Marana Farm at the Heritage River Park

Contact Us
Directions and Map
Employment Opportunities
Marana Farm Stand
Volunteer at the Farm
Youth Groups and Schools
Wish list
Heritage Plant Project
Partners
Pictures

As part of Marana’s Heritage River 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 began production September 2007 and grows produce year round. Half of the farm is still under development and current production is on a 6 acre rotation to improve our soil – 3 acres in crops and 3 acres in cover crops. Produce grown on the farm is sold at the Marana Farm Stand , the Community Food Bank’s other farmers markets and other local venues. It is also used through the Marana Food Bank (a branch bank of CFB) and other food bank programs such as the SnakPaks, Good Groceries Mobile Market, Value Foods Store.

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.

CONTACT US
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

DIRECTIONS TO THE MARANA FARM AND HERITAGE HOUSE
Note: We strongly suggest looking at the map on line – it is not difficult to find but due to construction it can be a little confusing the first time. Gladden Farms Drive/Heritage Park Drive/Lon Adams Rd is a big loop that is intersected by Tangerine Farms Road. Which means there are two entrances to Heritage Park Drive. At the eastern entrance, there is a sign for the Park, baseball fields and a pocket park. If you took this road, continue past the blue silos and the Farm will be on your left.

Directions from Tucson:
1. Take I-10 West to Tangerine Rd Exit #240.
2. Go west (left) under the freeway continue straight on to Tangerine Farms Road (a newly constructed road)
3. Follow Tangerine Farms Road until you get to the intersection Gladden Farms Drive to your right and Heritage Park Drive to your left.
4. Turn south (left) – on the right you will see a large ramada, a small “Heritage House”, tan water tank and southwest style barn.
5. This is the Farm – pull into the parking lot between the barn and the house.

Directions from Marana Town Hall Complex (Barnett Road):
1. Take Barnett Rd west to Sandario Road turn south (left)
2. Take Sandario to Moore Road and turn west (right)
3. Go about a block until you see Tangerine Farms Road on your left – turn south (left) onto Tangerine Farms Road.
4. Take your first right (this is the intersection with Gladden Farms Drive to your left and Heritage Park Drive to your right).
5. Turn south (right) - on the right you will see a large ramada, a small “Heritage House”, tan water tank and southwest style barn.
6. This is the Farm – pull into the parking lot between the barn and the house.
 
Link to Map

MARANA FARM STAND
The Marana Farm Stand opened January 2008 to sell produce from the Community Food Bank farm to Northwest communities and to provide a venue for small Marana area growers to sell produce. We hope someday this farm stand will grow into a full fledged Farmers’ Market and be a community gathering place.

To become a vendor at the market contact the Farmers’ Market Manager at 622-0525 ext 242.

To learn more about our innovative Community Foods Consignment  program where small farmers and home gardeners sell their produce at the market on consignment contact the Consignment Coordinator at 622-0525 ext 237.

Where:  Marana Farm Ramada
Heritage River Park
South of the intersection of Tangerine Farms Road and Heritage Park    Drive 
Link to Map

When: Mondays year-round, March – October  4 pm – 7 pm
November – April  3 pm – 6 pm

What: This market has two vendors – one is the Marana Farm booth which is run like a small farm stand. We sell fresh vegetables right from the Farm onsite and when seasonally available we get locally grown fruit, vegetables and honey from English Family Orchards in Willcox, Forever Yong Farm in Amado, Estancia Orchard in Dragoon, Crooked Sky Farms in Glendale and from the Community Foods Consignment. The other vendor is, Michael and Rebecca Park, who sell organic produce from their quarter acre farm in Marana. The Farm Stand accepts cash, FMNP coupons, food stamps, and credit and debit cards.

Other Food Bank Farmers’ Markets

VOLUNTEER AT THE FARM
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 to be outside, like working with other people and like to laugh!

We have weekday and weekend volunteer days. Volunteers typically help with planting, weeding, harvesting, greenhouse and other special projects. We can always use help building things so if you have basic construction experience please let us know!

Volunteer Days and Times
It is best to call and let us know you are coming. Please call Cie’na (pronounced See-na) at 520-449-3154.

Individuals and families are welcome on any of these days as regular or one-time volunteers:
Weekdays: Mornings of Monday, Thursday and Friday – call for times 
Weekends: Mornings of the 1st Saturday and 3rd Sunday of every month – call for times

Youth groups, school groups, or company groups larger than 3 must call in advance and schedule to volunteer. Depending on the season and schedule we can accommodate additional weekends dates or afternoons for groups. Please call Kristen Hershberger, CFB Volunteer Manager at 622-0525 ext 204 or email khershberger@communityfoodbank.org

University Internships, research and special projects are welcome. Please contact us for more information and to discuss your interests.

See our volunteer job descriptions


YOUTH GROUPS AND SCHOOLS
We welcome youth groups and school groups to visit, volunteer and/or tour the farm. If you would like more information about this please contact Kristen Hershberger, CFB Volunteer Manager at 622-0525 ext 204 or email khershberger@communityfoodbank.org

WISH LIST
Donations are Tax Deductible
Call Dana at 520-622-0525 ext 249 for more specifics

Refrigerator
50-60 Horsepower tractor
Farm tractor implements: cultivator, seeders, burm disk and others
Hand tools: shovels, hoes, pruners, rakes, etc.
Wheel barrows and/or garden carts
Bermuda free animal manure (you MUST call before bringing it)
Animal pens, feeders, etc. (for chickens, goats or pigs)

Physical Address:
12375 N. Heritage Park Drive
Marana, Arizona

HERITAGE PLANT PROJECT
We are currently building a “plant library” of heirloom trees, vines, cactus, wildflowers and other plants that have been growing in Northwest communities for many years. We would love to come to your home and take cuttings of your fruit trees, berry vines, grape vines, etc. and record stories about the plants. We will be planting these plants on the farm. If you would like to participate please call Dana 622-0525 ext 249 or email dhelfer@communityfoodbank.org

PARTNERS
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
Crooked Sky Farms
Forever Yong Farms
San Xavier Cooperative Farm
Taylor Dairy
Sprinkler World – Tucson

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.

PICTURES
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.
General Photos of the Site

Photos of the Irrigation Installation 2007

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 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!