The Bisbee Farmers Market Report, Bountiful Bisbee, gives listeners weekly insight to what is happening at the market and the goods and produce available. The program also includes ecology and cooking tips for earth-friendly living.

Bisbee Farmers Market is now a tradition in Bisbee, in Cochise County, AZ. Every Saturday morning from the end of April through the middle of November, a vibrant village market appears like magic at the south end of Vista Park. You can purchase locally grown organic vegetables and fruits, grass-fed meets, eggs from free-range chickens fill your market basket or cooler! Meet your friends and family and sip coffee or cool drinks, snack on baked goods or eat a tasty breakfast or lunch while sitting under the "Social Tree” listening to live music by talented local performers.

The mission of Bisbee Farmers Market is to promote local agriculture, entrepreneurship and a healthy life-style and to build community and quality of life in Bisbee and Cochise County.

The Market provides the opportunity for farmers and ranchers to sell their products directly to consumers and provides consumers the opportunity to buy locally raised food directly from its producers.

By offering a retail outlet for naturally raised foods, the market has increased local agricultural food production, which leads to greater community food security through the retention of agricultural lands in production and the growers who know how to raise food.

The Market promotes the increased consumption of organically raised fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy grass-fed meats and eggs from free-range chickens. The Market takes part in the Arizona Farmers Market Nutrition Program where low-income women with infants and children receive vouchers to buy fruits and vegetables from local growers.

The Market also promotes “slow food” or home cooking and offers frequent cooking demonstrations.

The Market acts as a spawning ground for new small businesses and a chance for local artists, artisans and musicians to showcase their talents and sell their work. Local businesses provide employment and keep profits in the community.

In 2002, three Bisbee women (Sandra Corn, Valerie McCaffrey and Judy Tauscher) who dreamed of offering local farmers and crafters a place to sell their home-grown and hand-made products brought their dream to reality. As the women lived in the Warren district of Bisbee and wanted to bring locals and tourists to this historic part of town and contribute to its renaissance. For their site they chose the southern end of Vista Park amid a charming residential area full of lovingly preserved hundred year old homes.

At one time Saturday night dances were held in the south end of the park. Children went to sleep under the stars (rolled up in blankets on the lawn) to the sound of music played by the band in the elaborate gazebo, while their parents danced the night away. A town swimming pool was a refreshing option for residents in the adjacent lot, which later became home to Dr. Roberts where roses and fruit trees flourished under his green thumb. In those days there was unlimited water, as Phelps Dodge, the mining company that many worked for, provided free water to make Warren, particularly Vista Park, a paradise. The farmers market takes place opposite the Warren Ball Park, the second oldest continually used in the US, where many in baseball’s hall of fame played.

Farmers markets were not new to Bisbee. In the early 1900s a Saturday morning farmers market in the Lowell district, near the Bisbee Food Co-op’s parking lot, was where farmers from Elfrida, Double Adobe and Palominas sold melons, beans, peaches, pecans and other produce and bootleg whiskey.

The market ended in the mid-1950s with the development of the Lavender open pit mine.

Where: Vista Park in Warren

Directions: From the only traffic circle in Bisbee take the Bisbee Road exit to the southern end of Vista Park. There’s plenty of free parking around the park.

Map: Bisbee Farmers Market Map (PDF)

Summer Market Hours: 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Fall Market Hours: 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM

May:

• Spring Gardening Month

Saturday May 21st, SWAP MEET DAY

It's the 1st Annual SWAP MEET at Bisbee Farmer's Market! Swap - Sell - Buy - Meet - With Margie Scott's Clothing Exchange.

Visit the CHOICES Booth - Hear Keith Parker talk about living the good life - do more with less. Learn the art of bartering.

The market features fresh organic produce and grass-fed meat for your culinary pleasure.

June:

• Going Green Month

Saturday June 4th, 9th Annual Solar Cook-Off & Expo

Find out how to cook with the sun and what else the sun can do for you. Show off your solar cooking skills. Free half hour mini class in Solar Cooking 101 at 10:00 AM. Solar Potluck for contestants at noon.

Get started cooking with the sun with sun ovens, solar cookbooks and solar cookware for sale. Ask for a handout on purchasing the Sun Oven at cost with membership in BASA.

Information on solar electricity, hot water, pumps and cooling. Solar contractors and demonstrators welcome to participate at no charge.

Please contact Laura Smith at laura.haba@gmail.com or 520-236-8409 to reserve a spot.

Listen to lively music to get your toes a’tappin’ by Sam and Lauren Jones, fiddle and guitar sensations accompanied by on drums by Darrin Wood. Enjoy home-style food and Mexican cooking & baked goods at the shady outdoor café. Bring a cooler to shop for fresh local produce and grass-fed meats, as well as honey, pickles and jellies, desert plants, herbal remedies and lots of unique handmade arts and crafts.

July:

• Kid's Month

Saturday, July 23rd, Making Paper Adobe Class

Geared towards kids but young and old will enjoy and learn from this informative class taught by Jim Burke. Enjoy music by the lovely Nancy Weaver.

August:

• Desert Cooking Month

Saturday, August 6th, Talk on High Desert Plants

Learn about the high desert and native plants to the area with talk by Petey Mesquitey. Learn something new, grab some local produce and enjoy music by the Druckman Brothers.

Saturday, August 20th, Chile Roasting Day & Salsa Demo & Contest

Don't Miss the 8th Annual Salsa Contest. Salsa Demo and Contest. Bring your homemade salsas to enter into the contest!

September:

• Fall Gardening Month

Saturday, September 17th, Pie Baking Demo & Contest

Bring your pies to enter into our annual contest. OPEN TO ALL!! Enter your PIES! $50 in Bisbee Farmers Market Money will be awarded to first place WINNER of the PIE CONTEST. So tell all your friends. Enjoy music by Vince and Friends.

Saturday, September 24th, Feed Your Local Artist - Potluck and Plein Air Contest

Bring your favorite dish to share with local artists as they paint scenes from the market that day. Winner of plein air contest will have image used as poster for the Market for the following year. Tell all artists and friends alike! Enjoy music by Nancy Weaver.

October:

• Healthy Cooking Month

Saturday, October 1st, Blessing of the Animals & Wellness Clinic

Come learn from all the healers and wellness people in and around Bisbee. All healers welcome! Enjoy music by the Druckman Brothers.

Saturday, October 22nd, Mesquite Milling Day - Mill Your Mesquite Pods

Bring your pods to get milled at the market on this day. A handout will be available soon on the site on how to harvest your pods. Enjoy music by Pat Panther.

Saturday, October 29th, Sustainability Music Festival

BASA, Ecoasis, and Bisbee Farmers Market are partnering up to throw a festival celebrating sustainablity and featuring many great local musicians. Check back for more.

November:

• Winter Gardening Month

Saturday, November 5th, Chili Cook Off

Come enjoy the market for the chili cook off. Bring your own chili to the celebration.

May 14th: Music by Nowhere Man and A Whiskey Girl

May 21st: Swap Meet Day - Music by Keith Allen Dennis

May 28th: Music by Vince and Friends

June 4th: Solar Cook Off - Music by the Jones Gang

June 11th: Music by Nowhere Man and A Whiskey Girl

June 18th: Music by Jenny Druckman Family

June 26th: Jazz by Nancy Weaver

July 2nd: Music by Nowhere Man and A Whiskey Girl

July 9th: Music with Roman Barten Sherman

July 16th: Music by Jenny Druckman Family

July 23rd: Jazz by Nancy Weaver

July 30th: Music with Pat Panther

August 6th: Music by Jenny Druckman Family

August 13th: Music by Nowhere Man and A Whiskey Girl

August 20th: Music by Keith Allen Dennis

August 27th: Jazz by Nancy Weaver

September 3rd: Music by Jenny Druckman Family

September 10th: Music by Nowhere Man and A Whiskey Girl

September 17th: Music by Vince and Friends

September 24th: Jazz by Nancy Weaver

October 1st: Music by Jenny Druckman Family

October 8th: Music by Nowhere Man and A Whiskey Girl

October 15th: Music by Vince and Friends

October 22nd: Music with Pat Panther

October 29th: Music Festival

November 5th: Open

November 12th: Music by Nowhere Man and A Whiskey Girl

November 19th: Music by Vince and Friends