Take the Ultimate Culinary Road Trip on Arizona's Fresh Foodie Trail®

(MESA, Ariz.) – Mesa's bountiful harvest is proudly shared with visitors. Here, fresh experiences and a treasured heritage of family farms and long-standing festivals make for lasting memories. Serving as a culinary gateway to Greater Phoenix, the neighboring farms in and around Mesa are providing a bounty of seasonal goods for visitors to enjoy year-round. Citrus in January, peaches in May, olives in October and even, heirloom wheat in the winter. Travelers can time their visits to experience chef-driven local dinners featuring Arizona winemakers and participate in ice cream making classes on a dairy farm. A dozen culinary-focused attractions and visitor experiences line the Fresh Foodie Trail that winds through Mesa and into Queen Creek, Arizona. These culinary offerings are all paired together in Visit Mesa's Fresh Foodie Trail – Agritourism Guide, now available for visitors. To download the guide, click here.

PUMPKINS & PEACHES IN QUEEN CREEK

Just down the road in Queen Creek, guests can make reservations for an exquisite dining experience at Schnepf Farms, a fourth generation family farm and the largest peach grower in Arizona. Schnepf Farms hosts their Dinners Down the Orchard program in the "middle of our peach orchard” on their 300 acre farm. Offered a handful of times a year, each one is hosted by a notable Valley chef and features the culinary bounty of the season. In February plan for the Peach Blossom Festival and peach picking in May. Every October residents look forward to the annual Pumpkin & Chili Festival. From corn mazes in the likeness of a celebrity, to hay rides, a country road rally, petting barn and pig races – down home, good ol' country celebrating is an experience to remember. Adding to the mix is midway-style carnival rides and the popular Pumpkin Launch and Witch Mountain giant slide.

A TASTE OF ITALY IN THE DESERT

Just east of Mesa is the Queen Creek Olive Mill, Arizona's only family-owned and operated working olive mill and farm where olives are grown and pressed for the production of high quality extra virgin olive oil. Grown at the base of the San Tan Mountains, an area known for its fertile soil, this flood plain region is famous for its high quality fruits and vegetables. The combination of long sunny days and cool desert nights provide the ideal growing conditions for the trees. After a tour and complimentary tasting of oils, olives and tapenades, guests are invited to dine at del Piero – the mill's Tuscan-inspired eatery featuring fresh gourmet sandwiches, as well as soups, salads, gelato and espresso. The most popular site at the mill is the Tuscany-inspired olive grove with more than 100 trees showcasing the variety of olives grown and harvested in Arizona.

DAIRY FARM FINDS FANS THROUGH UDDER DELIGHTS

Visitors to Mesa can roll up their sleeves and get a taste of life on the farm. At Superstition Farms in east Mesa, guests can enjoy on site is a petting zoo, Milk Bar featuring a dozen flavors including Butterscotch and Peaches & Cream, and the Mooster's Moo-tique, a fully stocked boutique featuring toys, novelty items, games, candy, fresh eggs, cheeses, and local jams and honey. Their ice cream, Udder Delights, features local farm ingredients and a fun take on flavors from potato chip and hot dog to avocado and strawberry-basil.

VERTICAL FARMING AT TRUE GARDEN IN MESA

At True Garden, Mesa native and Compound Pharmacist Troy Albright, R.Ph. has built a 5,000-square-foot vertical urban garden teaching people how to produce healthy and nutritious food using no soil. Featuring revolutionary hydroponic gardening, visitors can enjoy their weekly farmer's market featuring living produce and stay for seminars and food-education programming on organic growing practices, nutrition and overall health and wellness.

For more information on these and other stops on the Fresh Foodie Trail in Mesa City Limitless®, go online to Visit Mesa at www.VisitMesa.com.

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