Wild Harvest Program
The San Xavier Cooperative Farm (SXCF) educates the local community on harvesting, preserving and cooking traditional wild Sonoran Desert foods.
After attending an educational workshop, tribal members are certified to participate in the farm’s Pay by the Pound Program giving them the ability to sell their wild foraged foods to the farm in their raw state. The farm pays by the pound for ciolim (cholla buds), wihog (mesquite pods), and i:bha’i (prickly pear fruit) when in season. SXCF then processes and preserves the foods to be sold in the farm store and to local businesses, restaurants and through other avenues. For some, this is a great way to earn extra income while spending time outdoors with family and friends.
This program offers a source of extra income and stimulates economic development around these healthy foods in San Xavier. These are foods that require only the natural rainfall to survive which is key for resiliency of the people in the desert southwest.
If you are a tribal member or a tribal organization interested in fundraising opportunities and would like to learn more about the program and how to participate please call the farm at (520) 295-3774 or email Jamie at [email protected].