Wink and Molly Butler (image via AZFB)

Arizona Farm Bureau continues its “Celebrating the Centennial” Series with the fifth article, “God Didn’t Make the Land for the Purpose of one Single Species.” This story profiles a ranch woman and is so much a part of ranching in northern Arizona.

Two thirds of our population are affected by high blood pressure (Image via Wikipedia)

One in four Americans is affected by high blood pressure.  However, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, only about two-thirds of those with high blood pressure know they have it and less than 30% have it under control.  This is a significant health issue that carries significant long-term consequences like stroke, heart failure, and damage to other organs.  Managing high blood pressure, which is also called hypertension, is the best way to prevent these problems from occurring.

As part of this month’s National High Blood Pressure Education Month, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) is urging every American to check their blood pressure and talk to their doctor if it is over 140/90.  Managing hypertension often requires a combination of medication and lifestyle changes, including increasing activity and eating a diet specifically aimed at controlling blood pressure.

The NHLBI recommends that people with hypertension follow the DASH plan, which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.  The plan also recommends that those with this condition take steps to limit their sodium intake.  There are two levels included in the plan related to sodium intake.  The first and highest allows for 2,300 mg of sodium per day which is the maximum recommended for any American, regardless of their blood pressure.  For those with high blood pressure, this level can help manage and control the problem.  The second level is more restrictive, allowing only 1,500 mg and has shown to be more effective and reducing blood pressure.

Based on research supported by the NHLBI, the best diet for those with hypertension is low in saturated fat, cholesterol, added sugar, and sugar-laden beverages.  Instead, those with hypertension are encouraged to focus their diet on fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, whole grains, fish, poultry, and nuts.  While the diet focuses on reducing fat and sodium, it also aims to increase important nutrients like potassium, magnesium, calcium, protein, and fiber.

Here in Arizona, our access to locally grown and fabulously fresh produce, meat, and dairy products makes it easy to implement small dietary changes in support of good heart health and normal blood pressure.  Also, for meat choices, reference our 29 Lean Cuts of Beef for additional ideas.  Whether you shop at the farmer’s market or the grocery store, you can find a wide range of seasonal food options that will help you manage your blood pressure without feeling like you are giving anything up.

Here are some great ways that you can swap fresh heart healthy Arizona foods for less blood pressure friendly options.

• Instead of a bowl of potato chips or a handful of cookies for some fresh fruit.  Apples, oranges, dried apricots are all great options.
• You can still have a delicious burger cooked on the grill, just make sure you use lean Arizona ground beef and decrease the size of the patty to around three ounces.  Swap your old white bread bun for one made from whole wheat for an extra health boost.
• Swap fried chicken for chicken stir-fry and replace some of the chicken with fabulous fresh vegetables like bell peppers, onions, broccoli, sprouts, and carrots.
• Swap skim milk for whole milk and frozen yogurt for ice cream and improve your health without sacrificing taste.

Related articles

• Take Control of Your High Blood Pressure (everydayhealth.com)
• Obesity Epidemic: Supermarkets Are Making It Easier to Eat Healthy (fillyourplate.org)
• The Battle Over Vegetables: 4 Creative Ways to Get Your Kids to Eat More (fillyourplate.org)

Pyramid's veggie burger (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Get your grills going and get ready to pay homage to one of America’s most beloved foods, the burger.  May is National Hamburger Month and here in Arizona that means another great opportunity to take advantage of the wide array of locally grown meat and produce.   Whether you are shopping at the farmer’s market, going direct to a farm store or farm stand, or grabbing your groceries at the grocery store, the available options for making great burgers from local ingredients are almost limitless.

Here are some great ideas for celebrating National Burger Month.

1.     Southwestern Style

Celebrate the hamburger by serving up a batch of Sonoran Burgers.  Start with locally raised Arizona beef and fresh cheese from a local dairy.  The recipe calls for several different kinds including cheddar, mozzarella, and pepper jack.  Grab a handful of green peppers and roast them on the grill while your hamburgers are cooking for the best flavor.  Top with fresh tomatoes and crisp lettuce for a delicious southwestern style hamburger.

2.     Better with Bacon

Most people would agree that everything is better with bacon and when it comes to hamburgers, there is no question.  Try the Rasher/Buckboard Bacon Burger using locally raised pork and bacon.  Top it with fabulously fresh Arizona grown onions, avocados, tomatoes, and lettuce.  Great alternative for a no-beef burger!

3.     Veggie Version

Go for a totally new kind of veggie burger and make Zucchini Patty Burgers.   Made with fresh zucchini, onions, green chilies and cheese, you can top this burger with your favorite toppings for a meat-free burger worthy of National Hamburger Month.

4.     Small Sliders, Big Flavors

Make up a batch of bite size burgers and serve them with a variety of toppings featuring the best flavors found in Arizona.  Fill your topping bar with fresh produce like avocados, tomatoes, onions, and lettuce and a few less expected options.  Turn Avocado and Tomato Salad into a tasty spread for sliders.  Spice it up with freshly diced chili peppers or go for something totally unexpected with Cantaloupe Basil Salsa.

5.     Mexican Style Flair

Combine Hamburger month with the month of Cinco de Mayo and serve burgers inspired by Mexican flavors.  The Sonoran Burger above fits perfectly into this theme.  Top tasty beef and chicken burgers with different kinds of salsa including Corn and Black Bean Salsa.  Make a Chicken Enchilada Burger by topping a grilled chicken breast with Chicken Enchilada Dip.

6.     Burger Bar

Build a hamburger bar offering burgers featuring the best meat Arizona has to offer including beef, pork, chicken, lamb and even goat.  Add a selection of cheeses from soft to spicy.  Provide a wide array of toppings ranging from traditional condiments to special spreads.   Try Jalapeno Pepper Dip or Artichoke Dip for something completely different from the same old ketchup and mustard.

Related articles

• 25 Recipes to Spice-up Your Super Bowl Sunday Spread (fillyourplate.org)
• Wine Country May Be Closer than You Think (fillyourplate.org)
• Food Prices Down Slightly in the First Quarter of 2012 (fillyourplate.org)

Chicken wings being cooked slowly over charcoal ashes. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When it comes to BBQ, everyone has their own ideas about what the right way to do it.  Some people feel the only way to truly BBQ is over charcoal while others are committed to grilling with gas.  Some believe the only meat worthy of being BBQ’d are ribs, while others will BBQ anything that seems like it would be tasty with sauce.  There is one school of thought that the quality of the end product is all about the smoke while others put their faith in using the perfect cut of meat.  No matter where you stand in the BBQ debate, everyone seems to agree that May means BBQ and it’s time to fire up the grills and light the smokers.  To help you celebrate National BBQ Month, here are some tips, tricks, and recipes tailor made for use with fresh Arizona meat and produce.

Safety Tips

Here are some helpful safety tips for barbecuing from the USDA

• When grocery shopping for grilling meat, get the rest of your groceries first and then visit the meat cooler and butcher window last.  Ask that all meat be placed in plastic bags to keep it separate from other foods.
• Poultry and ground meat that won’t be used within 2 days should be frozen.  Any other meat can be frozen within 5 days.
• The safest way to thaw frozen meat is in the refrigerator.  If you need something quicker, you can use the microwave but only if the meat is going straight from the microwave to the grill.
• You can use the microwave to pre-cook your meat and reduce your grilling time, but the same thing applies, the meat needs to go directly from the microwave to the grill.
• Smoking meat is safe.  The temperature of the smoker must be kept between 250° and 300° F and the internal temperature of the meat must meet the minimum recommendations.
• Pit cooking is also safe but can take as much as 12 hours to cook meat to a safe temperature.  Use of a meat thermometer is recommended to ensure meat is safe to eat.

Cooking Temperatures

In order to ensure your meat is safe to eat, it needs to be cooked to a specific recommended minimum internal temperature.  The USDA recommends the following internal meat temperatures.

• Whole Poultry – 165° F
• Poultry Breasts – 165° F
• Ground Poultry –  165° F
• Ground Meat –  160° F
• Beef, Pork, Lamb, and Veal – 145° F

BBQ Techniques

• Cold Smoking – Although the recommended temperature for smoking is between 250° and 300° F, cold smoking techniques which use an average temperature of 70° to 100° F can be used as long as the final cooking is completed in the oven.  The low temperature gives the meat a smoking flavor without actually cooking it.
  • Hot Smoking – Smoking technique that adds flavor while also cooking the meat.
  • Grilling – Direct cooking the meat over fire.
  • Indirect Grill Smoking – A combination of hot smoking and grilling where the grill is used but the meat does not have direct contact with the fire.

Recipes

Start with fresh flavorful Arizona meat and these recipes from the National Barbecue Association to create a meal fit for celebrating National BBQ Month.

• Beef Recipes
• Pork Recipes
• Chicken Recipes
• Other Recipes

Barbecue Recipes from Fill Your Plate:

• BBQ Pork Salad with Summer Fruits and Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette
• BBQ Pork Skillet
• Basque Barbecue Leg of Lamb

Related articles

• Joe’s Real BBQ Celebrates Free Barbecue Day May 2nd 2012 (fillyourplate.org)
• Top 5 Ways to Grill a Whole Chicken (williams-sonoma.com)
• Memorial Day Grilling: Meat Prices Up or Down (fillyourplate.org)

Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer and a great reason to get your friends and family together for a cookout.  It also offers another opportunity to celebrate National BBQ Month and grill up some of the fabulous locally raised Arizona pork, beef, and chicken.  With so many great grilling choices to choose from, it’s hard to go wrong.  Here are some great ideas for what to serve at or take to this year’s Memorial Day cookout.

Start Out Right

If you are hosting the party, make sure the guests who arrive early or on-time have something to snack on while the party ramps up.  Fill bowls with traditional potato and tortilla chips plus a bowl or two of something a little less expected like pita or veggie chips.  Give guests something to dip those delicious chips into by offering up small bowls of these delicious dips and spicy salsas.

• Cantaloupe Basil Salsa
• Chicken Enchilada Dip
• Corn and Black Bean Salsa
• Jalapeno Pepper Dip
• Artichoke Dip

Appease Appetites

Another way to keep your guests happy and having fun is to set out a spread of appealing appetizers that tempts the appetites of everyone.  Pick and choose from this list.

• Avocado Appetizer
• Baked Goats Cheese Appetizer with Shrimp and Basil
• Batter Fried Zucchini
• Green Chili Wontons
• Pennee’s Fresh Cucumber Delight

Serve Up Some Salad

You can’t have a cookout without a couple varieties of delicious salads made with fresh Arizona produce.  Offer your guests basic salads built around the fresh and fabulous flavors of fruits and vegetables and fancier fare featuring more interesting and unusual ingredients.  Salads give you an easy way to offer a little something for everyone.   Here are some great ideas to get you started.

• Avocado and Tomato Salad
• BBQ Pork Salad with Summer Fruits and Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Chutney Melon Chicken Salad
• Cole Slaw
• Country Garden Salad
• Fettuccine and Ham Salad
• Golden Beet Pomegranate Salad
• Golden Beet Fennel Avocado Salad
• Isabell Rousseaus Carrot Salad Recipe
• Join the Party Salad
• Melon Cucumber Salad
• Mixed Greens with Goat Cheese Dressing
• Orange Almond Salad
• Farmers Favorite Salad
• Waldorf Salad

Veggies and Sides

Grills aren’t just for cooking meat; they can also be used to create some great sides using fresh, flavorful Arizona produce.  Be creative as almost any veggie tastes great tossed with a little olive oil and some salt and pepper and then grilled to perfection.

• Garlic Roasted Summer Squash
• Grilled Summer Squash
• Mexican Summer Squash
• Grilled Romaine with Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette

Masterful Meats

A cookout wouldn’t be a cookout without the savory smell of grilling meat floating through the air.  Beef, pork, and poultry raised right here in Arizona will fill everyone’s plate with fantastic flavors.  Try these great recipes.

• Citrus Marinated Grilled Turkey
• Grilled Chicken Breast
• Marinated Beef Tips
• Molasses Marinated Beef Tenderloin
• Buckboard Bacon Burger
• Sonoran Hot Dogs

Don’t Forget Dessert

Finish off the day with delicious deserts featuring everyone’s favorite flavors.

• Arizona Melon Dessert
• Cheri’s Classic Prickly Pear Cheesecake
• Christy’s Yummy Gooey Bars
• Grandma Howard’s Apple Pie
• Vanilla Chocolate Chip Cake

Related articles

• What’s In Season in May? (fillyourplate.org)
• Wine Country May Be Closer than You Think (fillyourplate.org)
• 8 Great Ways to Celebrate National Tortilla Chip Day (fillyourplate.org)

Visit your local Arizona Farmer's Market (Photo credit: ex.libris)

One of the best ways that families can stretch their food dollar is to cook their meals at home using fresh, locally grown Arizona ingredients.  But we all have very busy lives and it isn’t always possible to stay on top of the grocery shopping or remember everything you have in your pantry at home during a quick stop at the farmer’s market or grocery store.  After a hectic day, most people would toss in the towel and order in rather than cook at home.  While this is totally understandable, one unplanned meal out can easily bust your food budget for the whole month.  There is another option that takes a little planning and preparation but ensures you will always have something at home that you can whip up into a quick, healthy, low-cost breakfast, lunch, or dinner, a well-stocked pantry.

Here is a list of the 10 things you should always have in your pantry.  These staples enable you to make a variety of healthy meals with just the ingredients listed here.  They also give you the peace of mind of knowing what you have at home so that a quick stop at the local market really is quick.

1.     Oil

Oil is an essential ingredient to many meals and having a few different kinds on hand enables you to cook many different kinds of food.  Whether you are marinating meat, sautéing vegetables, or baking goodies, it is likely you will need some kind of oil.  A well-stocked pantry should have olive oil, vegetable oil, and sesame oil. A great place to find locally grown and produced olive oil is the Queen Creek Olive Mill.

2.     Sugar and Spice

These cooking basics are essential to a well-stocked pantry.  Stock your shelves with standard granulated sugar, brown sugar, and confectioner’s/powdered sugar and you will be able to meet every need for sweet that comes along.  To spice things up, every pantry should have the following spices at a minimum:

• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Rosemary
• Curry Powder
• Chili Powder
• Black Pepper
• Thyme
• Oregano
• Dried Basil

 3.     Pasta and Rice

These two staples can create the foundation for a meal made with almost anything else.  There are so many options available when it comes to pasta that it really comes down to what your family likes.  Choosing several different varieties ensures you will always have just the right pasta on hand to create a quick and easy meal for your family.  Consider including spaghetti noodles, shells, rotini, and one other variety.  The same is true for rice, you have many options to choose from and the most important thing is to choose the kinds your family likes.

4.     Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds make a great healthy snack while also enhancing and enlivening salads, baked goods, and other recipes.  For your pantry, a good mix of nuts and seeds includes sliced almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, and pecans.

5.     Oats and Flour

When it comes to staples, these are two you are likely to find in every well-stocked pantry.  Choose a variety of flours that includes unbleached white, whole wheat, and bread or cake flour and you can rest assured that no matter what kind of flour a recipe calls for, you will have what you need.  You should include two kinds of oats in your pantry, the traditional old-fashioned kind and the quick cook kind, for maximum versatility.  Oats make great thickeners in meatloaf and baked goods and can also be used for breading meats and making healthy snacks like granola.

6.     Canned Fish (Salmon, Tuna)

These shelf-stable meats can be great in a pinch and are perfect for tossing with a salad or creating a sandwich.  Keeping a couple cans of each in your pantry gives you another protein option that is precooked and ready to go right out of the can.

7.     Broths and Stocks

Stocking pre-made chicken and beef stock gives you a lot of options in the kitchen.  You can use them as the foundation for soup, to create a sauce, to add moisture to a dish, and as a replacement for oil and butter in some circumstances.

8.    Vinegars and Sauces

Vinegar is one of the most versatile liquids in your kitchen that is often overlooked in our modern day meal planning.  Keep a bottle of white, cider, and balsamic vinegar in the pantry along with a bottle of soy sauce, hot sauce, barbecue sauce, and Worcestershire sauce.

9.     Dry and Canned Beans

When it comes to versatility and multiple uses, nothing can beat the bean.  Packed with fiber and protein, beans can add texture, flavor, and volume to almost any recipe.  Pick a wide variety of beans for your pantry including black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, split peas, chick peas, and navy beans.

10.  Canned Vegetables

When you are short on time and short on energy, canned vegetables can be just what you need to complete a quick and easy meal with little effort.  Stock up on cans of your family’s favorites and use them to supplement your meals when you don’t have time to run to the farmer’s market for something fresh.  Make sure you include the most versatile of canned vegetables, tomatoes and tomato sauce.

On your visits to the Arizona Farmers Markets, look for the staples listed above, including locally grown herbs. Stocking up on staples and creating the perfect pantry for your family is a great way to stretch your food dollar while filling your plate.

Related articles

• What Ingredients the Chefs of Fill Your Plate Can’t Live Without (fillyourplate.org)
• How to Stretch Your Food Dollar and Eat Well (fillyourplate.org)
• Cook Creatively with Canned Food (fillyourplate.org)

The Stroke Belt region of the United States. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It shouldn’t be a surprise that the different regions of the U.S. have different dietary patterns and different regional flavors and foods.  But can the place you live drive the food you eat and seriously impact your health?  A research team funded by the National Institutes of Health and General Mills set out to answer that question with the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Difference in Stroke (REGARDS) study.

There is a portion of the U.S. called the stroke belt or stroke alley. This area, located in the Southeastern U.S., is comprised of the 11 states listed below:

• Alabama
• Arkansas
• Georgia
• Indiana
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Mississippi
• North Carolina
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Virginia

For some reason, this region has an abnormally high rate of stroke and some other forms of cardiovascular disease.  The cluster was first recognized in 1962 by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).  To date, despite investigating several possible links, there is no definitive answer as to the root cause of the higher incidence of strokes in this region.

The REGARDS program is designed to look at look at why there are differences in stroke rates that follow racial and regional lines.  As part of that program, a group of researchers led by Dr. Suzanne Judd from the University of Alabama-Birmingham studied the dietary patterns of people from around the country to see if any patterns emerged that offered insight into the stroke belt phenomenon.  The results of that study were presented earlier this year at the Epidemiology and Prevention/Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism Scientific Sessions.

The research team found that across the 20,000+ participants, there were 5 consistent dietary patterns that emerged.

1. The Southern Pattern which features a significant amount of fried food, processed meat, and sugar sweetened beverages is most commonly eaten by men, African-Americans, people who make less than $35,000/year, and people without a college degree.
2. The Traditional Pattern which features foods generally categorized as ethnic like Chinese, Mexican, pasta, pizza, and soup is most common amongst people between the ages of 45 and 54.
3. The Healthy Pattern which is made up of fruits, vegetables, and grains.
4. The Sweets Pattern which features excessive sweet snacks and desserts.
5. The Alcohol Pattern which is comprised of protein, coffee, salad, and alcohol and only occurs in people making more than $75,000/year.

The team didn’t go into the dietary pattern research with any real assumptions or hypothesis.  Instead, they gathered the data and let it tell its own story.  The emergence of such consistent clear patterns shows the importance of understanding how region can impact diet and the role diet plays in overall health.  In future research efforts, the team will dig deeper into how region of birth and where you are raised influences your diet.

Here in Arizona, we can fill our plates with healthy choices from local farmers. Check out any of our local farmer’s markets for locally grown fruits and vegetables. Also, check out our local cattle farmers to find your choice of organically raised beef.

Related articles

• 5 Dietary Patterns Most Americans Fit Into (webmd.com)
• The ‘Stroke Belt’: Why Is Stroke Risk Higher in the Southeast? (everydayhealth.com)

One of the many great things about living in Arizona is the abundant access to locally grown produce almost all year round.  As we move into May, the farmer’s markets and grocery store bins are full of some of the best that Arizona has to offer.

Here is a look at what’s in season right now and what you can do to make the most of these fresh, fantastic seasonal foods.

Apricots

• Apricot Appetizers
• Jeweled Rice with Medjool Dates

Arugula 

• Golden Beet and Pomegranate Salad
• Quinoa, Beet, and Arugula Salad

Beets

• Beets with Onions and Cumin
• Golden Beet, Fennel, and Avocado Salad

Blackberries

• Crunchy Berry Parfait
• Zesty Fruit Salad

Carrots

• Carrot Bread
• Isabell Rousseau’s Carrot Salad

Cucumbers

• Cucumber Sandwiches
• Melon Cucumber Salad

Garlic

• Calabacitas
• Lentils and Smoked Turkey

Leeks

• Chilled Potato, Leek, and Beet Soup
• Penne with Swiss Chard and Leeks in Cream Sauce

Lettuce

• Chicken Lettuce Wraps
• Crunchy Apple Salad

Nectarines

• Nectarine Upside Down Cake
• BBQ Pork Salad with Summer Fruits and Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

Onions

• Black Bean and Goat Burger Chili
• Chicken Breasts with Cheese and Chilies

Peaches

• Peach Paradise
• Halibut with Zesty Peach Salsa

Peas

• My Mother’s Egg Foo Yung
• Garbanzos with Fennel

Potatoes

• Creamy Potatoes
• Frittata with Bacon and Potatoes

Radishes

• Join the Party Salad
• Braised Radishes

Spinach

• Chicken Picatta
• Lemon Spinach

Summer Squash

• Grilled Summer Squash
• Summer Squash Casserole

Tomatoes

• Armenian Cucumber Tomato Salad
• Greek Shrimp with Feta Cheese

Zucchini

• Classic Minestrone Soup
• Zucchini Bread

Zucchini Blossoms

• Crispy Zucchini Blossoms
• Stuffed Zucchini Flowers

Related articles

• What’s In Season in April? (fillyourplate.org)
• Better Living Through Beets (fillyourplate.org)
• 4 Great Ideas for Easter Dinner (fillyourplate.org)

Salad dinner, again (Photo credit: freddy)

May is National Celiac Disease Awareness Month and organizations around the country will be working to raise awareness about the condition and how those who have it have learned to live with it.  Celiac disease causes damage to the lining of the small intestine by creating an abnormal immune system reaction to eating gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, and anything made with or from those products.  The damage makes it difficult for people with this condition to absorb the food they need in order to be healthy.  People with celiac disease must generally adhere to a gluten-free diet, which can be much harder than it sounds.

Let’s take a look at a typical weeknight dinner and determine what would have to change in order for that meal to be gluten-free (g-free).

Dinner starts with a Green Salad that calls for you to pick your own dressing.  You may be thinking that with only veggies and salad dressing this starter is a g-free slam dunk.  You might be right, but you might also be wrong; it completely depends on the salad dressing you choose.  This highlights one of the things that can make adhering to a g-free diet so difficult; there is gluten hiding in places you would never suspect.  Check the ingredients of any salad dressing you are looking to put on your salad against the Unsafe G-Free Ingredient List at Celiac.com.

You could also skip the Salad Dressing all together and replace it with the Country Garden Salad instead, just be sure to make your dressing with g-free mayo.

For our main course, we are serving Beef Stroganoff.  This is a great example of how you may have to swap out an entire entrée to get to a g-free dinner.  Although the stroganoff can be served over pasta or potatoes, it doesn’t really matter since there is already gluten in the sauce.  Your best bet here is to swap to a new recipe like Hearty Hamburger Stew and avoid the issue entirely.  You can also purchase g-free flour specifically made to replace wheat flour in recipes and create a g-free Stroganoff

We definitely need some side dishes for this g-free meal and vegetables are always a good bet.  First, let’s have Creamy Potatoes which may be g-free from the get go, but you won’t know until you check the ingredients on the label of the cream of chicken soup.  If the soup is g-free, you have yourself a solid side dish.  If not, look for a replacement or use additional sour cream or plain yogurt to enhance the creaminess without introducing gluten.   Our second side dish is Garlic Roasted Summer Squash and doesn’t need a single change to make it on tonight’s g-free menu.

For dessert, most cookies, cakes, and pies are out of the question unless they are specific created using g-free ingredients, but this doesn’t mean you can’t have any dessert.  Serve up a scrumptious dish of Sauteed Apples and your family can finish off their g-free meal in style.

Related articles

• 8 Tricks to Going Gluten Free for the Holidays (fillyourplate.org)
• The Battle Over Veggies: 4 Creative Ways to Get Your Kids to Eat More (fillyourplate.org)
• Obesity Epidemic: Supermarkets are Making It Easier to Eat Healthy (fillyourplate.org)

By Peggy Jo Goodfellow, Arizona Farm Bureau

The Arizona Agriculturalist Speakers’ Bureau is a non-profit program aimed at educating you and me about safe, affordable and locally grown food.

These farmers and ranchers are ready to share their story and their passion for agriculture:

• Enjoy a face-to-face presentation from a farmer or rancher from your area.
• Learn about agriculture and dispel any concerns you may have about food safety.
• Our speakers work in some form of agriculture everyday so they have first hand knowledge of their topics.

And it’s free!  We ask the groups to reimburse speakers’ travel expenses only.

For more information, contact Peggy Jo Goodfellow at 480.635.3609 or 480-390-6708

Related articles

• A Picture of Arizona Agriculture (fillyourplate.org)
• Arizona Farmers Reach Out to Consumers during Food Check-Out Week (fillyourplate.org)
• Farmers, Ranchers Contribute to Needy Families Across America (fillyourplate.org)