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19 Mortimer Family Farms Bringing Back An Arizona Tradition If getting back to nature and learning how a farm grows healthy food sounds like a great family outing, then Mortimer Family Farms is the destination for you! Mortimer Family Farms resides where Young's Farm used to greet many who would visit Yavapai County for exciting "on the farm" festivities throughout the year. After Young's Farm sold the property to developers, plans fell through for development of the land. With the exciting prospect of bringing the farm back to life, the Mortimer family leased the land and began the process of re-awakening one of Arizona's favorite family traditions! The Mortimer family plans to bring back many of the old traditions of Young's Farm while adding some new and exciting ones of their own; adding an on- site nursery and seasonal vegetable stands, with the replanting of fields to include sweet corn, vegetables and the "Great Pumpkin Patch." You will want to come back time and time again for each season. As spring arrives, you'll want to drop in at Easter for an egg hunt and enjoy the fun springtime festivities. Then it's planting season and time for "Bloomfest" where you'll want to pick out those special plants to beautify your landscaping. In July, enjoy the Sweet Corn Festival quickly followed in October by the harvesting of pumpkins and the fall Pumpkin Festival. As the holiday season approaches, you'll find both fresh cut and live trees while you experience "Christmas on the Farm." Indeed, as the farm grows, the festivals and events are sure to grow too. Because of community support and a fantastic vision for the future, Mortimer Family Farms has become a reality! When you are planning a weekend of fun, Mortimer Family Farms is a perfect place to visit. This active farm is located at the corners of Highway 69 & 169 in Dewey-Humboldt. Open throughout the year, enjoy what has been cultivated with loving hands and keep coming back! For more details on their story and all the events and happenings as each season approaches visit their website at www. MortimerFamilyFarms.com. A Day at the Zoo Educational, Fun and Entertaining Situated on ten acres north of Prescott and overlooking Willow Lake, the Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary is a great place to visit that is not only educational but offers many opportunities for new residents and visitors alike; including a covered picnic pavilion, a children's playground, and large, naturally landscaped enclosures for the animals with paths that allow an up-close and personal view. One of the most interesting exhibits, is the Tarantula Grotto. This building has a distinctive cave-like feel, and houses different spiders from all over the world. This is one of the largest public displays of spiders in the country. There are also two interactive enclosures: the Wallaby Walk-About and Kiwanis Korner Animal Encounter. Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary is a nonprofit wildlife sanctuary, dedicated to the conservation and protection of native and exotic animals. The Sanctuary provides a unique experience with animals that visitors may see nowhere else. The animals have a story and lesson to teach that include a tiger who came from a zoo in Nebraska that lost its permits; an American Black Bear who came to the sanctuary as a cub when his mother was illegally shot by a hunter; a gray fox who was rescued as a youngster from the Phoenix area where she was found alone and half drowned near a pool; and a mountain lion who was confiscated through a joint effort between the Sanctuary and AZ Game and Fish, after she was found being kept illegally as a pet in Arizona. The sanctuary's motto is "Conservation through Education." Throughout the year, the sanctuary hosts a number of special events such as Breakfast with the Wolves, Zoofest, Eggstravaganza, Boo at the Zoo, moonlight events and Zoo Camp for kids. For more information on a day at the Sanctuary and how you can become involved, call (928) 778-4242 or visit www.heritageparkzoo.org. AZStateParks.com AZStateParks Camping Reservation Center (520) 586-2283 Jerome State Historic Park Tonto Natural Bridge PHOENIX Flagstaff Jerome Riordan Mansion Slide Rock Red Rock Dead Horse Ranch Prescott Fort Verde Sedona Homolovi Payson Show proof of admission to any Arizona National Park with this coupon and receive One Free Adult State Park Admission with One Paid Admission OR SAVE $1 OFF any vehicle admission (up to 4 people). Prescott Visitors Guide Courtesy of Mortimer Family Farms