When people think Arizona, usually they imagine it as one big, hot, dusty, barren desert. Most people are surprised to learn that agriculture provides $17.1 billion to Arizona’s economy. One little-known area of agriculture is called “agritourism.”
photo: Schnepf Farms
Agritourism is any event that brings the public to visit a farm or ranch. Different types of agritourism abound including corn mazes, pumpkin patches, field tours, petting zoos, amusement rides, farm-to-table dinners, farm stands, U-Pick and more. The types of agritourism are endless. Agritourism can be year round, or seasonal.
According to the 2007 U.S. Census of Agriculture, there are over 23,350 farms in the US that earn money by offering some sort of agritourism.
In Arizona, we have many farms that focus on agritourism as part of their offering. Here’s just a few:
East Valley (Phoenix area)
- Schnepf Farms, Queen Creek, Arizona
Schnepf Farms is arguably one of Phoenix’s most well-known farms, and are considered pioneers in the agritourism industry in Arizona. They offer seasonal events such as the their 20th Annual Peach Festival which begins on May 9th, and their wildly popular Pumpkin and Chili Party which runs the whole month of April. At Schnepf Farms you can tour their farm, pick your own produce in season, shop at their country store and bakery, and even have a picnic or a wedding! They also offer a year-round variety of u-pick organic vegetables.
Open: All year! Hours vary according to season. Call for information or visit the website for more information.
24810 Rittenhouse Rd
Queen Creek, AZ
480.987.3100
info@schnepffarms.com
- Superstition Farm, Mesa, Arizona
Superstition Farm is a dairy farm that offers field trips, birthday parties, a farmer’s market, guided hayride tours, a petting zoo, milk tastings, ice-cream, cheese, butter, and a seasonal hay maze.
Open: Year-round. Dates and times vary depending on what you wish to do, call or check the webpage for more details.
3440 S. Hawes Road
Mesa, AZ 85212
480.986.7781
- Farm at Agritopia, Gilbert, Arizona
This is an urban farm and a great source for many kinds of produce such as Apples, Chili Peppers, Lemons, Medjool Dates, Pumpkins, and Sweet Corn. They offer “U-pick” for their lemons and apples, and also offer a Farm Stand, Restaurant, and Farm Tours.
Open: Lemons and Apples U-Pick: Saturday 8 -3; other vegetables available at Farm Stand: Saturday & Sunday 8 – 12;
Agritopia Farmers Markets: Wednesday 4-8; Saturday 8-3
3000 E. Ray Rd #5
Gilbert, AZ
480.988.1238
erich@thefarmatagritopia.com
http://thefarmatagritopia.com/
- Queen Creek Olive Mill, Queen Creek Arizona
Queen Creek Olive Mill has over 7,000 olive trees and provides farm fresh, local food and Extra Virgin Olive. They have a marketplace and restaurant and offer farm tours, cooking classes and more.
Open: Sunday – Thursday: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm and Friday – Saturday: 8:00 am – 9:00 pm
25062 S. Meridian Road
Queen Creek, AZ 85142
480-888-9290
http://www.queencreekolivemill.com/
West Valley
- The Truman Ranch II, Surprise, Arizona
This “U-pick” farm has 40 acres consisting of 85 varieties of citrus fruit as well as olives, figs, apples and more.
Open: Saturday and Sunday 9:30-3
Greenway Rd. and 188th Ave
Surprise, AZ
623.546.1715
info@u-pickcitrusaz.com
http://u-pickcitrusaz.com/truman-ranch/
- Tolmachoff Farms, Glendale, Arizona
Tolmachoff Farms is a four generation family farm operated that grows a large variety of produce. Their farm stand opens in mid-May and they also have field trips, group tours, birthday parties and seasonal events such as their Field of Screams Haunted Corn Maze in the fall.
Open: See website for details
5726 N. 75th Ave.
Glendale, AZ. 85303
http://www.tolmachoff-farms.com/
Central Arizona
- Mortimer Farms, Dewey, Arizona
This is a 300 acre farm near Prescott, Arizona, just a short 85 miles north of Phoenix. They offer field trips, weddings, a country store, and they are a popular fall destination for their Pumpkin Festival.
Open: Call for hours.
12907 E. State Route 169
Dewey, AZ 86327
928-830-1116
http://mortimerfamilyfarms.com/
Southern Arizona
- Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch, Picacho, Arizona
Rooster Cogburn’s touts itself as the “Darndest Place You Ever Will Visit!” According to their website, you can see “Ostrich and goats from Africa, donkeys from the Mediterranean, Deer from Europe, Miniature Goats from Nigeria, Ducks from China, Lorikeets from Australia, Prairie Dogs from South Dakota, and Redneck Owners from Oklahoma.” They also have monster trucks on the weekends.
Open: 9:00 am- 5:00 pm., Friday through Monday beginning May 1st. Open daily in the winter. See website for details.
Located between Tucson and Phoenix at Picacho Peak, AZ. I-10 & Exit #219
17599 East Peak Lane,
Picacho, AZ 85141
(520) 466-3658
- Apple Annie’s Orchard, Wilcox
Situated on beautiful farm land about 80 miles east of Tucson, Arizona is Apple Annie’s; a farm that specializes in tree-ripened apples, pears and peaches. They provide group tours and field trips and several seasonal events such as their fall pumpkin celebration in October and Farmer John’s Birthday celebration and March for Zane in August. There is also a gift shop, hayrides to the orchard, a huge corn maze and more.
Open: They will open for the season in July 2015. Call or visit the website for more details.
2081 W Hardy Rd
Willcox, AZ 85643
520.384.2084
- Coronado Vineyards, Willcox, Arizona
Managing owners, Mark and Jacque Cook, and their partners dreamed of owning a beautiful winery with outstanding wines for many years. On November 18th, 2006 that dream became a reality with the Grand Opening of Coronado Vineyards. Coronado Vineyards presented nine unique wines, from a sweet white table wine to a dry red wine all from wine grapes grown here in sunny Arizona.
Coronado Vineyards offers wine tasting and tapas, Monday through Saturday. See website for details.
Open: Year –round
2909 E Country Club Dr.
Willcox, AZ 85643
(520) 384-2993
- Shamrock Farms, Stanfield, Arizona
Shamrock Farms is Arizona’s largest dairy with over 10,000 head of cows producing farm-fresh milk every day which is then sent to grocery stores all over Arizona. They invite the public to come tour their farm or have a birthday party at the farm. They are located between Phoenix and Tucson.
Open: See website for details
Stanfield, Arizona
http://www.shamrockfarms.net/farm-tour/directions
- RichCrest Farm, Cochise
This farm offers a variety of organic produce and opportunities to learn or discover with classes and tours. Foods grown include Chili Peppers, Honey, Pumpkins, Romaine Lettuce, and Sweet Corn.
Open: Daily 7 am -6 pm; U-Pick open June-October by appointment.
2768 N. Evelyn Lane
Cochise, AZ
520.826.3434
richcrestfarm@gmail.com
http://www.richcrestfarms.blogspot.com/
This is just a small sampling of the farms that welcome visitors. The new, interactive Agritourism Experience U-pick farm map made by the Arizona Experience website shows 37 locations around Arizona where the public can explore, buy products from a farm stand, or pick their own fresh produce. We were happy to allow them to use information from our site to aid them in the creation of their map. You can read a little more about it, and us in this New Times article. We also have a list of farms and farmers markets you can browse here at Fill Your Plate.