Heather's Corner: Thanksgiving and How Oro Valley Can Support Our Farmers

Thanksgiving is a long standing tradition steeped in historical and cultural roots. A day of giving thanks for the bountiful harvests of the preceding year, the holiday's history for North America includes traditions from both the Protestant Reformation and harvest festivals also celebrated by Great Britain, Canada, Asia, and India.

Though dry in climate, Arizona happens to be a major contender in agricultural production for many of these celebrated crops with a surprising $17.1 billion industry.  Closer to home, Pima county ranks 5th for barley, 6th for cotton, and 7th for alfalfa hay production statewide as well as a producer of livestock, sileage (grass feed used for cud-chewing animals), and pumpkins.

The Arizona Farm Bureau is Arizona’s largest farm and ranch organization for production agriculture throughout the state of Arizona with a district serving Pima County. They are "The Voice of Agriculture" in Arizona, if you will; A grassroots, non-governmental movement assisting members in the agricultural community through educational improvement, economic opportunity, and social advancement. A hub where issues such as "profitability, property rights, labor, water, trade, farm policy, tax issues, environmental issues and much more" are discussed with many other benefits for members.

What better way to show our gratitude this Thanksgiving for local agricultural producers and farmers than to show support.

You can go to their website and donate to the Arizona Farm Bureau’s Educational Farming Company, whose mission is to "support the youth involved in agriculture, teach agriculture in Arizona’s classrooms and inform the public about farming and ranching."

The Educational Farming Company is a 501(c) 3. Your donations will be used for such organizations as 4-H, Project CENTRL, AZ National Livestock Show, and others. Let's show our thanks as we gobble up this years feast.

Wishing you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving!
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Heather Nenadovich has lived in Oro Valley for 6 years. She has a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Arizona. She loves gardening, nature, art, and travel. Currently her two young children fill up most of her days (and nights) with chaotic bliss. Oro Valley favorites: memorial bench at the entrance of Romero Canyon Trail in Catalina State Park, Toscana Studio and Gallery, OV Fall Festival, the gumption and determination of OV residents!