On Sunday, Oct. 28, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Tumacácori will celebrate the harvest season during the first annual Mission Bake-Off! Community members are invited to submit their finest recipe in one of three categories inspired by the heritage fruit trees of the mission orchard - pomegranate, stonefruit, and apple/pear/quince. Participants will submit their recipe online in advance and then bring the item to the park on event day. These pies, cakes, pastries, cookies, breads, and more will be sampled and scored by visitors on the merits of taste and originality. The highest scoring entries in each category will win a gift basket filled with treasures for the kitchen. In addition to tasting, visitors can walk the grounds, visit the garden and orchard, participate in informal presentations about food and gardening, and go home with their own delicious homemade craft. Bakers wishing to join the party should visit the Mission Bake-Off Online Submission for entry details. Applications due by October 19th.
Agriculture was an integral component of Spanish mission communities, including the growing and propagating of fruit trees, vegetables, herbs, and flowers. Water from the Santa Cruz River was diverted to these spaces by a hand-dug mission acequia. Crop varieties introduced by missionary Eusebio Francisco Kino transformed the diets of indigenous people, the natural landscapes, and existing cultures. After the abandonment of the mission of Tumacácori in 1848, the fruit and vegetable varieties in the neglected garden and orchard slowly withered. The vision of reestablishing an active garden and orchard began in the 1920’s and 1930’s, but it wasn’t until 2007 with the dedication of the Tumacácori heritage orchard that this dream became a reality.
The harvest season is a time in which communities come together to feast, give thanks, and celebrate the food grown on the land. At Tumacácori National Historical Park, we celebrate the history and legacy of Spanish mission communities, including the crops introduced by missionaries and sown by people who lived here.
Tumacácori is located 45 miles south of Tucson and 15 miles north of Nogales. Take exit 29 from I-19 and follow the signs. For more information, call 520-377-5060, or visit www.nps.gov/tuma.
Tags: bake-off bake cosecha harvest orchard fruit heritage az nps aznps
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
