Sierra Vista Farmers Market Vendor Update for 7-21-2022 – –

Welcome to the Sierra Vista Farmers Market Update for July 21, 2022

Growing Plum Fruit Trees in Arizona?

By Uncle Ralph (Ralph Wildermuth) 20 July 2022

The Farmers’ Market will be open from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

Frank Lloyd Wright (1867 – 1959) once said, 

“Harvard takes perfectly good plums as students, and turns them into prunes.”

Most surely, he was talking about the results of a college life at Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, but it is mindful of the two versions of plums that I find great eating faire. Plums and their wrinkly counterparts, the prune.

The plum is a stone fruit that grows on trees in the Prunus genus belonging to the family Rosaceae, which includes other well-known plants such as the almond tree (Prunus dulcís), peach tree [Prunus pérsica), blackthorn [Prunus espinosa), apricot tree [Prunus armeniaca) or cherry tree [Prunus avium). Before you ask, a stone fruit is a classification of fruits also known as drupes. They have a thin skin and a “stone” in the center, which contains the seed. They may be green, red, purple, or yellow, and all have smooth, edible skin and sweet flesh surrounding a pit. The fruit is grown throughout the world, though China, Romania, Serbia, and the United States lead commercial cultivation.

There are many varieties of stone fruits out there, some of the most popular are: peaches, nectarines, plums, cherries, apricots, dates and mangoes. Some that are not often thought about are lychees (a tropical fruit of the soapberry family and sometimes called an alligator strawberry), coconuts, and of course, olives.

Plums usually are broken down into two groups, the fairly round Japanese plums and the somewhat oblong European plums. European plums sometimes known as Italian plums may be sold as the sugar plum found so fondly in nursery rhymes. The European plum is usually the fruit that is dried to make prunes. Japanese plums come red, black (really more of a dark purple color), and yellow plums. Both black and yellow plums have an amber-colored flesh under their skins.

There are even some hybrid stone fruits like pluots (plum + apricot, favoring the plum more) and apriums (apricot + plum, favoring the apricot more). Whatever stone fruit you choose, one thing is for sure: It is going to be delicious!

The skin of the plum is smooth and usually covered with a white powder called a bloom. The bloom is edible. The flesh is juicy and, when preparing the fruit, the inedible pit is discarded. Plums may be baked, boiled, grilled, poached, or stewed and it’s a relatively inexpensive fruit.

For an obvious reason Be careful to remove the stone when eating a plum. Additionally, do not blend, crush, or chew a plum stone. The seeds of a stone fruit contain amygdalin, a chemical that the body converts into cyanide.

Plum trees are in season starting in early spring and continue through early fall. Plum trees require slightly lower temperatures to really thrive. They need between 200 and 300 “chill hours” in order to produce fruit properly, so being here in zone “8a” means we are golden. Using Gulf Ruby, Beauty, Gulf Gold, or Santa Rosa cultivars produces optimal results.

The best time for growing fruit trees around here, are either in September/October, or early spring (March/April). Planting during these months helps avoid exposing the plants to harsh temperatures. This also protects the vulnerable roots, which are just starting to establish themselves. Furthermore, there’s little risk of frost during these periods either.

Depending on your tree’s species and age, it can take at least a couple of seasons for it to bear fruit. So be patient with it, and tend it lovingly. If you don’t like to wait, you’ll need to plant a more mature tree. Additionally, make sure to give it all the nutrients and conditions it needs in order to thrive best. Remember that it’ll bear more fruit, of higher quality, if it’s fed and watered well.

Another delight that comes from plums is “figgy pudding” more commonly known as plum pudding or Christmas pudding. In America, Christmas Pudding is a dish as famous as it is misunderstood.

Christmas pudding sprang from the medieval delicacy known as English sausages, when fat, spices and fruits (the best preservatives of their day) were mixed with meats, grains and vegetables and packed into animal stomachs and intestines so they would keep as long as possible. The first records of plum puddings date to the early 15th century, when “plum pottage,” a savory concoction heavy on the meat and root vegetables, was served at the start of a meal.

But by the mid-1600s, plum pudding was sufficiently associated with Christmas, so much so, that when Oliver Cromwell came to power in 1647, he had it banned, along with Yule logs, carol-singing and nativity scenes. To Cromwell and his Puritan associates, such merry-making smacked of Druidic paganism and Roman Catholic idolatry. Finally in 1660 the Puritans were deposed and Christmas pudding, along with the English monarchy, was restored. Fifty years later, England’s first German-born ruler, George I, was styled the “pudding king” after rumors surfaced of his request to serve plum pudding at his first English Christmas banquet.

Enjoy the wonderful rain and watch out for running washes!

See you at the Market!

Need help with growing a tree? Stop by Our Market and ask some of the vendors about how they grow their trees. Take care and see you next time!

It Is Not Always Necessary To Stake Newly Planted Trees (Reprinted from Herld/Review)

By John Chapman

One of our urban myths is that all transplanted trees “must” be staked. There are two reasons for staking: 1. Stabilize the root ball until new roots can do it. 2. Hold the trunk upright if the trunk is not strong enough to grow straight by itself.

Landscapers nearly always stake new trees as insurance that they won’t have to come back if the tree can’t stand by itself. however, no provision is made to remove the stakes when the tree no longer needs the help. I see trees daily that have been in the same location for several years and so large they seen to be holding up the stakes. Homeowners who plant their own trees may not need to stake at all. Logically speaking, if you keep a broken finger, arm or leg in a cast for years, when will it ever develop the strength to function normally? The purpose for staking trees is similar to casting or splinting an arm or leg that has a broken bone – to stabilize it only until it has enough rigidity to function without external support. The same principle applies to staking a tree. Remove all stakes for a while to see if it can grow without assistance from stakes, then add some only after it has proven it can’t stand by itself.

Always remove the nursery stake. It is only there to stabilize the trunk until it is planted. If you leave the nursery stake in place, the tree tries to grow away from the nursery stake. The tissue cells next to the stake are shaded by it and elongate to get more sunlight while the rest of the cells in direct sunlight are shorter.  The skin or tissue on the sunny side of the tree is actually shorter than the side shaded by the nursery stake. When you remove it, the trunk tends to fall away from the nursery stake in an arch. Compared to a tree that stands alone and is free to move, a staked tree will develop a smaller root system and produce a decreased or even a reversed trunk taper.

If the trunk is so willowy it has no strength, add two stakes opposite the direction of the prevailing winds in undisturbed ground outside the root ball. Put the ties only as high as absolutely necessary to keep the trunk straight. If you use wire as a tie, put a sleeve of poly tubing or garden hose over the wire to protect the wire from cutting into or rubbing the trunk tissue. Do not tie the supports tight. Make a loop in the wire tie large enough to allow some slop so the tree can actually move around in a breeze to develop strength. If you don’t allow for the loose movement of the trunk in the loop, the trunk may still not have enough strength to stand by itself after several years. The principle here is not to keep the tree upright by staking, but to assist the young tree to stand by itself – I emphasize the principal assist.

After the tree has been in the ground for about six months, loosen the ties a little more to allow more movement. There is no need for stakes after one year if the tree has been allowed to develop its own strength.

John Chapman was, garden teacher on radio, TV and garden columnist in Phoenix, AZ media for years and practices what he preaches. He now lives in Southern, AZ   Questions; john@johnchapman.com

Vendor Updates
Please see the vendor listings below with updated vendor information and the products they will be bringing.

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

Music Entertainment: Simmons Family Band

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/
Weblog: 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 –

Figs, and plums
Red, white, and yellow onions, red and golden beets, cucumbers, eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash, okra, fresh basil.

Beatty’s Orchard – – Vendor Grown –

Edith will be back next season.
520-378-2728 or 520-678-9443

Cazador Ranch

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 are back!
Garlic, onions, patty pan squash, yellow zucchini, carrots, turnips, lettuce, green onions, red Russian kale, and beets.
For more information please visit one of their links: Facebook

Nat Hutchins
Local and Asian plant. Seasonal produce. Fresh chicken eggs.

Ravina Arizona   – Vendor Grown –

Our mission at Ravina Arizona is to cultivate an abundance of high quality, flavorful nutrition to share with our local community. Our microgreens are grown from organic seeds in nutrient rich soil with clean water from our Sulphur Springs Valley well. We’re currently growing sunflowers, broccoli, peas, radishes, and mustard microgreens. You can learn more about our farm at www.ravinaarizona.com and pre-order your microgreens by texting (520) 276-3997.

Ruth’s Hens & Garden

Figs are ripe!
Summer produce is in full swing with the production of snap beans. Fresh and delicious. The tomatoes are ripening so good in a summer salad. One of our young trees produced a small amount of purple plums and we picked the first cucumbers which taste so different than store bought. I pulled all of my Texas sweet onions which are sweet and large. If you need dill I have  an abundance of supply. Ray has new plants in his collection. See you Thursday for these tasty treats.

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

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

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/Nathan will be at the market (first and third 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

Alaskan caught sockeye salmon, king salmon, halibut, ling cod, shrimp, snowcrab, Bairdi crab, Dungenese crab.

Randy will be back in November 2022.

Baked Goods & Snack Vendors

Designs by Copper Canyon
New: Gluten-free breads by request.
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
Kathy and Jim will be back in October.

Fresh Made Greek Baked Goods and Prepared Food
New: Artisan Greek breads.

McDonald Farm
Dona is back!
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.

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

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
All-natural hand-made soaps and lotions.

Soaps for every skin type from dry to oily, to sensitive. She uses only essential oils to scent her products (lavender, peppermint, cedarwood) with all natural coloring.
No dyes, no fragrances, no phthalates, no sulfates, no parabens.
Custom made batches at a discount.

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

Café Cultiva
Jessica will not be at the market this week.
Fresh Coffee and Hot Beverages
For more information please visit one of their links: Website, Facebook
774-316-2328

Cannonball Teas

Crazy Coyote Concessions

Kettle Corn and Smoothies
For more information please visit one of their links: Facebook
520-904-2327
kettlekornaz@gmail.com

Julie & Sammie’s

Variety of ice creams, novelty candies, and more.

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

Sivonn’s Asian Cuisine

Lo Mein, fried rice, steamed buns, eggrolls, spring rolls, glass noodles

Tombstone Coffee

Specialty coffee drinks, hot and cold on the go.

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/Blue Collar Dog Treats
All Natural Pet Snacks and Treats

Services

Hone Ranger

Knife sharpening at the market.

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

Bannuar Trading & Sporting Goods

Handcrafted jewelry and cut antlers for dog chews, Meyer lemons

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:

Doug Merrill

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

The Humble Daisy

Pam will be at the market on the first Thursday of the month.
– Local greeting cards made using Arizona photography, local art, and origami.
– Come get your greeting cards here. Personalization available.
-wire wrapped stones
-Spend time at Pam’s beading table

Sierra Vista Gems
Gerry and Gary will be back in July or August.
New batch of blue oak and mesquite pens.
Cheri’s front license plates.

Suzy Bingham
Framed paintings.

Artisan Vendors (once a month)

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

Jim Williams
Jim will be back in the fall.
Wood works such as Lazy Susans, checker boards, and unique writing utensils

Rincon Valley Artisans

Ray & Diane will be at the market on 7-21-2022

New artisans:

Desert Owl Forge
Richard Mann -woodworkings
Dust & Sky-paintings
Blue Bear Trading
Tombstone Pottery (7-21-2022)

This Week’s Weather Forecast