In this issue…

_Lifestyle
Hold on to your chickens
_{Local News Roundup
Opt Out News}
Opt Out Expo guide
_{Water News}
A new era of rural groundwater policy
_{Adoption Options}
Do you need a donkey?

Hold on to your chickens

It’s a good time to have chickens. Or know someone who does. In a world where the economy feels like a rigged casino, the simple, stubborn reliability of a chicken laying an egg still holds weight.

Egg prices in 2020 were a joke, but no one’s laughing now. Back then, you could still grab a dozen for around $1.50. By late 2022, $4, $5, even $7 in some unlucky spots. The cause? Depends who you ask. COVID, avian flu, fuel costs, “Bidenomics”, feed prices.

Lisa Bednar, president of Arizona Food Marketing Alliance, told Green Valley News:

“They've had to euthanize millions of laying hens over, especially, the last few months. … So, it becomes kind of a supply-and-demand issue where there's just not the product there available for what the customers are looking for."

Today, eggs are practically a luxury item. And prices are still going up — another 8% since December. And the USDA predicts another 20% price hike in 2025.

It’s gotten so bad that someone in Pennsylvania just stole 100,000 eggs.

So is it worth it to invest in a backyard chicken operation? The chicken supply vendors say “of course it is.” Here’s their math:

Their estimate above doesn’t account for upfront costs, which they put at $600 — but $450 of that is the cost for a coop — and we’re all DIY low-cost builders around here, so you can probably figure out a much cheaper rig.

Dirt cheap, in fact.

Local homestead heroes Tiny Shiny Home built a hyperadobe chicken palace (above). You can read about how they did it here.

If you’ve got your own numbers for backyard egg costs, write in and set the record straight!

Local News Roundup

The proof is in the pastries: Bisbee resident Jackie Oatman isn’t sure how it happened. One day she’s slinging hot dogs in San Jose, the next she’s a James Beard semifinalist. “Outstanding Bakery”, they say. She laughs, shakes her head. “I’m just a little bakery in a little town,” she tells Lyda Longa with the Herald/Review. But the town knows better. They know the Lavender Pit brownies, the elote croissants, the lemon bars that taste like bottled Arizona sunshine. Six years in, she’s got a staff of seven, a pack of French poodles, and a place in the national spotlight. The big-time food people will decide in April — but the folks lined up outside? They’ve already declared her a winner. Visit Patisserie Jacqui Thursday 11am to 4pm, Friday and Saturday 10am to 5pm, and Sunday 9am to 3pm.

Doubling down on local food: The Local Co-op in Mc Neal is making moves. SNAP users can now stretch their benefits with Double Up Bucks, a 50% discount on locally produced foods. Farm boxes? Now easier to grab, with pickup spots from Bisbee to Sunsites. February brings a Produce Prescription Program, dishing out free, locally grown produce to folks who need it, plus some spending cash for personal fitness. And for those tired of drowning in plastic, the co-op’s new refill station lets you bring your own jar, cut the waste, and pay only for the soap. Hector Acuna talks with Local Co-op boss Jillain Werhowatz here.

Political bribery: Still haven’t weighed in on the 2025 County Comprehensive Plan? County officials are sweetening the deal with a raffle prize — you’re automatically entered into the contest when you complete the survey. Winners get a Cochise County-themed gift basket including: A live succulent, mesquite honey, prickly pear jam, scorpion candy, sunglasses, and a water bottle. Tell the county how much you love opt out permits!

Hereford: Fire in the dry grass, kicked up fast by the wind, moving like it had a place to be. It sparked off Weik Ranch Road just before 3 p.m., licking too close to buildings, pushing Cochise County Emergency Services to call for a "SET" status — bags by the door, keys in hand, ready to run if the flames got hungry. But the crews hit it hard, fast. By sundown, it was under control, just smoldering embers and the slow, steady work of mop-up teams. And local legislative Rep. Gail Griffin wants to make sure that utility companies are off the hook when their infrastructure might be the problem. She passed a bill through her committee that says as long as utilities have a fire “mitigation plan”, they can be protected from class action lawsuits when homes burn down.

Baskets, blankets, and baseballs: Former ballplayer Terry DeWald has spent 58 years making sure Native artisans get the respect (and the price) they deserve. And he’s bringing his Vintage Basket and Weaving Show to Dragoon’s Amerind Museum on Jan. 25. Over 100 baskets, spanning the Southwest to Alaska, plus Navajo rugs and blankets — pieces that hold stories, not just patterns. At 1 p.m., DeWald will spin some history in a lecture on the art and its makers. Admission is free, but if you fall in love with a piece, take it home — every dollar goes back to the artists.

Take the money and learn: The Arizona Community Foundation just cracked open its scholarship vault — 150+ awards, one application, easy as that. Last year, they threw down $5.6 million for over 1,300 students. High schoolers, college grinders, grad students, and adult learners are all welcome to apply. You can even use the cash to sign up for Cochise College’s new Viticulture Program and break into the growing local wine industry. Deadlines creep up fast, some as early as March, so don’t sleep on it. They’ve got workshops to help you through the application process. See all their scholarship options here.

…And if you’ve got a passion for the arts, the Artemizia Foundation wants to fund it. Their new art scholarship at Cochise College covers fine and digital media classes, no art major required. Just sign up for one course, share a few words on why art matters to you, and show ‘em some of your work. Winners get more than money — they’ll step inside the museum world, learning how exhibits come to life. Apps close Feb. 28 — learn more.

The Willcox wagon: Local Justin Coffman decided to do something about the lack of Lyft and Uber options by launching his own ride-share service, covering town and beyond: Bowie, San Simon, Pearce, Sunsites. Hotels, Walmart runs, airport pickups, even stranded tourists in the Chiricahuas — he’s done it all. No app needed, cash works too. Text Justin: 520-508-6784.

2nd Opt Out Expo Guide

Local opt out booster Clay Greathouse is at it again. Last year over 200 people showed up for the 1st Annual Opt Out Expo, including travelers from across the country who are wanting to build their dream home here in Cochise County.

This year’s expo will have a wide range of folks setting up presentations and offerings for the local builder community.

But unlike last year, I don’t have to make a bunch of bagel sandwiches because catering will be provided by the nearby Kountry Kafe. Here’s their menu:

The event goes from 9am to 2pm. At 10am, former Cochise County employee Robert Kirschmann will give a presentation on the process and details involved with getting a permit.

Local info booths include:

Tiny Shiny Home & Our Self-Reliant Life - Popular Youtubers building naturally

Promise Domes - If you’ve seen a geodesic dome home in Cochise County, they probably built it

Mojave Center - The local superadobe construction school

Lighthouse Electric and Solar - Everyone’s favorite off-grid solar installer

American Dirt Properties & Desert Rat Realty - They’ll help you find the parcel of your dreams

Rustic Burro - Custom container homes

Simmons Fluid Solutions - Because you’re gonna need water

Smith Septic Service - Because your water needs somewhere to go

You can opt out of corporate news by supporting the Ground Party Papers. It’s cheaper than a carton of free range eggs :)

Rural Arizona’s new era

As previously mentioned, I’m on a new water beat with an offshoot of the Arizona Agenda called — you guessed it — the Water Agenda.

It comes out weekly, and I’ve already got a few articles in the bag:

• Welcome aboard the Water Agenda: An overview of the water situation in Arizona, an intro to all the key players in the story, and more.

• Arizona heads East: Some people say we can just pipe water from the Mississippi River — but the logic is murkier than the river itself.

• Ugly Arizona sunsets: Rep. Gail Griffin would like to get rid of the AMA designations in Douglas and Willcox. But what happens when you pull the plug?

And today, we published Rural Arizona’s Watershed Moment, a deep dive into a new proposed law which reimagines groundwater policy for Rural Arizona.

The Willcox and Douglas AMAs have been controversial, to say the least. And as tools for groundwater management, they leave plenty to be desired. But at least they’ve forced lawmakers to start crafting better tools.

A coalition of rural Republican leaders, including Willcox Mayor Greg Hancock and local farmer Ed Curry, along with state Democrats, have banded together and introduced a new bill this year.

Why? Because they’re tired of city wells going dry as Saudi and California megafarms take as much water as they can suck.

The new bill ditches the controversial Willcox AMA and replaces it with a Rural Groundwater Management Area, giving local leaders control over conservation goals and forcing big water users to cut back by at least 10% in the first decade. It also establishes these Areas for four other groundwater basins, including the nearby San Simon Valley Basin.

But the fight won’t be easy. Rep. Gail Griffin, the longtime gatekeeper of water bills, has killed similar efforts before, and she’s signaled no interest in stepping aside this time around. But Governor Hobbs has been playing hardball too. She’s already shown she’ll keep designating AMAs until lawmakers come up with a new option.

Adoption Options

Got space for a wild one? The BLM is looking for homes for Arizona’s wild burros and horses, with adoption events set for March 1-2 in Marana at the Marana Heritage Center, and March 4-5 in Willcox at Quail Park.

Arizona leads the nation in wild burro populations, and these adoptions help manage the herds. Prices start at $125 for untrained animals, with trained burros and horses going higher. Inmate trainers from Arizona Corrections Industries will run demos at 11 a.m., showing just how trainable these animals can be.

It’s first come, first served — but you can skip the lines by adopting online ahead of time.

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