GREEN VALLEY, Arizona -- Soak up some Western history, shop for antiques and collectibles and get your own copy of the newly published Canoa Ranch cookbook at the spring Heritage Fair at Historic Canoa Ranch from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 9. The event, which is free and open to the public, is sponsored by Pima County Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation (NRPR). The ranch is located at 5375 S. I-19 Frontage Road, exit 56 off of Interstate 19.
Volunteers will be stationed in the buildings housing permanent exhibits to help visitors navigate the history and stories of Canoa. Those exhibits include:
- The Manning Family exhibit detailing their ranching history at Canoa;
- The George Redondo Proctor collection, showcasing numerous items from a local cattle rancher whose father was foreman of Canoa Ranch back in 1875;
- The Scotch Farms exhibit, offering an overview of the farm’s role in bringing purebred Herefords to Canoa Ranch; and
- The Mexicano Vaquero Family exhibit, featuring families who worked and lived on the ranch.
As part of the continuation and expansion of the Mexicano Vaquero exhibit housed in the Grijalva House, Historic Canoa Ranch will preview a new Canoa cookbook: Recuerdos y Recetas; Memories & Recipes of the Mexicano Families of Rancho de la Canoa.
“This book is more than a cookbook,” said Valerie Samoy, special staff assistant with NRPR. “It’s a compilation of recipes and family stories with photos of the ‘Children of Canoa’ collected and edited by Amanda Salcido Castillo, who grew up at Canoa, and Patricia Preciado Martin, a native Arizonan and author.”
Members of the families of Canoa will be present to introduce the book at 9:30 a.m. The cookbook will be available for sale, with proceeds benefiting the restoration of the Tradesman House – the ranch’s next project.
The Heritage Fair also will feature vendors selling antiques and crafts; artists with original pieces; blacksmith demonstrations; the NRPR Environmental Education Program and their “Living with Urban Wildlife” trailer; food trucks; musicians; and ballet folklorico dancers. Guest speakers will give presentations in the Manning Jr./Schnaufer House on the history of the
Southwest. Throughout the day, several musical acts will perform, including (tentatively) an appearance of Peter Ronstadt and his band, PD Ronstadt & The Company.
In 2001, Pima County purchased and began to restore the 4,800-acre Canoa Ranch complex with voter-approved 1997 and 2004 bond funds. Pima County opened the ranch headquarters to the public in March 2013. It is named for Arizona Congressman Raúl Grijalva, who was raised at the ranch and championed its preservation.
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