Those who crave organic fruits and vegetables from the Quad Cities area have options beyond their backyards. They can contract with Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) operations such as Whipstone Farm in Paulden or The Yavapai County Farmers and Ranchers Cooperative (YCGrown) in Chino Valley; participate in community gardening; or shop weekly at farmers markets in Chino Valley, Prescott and Prescott Valley.
Depending on the CSA, typical options priced at about $25 per week per share include weekly or bi-weekly receipt; pickup or home delivery; and/or full-shares of produce, which serve three to four people (half shares are available, too).
With community gardening, plots of land are leased to the public. The Prescott YMCA has hosted a quarter-acre community garden since 2010.
“Our model is that we provide everything but the plants and hard work,” said Dave Klever, YMCA volunteer, board member and coordinator of the Y-Garden since 2013. “We supply all the materials and tools required to garden, including mulch, fertilizer and hoses. We also have our own Master Gardener contact at the University of Arizona Extension.”
The Y-Garden is parceled into multi-use garden spaces of about 11 feet by 10 feet each. One dozen rentals are leased to people; six are reserved for children’s gardens, flowers and demonstrations; and another dozen are dedicated to growing food donated to the community. The average production per year is about 1,000 pounds of food for community donation. Among the organizations receiving these fresh harvests are Prescott Meals on Wheels, Open Door and Prescott Community Cupboard.
“Community gardening is a huge asset to any city or town,” said Klever. “It provides a place for people to gather and enjoy growing food not only for them, but for others to benefit from. Growing your own vegetables is extremely rewarding. Gardening itself is very therapeutic.”
Food grown in the individual Y-Garden spaces belongs to the growers, who can serve it up in their own homes, share with friends and family or donate what they don’t need to others. Those dozen public spaces generally are occupied at any given time. Cost of each space is $65 a year and YMCA membership is not required.
“As a Y-Garden member, you are helping those in the community who do not have access to or cannot afford fresh vegetables,” Klever stated. “With our kids’ garden, we help build an appreciation for where food comes from. Our flower gardens are always appreciated by community members. Last but not least, we help educate newcomers to our area on how to successfully grow plants in an often-challenging climate.”
The city’s other venture, the Prescott Community Garden, states as its mission “community growth, sustainability and self-sufficiency through gardening and the cultivation of vegetables, fruit, flowers, herbs and native perennials in individual and group plots.” Located at 310 N. Granite Street, the Prescott Community Garden leases .6 acres of land from the City of Prescott’s Parks and Recreation Department for $1 a year. The 4 foot by 8 foot spaces leased to the public are priced at $60 a year, plus two hours of volunteer service a month on the property.
Current activity is targeted toward “creating a sustainable, raised bed garden with a learning garden mode,” said John Asadourian, director of the Prescott Community Garden. A newly-created advisory council and local businesses have been working on powering up a battery-operated irrigation system, installing water conservation measures and planting fruit trees. Plans include a centrally located classroom where workshops on rainwater harvesting, composting, gardening without chemicals and gardening in arid desert climates can be presented.
“The back story of community gardens is that we live in a food desert,” added Asadourian, who also is school garden coordinator for Slow Food Prescott, a national initiative with more than 200 chapters inviting members and local communities to taste, celebrate and champion the foods and food traditions important to their regions. Earth Day with Slow Food Prescott is scheduled for 10 a.m., Saturday, April 22, at the Prescott Courthouse Plaza.
“There’s niche need market for an educational platform as well as a nutritional program,” Asadourian said. “People need to learn again how to properly eat. Children can be reunited with nature. It’s something to rebuild our humanity because technology has put us in a trance.”
In Prescott Valley, food grown on the “community side” of the PV Community Garden is donated to St. Vincent de Paul’s Pantry, says Bonnie Flores, executive committee member of the garden. Spread over two-thirds of an acre on land owned by Fain Signature Group and managed by the garden’s executive committee, the PV Community Garden offers 4 foot by 20 foot garden plots to the public for $60 a year. Renters of individual plots also agree to volunteer a minimum of 20 hours between May and November in the communal garden.
The Quad Cities’ farmers and ranchers participating in the Farmers Markets and CSA initiatives offer vegetables, organic produce, fruit, meat and dairy, baked goods, specialty items, flowers and plants for sale. The difference between the two is that CSA buyers contract with and financially support the growers up front.
“I am all about food,” said Kelley Villa, market manager for the Farmers Markets in Prescott, Prescott Valley and Chino Valley. “It’s really special to be part of the local food system here in this area. There are a lot of really amazing people involved in farming. People don’t realize there are farmers here unless they are really part of our (Farmers Market) community. I really treasure that about what we do.”
All produce is brought to the markets and sold by the farmer who grew it, Villa explained, adding that participating farmers and ranchers are required to sell products with a minimum of 10 percent Arizona-grown ingredients. Produce sold is organic and therefore free of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers.
About 28 farmers and ranchers participate in the Prescott winter market, while the summer season attracts about 40. Prescott Valley hosts 12 to 14 vendors at its farmers market, and Chino Valley supports about 10.
The Prescott Farmers Market will celebrate a milestone 20 years of operation this summer, with numerous events, including a Farm to Table dinner Sunday, Aug. 27, at the Holiday Courtyard in downtown Prescott. Locally grown food will be prepared by the community’s premier chefs. QCBN
By Sue Marceau, QCBN