Without the passage of Proposition 106, the grassroots effort to reform the State Land Department, Scottsdale residents could be asked to pass a third tax increase or end up losing more than 19,000 acres sought for the McDowell Sonoran Preserve.

Without the passage of Proposition 106, the grassroots effort to reform the State Land Department, Scottsdale residents could be asked to pass a third tax increase or end up losing more than 19,000 acres sought for the McDowell Sonoran Preserve.

In the middle of congested Glendale, there’s an old farm tucked behind high walls and date palms. Chickens and peacocks wander the grounds as they did in 1898, and roosters greet visitors with a hearty cock-a-doodle-do.

Schnepf Farms is a Queen Creek treasure. No, it’s more than that. It’s an Arizona treasure.

If you bought a product labeled "Simply 100% Fruit,’’ what would you think it contains?

Support your local economy while stocking up on fresh vegetables, jams, salsas, jellies, natural meats and handmade craft projects at Mesa Community Farmers Market.

This splendid tree of antiquity has the looks and personality of a peach or apple tree. While Europeans appreciate the quince, its popularity in the United States is only slight.

Mark Schnepf says things are peachy keen at his Queen Creek farm, and he's inviting people in to see just how fruity it really is.

Even though it’s actually a summer fruit, there’s something about figs that say fall. Maybe it’s the color of the dark, chewy, sweet flesh, or the crispness of the seeds, like the crisp autumn air.

Foraslong as humans have been drinking milk, they have been fermenting and culturing it to preserve it, producing what we know as yogurt.

Many fruits, particularly tropical varieties, are at the height of their season and it’s tempting to snatch up a bunch of them while they’re on sale at your favorite market or ripe on the trees in your garden.

Gardening can be an intoxicating hobby, especially if the botany is booze-related.

In addition to a fine budget that preserves the best of the Legislature’s and Gov. Napolitano’s priorities, Arizonans got a little bonus last week: The governor signed a measure that actually rolls back the state’s paternalistic reach. You probably know it as the liquor-sampling bill, which would allow supermarkets and other retail outlets to let customers sample beer, wine and distilled spirits like they long have done with soups, sausages and souffles.

January is pruning and planting time for trees, shrubs and roses.

Cherries are like love — occasionally darkly sweet and sometimes brightly tart. Either way, this full-bodied fruit makes your mouth water.

Cherries are like love — occasionally darkly sweet and sometimes brightly tart. Either way, this full-bodied fruit makes your mouth water.

Conservation, sustainable living and the science of the Sonoran Desert will be the topics of free lectures and presentations this summer.

September 1, 2004

The basic types of gourds are the cucurbita, or ornamental gourds; the lagenaria, or large utilitarian gourds; and the luffa, or vegetable-sponge gourds. Despite the invention of plastic, these worldwide wonders still hold an important place in our culture

The shock waves of cult wine movie classic “Sideways” are still being felt four years later. The first wave came soon after with our obsession with pinot noir, the red variety wine geek Miles endlessly blathered about. We couldn’t seem to get enough of the stuff in the first few months, and even years after the movie’s release.

Sometimes, even on a weeknight, you really crave a little dessert. But making dessert takes time, and you already are spending time cooking up the main event, namely dinner.

A lot of people say they can’t drink wine because the sulfites give them a headache. Some wine experts, though, contend the sulfites-headache connection is a myth.

Who says it's better to give than receive? I'd be thrilled to receive any of the bubblies below, and reluctant to give them up. That said, it's gauche to show up empty-handed to a holiday or New Year's Eve party, especially when good, affordable bottles abound.

I recently introduced my dad to port, the rich dessert wine from Portugal. He resembled Winnie the Pooh as he licked his chops and rubbed his belly. "It’s like nectar," he said raising his glass for another dram. "Delicious. How come I haven’t tried this before?"