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For centuries the Sonoran Desert has been home to the O’odham (Papago) people who perfected a system of agriculture suited to the high temperatures and minimal rainfall characteristic of the region. As late as 1925 the Tohono O’odham were cultivating 10,000 acres of their aridland-adapted crops with traditional floodwater methods. In the early 1980’s only a few scattered plots remained. Recognition of this dramatic loss in availability of crops adapted to the region’s harsh environmental conditions resulted in the establishment of Native Seeds/SEARCH (NS/S). The second part of its name is an acronym for Southwestern Endangered Aridland Resources Clearing House.
Back in 1983 the four founders, Gary Paul Nabhan, Barney Burns, Mahina Drees and Karen Reichhardt each chipped in $100 to get the organization going. They loosely defined their region as from Durango, Colorado to Durango, Mexico and from Las Vegas, Nevada to Las Vega, New Mexico. Their first listing of seeds had only 15 names. Today NS/S has secured the future for 1,850 uniquely southwestern heirloom crops and wild relatives.
Two things set Native Seeds/SEARCH apart from other seed banks. First it is a regional seed bank collecting and safeguarding seeds from the southwest US and northwest Mexico. According to NS/S Director of Conservation Suzanne Nelson, “Many of NS/S’s collections may not be represented in international gene banks, such as the newly opened “Doomsday Vault’ in Svaalbard, Norway, which makes the collection that much more unique and important.”
Secondly at the same time that it was collecting the seeds it was also collecting the food and agricultural heritage of the indigenous, immigrant, explorer and settler communities within the region who grew and ate and saved the seeds.
Preceding the banquet, a social hour with complimentary drinks and hors d’oeuvres was a great opportunity to chat with friends and meet like-minded souls in the lobby and balcony of University of Arizona’s Grand Ballroom with its view of the Catalinas. I talked with NS/S farm supervisor, Crecencio Elenes, who told me of the heirloom wheat they are now growing at the conservation farm in Patagonia and reminded me of the annual San Juan’s Day Celebration there on June 22 with rain dance led by elders, farm tour and native foods potluck.
Co-founder Gary Nabhan (author of 20 books including “Coming Home to Eat” and “Gathering the Desert”) will be returning this fall to join UA’s Southwest Studies. He told me he plans to relocate in the uplands outside of Tucson with the flock of Navajo-Churro sheep (once almost extinct but now making a come-back) he and his wife raise.
The NS/S staff put together a wonderful Retrospective exhibit in a side room with tables full of memorabilia, early seed saving journals, artwork including a specially made quilt to commemorate the 25th anniversary, information about NS/S’s successful establishment of the Wild Chile Botanical Reserve near Tumacacori to protect the rare occurrence of chiletepins (those fiery tiny round chiles) outside the tropics and a display of its unique products and colorful beans.
Lively opening remarks and introductions were given by Cochise County resident and master native plant grower Peter Gierlach of Sunizona. Also know as Petey Mesquitey, for sixteen years he has offered Tucson’s KXCI listeners poems, stories and songs about flora, fauna, and family and the glory of living in southern Arizona. (For a rare chance to purchase native trees from Petey Mesquitey’s local Spadefoot Nursery go to the Bisbee Farmers Market on May 3 and May 10.)
The tribute to the NS/S founders included a debut screening of the 25th anniversary video, “Sharing the Seeds” narrated by The Desert Speaks host, David Yetman. I sat at a table with Alex Sando, NS/S Native American Program Coordinator and his wife, who told me that the pueblo he is from in New Mexico and two others have started farmers markets and about the Colorado River Indians who are propagating mesquite trees to plant on their reservation for food and medicine.
Our table engaged in a discussion about the importance of gardens with “Green Granny” Lindianne Sarno who has started a new organization called Sonoran Kitchen Gardens. Inspired by the Alice Waters School Yard Garden model, it aims to make our region food secure by developing drylands kitchen gardens in schools, places of worship, and urban neighborhoods, linked into a local food system from seed to table.
According to its web site, www.sonorankitchengardens.org, “Allied with NS/S, local chefs, and farmers markets, we promote kids snack gardens in day care centers, elementary and middle schools and high schools. When kids grow their own food, they eat healthy snacks like cherry tomatoes, carrots, snow peas, and cucumbers.”
The banquet was a sumptuous regional food buffet including dishes focusing on some of the original seeds in NS/S’s collection. The menu featured Southwest Caesar Salad with Cornbread Croutons, Pueblo Red Chile Stew, Spicy Tepary Bean Ravioli with Corn and Chile Cream Sauce, Chile Rubbed Brisket of Bison Braised in Mole Dulce, Blue Cornmeal Dusted Grilled Trout with Red Chiles and Garlic, Mesquite Grilled Chicken Breasts in Poblano Sauce, Savory Amaranth Cakes with Wild Mushroom Sauce, assorted breads including Chipotle Cornbread, and a Chocolate, Ancho Chile and Almond Tart.
After dinner entertainment included music by Navajo flutist Vince Redhouse and his band, a book signing of Gary Nabhan’s latest book “Arab/American: Landscape, Culture, and Cuisine in Two Great Deserts” and sale of Punta Banda and other heirloom tomato seedlings.
This Week at the Sierra Vista Farmers Market
Farmer Stewart Loew of Agua Linda Farm will offer farm-fresh spring lettuce mix as well as arugala and Asian greens (bok choy family) for stir frying. His greens are now served at Primo’s the restaurant at the elegant JW Marriott at Star Pass in Tucson and two restaurants in Green Valley. Customers are often surprised that local greens from the market last at least a week longer than those from the supermarket. Look for fresh turnips, organic Barhi and Medjool dates from California which melt in your mouth and brown and white tepary beans from the San Xavier Indian Reservation, great for soups, stews, and salads.
Tepary beans, once a staple in the Sonoran Desert and cultivated throughout Mesoamerica, are the most drought-tolerant annual legume in the world. After being largely forgotten and nearly lost, these delicious, nutty-tasting beans are currently enjoying a renaissance, owing to their superior flavor, nutrition (higher protein and minerals than common beans), and ability to grow in high temperatures with little water.
Grammy’s Garden will offer lots of unsprayed local tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, green beans, onions, organic fruit from Mexico, cantaloupe, limes, De Cio herbal pasta and Bonita Bean Co. beans.
John from Fiesta Growers will bring a wide selection of herbs and warm season vegetable plants. Featured herb this week is grapefruit mint: a citrusy mint with summer-time culinary applications. He’ll bring some seeds also.
Dragoon Marketplace has two new chutneys, Mango and Tomato Apple, made from organic or local produce and agave nectar.
It also produces marmalades from local citrus and sells local tomatoes, pistachios, red chile powder and paste and pinto beans.
Simmons Honey says Mesquite, Catclaw, and Desert Wildflower are the most sought after honeys. The Simmons family will offer comb in honey, raw creamed honey and natural flavored honeys: Raspberry, Blackberry, and Cinnamon. Please call in honey gallon orders (364-2745 or simmonshoney1@wmconnect.com.) Zucchini Pickles, Apple Butter and Strawberry Rhubarb and 3 Berry jams are back in stock. Beeswax candles will include votives, figurines, pillars, and tapers. The bulk beeswax blocks are in one and 6 ounce sizes and larger.
San Ysidro Farm has grass-fed lamb chops and beef steaks perfect for grilling as well as whole pasture-raised chickens, lamb shanks and legs of lamb great for crock pot or solar cooking. Natural pork products include bacon, breakfast and Italian sausage and chorizo.
Jams, jellies and syrups made from local and organic fruit from Barbara Wiley’s kitchen will let you indulge in home-made flavor without all the work. Barbara grew up on a homestead in Haines, Alaska where her family had to can fruits and vegetables to survive the long winters. Canning is a lost art now days. Barbara says, “I’m here to bring it back. My jam tastes just like your grandma’s. Because I use certified organic or no-spray fruits and berries, pure cane sugar, no corn syrup or beet sugar, and an all natural pectin.”
Spring is here and Desert Oasis Soap has been busy perfecting some new products including natural Bug-Be-Gone spray, foot scrub bar, Zippy caffeinated soap, and super moisturizing Whipped Body Frosting and Lip Rescue. Try its Mr. Dinky’s Emporium of healthy home-made dog treats.
Also at the Market: Tortilleria Arevalo (mesquite & flour tortillas, tamales, salsa, naturally sweet mesquite cookies), River Organica (healthy cookies, breads, scones from emmer grain), Adventure Coffee Roasting (organic, fair-trade coffees and fresh brewed coffee from around the world), local pecans, Azmira pet food and holistic pet remedies, Buckaroo Brand frozen, canned and jerkied wild salmon & other seafood, Arizona citrus (oranges & grapefruit from Queen Creek), Fiore di Capra (gourmet goat cheeses & raw milk, order ahead at altrece@hughes.net), Dr. Hummus, home-style cooking, cookies & breads from the Next Door Kitchen.)
Recipes
Papago Tepary Soup
(Seeds of Change web site)
2 cups tepary beans, soaked overnight
6 cups water
4 slices bacon, diced or 1-2 tblsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
1 cup diced celery
1 clove garlic, diced
3 cups tomatoes w/juice
1 tsp mixed oregano and cumin
Dry red chile pepper (optional)
Drain soaked beans and bring to boil in big pot with the six cups of water. When the beans are tender, fry bacon until limp then remove it from pan. If not using bacon, heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium heat; add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes. Add bacon, tomatoes with their juice, and the oregano/cumin mix. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add vegetable mix to the beans. Cook another hour until beans are mealy-tender. Dried red chile pepper may be stirred into pot during the last 10 minutes. Serves 6. Serve with flour tortillas.
Chicken Marrakesh with Green Chile Powder & Mrs. Burns’ Famous Lemon Basil
(Cooking with Native Seeds/SEARCH by Peggy Hacskaylo)
4 boned, skinned chicken breast halves
Marinade:
grated rind of 1 lemon
juice of 2 lemons
3-4 cloves garlic, pressed
? tsp turmeric
1 tsp green chile powder
1 tsp dried Mrs. Burn’s lemon basil or 1 tblsp fresh chopped fine
? tsp dried thyme or 2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped fine
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350. Coat a shallow baking dish with olive oil. Mix the marinade in the dish. If too thick add a tablespoon or two of dry white wine. Wash chicken, and pat dry. Place chicken in baking dish, allow to marinate for at least 20 minutes. Bake about 20 minutes or until the juice runs clear when cut.
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