   Small Farms and Local Produce - December 18, 2019 Jeff Schalau, Agent, Agriculture & Natural Resources University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Yavapai County While range livestock is the agricultural crop with the highest value in Yavapai County, we do have many small farms which grow fresh produce in season. Many of these fresh crops are marketed through Farmer’s Markets, Farm Stores, and roadside stands. Many farms also sell directly to restaurants. In addition to fruits and vegetables, we have seen an increase in locally produced meat, eggs, and value-added products available. Our proximity to the Phoenix Valley also ensures our markets have citrus, and other seasonal crops produced by low desert growers. Most of Yavapai County’s small farms are located in the Paulden/Chino Valley area and the Verde Valley. Others are located in Dewey and along the Hassyampa River near Kirkland. Most Verde Valley farms utilize surface water that flows from the many ditch systems that divert water from the Verde River and its tributaries. In other small farm locations of central and western Yavapai County, crops are irrigated using well water. The Verde Valley also has significant acreage in pecans and wine grapes. Of the many farms located in Yavapai County, I am only aware of one that is certified “organic”. This is Granite Creek Vineyards in Chino Valley and their primary product is organic wine. Yavapai County farms are often too small to justify the expense and recordkeeping that organic certification requires. Most farms closely follow organic/sustainable production practices and have built trusting relationships with their customers. One of the most critical concerns facing all farms today is food safety. In recent years, outbreaks of E. coli, Salmonella, Listeria and other pathogens have occurred on U.S. farms. Small farms are no exception and savvy growers are paying close attention to factors that increase on-farm food contamination risks. On-farm risk factors include wildlife and domestic animal intrusion, irrigation water quality, worker hygiene, use of animal manures, harvest practices, storage, packing, and transportation. Large operations have the volume, infrastructure, knowledge, and income to support food safety compliance, recordkeeping, and inspections. Small growers have struggled to justify the time and expense necessary to meet increasingly strict federal guidelines. In June 2016, the Yavapai County Board of Supervisors adopted the “Approved Source” guidance which was designed to provide greater flexibility to small farms selling their produce to restaurants. Approved Source guidance provides kitchen managers with information that enables them to verify food safety practices of food grown outside of a third-party certification program and includes a list of options that growers can provide to demonstrate their food safety practices in three areas: on-farm food safety education, planning and traceability. This rule has created avenues for Yavapai County growers to access new markets. In my opinion, there are two additional challenges facing small farmers: finding and fairly compensating skilled farm workers and managing persistent perennial weeds that decrease farm production and increase labor costs. We will need to put our heads together and implement research and education to address these and other emerging challenges. One innovative local example is Sinagua Malt: An Arizona benefit corporation located in Camp Verde, Arizona. Sinagua Malt partners with the Nature Conservancy, Hauser and Hauser Farms, and other partners to conserve irrigation water and produce a value-added crop. Land that previously grew alfalfa is now producing malting barley which reduces or eliminates summer irrigation needs. They have also built a malting facility in Camp Verde. This innovative partnership is a sustainable economic model for the future which also benefits wildlife and recreation on the Verde River. It also produces barley malt for beer! The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension looks forward to contributing to northern Arizona’s agricultural renaissance with a newly hired Extension Agent. Isaac Mpanga began work on December 9, 2019 as the new Area Associate Agent in Commercial Horticulture/Small Acreage in Yavapai and Coconino Counties. Isaac is a citizen of Ghana where he earned his B.S. in agricultural education. Isaac then earned two degrees from the University of Hohenheim, near Stuttgart, Germany: his M.S. (2015) and Ph.D. (2019) in Crop Sciences. Isaac’s Extension programs will seek to improve and innovate small farm production practices and explore and research new opportunities for small scale fruit and vegetable production. Isaac will be housed in the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension office in Camp Verde. Below I have included links to topics and projects discussed. You can follow the Backyard Gardener on Twitter – use the link on the BYG website. If you have other gardening questions, call or email the Master Gardener help line in the Prescott (928-445-6590/prescottmg@gmail.com) or Camp Verde (928-554-8992/verdevalleymg@gmail.com) and be sure to include your name, address and phone number. Find past Backyard Gardener columns or provide feedback at the Backyard Gardener web site: http://cals.arizona.edu/yavapai/anr/hort/byg/. Images 
Several varieties of kale and other crops growing at Whipstone Farm, Paulden, AZ (photo by Jeff Schalau, University of Arizona).Additional Resources "LocalFresh" Resources for finding Farmer's Markets, Roadside Stands, and Growers in Arizona, University of Arizona Cooperative Extension www.localfresh.info/ Yavapai County Profile - 2017 Census of Agriculture, USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2017/Online_Resources/County_Profiles/Arizona/cp04025.pdf Yavapai County "Approved Source" Guidelines, Yavapai County Community Health Services www.yavapai.us/Portals/39/EH/KitchenUseVegetables.pdf Sinagua Malt, an Arizona benefit corporation located in Camp Verde, Arizona sinaguamalt.com/ Isaac Mpanga's Contact Information Area Associate Agent - Commercial Horticulture/Small Acreage University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Yavapai County 2830 N Commonwealth Dr, Suite 103 Camp Verde, AZ 86322 Phone: 928-554-8995 Email: mpangai@email.arizona.edu  |