Valley 101

Cotton, cattle, climate, copper, and citrus. These have been the driving forces of Arizona’s economy for generations. Flora and fauna and industries that do very well in our arid desert.  While the 5 C’s won’t quickly become the 5 C’s and an O, there is another overlooked product that has nonetheless taken root here. Olives. Olive trees are among some of the oldest agricultural trees in the state from the Valley all the way down to the University of Arizona in Tucson.  In this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we explore the ways olive trees and their fruits have thrived in the desert for over 100 years.