The growing Phoenix suburb of Gilbert is home to many farming areas, with its empty and flat landscapes providing opportunity to grow crops. Agritopia was one of the firsts to plant its roots in Gilbert. Now the farm has turned into a planned community spanning 11 acres nestled south of Loop 202. The community features shops, restaurants and housing alongside farming areas. Agritopia farmers supply local restaurants with vegetables and fruit year-round, a rare benefit farmers see across the state. The cool, dry climate of Arizona ensures crops all year although the harvest changes. Winter might boast lettuce but in the summer farmers switch to spinach.
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Sebastian Grasser, farmer, harvests red onions at Agritopia Farms, Gilbert, Arizona, June 5, 2025. Agritopia offers a unique benefit being in Arizona where the climate is cool and dry all year-round. During the summer, farmers wake up early to beat the heat and harvest crops before the temperature ruins them. This benefit provides year-round work for farmers. (Photo by Kayla Christenson/Cronkite News)
Farmers separate red onions at Agritopia Farms, Gilbert, Arizona, June 5, 2025. “We plant seasonally, so crops that do well in the hot, dry season,” said Kelly Saxon, lead farmer. “We also do a really deep irrigation, using our drip line to water slowly and for a long period of time, up to 12 hours, so that the water can soak down into the soil, pushing salt down past the roots and allowing the clay in our soil to hold water during the week.” (Photo by Kayla Christenson/Cronkite News)
Kelly Saxer, lead farmer, harvests eggplants at Agritopia Farms, Gilbert, Arizona, June 5, 2025. Harvested vegetables are separated into bins, then taken to a barn where food is washed and packed in smaller containers for orders. (Photo by Kayla Christenson/Cronkite News)
From top, Kelly Saxer, lead farmer, and Jordan Burrows, farmer, harvest vegetables at Agritopia Farms, Gilbert, Arizona, June 5, 2025. To spread the information that Agritopia is still harvesting during summer months, they participate in farmers markets. “We continue to participate in the Gilbert Farmers Market every Saturday all summer long,” said Kelly Saxer, lead farmer. “So that the public can see all the great things that grow, even during the harsh summer months.” (Photo by Kayla Christenson/Cronkite News)
Grapes hang from a vine at Agritopia Farms, Gilbert, Arizona, June 5, 2025. Kelly Saxer, lead farmer, explains the dry, cool, summer mornings are, “a unique benefit as there aren’t many climates in the world where you can farm all year round without any kind of environmental modifications like greenhouses or shade structures.” (Photo by Kayla Christenson/Cronkite News)
Jordan Burrows, farmer, puts carrots into a bin after washing the vegetables at Agritopia Farms, Gilbert, Arizona, June 12, 2025. Majority of the food is meant for Farm Box subscriptions or local vendors, leftover harvested foods are sold on-site at their farm store. (Photo by Kayla Christenson/Cronkite News)
