GILBERT — 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.

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)

GILBERT — This growing Phoenix suburb 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.

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)
Ernesto Alba, farmer, smells red onions while harvesting at Agritopia Farms, Gilbert, Arizona, June 5, 2025. In addition to farming food for selling, Agritopia offers Farm Boxes for community members to grow their own crops. “Our Farm Box program goes all summer so people can eat and enjoy the summer crops,” said Kelly Saxer, lead farmer. (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)
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)
A man and a pregnant woman sitting side by side, the man in a white patterned shirt and the woman in a blue top and colorful skirt.
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, washes recently harvested vegetables at Agritopia Farms, Gilbert, Arizona, June 12, 2025. Farmers start their mornings at 5 a.m., harvesting until 11 a.m., then washing and packing harvested food until 2 p.m. (Photo by Kayla Christenson/Cronkite News)
From left, Kelly Saxer, lead farmer, and Alex Auzeta, farmer, talk while packing food at Agritopia Farms, Gilbert, Arizona, June 12, 2025. All harvested food is packed into smaller containers, meeting order requirements for Farm Box subscriptions and local vendor orders. (Photo by Kayla Christenson/Cronkite News)
Carrots soak in water before being washed in preparation for packing and shipping off at Agritopia Farms, Gilbert, Arizona, June 12, 2025. Agritopia changes their offered fruit and vegetables throughout the year because of the summer months not allowing certain foods to grow. During the summer vegetables grow like eggplants, red onions, cucumber and spinach. (Photo by Kayla Christenson/Cronkite News)
Sebastian Grasser, farmer, packs eggplants into boxes at Agritopia Farms, Gilbert, Arizona, June 12, 2025. While packing food, music plays in the background and light chatter fills the barn. (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)

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Kayla Christenson expects to graduate in summer 2025 with a master's degree in mass communications. Christenson served four years in the U.S. Air Force, where she earned Photojournalist of the Year in...