Mortimer Farms is back at PFM this summer! Recently we asked Gary and Sharla Mortimer how Mortimer Farms came to be, their current endeavors and future goals. They shared some great answers and a whole lot more!
Tell us about yourselves: We are Gary and Sharla Mortimer, owners of Mortimer Farms in Dewey, AZ.
How long have you been in business? We’ve been in business for 11 years.
How long have you been a vendor at PFM? On and off for a few years during the summer seasons.
What do you sell, generally speaking? Mortimer Farms vegetables, berries, melons, corn, and more. We grow 54 different crops!
How would you describe one of your products to someone who has never tried it before? Mortimer Farms sweet corn is absolutely delicious! It is a hybrid variety with both white and yellow kernels. This combination and variety is known to be the sweetest in the world. So good you can eat it raw. Corn season is July through September!
How do your products differ from store bought products? Mortimer Farms is able to ripen all of our crops on the plant. Why? We harvest our crops the same day they reach our customer’s hands. This allows our customers to enjoy the amazing taste of plant ripened veggies and berries the day that they were harvested.
What is your top selling product? We have more than just one top seller; customers can’t get enough tomatoes, corn, and blackberries!
Do you have a “fun fact” about yourself, your business or product? The farmland we are caregivers of was slated for development. The Mortimer family leased and maintained the farm for 10 years. In 2020, by a miracle and a surprise to the Mortimer family, team, and community, the farm was put up for auction and purchased by the Mortimer family. A miracle that brought the farm back to farming – a farm that will continue to provide food to the community for generations to come.
How do you typically prepare to attend the market? Preparation for the Farmers Market begins at 3am the morning of. As we are harvesting and loading our produce truck we are thinking of your family.
Do you vend at other markets? Which one(s)? The crops we grow are available at the Prescott Farmers Market, The Country Store (our farm market), and in our fields as guests enjoy the pick your own experience.
What is special about your business? What sets you apart? Mortimer Farms opens our gates to the public. It is our mission to connect your family to your food. A mission that gives your family the experience of knowing your farming, visiting the farm where your food is grown, and hearing the story of your food.
What are your business plans for the future? Our future plans – grow food, care for the environment, conserve natural resources (including water), be caregivers to our animals, connect your family to your food, and continuously learn in an effort to be better at our job every day.
Why is supporting local agriculture and business important to you? Supporting local agriculture and business is vital to our society. By doing so, not only are we supporting local dreams, businesses, and families, but we are creating a community that has food security. Everybody has to eat. Food is a basic human right.
What is your favorite product to buy from another PFM vendor? All of the tasty baked goods! WOW!
What is your favorite market memory? We love being a part of the community, visiting with the market attendees, and growing those relationships.
What else would you like customers to know about you and your business? Mortimer Farms is passionate about farming and ranching. We are blessed to be a part of the agriculture community; a community that is working together to feed our community, and care for our land.
How can customers stay in touch? Visit our website and follow us on Instagram and Facebook to see our upcoming community events on the farm as well as what we are planting, growing and harvesting! Of course, visit us Saturdays at PFM. Look for our big red truck!