Sierra Vista Farmers Market Vendor Update for 11-4-2021 – –

 

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

By Uncle Ralph (Ralph Wildermuth) 03 November 2021

Tomorrow the Farmers’ Market opens at 10AM and closes at 2PM.

Supply and demand have always been the hallmark for driving the price of anything. Never has that been truer as now. I ran across a quote from Tyler Cowen, an economist and a professor at George Mason University. He said, “Food is a product of supply and demand, so try to figure out where the supplies are fresh, the suppliers are creative, and the demanders are informed.”

To me it sounds like a perfect description of a farmers’ market. We have the fresh, and our vendors are very creative and they can converse one-on-one with each customer to supply the information to keep the “demanders” informed.

Last week I talked a little about the past when it comes to farmers’ markets and promised to talk about the benefits of shopping at a farmers’ market. Several of the benefits involve shopping at our Market.

Let’s look at the benefits from a supply and demand perspective. As Mr. Cowen said, freshness is one of the things listed in food’s supply and demand. The food sitting in bins or on shelves of the store don’t just magically appear, they are bought somewhere and then shipped to the store via a rather timely process. I have probably asked before if you have ever wondered where the “fresh” produce, meats, and dairy products come from that you are pouring through looking for just the right one to buy. I have, and in fact, you may be surprised to learn where your food comes from and just how fresh it really is.

Supply and demand only work when there is a balance between the two factors. In a normal world, the grocery stores like to have just enough stock on hand to make it to the next arrival of the product. If the demand is normal and the supply runs on time, then the shelves are restocked before they become empty. Well, have you noticed that the selection of food items is getting slimmer in the stores? Many shelves are empty waiting for that supply that is bottlenecked at the ports on container ships sitting out in the bay waiting to be unloaded. At this point the demand is still there, but the supply is not. The supply is being hampered by the multifaceted transportation system required to get it to you, the consumer. Another by-product of COVID-19.

So, what does this mean for you as a consumer trying to find the food for tonight’s meal?

The Food and Drug Administration says that today, imports come from more than 200 countries or territories and roughly 125,000 food facilities plus farms supply approximately 32 percent of the fresh vegetables, 55 percent of the fresh fruit, and 94 percent of the seafood that Americans consume annually.

Are you aware that an estimated 61 percent of the food on your evening dinner plate, depending on your particular food choices, is imported? 50 percent of all U.S. agricultural imports are horticultural products such as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, wine, essential oils, nursery stock, cut flowers, and hops. U.S. agricultural exports have declined while U.S. imports have grown over the last several years. Sugar and tropical products such as coffee, cocoa, and rubber comprise just under 18 percent of agricultural imports. Imports of vegetable oils, processed grain products, red meat, and dairy products have grown significantly in recent years. Canada and Mexico are the largest suppliers of our agricultural products. France, Italy, and China are also some of the main countries we get our food from. Why? This makes our diet dependent on crops of wheat, barley, chickpea, almonds, and others from the Mediterranean and West Asia.

Freshness is a major concern of consumers looking for their nightly meal, but it cannot really be found in grocery stores due to the amount of time and miles it takes for food to get from the farm to your table. These miles are called “food miles.”

Just to give you an idea about how far a product travels from “farm to you” let’s look at an example of a single serving C&H sugar packet.

There is a sugar museum in Hawaii that sits right next door to a sugar processing plant. And both the plant and the museum sit in the middle of acres of growing sugarcane. You would think if you walked down the street to your favorite coffee shop and picked up a packet of C&H sugar for your coffee, that the sugar came from right down the street. Unfortunately, you would be wrong.

The plant right across the street does process sugar, but only into its “raw sugar” state. It is then shipped to the C&H refinery in Contra Costa County near San Francisco. By the way, “C&H” stands for California and Hawaii. In this plant it becomes refined sugar. Oh good, now it goes back to Hawaii? No, now it goes to New York where it is put into little packets to go on tabletops. Now it goes back to Hawaii to a distributor and is then sent to the little coffee shop down the street from where this journey all started. The food miles for that little packet are approximately 10,000 miles.

A study by the Institute of Food Research found that conventionally grown produce travels on average 1,500 miles, finally reaches your table after 13 days, and has lost about 45 percent of its nutritional value. That same report also found that buying at a local farmers’ market travels about 50 miles, reaches the table in half a day, and loses none of its nutritional value.

Let’s look at a few examples of the average distance that some produce has traveled to get to your favorite grocery store here in Sierra Vista.

– Apples: 1,555 miles

– Tomatoes: 1,369 miles

– Grapes: 2,143 miles

– Beans: 766 miles

– Peaches: 1,674 miles

– Winter Squash: 781 miles

– Greens: 889 miles

– Lettuce: 2,055 miles

Local food is fresher and healthier! Our Market food produced on local farms does not have to travel as far as supermarket produce does, which means it is fresher, riper, tastier, and more nutrient-dense than its supermarket counterparts.

Commer­cial tomatoes which are almost always picked unripe can’t compare to a tomato from the local garden.

Also, since local food does not travel far, lesser potential exists for contamination in the transportation of food. Fewer pesticides and chemical preser­vatives are used on locally grown crops as well, and many local farmers whom the locavores turn to for their source of food use the crop rotation method which keeps the soil in good condition rather than depleting it. The com­bination of local farming techniques and short travel distances makes the food consumed more likely to be organic and fresh. Foods are grown locally and usually only sold at farmers markets when they are in season, meaning you, the shopper, will experience a wider variety of produce throughout the year.

Produce is not the only thing that should be purchased locally. Locally raised grass-fed beef, pasture-fed pork and lamb, and free-range chicken and their eggs contain signifi­cantly more omega-3s than their mass-pro­duced counterparts. This means the meat contains more beneficial attributes than just protein!

The farm-to-table movement is the focus on purchasing locally-grown or raised (usually organic) food. Citing similar participation preferences as locavores, those who take part in the farm-to-table movement appear to take the decision a step farther and purchase their food directly from the source – the farmer/producer – or raise it themselves.

What is a “Locavore” you might ask. It is defined as: one who eats foods grown locally whenever possible. (Merriam Webster) The term “Locavore” was coined by Jessica Prentice from San Francisco Bay Area on the occasion of World Environment Day 2005. Jessica and her three friends, Lia McKinney, Dede Sampson and Sage Van Wing, started calling themselves “Locavores” to promote the idea of eating only foods that were harvested within a 100-mile radius of their homes. They kicked off dietary challenge with a month-long promotion they called “Celebrate Your Food­shed: Eat Locally”.

The term sparked interest and in 2007 the New Oxford American Dictionary chose “Lo­cavore” as the word of the year. If it has a familiar ring to it, just think of “Car­nivore”, meat eaters and “Herbivores” plant eaters (vegan). Now there is a third category, the “Locavore” who eats only local grown foods.

It is the Locavore that reminds me of the neighbors that shop at our Farmers’ Market, eating that locally grown variety of food.

Let’s talk about the word “Foodshed” for just a minute. What is a Foodshed? Just like its cousin watershed, which outline the flow of water supplying a particular area, a Foodshed outlines the flow of food feeding a particular area. The modern US foodshed covers the entire world. Most of our food travels the globe to reach our dinner table. In fact, food can often travel back and forth thousands of miles to different processing plants before it eventually reaches you.

Here’s why being a locavore is the right thing to do when it comes to eating locally.

Supermarket produce purchased in the United States travels thousands of miles from the farm to the store. Food grown and purchased locally travels up to maybe 50 food miles. That means that food, produce and meats and dairy, that is considered local is usually sold within hours of being harvested or processed.

You can be a Locavore just by shopping at our farmers’ markets, a roadside or farm stand, our Sierra Vista food cooperative or occasion­ally even at the supermarket, if they have local produce for sale. Some of you even maintain your own gardens.

Our Farmers’ market is one of the most important shopping venues in the local food movement. We sell meats and poultry, dairy, eggs, produce, and other items to our local neighbors. Here you have the opportunity to talk to the farmer who grew and produced the food being sold and ask questions about pesticide use as well as their farming methods.

Food co-ops are similar to the traditional gro­cery store. However, unlike most traditional grocery stores, co-ops help support us local farmers and producers and the local econo­my. In the United States, about 30 percent of farmers’ products are sold through local co-ops.

Buy Local!

 

Next time we will look at how a farmers’ market contributes to the community and their role in the food supply chain.

As always, many of the market vendors accept WIC Farmers Markets & Senior Farmers Markets Vouchers. NOTE: Thursday, November 4, will be the last day to use your WIC coupons at our market for this season. 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.       The terminal is working again!!!

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

Music Entertainment: Holly and Back Togather

Returning on November 4, 2021 Whitecane Sockeye Salmon

 

 

 

 

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.

Awareness Ranch
Bali will be back during the winter season.
Local produce (mint, basil, cucumbers, spinach, lettuce, bok choy) from Tucson area

Backyard Gardening & Growing  – – Vendor Grown –
Onions- Red, white, and yellow. Beefsteak tomatoes & cherry tomatoes. Gala, Garnnie Smith, Pink Lady, and Pixie crunch apples.

Beatty’s Orchard – – Vendor Grown –

Ida red apples, Chieftain, and Bert’s Special apples this week!
For more information please visit one of their links: Website
520-378-2728 or 520-678-9443

Cazador Ranch

 

Donna Henricks aka Lettuce Man’s Daughter

Lettuce mix, chard, kale, parsley

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

Horton’s Farm  – – Vendor Grown –

Mark and Jessica will be back soon.
Cucumbers, 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 –
Michael will be back soon.
(520-234-3254), email (justapinchllc@yahoo.com),

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, Egg & Honey Vendors

Emu Enterprise – – Vendor Grown –

With sadness we let you know that Roger Taber passed away this summer.

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

Rocky Creek Ranch
Duck, chicken, and quail eggs

San Ysidro Farm – – Vendor Grown – -,
Michael will set up for turkey sales on November 4 and November 18.
Jackie will 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 – –

– 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

 

Whitecane Sockeye Salmon

Returning on November 4, 2021
Alaskan caught sockeye salmon, king salmon, halibut, ling code, shrimp, snowcrab, Bairdi crab, Dungenese crab

 

 

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

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

Katerina’s-It’s Original Greek
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 be at the market (every 1st and 3rd Thursday)
Granola, cookies, muffins (all vegan)
Desert Bloom Photography &  Ray’s Leatherworks 520-368-2454

Sweet Arizona
Roger is back!
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
Shelly will NOT be at the market this week.
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.

Wild Arizona Gardens
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)

www.ArizonaSoapCompany.com
Hand made soap, lotion, balm, muscle rub, etc.
For more information please visit one of their links: Website, Facebook

Chloe’s Creations
Handmade soap.

Desert Oasis Soap
Greg will NOT be at the market this week.
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
Margrete will NOT be at the market this week.
Aloe Vera miracle cream

 

Prepared Foods & Beverage Vendors

Ascendare-Bean to Bar Chocolate
Handcrafted chocolate

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
Variety of cotton candy and new hot cocoa mix and hot cocoa by the cup.

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 be back soon.
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
520-904-2327
kettlekornaz@gmail.com

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

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

Sippin
Specialty soda drinks

Zumi Juice
Come quench your thirst with a delicious, fresh, raw, cold juice made to order at our bright orange tent.  All of our juices are made from fruit to cup with no additives, just pure goodness.  Fresh Limeade is always served.

 

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,  fabric multi-use bowls and bags.

 
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

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:

 

Sierra Vista Gems
New batch of blue oak and mesquite pens.
Cheri’s front license plates.

 

Artisan Vendors (once a month)

Banner Trading & Sporting Goods

Handcrafted jewelry and cut antlers for dog chews

Chalia’s Craft

•Crochet earrings

•Crochet & Macramé Plant Hangers

•Crochet bags and baskets

•Wall Decor

•Pillow Shams (seasonal item)

•Throw Blankets (seasonal item)

Shop: chaliascraft.Etsy.com

Instagram: @chalias_craft

Doug Merrill

Handmade wooden boxes, tables, coat racks, benches, and wind chimes.

Ignite Iron
wrought iron metal art work

Jim Williams
Wood works such as Lazy Susans, checker boards, and unique writing utensils

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

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

New artisans for November and December

Anna’s Gifts
Buena High School artisans
Leta’s Gallery
Vagabond
Crafts by Kate
Overspray
Godard-woodworkings

 

 

 

 

 

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