Neal Brooks
President & Founder
Growers Market, Inc. was established in 1976 by Neal Brooks, the President and Founder. Starting from
his backyard, Neal slowly and successfully grew the company to what it is today. As of Today, Growers
Market, Inc. has three prime locations around Arizona. These three different climate facilities allow
Growers Market to grow everything naturally. One of the key concepts and mission is to ensure the
public that everything is locally grown.
Phoenix, AZ – The Phoenix location, located just west of 7th avenue on baseline, sits on 4 acres covered
with poly houses. This helps keep infrequent frost away, as well as the dreadful summer heat.
Willcox, AZ – The Willcox Greenhouse sits on 155 acres with a 1,000,000 Square foot greenhouse which
consists of house plants, geraniums, and combo pots. This 1,000,000 Square Foot greenhouse is very
high tech and has all of the bells and whistles needed for maximum production. Willcox, AZ has some of
the best water in the state.
Safford, AZ – “The Farm” – sits on 763 acres. This is where the hay farm, 40 acres of Elderica Pines and
20 acres of fall mums and color production sits. The Farm also consists of a 100,000 Square Foot
greenhouse.
Abby Lee Brooks is the youngest daughter of Neal and Felice Brooks. Neal started growing and selling
plants in 1974 when he was 12 years old. In 2005, Neal purchased 763 acres of farmland in Geronimo,
Arizona. He began growing fruits and vegetables on a small-scale along with hundreds of acres of alfalfa.
In 1985, Neal purchased a 3.5 acre greenhouse in Phoenix, Arizona. In 2013, Neal transformed his 3.5
acre, 120,000 Sq. Ft. plant greenhouse into a high-tech hydroponic growing facility. The modern Abby
Lee brand was born.
Items we use:
Tomatoes
McClendon's Select
McClendon's Select is a family-run, certified organic farm located on 25 acres in Peoria, Arizona. Three
generations of the McClendon family grow over 100 varieties of organic fruits and vegetables, along
with dates, honey and bee pollen. Our produce is sold at twice-weekly farmers' markets in the Phoenix
area and to top award-winning restaurants throughout Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff and Sedona. For the
past decade, we have created this farm to providing the highest quality organic produce, always
harvested and delivered at its peak of freshness in the season.
Items We source:
Tomatoes, Citrus, Honey, Greens, dates, various vegetables depending on the time of the year.
I'm a fourth generation Arizona farmer, who began
my farming career the summer of my 8th birthday, hoeing weeds and helping with the irrigation of our
family farm's (Agricultural Enterprises Inc.), cotton, alfalfa and grain fields throughout the southwest
valley. I became a tractor operator at the age of 10, and a regional supervisor at 16.
While still in highschool, at my dad's suggestion and with great encouragement and assistance, I leased
35 acres in Laveen for cotton production. The profit from the crops both paid for college, and instilled a
strong entreprenurial spirit. Post college, I founded Agrizona III, a Laveen and South Mountain based
farming operation engaged in producing the traditional Arizona crops I had grown up with, and I began
growing broccoli, cantaloupes and watermelons with AEI.
The early '90s brought urban encroachment and dwindling commodity prices, which prompted
exploration into alternative, specialty crops. An informal poll of some of the valley's most influential
chefs produced a resounding "YES", when asked if there was interest in fresher, locally grown exotic
produce. In 1996, with tremendous input from the local chef community, I started growing exotic,
specialty produce full time. My brother's Sunfresh Farms(now Duncan Family Farms), had already begun
growing conventional vegetables, and they provided valuable experience.
Today, we continue to work very closely with our chef clients, relying on their input to maintain the very
highest quality in our over 150 varieties of seasonal sustainable specialties. I look forward to the
challenges presented by the chef's annual planting "requests", which resulted in the first Tuscan Kale
planted in this region, cardoon, and this year's Angelica.
It's been a delicious ride, and I look forward to seeing you at my annual "Farmer in the House" dining
series, Vincent's Camelback Market every Saturday morning, or at any of the better restaurants
throughout our beautiful state.
Best wishes,
Pat Duncan
Gentleman Farmer
What We Grow
6 varieties of fresh beans including dragon tongue and multi-colored haricots verts
6 varities of multi-colored beets
5 varieties of multi-colored bell peppers
10 varieties of broccoli, brussels sprouts & multi-colored cauliflower
8 varieties of multi-colored carrots including purple, white and round
5 varieties of chiles
4 varieties of cucumbers; 8 varieties of multi-colored eggplant
12 varieties of greens, both for fresh salad use and braising
18 varieties of lettuces, plus endive, escarole and radicchio
8 varieties of exotic melons, plus 5 varieties of multi-colored watermelons
7 varieties of multi-colored radishes, plus 2 varieties of turnips
6 varieties of onions, leeks and fennel
18 varieties of summer and hardshell winter squash
15 varieties of multi-colored cherry and full-sized tomatoes
A mix of experimental crops, to keep it fresh and everchanging
Two Wash Ranch
Two Wash is a five-acre poultry farm raising
chickens, ducks, geese and pea fowl in a cage-free
environment. Dave the Egg Man, as the proprietor
is known, also grows some interesting specialty
garlic, squash and herbs.
Terms:
Recipe:
Chimichurri- red wine vinegar, salt, garlic, shallot, Fresno chili, cilantro, parsley, oregano, Evoo, Lemon
zest.
Fines Herbes- Blend of parsley, chervil, tarragon & chive.
Roux-is flour and fat cooked together and used to thicken sauces.
Semifreddo- is a class of semi-frozen desserts.
Steak Tartare- NY Strip, truffle oil, olive oil, ketchup, worcestershire, salt, pepper, red wine vinegar,
brandy, Dijon.
Veloute- A velouté sauce is a white stock-based sauce thickened with a roux that is one of the five
"mother sauces," meaning that it is the basis for a number of other sauces.