Photo by Paul Mirocha
Agave Heritage Festival at Mission Garden
‘Ignite Agave Traditions and Roasting Pit Opening’
Saturday April 29, 2023, 7am to noon
At Mission Garden’s Agave Roasting Pit and Placita (Kitchen area)
FREE with suggested donation at Garden entrance
Explore the truly amazing tradition of agave use in our region–from Hohokam times to today–in this immersive morning event as part of the larger Agave Heritage Festival.
The garden opens early for a 7am agave planting. All are welcome to help expand Mission Garden's thriving agave cultivation sites. We’ll employ some ancient agricultural techniques once used by Hohokam farmers. Partner organizations Bat Conservation International and Borderlands Restoration Network will help lead the project, providing insight on biodiversity and the ecological of these drought tolerant plants. No experience necessary; long pants and hats are recommended. All tools and gloves will be provided. Families are welcome!
Archaeologists Paul and Suzanne Fish will make a presentation about Hohokam agave cultivation and how it was not only used for food but also for its strong fiber, which can be put to a wide variety of uses.
In what is now a great Mission Garden tradition, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Conservation Research Associate Jesús García demonstrates how agave were roasted historically in this region, and still today in Mexico. Watch roasted agaves taken out of the garden’s pit oven after being cooked there for about 48 hours. Jesús shares this rich and sweet resource with visitors and describes how agaves are not only a food of the past but a potential, very drought-tolerant, food of the future!
Come get in on the bottom floor of this new agave movement!
Exhibitors and Vendors
Antonio Belvado (Apache Agave violin maker)
Slow Foods chef Barry Infuso
Tucson Chocolate Factory
Artist Maria Arvayo, with artwork that featured agaves,
Borderlands Restoration Network
Bat Conservation International
Parch, non-alcoholic beverages based on agave
Ritual Chocolate
MG will offer Orangeade and Agave Raspados made with Mission Garden’s agave syrup.
Schedule
7:00am - 9:00am MG leads agave planting workshop w/collaboration of Bat Conservation International and Borderlands Restoration Network.
8:00am - 12:00pm Exhibitors, Tabling, Vendors, Demonstrations
9:00am - 9:30am Suzanne and Paul Fish presentation: Hohokam agave cultivation and fiber arts in the Tucson basin
9:30am - 10:15am Holly Houghten gives presentation on the importance of agave in Mescalero Apache traditions
10:30am - 12:00am Jesús García demonstrates local agave roasting, offers tasting
11:55am Raffle winners announced
12:00pm Event Ends
Please contact Kendall Kroesen, kendall@missiongarden.org, (520) 955-5200 x2 for additional information
Partner Organizations
Sponsors
Whose mission is to inspire people to live in harmony with the natural world by fostering love, appreciation, and understanding of the Sonoran Desert
Explore More
