WELCOME TO THE MARANA FARM!
Contact Us
Hours of Operation
Get Involved – Volunteer, Donations and Wish List
Directions and Map
Partners
Pictures
ABOUT THE FARM
The Marana Farm is a 10 acre produce farm and is a partnership between the Community Food Bank Community Food Security Center, the Town of Marana Parks and Recreation Department and many community members. We use organic growing methods and strive to operate a farm that improves the health of the community and environment.
As part of Marana’s Heritage Park, the Farm celebrates and honors the agricultural heritage of the many people who have farmed this area over the centuries. The Farm offers the community and visitors a place to:
- Access healthy locally grown produce
- Learn important role that agriculture plays in the history and future of Marana and southern Arizona
- Learn to grow food in the Sonora Desert through workshops and events for youth and adults
- Learn about community food security and food bank programs
Experience a diverse farming system
The farm will begin production September 2007 and will grow produce year round. Produce grown on the farm is sold at the Farm and the Community Food Bank’s two farmers markets and other local venues. It is also used through food bank programs such as the SnakPacs, Good Groceries Mobile Market, Value Foods Store and CFB branch food banks including the Marana Food Bank.
The Community Food Security Center sees the farm as an exciting opportunity to grow good food, reconnect people to where their food comes from and encourage conversation about how together we can build a healthy food system for Southern Arizona.
At the Farm
Cie’na (“Seena”) Schlaefli: 520-449-3154
cschlaefli@communityfoodbank.org
For General Information, Press and Community Outreach
Dana Helfer at: 520-622-0525 ext 249
dhelfer@communityfoodbank.org
To Volunteer
Kristen Hershberger at: 520-622-0525 ext 204
khersberger@communityfoodbank.org
HOURS OF OPERATION
July – August 2007: Our hours over the summer vary please call Cie’na or Dana if you want to visit the farm.
GET INVOLVED!
There are many ways to help out at the farm and we can always use more volunteers of any age or experience. No experience with farming or gardening is necessary and we can usually find work to accommodate various physical abilities. We’re looking for volunteers that are willing to learn, like working with other people and like to laugh!
- Be a regular volunteer and/or volunteer with your family, group or business.
See our volunteer job descriptions - Participate in a student internships
- Make a monetary or material donation to support the farm
Our Wish List
Donations are Tax Deductible
Call Dana at 520-622-0525 ext 249 for more specifics
A 50-60 horse power tractor
A two seater electric golf cart or similar vehicle
Farm tractor implements: cultivator, seeders, burm disk and others
Hand tools: shovels, hoes, pruners, rakes, etc.
Wheel barrows and/or garden carts
Large wash basin (preferably stainless steel)
DIRECTIONS AND MAP
Physical Address:
12375 N. Heritage Park Drive
Marana, Arizona
Directions from Tucson or in Marana:
1. Take I-10 West to Tangerine Rd Exit #240. Turn left under the freeway. Take a right onto the frontage road.
2. Take a left onto Moore Rd. Take a left onto Lon Adams into the Gladden Farms neighborhood. (If you’ve reached Sanders Rd you’ve gone too far).
3. Take your first right onto Gladden Farms Drive (which turns into Heritage Park Drive) and follow the road past the construction until you see a big brown barn and metal water tank. You’re here! (Note that Gladden Farms/Heritage Park Drive is a loop that will take you back to Lon Adams).
Many partners make it possible for this farm to be successful this list is certainly not complete and we’re adding to it all the time. Whether offering advice, loaning equipment or in the case of some working with us daily to make the farm beautiful and thrive here are some of people and organizations making this place possible:
Town of Marana Parks and Recreation Department
Tohono O’odham Community Action
The farm site is also home to the Heritage House, a 1950’s farm building that houses the Marana Arts Council, and the barn which houses the Marana Police Department’s equestrian unit and a pole barn.
Click the Photo links below to go to view photos – you can scroll over pictures to read captions or you can click the “slideshow” button above the first picture.
Photos of the Irrigation Installation
Spring/Summer 2007: Installing the drip irrigation system on top 6.5 acres
To conserve water we are participating in a cost share program of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service called the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to install a drip irrigation system. Eventually the whole 10 acres will be on drip, but we started with the upper fields. As a beginning farmer, we qualified for a 90% cost share which made this system a fantastic deal.
The system was designed by Sprinkler World Tucson, and after several phases of tweaking was approved by NRCS. Once we hired Cie’na Schlaefli in March to be the Farm Coordinator, we began the instillation. The field portion was done mostly by two people, Dana (Food Production Manager) and Cie’na. But we certainly didn’t do it alone! We had excellent phone support from Joe at Sprinkler World, fabulous help from Food Bank staff, interns and volunteers, and of course the amazing Town of Marana Parks and Recreation team. Thank you!
We are now planting some cover crop and a small amount of food crops, working out kinks in the irrigation system and trying to get the equipment we need.
