SCHAFFER FARMS

Schaffer Farms is a small family farm located on a lush 6.5-acre property in Paulden, AZ. Joseph Schaffer has been growing food and saving seeds most of his life, and when he purchased the property 15 years ago, he broke ground right away with the planting of fruit trees throughout the property while continuing to grow food to support himself and his family. Joseph works the land with his wife Shaunte and their three children Elsa, Joseph, and Tristan. The family receives most of their sustenance from the food grown on the farm, including wheat and corn which they grind into four and meal. They have peacocks that serve as the guard dogs for the chickens, and they recently built a large greenhouse which allows Joseph to propagate new plants from cuttings or from seed. Currently a ¼ acre of the property is in cultivation, however, don’t let the small scale deceive you. Joseph uses every foot strategically, and with the surplus offered by the greenhouse the Schaffers joined our market in the summer of 2019. As Certified Natural Growers, they grow an impressive variety of vegetables. At the market, you can expect to see carrots, radishes, okra, peas, squash, and gorgeous tomatoes and peppers. You should anticipate finding a variety of berries at the Schaffer Farms booth in summer markets to come, for Joseph is always adding to his ever-growing rows of strawberries and blackberries. Joseph is a wealth of information on saving seeds and growing food from seeds, so if you catch him at the market don’t be shy!