Sierra Vista Farmers Market Vendor Update for 9-16-2021 – –

Update:

For the next two markets (Sept 16 and Sept 23) due to the city events in the park we will set up in the grass south of the parking lot. Please be patient and mindful while entering and exiting the market.

The Sierra Vista Area Garden Club will host their fall garden plant sale this Thursday. Come stop by and see what they have growing.

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) 15 September 2021

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

The history of mankind is etched in milestones that define great leaps through changes in society and the way mankind survived through the centuries. One such milestone was the “Neolithic Revolution”.

About 12,000 years ago the hunter-gatherer lifestyles where the people moved around in search of food were swept aside to become more permanent settlements where the people raised the food around them instead. A more reliable food source brought about this change. This change was then brought about by the advent of agriculture.

As a byproduct, agriculture brought the expansion of cities which in turn helped to grow civilizations. Food was no longer a reason to roam, because crops and animals could now be farmed and scaled to meet the needs of the local population as well as become a source of profit for selling the excess to other populations.

The farming of wheat, barley, and peas is traced to the Near East region. Cereals were grown in Syria as long as 9,000 years ago. Moving from a nomadic life to a sedentary life allowed for the development of such tools as grinding stones and other tools that would have been too hard to move from one place to another. Rice and millet farming date to around 6,000 BC. Mexico gave us squash cultivation about 10,000 years ago, but corn took a while. Natural genetic mutations were needed for maize to become a corn cob. Maize-like plants appeared around 9,000 years ago, but the first corn cob didn’t appear until around 5,500 years ago.

Farm animals such as cattle, goats, sheep and pigs were first farmed in eastern Turkey, Iraq, and southern Iran in a region known as the Fertile Crescent ranging between 13,000 to 10,000 years ago.

As civilization and agriculture moved westward, goats and other livestock accompanied migrants into Europe including dairy farmers. Oddly enough, until around this move into Europe and for most of the prior 150,000 years or so, humans could not drink milk, except for children up to the age of six or seven when the body lost the enzyme to break down lactase in the milk. Until about 7,000 years ago anyone older than a child would have an extreme physical reaction to milk, including bloating, painful cramps, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. You have probably heard the expression “Lactose Intolerant” before. This is the inability to digest the Lactase (sugar) in milk.

Something happed about 7,000 years ago, probably a natural genetic mutation in humans that allowed the enzyme to re-appear for some people. We’re so used to drinking milk in North America that we think it’s commonplace. But in reality, only 35% of the world’s population can actually drink fresh milk, mostly Europeans, Middle Easterners, and some Africans. The population with highest prevalence of the milk-drinking gene is the European where the percentage is 90% in northern countries such as Sweden. Interestingly enough the vast majority of the population are descended from cow herders. The rest of the world can drink milk in a fermented form since fermentation removes most of the lactase from the milk.

Sheep were the first dairy animal domesticated about 9,000 years ago. Goats and cows followed closely behind about a thousand years later. Many other animals have also been used as a dairy source including, donkeys, water buffalo, horses, and yaks. It may surprise you to know that donkeys provide milk that is closest to human mother’s milk and was, and may still be, used for sick or orphaned infants.

A report issued by the Washington Dairy Products Commission says that nine out of every ten glasses of milk consumed in Canada and the U.S. comes from cows. Water buffalo reins in India producing half the milk drank and Laplander’s drink reindeer milk since it is the only dairy animal that can survive such a brutally cold environment.

The Tibetan favorite is Yak-butter tea, a salty, creamy soup, and the Mongolians dried horse milk into a paste and then reconstituted it with water when they were on the march. The Russians use mare’s milk to make kumiss, a fermented, slightly alcoholic beverage similar to kefir. Camel milk is a favorite in hot desert climates, in part because it can last for seven days at 86 degrees Fahrenheit. In North America, goat milk is becoming more common these days.  It has smaller fat globules than cow milk and therefore can more easily be digested.

Until the invention of pasteurization, milk safety was not an issue, so for thousands of years all there was raw milk. Louis Pasteur, for whom pasteurization is named did not really invent the concept, as the fact that heat treatment made foods safer was known long before Pasteur. What he did do was provide the explanation for the phenomenon and patented the method we use today. However, he was not the first person to recommend pasteurization of milk for the masses. That award goes to Frans von Soxhlet, a German agricultural chemist, who suggested it in 1886. The argument that persists to this date is whether there is a real benefit to pasteurization of milk.

People think that pasteurized milk must be safer than raw milk. Statistically that is not true. The overwhelming majority of illnesses tied to milk and cheese come from pasteurized products, not raw.

One has to wonder why the Food and Drug Administration is putting so many resources into shutting down the miniscule number of raw milk producers in the country, only 28 states allow raw milk sales under stringent guidelines, when there are so many more serious threats to food safety on “factory” farms. In fact, the CDC reported that between 1980 and 2005, 41 outbreaks occurred of foodborne pathogens in milk. All 19,531 cases were attributed to the consumption of “pasteurized” milk and milk products. This number is almost 11 times higher than the number reported for raw milk during the same time frame. This report, of course, does not even include the largest outbreak of salmonellosis ever identified in the United States that effected between 150,000 and 200,000 people in northern Illinois, which was traced to pasteurized milk.

As of December 26, 2019 there were only 6 dairies in Arizona licensed to sell Raw-For-Consumption (R4C) dairy products and one of them Golden Rule is right here at our Market. Golden Rule is licensed by the Department of Agriculture and meets Grade “A” standards as determined by inspections to ensure that their dairy operation adheres to good sanitation practices that minimize the risks with raw milk.

Golden Rule Dairy is a small family owned and operated Jersey cow dairy located in Elfrida, Arizona. Jared and Joyce set up the farm here in Elfrida in 2015, but their love for cows and passion for dairy farming began at an early age as they both grew up on dairy farms. After they got married, they had a dairy farm for eight years before they packed up and moved out west.

They got into milking goats as they were less costly and still provided raw milk for the family. A few years ago, the itch got too strong to move back into milking cows that they sold the goats and bought a Jersey cow with a lame foot. Eventually, they were able to get more Jersey cows and finally had six beautiful, healthy Jerseys. Today they have around 65 Jersey cows, 45 of which they milk.

They were certified by the state of Arizona to sell raw milk about four years ago and joined us here at the Market in 2019.

Realizing that everything a cow eats goes into the milk in some way or form, so they decided from the beginning that they would feed for milk quality, not quantity. They established a feed program to supplement green grass grazing with a feeding program that comes very close to having the same nutrients as green grass. They feed non-GMO alfalfa and fermented barley with no other additives to give the milk richness and a sweet flavor full of probiotics and high in enzymes.

They test their milk for harmful bacteria after every bottling and the result is always the same, zero bacteria!

The raw milk is thicker and rich in natural fat-soluble vitamins, such as preformed vitamin A, vitamin K, and vitamin E and also rich in water-soluble vitamins such as vitamin C and B-complex vitamins.

What happens when you leave pasteurized milk on the counter for a few days? You get one hell of a stinking mess, on the contrary if you were to leave raw milk on the counter, it will clabber and produce a probiotic-rich, yogurt-like food that is not only edible but also healthful as its sugars have been metabolized by lactic-acid producing bacteria and continue to proliferate.

The bottom line is, if you keep a “clean” dairy operation you won’t need pasteurization to help clean up a dirty dairy operation. Remember, Golden Rule has been certified as a “clean” dairy operation.

Along with the raw milk you can get butter and cream. They also have about 450 chickens producing eggs that you can purchase at their booth here at the Market.

I encourage you to stop by the Golden Rule booth and pick up a gallon or two and have milk with your meal just as the farmers of past enjoyed for centuries.

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: 

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
Local produce (mint, basil, cucumbers, spinach, lettuce, bok choy) from Tucson area

Backyard Gardening & Growing  – – Vendor Grown –
Will NOT be set up this week at the market.
Onions- Red, white, and yellow. Cucumbers (Armenian, suyo, and lemon), beets. Gala and Pixie crunch apples and pears (Asian & Bartlett), and Okra.

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 –

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),

Ruth’s Garden

Fall is definitely here! The last of the apples and white peaches are being picked ready for Thursday. The tomatoes are continuing to ripen. We have a large amount of large cherry tomatoes which can be made into tomato sauce, pizza sauce or spaghetti sauce. Mixed with fresh herbs I freeze containers of sauce ready for use during the winter. Sold by the pd a variety of colors can be a great nutritional advantage.

Fresh herbs will also be available. RECYCLE with us egg cartons, plastic containers (small). at Ruth’s Hens and Garden

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 –

Ralph and the children will NOT be at the market this week.
“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 –

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

Rocky Creek Ranch
Duck, chicken, and quail eggs

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 – –

– 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 and 3rd 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.

Wild Arizona Gardens
Kathleen will NOT be at the market this week.
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)

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

Greywood Soap Company
Gabrielle and Jaimie will be back in October.
Handmade soaps.

Nature’s Premium Skin Care
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

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

Cliff’s Salsa
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

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:

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

Inner G Cells
Handmade orgonite item (includes jewelry) 

Sierra Vista Gems
Gary and Sheri will be back next week.
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

Doug Merrill

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

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

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)

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

This Week’s Weather Forecast