The Santa Cruz Valley (from Marana to Nogales) is one of the longest continually cultivated regions in the United States, with an agricultural history extending back more than 4,000 years. This agricultural heritage can still be experienced today through local foods produced throughout the Santa Cruz Valley.
 Small grower and farmers market vendor from Tucson, Tom Savath, picks fava beans which he loves both fresh and stir fried from Agua Linda Farm. |
The workshop was given by the Santa Cruz Valley Heritage Alliance, www.santacruzheritage.org, a non-profit organization whose mission is “to connect people to the cultural, historic and natural treasures of the Santa Cruz Valley through education, preservation and promotion of its unique resources.” With the support of a broad coalition of local governments, tribes, residents and stakeholder groups, the alliance is in the process of seeking designation of the Santa Cruz Valley as a National Heritage area.
Other areas of the country that have achieved this designation have not only received millions of dollars in federal funding but have also attracted up to 66 times that amount in matching state and local funds. Heritage based economic development also leads to increased heritage, nature and agricultural tourism and the doubling of revenues and jobs. Arizona legislators Raul Grijalva and Gabrielle Giffords have helped to get this bill through the US House of Representatives and it is currently in the Senate.
The first presentation was by Bryn Jones, the new Executive Director of Native Seeds/SEARCH (NS/S), the Tucson seed bank with conservation farm in Patagonia. NS/S has saved and redistributed crops from over 40 tribes in the American Southwest and Northwest Mexico including several hundred varieties of each of the three sister crops, corn, beans and squash. After growing out a supply of each seed, some is given back to the communities where they came from.
Bryn also talked about the unique partnership between the US Forest Service and NS/S whereby a 2500 acre or 4 square mile reserve was set aside in the Coronado National forest for wild chiles such as chile tepin. These “pea-sized, crunchy balls of fire” used by the Incas, Mayas and the Aztecs grow wild south of the border and in this area near Tumacacori Mission which is its northernmost range with a heartier, frost-resistant strain of the mainly tropical chile.
The second presentation was by Carolyn Reyes about the cooperative farm of allottee landowners on the San Xavier Indian Reservation. The farm raises 250 acres of traditional crops such as a 60 day corn, yellow-meated watermelon, red and white tepary beans, and the O’odham or ‘Papago’ squash which they are working to reintroduce to their people who suffer from high rates of diabetes. (Their white-kernel traditional corn is 6 inches long and takes only 60 days to grow as part of its adaptation to the desert’s short summer rains. The kernels are dried and cooked into a savory gruel.) The tribe also grows Pima lima beans and Pima and Durham wheat and alfalfa.
San Xavier Farm combines traditional planting and harvesting techniques for the traditional crops including blessings by the community where Carolyn said they “talk to the plants,” as they believe that they can communicate with all parts of the natural world. Its “nature farming” is done without chemicals and a state-of-the-art computerized irrigation system. The tribe sells its produce, beans and wheat products at the Santa Cruz Farmers Market in Tucson on Thursday afternoons as well as at a ramada near its office (520.295.3774) on the reservation off I-19.
Next was Jesus Garcia of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum who spoke about the Kino Heritage Fruit Tree Project. This project has propagated quince, pomegranate and fig trees that are believed to be genetic clones or descendants of those introduced to the Santa Cruz Valley by Father Kino in the 17th century. As I participated in the planting of 60 of these trees back into former orchard grounds at the Tumacacori Mission last spring, I was eager for an update on how the trees were doing. Jesus reported that they were doing well except for some of the Black Mission figs that died back after late frosts so may have to be replaced by hardier white figs.
The project is now working on producing other Kino-heritage fruit trees such as apricots, peaches, pears, apples, tangerines, ‘limas’ or Mexican sweet limes, grapes, olives and loquats that have all been located in the backyards of houses in Tucson owned by long-time Hispanic families, on ranches in the Valley or at other historic missions.
Tastes of the Santa Cruz Valley will continue next week including a recap of the presentation by renowned Tucson chef Janos Wilder.
This Week at the Sierra Vista Farmers Market
(The Bisbee Farmers Market will not be held this Saturday, May 10 as the Bisbee Firefighters will be celebrating their 100th Anniversary in Vista Park.)
New Vendor: Be sure to stop by Salsa Time Salsa for a sample of the mild and hot versions of the exciting, fresh, preservative-free salsa made in Hereford. According to its native Arizonan creators, “Family, friends, restaurants and anyone who has tasted this salsa blend, runs back for more!”
New Vendor: Peter Gierlach AKA Petey Mesquitey, local nurseryman, poet and musician who has his own radio show on Tucson’s KXCI, will bring Emory and Toumey oak seedlings in 9” cones, used by the USFS and others for revegetation projects. He’ll also have these native oaks in larger sizes, including 5 gallon. Other native trees and shrubs in 1 and 5 gallon sizes will include Elderberry, little leaf sumac, Apache pine, pinon pine, Arizona cypress, Junipers, Bigtooth maple, and Silverleaf, Gambel and Scrub oaks.
New Product: Ask for a sample of ‘Mechiwa’, a Tunisian-style grilled vegetable salad with chile peppers, onions, olive oil, and cilantro which is great on pita chips as an appetizer and also in scrambled eggs, breakfast burritos and also compliments fish and chicken dishes. Vendor Paul Smith who brings the Dr. Hummus products which include other Middle Eastern dips and salads also carries dried fruit, nuts, candies and trail mixes.
Produce: Agua Linda Farm will have turnips, rainbow beets (with great tasting greens), baby carrots (Thumbelina and sugar sweets), radishes, snow and sugar snap peas, spinach, arugala and the last of the salad and Asian greens. Ask Stewart for a sample of fava beans that are great raw or stir-fried. Grammy’s Garden will have its lovingly tended fresh garlic along with lots of other produce, herbal pasta and pinto beans
Mama Llama will bring her cherry chocolate empanadas, great for a special treat for a surprise breakfast for your mother for Mother’s Day. She will also have a Tuscany Tomato empanada filled with fresh tomatoes, mushrooms, black olives, and parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. These “take and bake” pastries are so convenient and easy.
Retired Alaskan fisherman Max McCarty will have black cod (in addition to salmon and other wild fish) which is also called butterfish because of the taste and rockfish that also melts in your mouth.
Mesquite flour and a gluten-free baking mix now available from Helen Hayes who also sells Azmira holistic pet food, remedies and treats.
Traditionally, the prickly pear cactus has been used as a panacea for over 100 different ailments. More recently, it was recognized by the International Diabetes Center as one of five herbals with the greatest promise for the alternative treatment of diabetes and has been the subject of blood cholesterol research trials sponsored by the American Heart Association. In addition to the results of this research, Prickly Pear Cactus Medicine by Ran Knishinsky (www.cactusmedicine.com) includes scientific studies on the antiviral properties of the cactus to treat herpes, influenza, and HIV, as well as its use in treating obesity, gastrointestinal disorders, skin ailments and hangovers.
Medical studies of mesquite show that despite its sweetness, it is extremely effective in controlling blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. Soluble fibers, such as galactomannin gum in the seeds and pods, slow absorption of nutrients, resulting in a flattened blood sugar curve, and the sweet pods are a good source of calcium, manganese, iron and zinc.
Simmons Honey will have Apple Pecan Butter as well as Strawberry and Strawberry Rhubarb jams. New Pickles are Mini-Dilly Cucumber Pickles and Hot Asparagus Pickles. Mesquite honey is in season. Try raw creamed (also known as whipped or spun) honey made with the lightest Mesquite & Catclaw honeys. Half-pound tubs of bee pollen and cut honey comb are still available. For a sweet snack try honey stix. Call ahead for honey by the gallon (364-2745.)
Two ranchers offer grass fed meats at the market. Dennis Moroney from the 47 Ranch will have beef and goat meat in all cuts plus cowboy flavor jerky. Ask him about the burrowing owls that have found refuge on his ranch. San Ysidro Farm raises lamb and pigs the natural way outdoors and has a local processor make up summer sausage, two kinds of chorizo, bacon, and Italian sausage.
Young Root-Vegetable Braise
Local Flavors: Cooking and Eating From America’s Farmers Markets by Deborah Madison
Sea salt
12 small turnips, peeled, stems trimmed to one-half inch
1 bunch radishes, stems trimmed to one-half inch
6 small carrots (3 to 4 inches long), peeled, stems trimmed to one-half inch
1 pound fava beans, shucked
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1bunch green onions, trimmed (use 2 to 3 inches of white and pale green part only) and sliced lengthwise
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped tarragon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Freshly ground pepper
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat, adding 1 tablespoon of salt per quart of water. Slice the turnips and radishes in half if large; leave the smaller ones whole.
2. Blanch the turnips, radishes and carrots for 5 minutes, less if smaller, then lift them out of the simmering water and plunge them into an ice water bath. Drain, pat dry and set aside.
3. Bring the water back to a boil and add the fava beans; blanch 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in the ice water bath. Reserve the cooking water. Pop the fava beans out of their skins and reserve the beans.
4. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a 10-inch sauté pan. Add the green onions and cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add one-half cup of the vegetable cooking water, the blanched vegetables, half of the parsley and tarragon and one-fourth teaspoon salt. Simmer until the vegetables are fully tender, about 10 minutes or until done. Add one-fourth cup cooking water as needed to maintain a small amount of sauce in the pan.
5. Add the fava beans, remaining butter and lemon juice. Increase the heat and swirl the pan back and forth until the butter has melted. Remove from the heat, add the rest of the parsley and tarragon, season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
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