San Xavier Cooperative Farm: Reviving Traditional Tohono O'odham Agriculture

Since 1971, the San Xavier Cooperative Farm has worked to preserve and revitalize the agricultural heritage of the Tohono O'odham Nation. For generations, Tohono O'odham families cultivated this land using an intricate canal system fed by the Santa Cruz River. These canals sustained a thriving agricultural tradition until water shortages disrupted farming in the mid-20th century. In 1975, the Tribe secured a vital water settlement, laying the foundation for renewed productivity and cultural renewal.

Today, the farm is a vibrant center for traditional foodways, growing indigenous crops such as tepary beans, squash, and corn—staples of the Tohono O'odham diet. Through this restoration, the farm supports food sovereignty and reconnects the community to ancestral knowledge.

Located just 15 miles south of Tucson and 65 miles west of the main Tohono O'odham Nation, the San Xavier Cooperative Farm offers guided tours, hayrides and hands-on experiences in its community garden. Visitors can explore sustainable growing practices and gain a deeper understanding of the land's cultural significance.

The Farm Store features a variety of farm-grown and wild-harvested products, including tepary beans, mesquite flour, honey and prickly pear syrup. Catering, provided by the Farm Kitchen, highlights traditional Tohono O'odham cuisine—prepared with locally grown and wild foods harvested by farm staff. Menu favorites include ciolim (cholla bud) tamales, mesquite cookies and lemon scones made with bahidaj kaij (saguaro seeds), offering an authentic taste of the desert landscape.

Through community-centered farming, education, and enterprise, the San Xavier Cooperative Farm continues to cultivate resilience, cultural pride and a deep connection to the land.

The farm is Certified Naturally Grown and uses no chemical pesticides or fertilizers.