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Tucson's Farmers
Markets
It' was hot outside. With the drought,
plants suffered and the local wildlife attacked the vegetable garden with a
vengeance. I had little to show for my work except for a few severely
sunburned and half eaten tomatoes. I craved home grown tomatoes, a few
summer squash and maybe some green beans and peppers. I didn't want to go to
the grocery store. I wanted to go where produce was piled on a table, prices
wouldn't be marked and the light was provided by sunshine and not
fluorescent lights. Tucson has its versions of Farmers Markets but it was
difficult to distinguish between farmer and entrepreneur in early June.
Two of the Farmers Markets
are set up in either the court yards or plazas of shopping centers. A third is
located in and around an old barn on the way to Colossal Cave. Although
there was produce available in June I'd be skeptical of where the farm was
located. Some of the lettuce I saw didn't look all that good. Many of the
tomatoes, both green and red, came from greenhouse
production. Yes, they are pretty and keep well but they still don't have the flavor of garden
grown tomatoes. On Father's Day, June 16 there was a local backyard gardener at
the St. Phillip's Plaza Farmers Market with a table of "flawed"
looking but probably great tasting home grown tomatoes. There were home
grown purple and green bush beans along with other locally grown backyard
garden produce.
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Some of the items that were available at the Farmers Markets in
June. |
Rincon Valley
Farmers Market
12000 Old Spanish Trail
Saturdays 9 am - 1 pm |
St. Phillip's Plaza Farmers Market
4380 N. Campbell
Sundays 8 am - 1 pm |
Plaza Palomino
Food Faire
2970 N. Swan
Saturdays 10 am - 2 pm |
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Veggies: carrots, potatoes,
hot house tomatoes,
peppers, onions, eggplant
green beans, lettuce,
summer squash, etc.
Pecan pie
Cactus
Pastries
Bread
Herb and vegetable plants
Garden art
Honey
Art work
Jewelry
Pet food
Tamales
Yard sale
Barbecue |
Home grown seasonal vegetables: beans, squash,
eggplant, tomatoes,
greens, etc.
Coffee
Salsa
Herbals
Homemade breads and
pastries
Pies;
Cactus
Native desert plants
Herb plants
Flavored vinegars
Herbs
Homemade jams
Salad seasonings
Dried gourds |
Veggies: cantaloupe, bright
lights Swiss chard,
lettuce, sweet potatoes,
squash, cucumbers, etc,
Bread
Salsa
Cactus
Rose plants
Tamales
Emu products
Soap
Honey |
A farmers market should be seasonal bringing in the produce from the
surrounding areas that's maturing at the current time of year. Certainly as the farms start
producing in the Wilcox area maybe more locally grown produce will show up in the local farmers markets. But
even if you can't find the fruit and vegetables you're looking for, the
outdoor markets are a great way to spend a morning as you browse among the
vendors. There's also plenty of free parking at any of the three locations.
I purchased three locally grown potted cacti. I
had to ask the vendor to label the plants so I knew what I had bought and
questioned him where they should be grown in the garden. I also
picked up a half dozen frozen tamales at another site and eyed the pecan
pies and home baked bread repeatedly.
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Rincon Valley Farmers Market |
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The barn by the side of the road is the
home of the Rincon Valley farmers market. |
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Enchanted Hills Cactus Nursery selling south
American and native Sonoran cacti. |
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Bins of guess the price produce. |
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The look perfect greenhouse grown
tomatoes. |
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St. Phillip's Plaza Farmers Market |
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Breads and pastries available for your
Sunday brunch or dinner. |
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Real, less than perfect looking, but
great tasting, home grown tomatoes. |
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Mesquite trees offer shoppers and
vendors a break from the summer sun. |
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Sounds of flowing water from a
fountain while you browse. |
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Plaza Palomino Gourmet Food Faire |
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Vendors set up their tables and
umbrellas around the courtyard fountain. |
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Plaza Palomino sign faces Swan.
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Produce, eggs, and honey for sale
under the arch near the fountain. |
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Misting system helps keep vendors and
shoppers cool during the hot Saturdays of summer. |
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You don't have to visit all the farmers markets although I must admit I
now have a favorite. It's close to home, there's plenty of vendors, and they
had what I wanted. I also noticed some of the farmer market vendors that were found at one
market on Saturday could also be found at another selling their wares on Sunday.
So if you happen to visit one or two of the local farmers markets and you spot someone with a bag of home grown tomatoes
in one hand, a loaf of bread under an arm, and a pie in the other hand, it
could be the Tucson Gardener.
(2002)
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