There's nothing better than getting out of the city and spending a day in the great outdoors. And lucky for us, there are dozens of farms around Arizona that open their doors to the public throughout the year.
And while these small and privately-owned operations, scattered all over the state, can be difficult to find, a new online tool might make the process a little easier.
See also: Natalie Morris on Giving Up Good Food Finder and Her Upcoming Bean Book
The new, interactive Agritourism Experience map made by the Arizona Experience team at the Arizona Geological Survey shows 37 locations around Arizona where the public can explore, buy products from a farm stand, or pick their own fresh produce.
The map includes locations such as Tomachoff Farms in Glendale and The Farm at Agritopia in Gilbert, as well as farms near Sedona, Prescott, Tucson, and Wilcox.
In addition to showing the locations of these farms, the map gives an overview of the locale, what products are produced there, and the hours of operation.
You can also search the list of farms by crop and by season. Featured crops include sweet corn, apples, chili-type peppers, pumpkins, Medjool dates, olives, lemons, Romaine lettuce, honey, and lavender.
Much of the information for the map was aggregated from the Arizona Farm Bureau's Fill Your Plate farm locator and Local First Arizona's Good Food Finder.
The Fill Your Plate website also offers resources for locating farmers markets around the state, learning what local produce is in season, and fining recipes that utilize local produce.
The Good Food Finder website offers a searchable database of local farmers and food artisans.
You can find the U-Pick Farm Map on the Experience Arizona website.
