Longtime Pinal family keeps farming for the community
Mark Cowling/Florence Reminder photo
As a cotton-farming youngster, Guy Rankin used to imagine how much food he could grow, and all the people he could feed, with some of the water his family used to grow cotton.
A lifelong farmer, Rankin, 56, still grows lots of fiber. But in the last couple of years, he and his wife, Ann, have also grown corn, squash and vegetables. They’re hoping to expand their seasonal produce stand on West Butte Avenue, next to the Windmill Winery, into a food hub with participation from other local and area growers.
They’re also looking to help the Windmill make local agriculture part of the cuisine and ambiance of its major expansion to the south side of Butte Avenue a year from now.
