Eating Seasonally in Southern Arizona

Although the weather changes here in the Sonoran Desert don’t look or feel like they do in most of the country, seasons in the desert are a beautiful thing. The bats return every summer; monsoons roll through the hills, dumping buckets in less than an hour before sliding away. Pomegranates bloom in the early fall, ripen by the first cool days. If we’re lucky, soft, winter rains coat the rich, red soil. Oranges announce themselves in fluorescent color all across the city, and in the desert, energy is stored and waiting. When spring bursts forth, it is with Palo Verde and Mexican Poppy sunrises. Then the Ocotillo bloom, and it all begins again. All these changes can be felt in the air, in the desert, and at the market.

Whether you’re a born and raised Tucsonan, sneaking out at dawn to enjoy the most temperate part of the summer, or a late-comer, basking in the weaker winter sun, it is impossible to ignore these seasonal changes. Feeling the seasons, however, doesn’t necessarily mean we know what’s available to eat when. Most of us are used to buying whatever produce we want, when we want it, whether or not it’s available locally. Who doesn’t want a peach in April? But if we’re trying to buy fresh, healthy, local produce, we know that we can’t always get what we want. Whatever you’re looking for, it helps to know what to expect.

Downloadable Produce Seasonality Guides 

If you’re planning your week or on the hunt for something you’ve never tried before, our seasonality guides lay the foundation for tastier, fresher, seasonal meals. The two guides (vegetables; fruit and herbs) are separated into five seasons that really reflect the changes in the Sonoran Desert. We’ve done our best to include everything that comes through the farmer’s market and when you’re most likely to see it there. “What’s leaving” lets you know that, over the course of that season, those pieces of produce will phase out. Most of the time, this has to do with temperature! “What’s coming” tells you what will become more prevalent over that season, what’s taking center stage. And if you don’t see something you love? We, either we need to update our guide, or it doesn’t grow well in the desert.

If these guides have got you curious about why produce seasons are how they are, take a peek at the back for a primer on common crop plant families. Our Market Ambassador, Cipora Cohon, just loves learning about all the relationships between our favorite crops and hopes you will, too. You’ll find Cipora Sundays at the Rillito Park Farmers Market, she’d love to help you navigate the market (you can’t miss her, she wears a bright green apron).

Our seasonality guides are meant to get you acquainted with the beauty of eating seasonally. If you’re looking for meal planning inspiration, check out our recipe guides, or visit Taste of the Market Sundays at the Rillito Park Farmers Market. We’re always cooking up something new to inspire you. Happy munching!