In the heart of the American Southwest lies a land of resilience, beauty, and abundance—Arizona. Here, agriculture thrives not despite the desert, but because of a remarkable trifecta: a radiant climate, life-giving water, and vibrant, living soil. Together, these elements weave a story of possibility, proving that even in the harshest conditions, nature and human ingenuity can dance in harmony to feed the world.

This last Saturday on KTAR’s Rosie on the House, we brought Jeffrey Silvertooth, Ph.D., professor at the University of Arizona, in to tell us about our state’s climate, water and soil. What we learned is transformative and inspires our support of Arizona agriculture.

A Climate That Shines

Arizona basks in over 300 days of sunshine each year—a golden gift that stretches the growing season beyond the limits of other regions. Farmers plant and harvest every month, a testament to the state’s unique ability to nurture life year-round. Beyond the sun’s relentless glow, Arizona’s climate offers a symphony of seasonal blessings. The summer monsoon, arriving like a faithful friend in July, delivers about three inches of rainfall—vital water that refills water tanks for ranchers. Mild winters, with January temperatures hovering around 65°F and rare freezing nights, cradle cool-season crops like vegetables, while scorching summers averaging 106°F in July embrace heat-loving plants like cotton and alfalfa.

This arid and semi-arid landscape, where evapotranspiration often outpaces rainfall, is more than a challenge—it’s an opportunity. Arizona’s diverse regions, from the lofty Colorado Plateau to the rugged Transition Zone and the warm, low-lying Basin and Range, create a patchwork of microclimates.

Each zone, mapped by tools like the USDA Hardiness Zone, shapes the land’s potential, offering a canvas for a stunning variety of crops. In Yuma, mild winters crown the Winter Lettuce Bowl Capital of the Nation, while the sun-soaked summers fuel cotton’s vigorous growth. Arizona’s climate doesn’t just support agriculture—it inspires it.

Water: The Pulse of the Desert

In a land where rain is scarce, irrigated water becomes the heartbeat of agriculture. The summer monsoon provides a crucial pulse, but it’s the ingenuity of irrigation that truly sustains Arizona’s fields. Drawn from rivers, reservoirs, and aquifers, this managed water transforms arid expanses into fertile oases. Soil, the unsung hero of this story, plays its part as a living filter—absorbing, holding, and purifying water before it replenishes underground systems. This delicate balance ensures that every drop is maximized, a necessity in a state where water management remains an ongoing challenge and a testament to human resolve.

Despite the state’s current water challenges, key stakeholders in the food supply chain are working to resolve this limited resource. It may mean cuts across the board, but these cuts must be managed strategically.

Soil: The Living Skin of the Earth

“We owe our existence to a six-inch layer of topsoil and the fact it rains,” goes the old saying, and in Arizona, this truth resonates deeply. Soil is more than dirt—it’s the skin of the earth, a complex tapestry of sand, silt, and clay woven with minerals, water, air, and organic matter. Beneath the surface lie horizons—layers of humus, topsoil, subsoil, and bedrock—each teeming with life. A single gram of soil, just a quarter of a teaspoon, hosts up to 10 billion bacterial organisms across 10,000 species, alongside a million actinomycetes and fungi. Soil is alive, a bustling ecosystem where only 1% of its microbial inhabitants have been identified, making it one of the planet’s greatest reservoirs of biodiversity.

Arizona’s soils, geologically young and fertile, pulse with potential. The state’s signature Casa Grande sandy loam, found in the alluvial plains of Pinal, Pima, and Maricopa Counties, exemplifies this richness. Deposited by ancient streams and rivers, these soils are naturally high in salt and sodium—hallmarks of desert landscapes—but with careful reclamation and irrigation, they become extraordinarily productive. Earthworms, the humble heroes of aeration, till the soil alongside.

A Tapestry of Resilience and Bounty

Arizona’s agriculture is a masterpiece painted with the bold strokes of climate, water, and soil. The sun shines, the monsoon falls, and the soil thrives—together, they defy the desert’s harshness to produce food that sustains us. From cotton swaying in the summer heat to lettuce flourishing in Yuma’s mild winters, this trifecta creates a legacy of diversity and resilience. Farmers, stewards of this land, blend tradition with innovation to meet the challenges of water scarcity and soil preservation, proving that even in an arid world, life can flourish.

So, here’s to Arizona—a place where the earth’s skin breathes, where water flows with purpose, and where the sun’s embrace yields a harvest of hope. This beautiful trifecta is more than a formula for agriculture; it’s an inspiration for what’s possible when nature and determination unite.

To hear the full radio show from last week, select the podcast below.