongs, oven rack pulls.  By a special request, I have started making urns and jewelry boxes.

520-393-6608
weloveaz2@gmail.com

Blue Oak Builders and Sierra Vista Gems
New batch of bolt action pens made with Mexican blue oak. Cheri has made more of her color changing beads and hand painted front license plates.
520-508-1958

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