Mesquite harvest workshop

If it’s Thursday, it must be the Santa Cruz River Farmers’ Market at the Mercado San Agustin. Market shoppers can also expect to find locally-grown summer produce including tomatoes, garlic, squash, melons, chilies and much more.  Also available are honey, fresh eggs, goat cheese, free-range meat, baked goods and garden plants.

Along with the most amazing farmers market, consider the following workshops: (bookmark this schedule)

Desert locavores and the curious are welcome.

Mesquite Harvesting – June 28 – 4 to 7 p.m.
Taught by local food expert, Amy Schwemm, the workshop will show how to identify, harvest and store mesquite pods that are ready to harvest this time of year.

The Mesquite Harvesting workshop will be the first in a series of three workshops that focus on harvesting, storing and processing seasonal desert foods.  The Desert Harvest Workshop Series provides a way for community members to learn about the plentiful, highly nutritious food sources of the Sonora Desert.

Prickly Pear Harvesting August 16 – 4 to 7 p.m.
The second workshop, also taught by Amy Schwemm, will focus on harvesting, processing and cooking with prickly pear, which is abundant in the desert in late summer.

Mesquite Milling – November 15 – 3 to 6 p.m.
For people who saved the mesquite pods they collected in the summer will be able to mill them into flour at the annual Santa Cruz River Farmers’ Market Mesquite Milling. Also provided by Desert Harvesters,  instructions for how to cook with mesquite flour.

The workshops are free and open to the public.

All of the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona Farmers’ Markets accept SNAP (food stamps), WIC checks, Arizona Farmers Market Nutrition vouchers, cash, credit and debit.  The Santa Cruz River Farmers’ Market runs every Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. (summer hours) at 100 S. Avenida Del Convento near the corner of Congress and Grande.

Founded in 1976, the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona provides education, advocacy, and food for people throughout Southern Arizona including Cochise, Graham, Greenlee, Pima and Santa Cruz Counties. The Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona is a member of Feeding America.

—————
Celebration – June 22
Speaking of Mercado San Agustin, the marketplace turns 1 year old on Friday June 22. Join in the festivities with drink specials, live music, and food samples from 6:30 to 10 p.m.

C’mon down to the Santa Cruz River farmers market on the NE corner of Speedway and Riverview between the Arizona School for the Deaf & Blind and El Rio Center.

This week you can learn how to harvest and process local mesquite to be used for mesquite flour in your baking and pancake making.

Mesquite milling happens in November.

Check out all the fresh produce from local farmers and farmstands.

The Thursday market is open from 4 to 7 p.m.