We continue discussions about native foods and farm on the Gila Indian Community in Arizona (hope you caught part 1 talking the culture, history & water of the Pima people). In this episode we talk with Terry Button about the work he and his wife Ramona are doing at Ramona Farms. Terry shares some of the foods the Pima people have eaten for generations, sharing the roles of corn and tepary beans and some of the foods that can be foraged in the desert.

You can see the transcript that was produced via AI here.

Growing “Indian Corn”

I’ve talked corn with a lot of folks (you may remember Dave who makes his own masa and polenta in Iowa). Terry & Ramona go even deeper into diverse varieties of corn, some he refers to as Indian corn for it’s role as a traditional staple for the Pimas. I love that he shared some of the ways they’re cooked locally!

Terry introduced me to pink corn, which the people of the Gila River indigenous community have cultivated for centuries. This corn is a star in both taste and appearance he says, featuring stunning hues of pink that add a touch of vibrancy to any dish.

But what makes this corn truly extraordinary is its versatility in Native American cuisine. From the savory delicacy of tamales to the hearty satisfaction of pozole (mentioned as a must have food for the holidays in Mexico), pink corn takes center stage, lending its unique flavor and distinct texture to traditional dishes that have been lovingly passed down through generations.

Aside from pink corn, Terry also shared insights into other indigenous varieties beloved in the community and prioritized by a lot of chefs. He points to Indian flint corn, a variety with vibrant, multicolored kernels. Its robust texture and nutty flavor make it ideal for grinding into cornmeal, which can be used to create everything from cornbread to tortillas and more.

I love that there are red corns too and that they have selected for cobs that are solid red as well as continuing to plant some of the red and white marbled. How appropriate that they call it Ramona red! And he’s also grown a good bit of sweet corn that is more mainstream today.

Tepary Beans — A Unique Tribal Food

I haven’t had a chance to really learn about tepary beans before but they are central to the diets of native peoples in Arizona and other parts of the Southwest as well as Mexico. These beans have a rich history and are deeply tied to the heritage of the land.

I’m not sure you could find anyone more excited about tepary beans — Terry absolutely loves them and it shows! He emphasized the diversity of colors, with varieties ranging from creamy white to vibrant brown. Each variety brings unique flavors and uses of tepary beans.

Photo of white tepary beans from RamonaFarms.com

When it comes to flavors, Terry described the white tepary bean as having a milder, almost sweet and buttery taste. On the other hand, the brown variety exhibits a nuttier flavor, creating a delightful contrast. Black teparies are less common, take longer to cook and have a rich robust flavor with a finish a bit of a chocolately finish.

These unique flavors make tepary beans a favorite among bean connoisseurs like Terry, and their versatility allows them to be incorporated into a wide range of recipes. He says whether cooked up as a hearty soup, included in a flavorful chili, or added to refreshing salads, these beans bring a distinct taste and texture to any recipe. And the family shares their favorite recipes on the Ramona Farms website.

With their high drought tolerance and disease resistance, tepary beans are not only a staple ingredient but a crop that does really well on the reservation.

A Tour of the Farm

He took me for a drive around the farm and reservation. You’ll see that they were baling hay and still planting some cotton when I was there in early May. All of that is also discussed in the podcast episode!

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So often when I travel abroad I am mesmerized by ancient history, so I was totally into getting this interview on ancient desert farming practices. Seeing a Smithsonian article on the Gila River Indian Community led to my finding connections in the US who could talk about the way water was used in prehistoric times, as well as well known times in US history. So in this episode, archaeologists Kyle Woodson and Wesley Miles talk to us about the native peoples who have called this land home, water use and other pieces of the community. The following episode is a conversation with farmer Terry Button who’s family grows a number of traditional crops on the rez.  

The Gila River Indian Community

When I was a teenager, I had a friend who was from the Pima tribe. I’ve frequently been interested in learning more and have learned a bit here and there during my travels to Arizona. But visiting the Gila River Indian Community took that learning to new levels. It is home to the Akimel O’odham (Pima) and Pee Posh (Maricopa) tribes.

Both of these tribes have a rich cultural heritage that dates back thousands of years and while much of their history wasn’t recorded or shared broadly, some is being unearthed as archaeologists look at the pathways of ancient canals built for irrigation. These canals have been a lifeline for the people for thousands of years as the people farmed in this desert.

Wesley Miles (above) at the Gila River Interpretive Center

Kyle Woodhouse

Kyle & Wes talked with us about some of the challenges the tribes have faced, especially those that impact the food and farming aspects like changes to land management and ownership and industrialization. It’s been difficult for individuals to farm, make a living, and like in other parts of the country, farming has shifted to a larger scale.

Fortunately, there is still a strong sense of community within the tribes, which has helped them to weather the changes that have come with time. And more younger members are looking to practice the traditions.

By working together, the Pima and Maricopa tribes continue to preserve their heritage through traditional farming practices, and the creation of the Huhugam Heritage Center, a museum that tells the story of the community and their peoples.

Wes showed me around a bit of the community and you may enjoy the tour:

Water Needed for Desert Farming

The Gila River starts in the mountains of New Mexico, where years ago I toured the Gila Cliff Dwellings (a National Park Service monument). And while there were definitely some migratory movements in the area, Kyle says the Pima had permanent structures on farm and in villages along the Gila in the areas that included the irrigation channels. Researchers have discovered that irrigation farming technology began independently in Arizona, rather than being influenced by Mexico or Peru. This game-changing discovery has led to an increased understanding of how food has been grown for centuries in this part of the Sonoran desert, using simple yet effective systems for moving water to crops.

One fascinating aspect of the discovery is how it shows what can be accomplished when people work together to solve a problem. The communities that grew around these early canal systems shared water and other landscape features, but individual farms were strictly delineated property. This sedentary lifestyle led to the development of rules and policies among the villagers and settlements, an early form of agricultural regulation that ensured fair use of resources and productive farming. Here’s the map we reference in the interview.

While the technology used by ancient peoples was primitive by current standards, it was also highly effective. Their farms became their livelihood and property, producing enough food to allow people to stay in one place and cultivate the land year after year. Through the work of archaeologists and researchers, including Kyle and Wesley, we are gaining a better understanding of the adaptations that were made to water management practices over time and how they have shaped the way we farm today.

More recently, water rights for the tribes were reinstated after having dams upstream restrict water access for years. The return of the water rights has already had impacts revitalizing an interpretive center Wesley showed me around in the video above. And more is coming with farms.

Learn More

Our next episode will include a conversation with a farmer on the Gila River Indian Community lands. The Button family has a rich history with farming in that area and continues many traditional crops. You can also check out the Gila River Indian Community website at GilaRiver.org.

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I love veggies from a backyard garden but I have to admit, I am not the most committed gardener. And I definitely have never kept my backyard in event space shape. After visiting Mortimer Farms in Dewey, Arizona, I’m pretty sure I would leave the food production to them and enjoyment to me!

That would be fine to Ashlee Mortimer who’s family started farming this property years ago on a lease and was later able to purchase it. And they are now growing 54 crops here, many open for u-pick customers as well as available harvested for sale in the farm’s market. You won’t want to miss some of the foods they make themselves in the market or the Windmill Kitchen. We talk about all of that in this episode.

An AI generated transcript for this episode is available.

Checking Out Arizona Agriculture

Arizona has always lured me in with that seemingly constant sun. And it’s no accident that some of the first episodes of Grounded by the Farm were recorded there. (Who remembers Jon talking to us about growing lettuce? I have never looked at romaine the same!) The presence of such great light has made Arizona agriculture a piece of lots of our plates!

I was recently in Arizona for a conference and asked my friend Julie if she had ideas on farms I should visit. She is one of the folks behind the Fill Your Plate site that helps you find farmer’s markets, agritourism, etc. reminded me of the Mortimer family. I had met them several times, but never gotten to the farm. I had my plan and headed north from Phoenix toward Prescott. The drive was GORGEOUS and Mortimer Farms was definitely worth the trip.

Overview of Mortimer Farms

Mortimer Farms is right along State Route 169 and it’s probably best known for some of the festivals it runs but it’s so much more!

They grow an impressive 54 different crops, including sweet corn, tomatoes, and also have created an incredible connection with the community through its market, deli, Windmill Kitchen, farm park, and animal encounter. It’s the perfect destination to immerse yourself in farm-to-table culture whether you are looking for the way to spend several hours or just want to grab a tasty bite to eat (check out the Farmer’s Club I had for breakfast)!

Ashlee Mortimer, who handles the farm’s marketing, shares her family’s history in agriculture, and how they transformed their farm into an agritourism destination. And as the family moved from renting the property to purchase, they have been adding infrastructure including several hoop houses to extend the number of fresh veggies available year-round.

The community reaction is a major factor for employees, “when we set our produce out and we see the customers coming in and everyone’s so happy to see the good quality produce, that’s what makes it worth it.”

Join us for a tour of the farm with Ashlee!

Working with Nature, Facing Challenges

One of the best pieces of Mortimer Farms, is that they actively share what’s happening day in and day out so it’s easy to get a feel for the way they work with nature. (Find them on Instagram, Facebook and the Mortimer Farms website/subscriber email.) Like other farms, nature also can hit them with challenges Ashlee points out.

She says farmers and ranchers face many challenges, from unpredictable weather events to market fluctuations. “We have to diversify. Having diversity in our crops helps us to combat challenges like weather events, pests, and diseases,” Ashlee explains.

And she says the team at Mortimer has been able to make some major shifts in water use over the years as science and technology advances. She highlights the importance of efficient use of resources like water, adding, “We’ve been able to water where it needs to be watered and be more efficient in doing so, saving water.”

There are a few things that came together on that including installing pivot and drip irrigation which puts the water exactly where its needed and amounts are closely monitored. Adding in more perennial crops like the new orchard also encourages deep root growth and rotational grazing adds to soil health. 

Farming isn’t just about producing food, it’s common for farmers to be “living and breathing your work,” Ashlee notes. “It’s a passion that farmers and ranchers carry with them every day, even when they’re not on the clock.” 

If You’re Not in the Area

Seriously, I’d love to have a farm like this in my backyard. So much good food, a chance to really track all the seasonal foods (definitely different in Arizona than here in the Midwest). But we have great farms here in my neck of the woods and probably have some farms near you too!

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There are many day or or week of celebrations that seem to only fit a small niche of people, but this is National Ag Week and even if we don’t work in agriculture, that’s what produces the food that eventually lands in our grocery stores, restaurants and homes.

This week as spring starts, many farmers are entering the busy season or making final preparations for it. With that in mind, we checked in with a dozen farmers — nine of whom farm is different states coast to coast and north, south and in the middle. And a few of our past international guests as well! We asked them what they would be doing on the farm and to share a bit more of what is happening with them.

An AI generated transcript for episode 311 is available.

National Ag Week & A Presidential Proclamation

The week (March 20-26, 2022) is National Ag Week, and Tuesday is a day of focus on agriculture in Washington, DC. In fact, since the 1970s, this Tuesday has been National Ag Day. This year’s proclamation of ag day by President Joe Biden reads in part:

On National Agriculture Day, we recognize the invaluable contributions of American farmers, farmworkers, ranchers, fishers, foresters, and other agricultural workers, who have practiced their craft for generations and touch the lives of Americans every day.  Their tireless efforts growing crops, raising livestock, and distributing food, fuel, and fiber sustain America and the entire world.  They put meals on our plates, clothes on our backs, and roofs over our heads.  Along the way, America’s agricultural workers serve as stewards of the land; ensure the safety and health of animals, plants, and people; and strengthen our rural communities with economic opportunities. (continue reading here.)

Farmers We Hear From For National Ag Week

We heard from a diverse range of farmers, growing different crops in different conditions. Several have been on the show previously (we will link back to those episodes) but several haven’t yet. We decided to put together a short video showing where each of them is from & the crops they grow. If there is someone you really want to hear more from, be sure to let us know!

We put the audio in as we got each report so we do a bit of zig zagging around the country! Here’s who all is featured.

Rebecca Larson Talks Sugarbeet Processing & More

Some of you may remember Colorado’s Rebecca Larson from our episode on growing & enjoying sugar. I still want some of those fun cookies she makes! She’s getting ready for Easter but also updates us on last year’s crop & the prep for this year!

Watermelons Going in the Ground

Rachel Syngo with Melon 1 in Florida tells us her family farm is planted. Now they are working with their network of farmers to move up the East Coast through Georgia, the Carolinas and further up and west! She says they will begin harvesting US-grown watermelons in early April and keep going through Labor Day  and I am ready for it!

It Isn’t National Ag Week in England, But Flower Farming is Still Going Strong

The sun has been shining on Ben Cross’ part of the English coastline and that means he has lots of alstroemeria growing in the greenhouses! He says they don’t have an ag week, but he shares the story of sustainably grown flowers we discussed throughout the year.

You Will Hear the Peeps!

Chicken farmer Lauren Arbogast in Virginia decided to update us on her farm from the chicken house. She was checking on all the chickens and you can hear the peeps & chirps (or cheeps?) in the background. Lauren also works off farm as a teacher and looks forward to class projects for ag week. She’s excited for spring but like lots of us, dealing with rising prices.

A Lesson in English History & A Farming Update

We talked about a cheese-a-day with Farmer Tom, I knew he was cut from a different cloth. So in this update it doesn’t surprise me at all that he shows us his farm and gives us a history lesson. He’s got a community garden underway too!

Growing Grass Seed in the Pacific Northwest

We haven’t had Marie Bowers on the show yet, but love that we were able to get an update on what’s happening in Oregon and growing grass seed — the grass for pastures, lawns, etc. Marie talks with us about some of the challenges weather and rising fertilizer prices are giving farmers this year.

Things are Poppin’ in Indiana with TheFarmersLife

Growing almost every kind of corn there is (including popcorn & waxy corn) soybeans Brian Scott is still selling some of last years crop as he gets ready for the 2022 planting season. Weather for him has been fairly typical but he knows some folks not too far away have been dry. Although he hasn’t bee on the podcast before, he’s also a regular with videos (check out TheFarmersLife on Youtube) from time with his son to a tour at a new-to-their-farm 18 wheeler.

Priyanka is Moving Countries & Crops

Priyanka Gupta talked to us about the humble grasspea and the potential it has in a shifting climate previously. At the time she was in Morocco, but she’s recently moved to Canada where she will be working with wheat. She gives us an update on how things are going with both important food crops.

Cleaning Up After Storms in Tennessee

Farming with his brothers in West Tennessee, Bob Walker grows cotton, corn, soybeans and has some cattle. They are working in the fields getting ready for planting, making sure the fields will drain well, and more. They are still feeding cows as they wait for pastures to green up and still looking for some calves to be born. He’s like family, so eventually I’ll drag him on the podcast. LOL.

Selling Hay, Straw & Teaching about National Ag Day

New Jersey farmer Caroline Etsch says they are keeping busy selling hay & straw to some of their neighbors in the Garden State. They also have some corn go out each week to feed chickens — so she says she helps with our chicken nuggets! Like Lauren, Caroline plans to spend some time talking with schools about ag week.

Working with Cameras for Live Feeds

Cattle rancher Derek Klingenberg goes by Farmer Derek on YouTube and it sounds like that is keeping him busier than the farming side of things this week. He’s got a series of live cameras on the Kansas farm, some of them allow for people to feed either the cows or wildlife! Sometimes there isn’t much going on and then you see something dramatic. Lots of us had been checking in on the live owl feed as there was a precious egg in the nest but sadly nature (and at least a raccoon) had other ideas. He also has a bunch of fun videos — playing trombone for cows, doing parodies of pop songs, etc.

Lots of Challenges But It’s Spring & that Brings Potential

Several farmers have mentioned price increases and John Peterson echoed that saying that since their family farm sells directly to folks (remember the episode about turkey farming?), they are having that conversation with people one-on-one. He also mentioned the anxiety that poultry farmers around the country are feeling with the avian flu threatening flocks. Biosecurity efforts are tight as they seek to keep the turkeys in top health. But spring also gives John a lot of reason to have a positive outlook, and he looks forward to getting the birds outside and to start working toward our Thanksgiving dinners!

Wrapping Up Produce Season in Arizona

With his farm in Yuma, Arizona, Jon Dinsmore’s busy season is winter when he and others are busy growing all the types of lettuce and other greens! He’s getting crops on the group to provide cover through the summer — he grows wheat, sudangrass (wonder if Marie grows that seed?) and more. He also mentioned schools sharing info with his kids.

Want to learn a little something more?

I wish I had thought about making this offer in the audio, but it didn’t occur to me until everything was finished. If you would like to share more of the learning experience with a young person in your world, please choose one of the lesson plans we have available on our food and farm education page (or in our TPT Grounded by the Farm store). Just let us know via the Contact Us page which one you would like before midnight April 1 and we will email it to you at no cost!

The post Celebrating National Ag Week and the Start of Spring! appeared first on Grounded by the Farm.

As our video post earlier in the week showed, Trish and Brian McKeighen purchased a farm in Saint David, Arizona that had a dozen pecan trees. The couple used Brian’s baking knowledge to create new recipes for candied pecans including a local flavor called Mexican chocolate. 

For Trish and Brian, the farm was located in a great area — Brian’s family ranches nearby — but the couple didn’t know anything about pecans. And with a dozen or so trees on the property, they decided they needed to quickly learn more about them as it offered a way to begin getting some return on their investment in the farm. 

Bringing back the trees that had been neglected for years was only one thing to consider. They learned about the different varieties, irrigation schedules and more. The McKeighens also knew there were a lot of other places that could sell customer pecans. So they wanted something more. They went through a lengthy process of developing flavors and recipes and had fellow farmers taste test and provide feedback on the candied pecans. 

The unique Mexican chocolate flavor was inspired by a family member’s love of Mexican hot chocolate — a long time local favorite drink for winter.

When it comes to favorite ways of eating pecans, Trish’s dad likes them plain as he watches television but Brian’s baking skills take the path toward desserts like pecan pie cheesecake.

As they built various new pieces to the farm, they added backyard chickens, so the couple have home grown eggs to use in the recipes. 

Brian shares some of the learnings they have had with food safety also led to product quality improvements. For instance, soaking pecans shortly before their are cracked allows them to remove any chicken litter, but also seems to yield more halves and larger pieces in the shelling process. 

If you are ready to give these yummy treats a taste, you can reach Trish via the Belenus Farms Facebook page. 

Find the podcast in your favorite apps so you get new episodes immediately every other Wednesday. And subscribing to this website will give you the heads up on Monday about what topic this week covers as we share some video and photos with a bit of foreshadowing for the podcast.

• Apple podcast — Grounded by the Farm
• Spotify for Grounded by the Farm
• Google podcast link to Grounded by the Farm 
• Libysn is where we host so we can also be found there.

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Trish & Brian McKeighen both have full-time jobs, but as they were planning a wedding, they also knew they wanted to farm. They kept their eyes open for something near Brian’s hometown of Saint David, Arizona. The place they found had about a dozen pecan trees so that is what they started their farm — Belenus Farms LLC — with.

The scenario of starting to farm is one that lots of young people are interested in, but it’s a hard proposition and that certainly was the case for the McKeighens. Both Trish and Brian have full-time jobs and joke that they work to pay for their farming habit. At the same time, they are looking at who to do more with what the farm offers.

Their small farm in the southeastern corner of the state looked heavenly as they showed me around it as the sunset. Trish took the role of tour guide while Brian got the dogs a bit of fun playing fetch. We take a look at the chickens getting a lesson in naked neck and other breeds, egg colors and more. Then we take a look at the pecan trees and hear a bit about how the McKeighens are making things work. The sun setting over a pasture with mountains in the distance really is something that would captivate crowds. I certainly fell hard for it.

A dozen pecan trees isn’t much when you realize farmers in that area could have hundreds, even thousands of trees. But as Trish & Brian showed me around the place, I could see why they chose to do it and expect you will too.

So how do you make the most of a dozen pecan trees? That’s the primary discussion of podcast episode 105 that goes live on Wednesday. Trish & Brian McKeighen talk to us a lot more about the how they leveraged Brian’s part time job experience from high school to make the farm’s candied pecans worth a premium.

The post Young & Wanting to Farm, Trish & Brian McKeighen Pick Pecans appeared first on Grounded by the Farm.

Jonathan Dinsmore farms with his father in Yuma, Arizona. They’ve been growing lettuce for decades already.

Dinsmore Farms produces head lettuce (iceberg lettuce), fresh romaine and romaine hearts, red & green leaf mixed lettuce and alfalfa hay.

Romaine and romaine hearts are frequently grown from the same seed but farmers like Dinsmore plant the fields that will be harvested as romaine hearts more closely together so the plants will remain more columnar.

We talked a good bit about how his family looks at lettuce. Romaine hearts are a favorite of his but he loves a wedge salad with iceberg, his son agrees. But cultural issues early on for one of the kids means a funny story. He also throws romaine hearts on the grill. 

Growing Lettuce & Followers

Jon has enjoyed getting to know other farmers growing lettuce in Michigan, Florida and Colorado &  they stand in touch via social media. He’s especially a fan of Instagram where he is @TheFarmerJon.  His love of photography has a family history too. Enjoys accounts like RAM628 (https://www.instagram.com/ram628/), Trevor Bales of @BalesHay https://www.instagram.com/baleshay/, and Jay Hill @HillJay45 https://www.instagram.com/hilljay45/.

On the farming side, Jon is looking forward to doing more drip irrigation is a method of putting water right in the root zone.

Food safety — there have been times when lettuce was having concerns. Jon stresses food safety and he sees the farmers in his area all looking at this. The Leafy Greens Marketing Association and the Yuma Safe Produce Council. These groups have been showing the kinds of water testing, employee training, field measures, etc. and now we are going further to sanitize irrigation water for 21 days prior to harvest.

Irrigation water in Yuma comes from the Colorado River. It is valued, conserved and efforts made to limit foreign objects, and now they are sanitizing the water.

Workers in the field have a number of precautions to take, including rubber boot, gloves, sometimes customers ask us to go above the standards too. Standards also require inspection for animal tracks, etc.

They want to be sure vegetables going onto the plates are as safe as possible. That said, we should all always wash your lettuce.

Take a Farm Tour with Jon

Before we recorded this episode with Jon, he gave me a tour of the farm, showing us some of the things he talked about. Check out that video tour and more on the post “Visiting a Lettuce Farm — Where Salads Get Their Start.”

The post Growing Lettuce Farming, Food and Family with Jon Dinsmore appeared first on Grounded by the Farm.

The crisp of iceberg or romaine lettuce… There is nothing like it. And while salads are really common, it is pretty unusual to visit a lettuce farm. That’s why a tour with Jonathan Dinsmore (@TheFarmerJon on Instagram) of Yuma, Arizona hit the spot.

Jonathan farms with his dad and took some time out of the field to interview for one of the initial episodes of the Grounded by the Farm podcast. And if you have listened to that episode, you may remember us mentioning the shop where we sat at a picnic table to do the interview. Here’s the selfie we promised! Before we did that interview, Jon gave me a bit of the tour of the family’s farm in Yuma, Arizona and the video follows… We hope the video really adds to the podcast experience — hopefully some listeners will enjoy seeing the farm. You’ll also get a great feeling for Jonathan’s personality… he’s a great guy.

Lettuce Farm & Mountains?

Driving around Yuma, you see some rather rugged looking mountains on the horizon. Though Jon jokes a lot of people would say they just are hills, they look like the mountains in western movies. This recent photo of Jon’s will show you what he means.

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Black Friday special on the farm. Fresh air, muddy roads, and beautiful views. #thefarmlife

A post shared by Jon Dinsmore (@thefarmerjon) on Nov 29, 2019 at 8:01am PST

A newly planted field of romaine was planted the day before we visited. The crop is planted six lines/rows on a big bed or two rows on small beds. He explained that the seed takes 5-6 days to produce a plant that can emerge from the soil and be harvested a couple of months later. And lettuce can also get from the farm to customers in 2 days to a week.

The Dinsmore farm some land they own but have also been working with a range of landlords to lease more than half of the land they farm. And they frequently work out a cropping plan that allows them to rotate with other farmers.

Photography and Family

Jon has enjoyed taking photos since he was a kid — he loved capturing the moments and found that he really enjoyed some of the mess ups with double exposures, etc. It wasn’t until his grandpa passed away that Jon realized it was also a bit of a family legacy. As he tells the story, I have to say the passion is palpable!

Pairing that love of photography with social media — especially Instagram — has been a great fit for him. He loves the give and take and has built a network that he never expected including people in his hometown, farmers at great distances and more. He shares his farm and family, this recent photo shows, the combination delivers!

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