Preserving Our Heritage with New Traditions

On the western side of Laurel is the Laurel Farmstead. The Farmstead includes a 25-acre local farm, a fresh produce stand with a café, and a community center and fields that will host events and festivities throughout the year. With the sunny Yuma climate, long growing seasons and abundance of water resulting from Yuma’s historic water rights on the Colorado River, this area of the property has been in continuous agricultural use.

If you’re a “locavore,” meaning you’re someone who is committed to sourcing and eating food grown in your area, you’ll find it’s never been easier. And you won’t be alone. There are many reasons to eat local, including:

• Your dollars stay in the community and support the local economy
• A greater percentage of every dollar you spend goes to the farmer, helping to preserve farmland and farming as a livelihood
• The food/produce is less susceptible to food-born bacteria and is therefore safer
• It’s fresher, resulting in less waste and better taste
• Fewer resources are required for packaging and transportation
• The need for pesticides and preservatives is minimized
• Local farmland provides a natural habitat for wildlife