Arizona Illustrated

50 years of Tucson Orchids The Tucson Orchid Society was founded in 1972 and thousands of people have been members over the years. The club helps them learn about the plants and grow them, and it also holds different events such as monthly meetings, an orchid show, and an orchid sale. While considered exotic and difficult to grow, members say the proper kind of orchid under the right conditions can thrive rather easily. Borderlands Produce Rescue Bell peppers, grapes, cucumbers, watermelon… you name it! In 2021, over 3 billion dollars worth of produced entered the United States from Mexico through the Nogales, Arizona Port of entry. While this produce is destined grocery stores and distributors in the across the country, millions of pounds only make it as far as the Nogales landfill. Since 1994 Borderlands Produce Rescue has worked to save edible produce from going to waste, by providing it at a discount for consumers who come to the Nogales warehouse, or participate in their other programs. Housing Crisis: A Microcosm We look at the human cost of the housing crisis by focusing on one apartment complex, where after the sale to a real estate investment company in December 2021, the leases of all 52 units were terminated. Through the experiences of five its tenants, we learn about some of the many ways in which the system is stacked against people in finding and securing affordable housing in Tucson. Field Notes: Gila Monsters Gila Monsters can be elusive, but occasionally they turn up in strange places. Producer David Fenster recounts two memorable encounters with this Sonoran Desert icon. This story is part of the series Field Notes in which Fenster brings us observations from the Sonoran Desert and beyond.