There is something uniquely satisfying and appealing about being a part of the network of growing food. Being able to know exactly where your food is grown, as well as the people who toil day in and day out farming and harvesting the land, is the very best way to ensure that you and your family are getting the absolute best in healthy and nutritious food.
Not everyone knows how to farm land and cultivate fresh fruit and vegetables, but thankfully, Tucson has a fantastic number of local farmers who know the land inside and out. Sustainable farming is a kind and thoughtful way to connect yourself and your family to the local community and really start to see how seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables can make a world of difference when planning your menus and eating healthy.
Tucson is blessed with some amazing Community Supported Agriculture programs (CSAs), and when you subscribe to one, you not only have the privilege of becoming a part of the sustainable farming culture, but you can also get up close and personal with the farmers and livestock, creating a more meaningful connection to the food you eat.
Tucson’s CSA program began back in 2004 when 15 University of Arizona students entered into agreements with local Tucson farms to have fresh produce delivered to them in exchange for farm funding. From there, the Tucson CSA program has risen dramatically, and today there are dozens of farms and ranches in Tucson and the surrounding areas serving hundreds of Tucson families every single day.
Taking part in a CSA like the kind we have in Tucson, means that you have become an active member of your community’s health, economic growth, and ecological impact. When you choose to buy “shares” in a CSA, you make a deal with a local farmer to cover upfront costs of farming, and in exchange, you receive a box of fresh, organic fruit, vegetables, meat, egg, breads, and dairy products grown and created right here in Tucson. Though every CSA has its own schedule, most provide weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly pickup options at convenient areas all around Tucson.
These are two of Tucson’s most popular CSAs, and you can register for boxes from both farms through the Tucson CSA website where you can also learn more about CSAs and where you can grab some of the freshest food around. http://www.tucsoncsa.org/
Sleeping Frog Farm
Sleeping Frog Farm is a 75-acre farm near the San Pedro River Valley. Sleeping Frog is a farm designed to be biodynamic and they offer a diverse selection of foods to help you create delicious, nutritious, and colorful meals all year long.
Sleeping Frog Farm is currently harvesting apples, basil, carrots, beets, leeks, tomatoes, and parsley, but every single week brings new, healthy vegetables directly from the farm to your plate.
Crooked Sky Farm
Crooked Sky Farm is a 420-acre farm near Phoenix, with parcels in Glendale and Duncan as well, allowing them to produce a wonderful variety of produce which they deliver to Tucson weekly.
Right now, Crooked Sky has perfectly ripe Anaheim peppers, black-eye peas, okra, onions, cucumbers, summer squash, arugula, and sweet corn.
