4 | San Manuel Miner
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A Different Kind of Desert
By Linda Lyon Special to Copper Area News For those who’ve never lived in a desert, the word likely conjures up a picture of a vast wasteland of shifting sands void of water and the life sustained by it. Residents of the Sonoran Desert know that life is abundant in the high desert. Unfortunately, grocery stores are one of the things that aren’t abundant, especially in the Tri-Community area. This lack of ready access (within 10 miles) to a supermarket or large grocery store, combined with a poverty level of 20 percent or higher describes another kind of desert – a “food desert.” Technically, only Mammoth with 24.5 percent of its residents living below the poverty line (as of 2014 data), meets the full definition. But San Manuel at 18.6 percent and Oracle at 17.9 percent aren’t
far off. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines food deserts as “urban neighborhoods and rural towns without ready access to fresh, healthy, and affordable food” and reports that more than 23 million Americans live in one. Arizona has more than 4,000 food deserts and with 13.6 percent of Arizonans living in one, far exceeds the national average of 4.8 percent of people residing in such areas. Food deserts aren’t only inconvenient; they present significant health concerns. The processed foods carried by more readily available convenience stores are typically high in fat, sugar and sodium and research shows that regular consumption of such foods can lead to obesity, shortened lifespan, heart disease and diabetes. These outcomes are especially prevalent among higher poverty residents forced not
only to make do with less healthy options, but also pay higher prices for them. And although access is key, it isn’t the only challenge since parents who aren’t raised on fresh fruits and vegetables are unlikely to seek it for their children. But, it is the first step, and Arizona’s Department of Health Services (AZ DHS) is addressing it with their Arizona Health Improvement Plan. Potential solutions include: partnering with local stores to offer healthier options, farms, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), food recovery program, food hubs, mobile food markets, and community gardens. Several such solutions are underway in the town of Oracle. The Oracle Women’s Network initiated The Learning Garden, a concept
November 30, 2016
designed to teach people how to garden, help with a place to grow food, and share time and knowledge between neighbors. They had 30 or so people attend the first meeting this month and many good ideas were discussed. In addition to repurposing Liberty Park (the old skateboard park) as the community garden, they discussed developing an orchard. A committee of residents headed by Linda Leigh is now working with Pinal County Parks and Open Spaces to bring the concept to fruition (pun intended). The County is prepared to lease the park to the community for $1 per year for 10 years and provide startup funds and water subsidies. Linda is excited about the potential Continued on page 5
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Linda Lyon | Miner