Where flower fields historically grew, the next generation of farmers cultivates south Phoenix

“Typically urban agriculture works if it is in some way subsidized. Otherwise, it’s pretty hard, the formula doesn’t work right.”

By Analisa Valdez
Cronkite News
March 27, 2024

Excerpt:

Just north of Baseline Road, nestled between several popular Arizona nurseries on a 10-acre plot of land, is one of those thriving businesses: The Farm at South Mountain. What was originally built as a pecan farm in the 1920s has been transformed into a sprawling farm-to-table “agritourism” destination and event venue thanks to its latest owner Pat Christofolo and her husband, Greg Brownell.

“The Farm was built when water got organized and they reopened the canals that the Hohokams had built thousands of years before,” said Brownell, the CEO and founder of Gather and Grow, a nonprofit urban-agriculture organization operating out of The Farm geared toward educating community members about sustainability and organic growing practices.

“Typically urban agriculture works if it is in some way subsidized. Otherwise, it’s pretty hard, the formula doesn’t work right. Because you’re either paying a tremendous amount for the water or you’re paying for the land. I mean, imagine – especially in a housing crisis – imagine what the land costs, and you’re going to grow veggies on it,” Brownell said, noting that the land in the area is desirable for farmers because of the local growing conditions coupled with easy access to water for irrigation.

Another farm growing quickly in south Phoenix is Spaces of Opportunity, located north of Baseline Road. A collaboration among the Desert Botanical Garden, the Roosevelt School District, Orchard Community Learning Center, Unlimited Potential and TigerMountain Foundation, it works to encourage community gathering and gardening on the 19-acre plot to help combat food insecurity in south Phoenix.

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