As Tucsonans, we’re lucky to be experiencing the city at a unique time in its cultural history. It’s easy to see that Tucson is growing outward and upward with taller towers and new developments reaching into untouched territory.
With explosive growth comes innovation in business, the arts, and, of course, food. As columnist Debbie Weingarten recently explored, “how do we bridge the gap between a 4,000 year old agricultural tradition and the exciting advancements that are already arriving so quickly?”
Edible Baja Arizona and Tana Fryer of Blu-A Wine & Cheese Stop, invite you to explore the food of Baja Arizona from “an in-depth and behind the scenes perspective” on an Edible Excursion.
“We hear so much about farm to table and that is important, but there is so much more than that,” said Tana Fryer, Edible Excursions tour guide. “I want people to have a deep and wide understanding of our food economy. There are farmers, ranchers, restauranteurs. There are architects, designers, health department folks, teachers, and entrepreneurs. It is my hope that each tour gives a glimpse into the whole picture.”
This Sunday, February 21 from 8am to 5:30pm, join Edible and Fryer for “A Visit to the Wine Country of Willcox and The Kansas Settlement.” The excursion begins in the historic Warehouse District at local favorite, Exo Coffee, and next door for a studio tour with landscape architect and artist Margaret Joplin, whose unique glass bead art is on display around town.
Then, it is onto Willcox and it’s array of farms and wineries. First up, Sunizona Family Farms, where owners Janice and Byron Smith will lead a tour of the farm’s innovative and sustainable practices. At Sunizona, they grow everything “veganically,” with zero animal inputs and large greenhouses.
From the farm, the tour advances to Bodega Pierce, an estate vineyard run by Dan and Barbara Pierce. After a discussion on the vineyard’s process of changing the grapes they are growing and learning how they respond to the variables in the area, there will be a tasting and European-style lunch of cheeses, charcuterie, local bread and more, prepared by Blu-A Wine & Cheese Stop.
Still with us? After lunch, it’s time for Sand-Reckoner Vineyards. Located on the Willcox Bench at 4,300 feet in elevation, Rob and Sarah Hammelman will lead a tour of the vineyard and a tasting of the wines produced in the production facility. The day concludes at Top Knot Farms, where humane animal care and low-impact production take top priority. Top Knot currently provides poultry to markets and restaurants all over Tucson.
Tickets for the Willxcox excursion are $175 per person, or $300 per couple. The ticket price for Excursions includes all meals, beverages and snacks as well as a t-shirt and custom glass.
For more information and to purchase yours, visit ediblebajaarizona.com.
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