 Maria and Cristian Reyes recently started Reyes Farm on their land in Paulden. Their family is steeped in farming traditions — Maria’s father and mother, Ruben and Maria Hernandez, are steadfast produce and tamale vendors at farmers markets in Northern Arizona. They have enjoyed continuing to interact with their farmers market customers and offering new and unique products such as lemon cucumbers, tatsoi, and tiger melons. We enjoyed being able to tuck their cherry tomatoes, peppers, and greens varieties into seniors’ produce bags. We’re grateful to Maria and Cristian for their support and trust as we both gain experience in the wholesale arena. You can find their fresh produce at the Prescott Farmers Market (winter hours Sat. 10am-1pm), Sedona Community Farmers Market et (winter hours Sun. 12-4pm), and Flagstaff Farmers Market.
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 Sun Produce Co-op was started in 2017 to increase the viability of small-scale growers in Arizona and has now grown to be a network of 25+ farms, distributors, and buyers across 6 counties that together strengthen our local food system. By combining multiple farmers' product volume and variety—as well as resources and expertise—SPC saves growers time and money, and ultimately keeps them on their land.
SPC collaborated directly with Nourish PHX, formerly ICM Food & Clothing Bank to pack and distribute growers’ produce to senior CSFP participants. Cooperative growers who contributed to the seniors’ bags include Crooked Sky Farms, Blue Sky Organic Farms, Briggs and Eggers, Whipstone Farm, and RhibaFarms; a full list of SPC farms can be found on their website. We’re so thankful that SPC and Nourish Phoenix could assist us with the logistics of moving hundreds of pounds of fresh produce, and hope that you support them on social media. Institutional, wholesale, and retail buyers, as well as restaurants and individuals looking for farm-fresh produce, should consider an SPC delivery! Visit sunproducecoop.org for more information.  Whipstone Farm is a family faarm in Paulden, AZ owned and operated by Shanti and Cory Rade. Alongside their hardworking team, the Rades grow over 100 unique vegetables and flowers on their 15-acre farm. They are kind stewards of the land, choosing not to use any synthetic fertilizers or chemical pesticides. We bought 23 different veggies from Whipstone Farm, from bok choy to winter squash -- all of which were enjoyed by the Senior #FMNP recipients! #AZFMNP We’re grateful they were able to supply such a strong variety of products for us on such short notice. You can buy their produce: 1. At their farm stand on-site (self-serve open daily, on the honor system) 2. Subscribe to their CSA 3. Purchase weekly on Saturdays at Prescott Farmers Market., winter hours 10am-1pm. 4. Their products are available through Sun Produce Co-op for buyers in central/southern Arizona. Support Whipstone Farm by visiting www.whipstone.com for more information and follow their Facebook page at Whipstone Farm and on Instagram @whipstonefarm Shanti also writes a weekly email newsletter that is informative and honest about farm life - you can sign up for it on their website, check it out! 
 Based in Paulden, Juan Aguiar Bravo and Keeton Aguiar established Blooming Reed Farm in 2019, continuing in their family’s deep farming traditions (Juan is the son of Fernando Aguiar, featured later this month). They proudly use sustainable and no-till practices on their land to grow vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers. We especially loved adding this farm’s hearty root vegetables to the senior’s produce bags: sunchokes, parsnips, beets, and carrots! Support Blooming Reed Farm this winter by following them on Facebook and Instagram, @bloomingreedfarm and buying their goodies at the Prescott Farmers Market on Saturdays, winter market hours 10am-1pm. Their produce is also available through Sun Produce Co-op for buyers in central/southern Arizona. https://www.prescottfarmersmarket.org/meet-the-farmers/blooming-reed-farm/ #farmerspotlight #azfmnp 
 We trust them. We like them. We buy from them. You should too.
Every Tuesday and Friday this December, we will feature all of the local farms and farmer cooperatives around Arizona who helped us deliver $36,000 worth of fresh, high-quality produce to over 1,200 seniors in need through the AZ Farmers Market Nutrition Program (AZFMNP). This special series is our way of showcasing and thanking them, so be sure to share and give them a follow! INNOVATION: Bulk purchasing was a new component of the AZFMNP program this year. Previously in Arizona, $30 worth of farmers market checks or coupons were offered to eligible seniors who participate in CSFP, a monthly commodity food box offered by local food banks. Amid the uncertainty of COVID-19, we had to make a quick change in our coupon model. We decided to bulk-purchase and deliver thousands of pounds of fresh produce directly to food banks and senior housing sites. This adaptation ensured that seniors unable to attend farmers markets were still able to receive fresh produce from their local farmers. It was impactful to support farmers across the state during October and November, which are typically leaner, transitional months as summer crops wind down due to frost and changing seasons, and winter crops begin to mature. We trust these farms and are so grateful for their partnership and their hard work. We buy from them, and you should too! Thanks for following along!#azfmnp  Fernando, Margarita, Blanca, and the Aguiar family grow a large variety of crops year-round and chemical-free on their beautiful, lush farmstead in Paulden. The Aguiars of Aguiar Farms are a multi-generational family with immense farming knowledge, work ethic, and big hearts. We’re thankful that they were able to provide storage friendly staples such as onions, potatoes, and winter squash for Senior FMNP participants. You can find their produce weekly on Saturdays at Prescott Farmers Market (winter hours 10am-1pm) and in the summertime at the Flagstaff Community Market. Local folks can order fresh produce and dried herbs through their online shop for farm pickup or no-contact delivery. https://aguiar-farms.square.site/
Discussion Topic: Language and Communications We chose language and communications for our first discussion because if we have learned anything, we've learned that language matters! Our goal is to recognize how bias manifests itself at Pinnacle Prevention and navigate our roles and actions to eliminate practices that invite/perpetuate bias. Resource Shared: Sum of Us – A Progressive’s Style Guide Here are some of the issue areas we discovered in our discussion:
LANGUAGE OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENTFood Stamps – It is challenging to shift from previous universal term.
Active Living/Built Environment – Walking, biking, transit
Move away from universal reference to ‘Brown Communities’ Universally Agreed upon actions for pinnacle preventionWe agree to edit/cross-check each other’s work in alignment with guidance. We agree that work to improve language will be ongoing. We agree that discussions will rotate facilitation with a team member volunteering for next facilitation. What are your thoughts? How can we improve our language?  We take racism very seriously. It is vital to our mission, and to each team member personally, to keep the conversation going and to fight systematic racism in tangible ways. The first step we have taken as a team is to schedule a bi-weekly team discussion space to:
We don’t expect fundamental change overnight… but there has to be a change, and this is where we start. We challenge and encourage our partners and followers to create a space in your work environment for these discussions. We choose to schedule bi-weekly video calls for one hour on Zoom. Here are the ground rules we abide by: 1. Respect individual experiences. 2. Trust that everyone is doing the best they can. 3. Remember we are all in different places in this work professionally and personally, and that's okay. 4. No one knows everything; together we know a lot. 5. Acknowledge the difference between intent and impact. 6. Don't throw expectations at others without considering your own actions and expectations of yourself. 7. Don’t make assumptions about what others may or may not be doing to tackle racism and oppression in their personal time. 8. Keep this space safe. In the interest of transparency, we will be posting what we have learned from each other and some of the resources we use. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and check our blog frequently for updates. Are you sharing a space like this with your team? Let us know how it’s going for you.  Resilience awards are intended as emergency relief for farmers, ranchers, farmworkers, and their families. Use of the funds is restricted to household expenses, such as groceries, home utilities, medical bills, counseling, or other household expenses not directly related to the commercial operation of a farm or ranch. The funds may not be used for any business expense or investment. The IRS guidelines regarding direct assistance to farm, ranch, and farmworker families prevent Farm Aid from granting funds to support a farm or ranch and its business costs. Your acceptance of this award signifies your understanding and agreement to these use requirements. Family farmers, ranchers, and farmworkers who have suffered hardship because of the COVID-19 crisis in CO, WY, NM, ID, UT, AZ are eligible to apply. Groups that qualify for preference under this fund are women and/or farmers, ranchers, and farmworkers of color (Black/African American, Asian/Asian American, Pacific Islander, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, or Alaska Native). To qualify for this preference more than half of the agricultural business must be owned by individuals who are socially disadvantaged. Successful applicants will receive a one-time $500 emergency resilience award. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis and reviewed on a weekly basis until funds run out. Checks will be issued to approved applicants within 10 business days of weekly review meetings. Download the applications below and submit online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/C78KV3Y or by mail to Nick Levendofsky 900 East Union Ave. Suite 200 Denver, CO 80237. We encourage you to submit your application as quickly as possible, using the online form, to ensure funds are still available. For assistance with this application, please contact Harrison Topp, 303-918-3538, [email protected]. 
 We are all grappling with fear, anxiety, anger, and a host of mixed emotions surrounding COVID-19. As we navigate the ever-changing information and the range of emotions, one thing is overwhelmingly clear – we must do our part. We care deeply for each other as a team, and we care deeply for the community. In Arizona and all other communities where cases of COVID-19 are alarmingly on the rise, we are seeing those cases filter into our own personal circles. The question has become: not IF, but WHEN will COVID-19 impact our team and work directly? While we are proud of our safe and flexible work environment, we know that there are still opportunities for improvement. The goals of the Pinnacle Prevention COVID-19 Workplace Safety and Operational Continuity Plan are to:
We are sharing our plan to be transparent - and to perhaps inspire others to create a version for their team or family. Beyond having a plan on paper, we have also considered the policy, system, and environmental supports that we can implement as a workplace. These supports are both good business practices and good for the long-term well being of the team. They include:
We continue to have honest, vulnerable, and transparent discussions with each other and our partners, listening and sharing about what we all have the bandwidth to handle at any given point in time on top of family demands. Isolation is hard. We are wired for human connection. Despite this – we are playing our part. What’s your plan?  |
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