About 10 years ago, Arizona Farm Bureau created Fill Your Plate, an online, searchable database of Arizona farmers and ranchers that can sell directly to you and me! It also gives you an online way to meet local farmers and ranchers.
Arizona Farm Bureau’s Fill Your Plate helps form a unique relationship between Arizona farmers and ranchers and Arizonans like you. In fact, it’s one way we’re building community! Fill Your Plate provides chefs and Arizonans with an opportunity to find and purchase locally-grown food and along the way make friends with with a local farmer.
On the site, you’ll have all sorts of opportunities to engage beyond just the searchable database. You can post a question on our Farmer Forum, search for recipes, read what celebrities are saying about Arizona’s farmers and ranchers and much more! We even provide information about how food prices are trending and nutritious tidbits that highlight Arizona fruits, vegetables and meat products.
Buying Arizona Local
So, how can you purchase more products directly from Arizona Farmers and Ranchers?
1. Source for farmers and ranchers on fillyourplate.org (by product and location);
2. Visit a local farmers market;
3. Ask your local grocery store manager what foods in the store are local (often the produce manager can tell you where he obtained local fruits and vegetables);
4. Know that 55% of the beef found at the meat counter comes from Arizona ranches and feedlots;
5. Buy Hickman’s eggs; they’re produced by an Arizona family, Hickman’s Family Farms;
6. Buy milk; know that 98% of your fresh milk comes from Arizona dairies!
A Holiday Recipe
Classic Cranberry Sauce
12 oz Cranberries (1 package)
1 cup white sugar
1 cup orange juice
In a medium sized saucepan over medium heat, dissolve the sugar in the orange juice. Stir in the cranberries and cook until the cranberries start to pop (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and place sauce in a bowl. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.
Editor’s note: For more information on our member benefits including our regional benefits go to Arizona Farm Bureau’s member benefits page online. Or, download the Member Benefits app to your smart phone for easy, everyday access to your benefits