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Tohono O'odham Restore San Xavier Farmland

KOLD News 13 Reporter, Suleika Acosta

The Tohono O'odham are celebrating a part of their culture that was lost for decades. The San Xavier Coop Farm is now growing crops.  

"It's beautiful, it's really beautiful."

Julie Ramon Pierson is standing on the edge of land her grandfather farmed decades ago. Even before the Tohono O'odham, centuries ago their ancestors, The Hohokam, were the first to farm here.

But this land hasn't been green in a long time.

"Traditionally this was farm ground, this was their way of life," says Bill Worthey, farm manager.

That tradition was lost in the 1960's. As mining, farming and the population of Tucson grew, the San Xavier groundwater table was drained and the Tohono O'odham people were forced to stop farming.

"The water table decreased and they simply could not pump enough water to sustain their agricultural way of life," says Bill.

More than a decade later the tribe won a lawsuit against the city. The Coop was awarded use of water from the Central Arizona Project.

Thanks to a  state of the art underground irrigation system, alfalfa, hay and beans are growing on 900 acres. Corn and squash will also be planted.

"To bring these foods back and get them back on the tables of the Tohono O'odham people and start trying to make them healthy again," adds Bill.

Farmers hope the return of healthy crops will help fight diabetes in the O'odham community.

Julie says the return of farming brings a part of her culture back.

"You stand on that hill over there and look at all this land, it's green once again," she says.