Sunizona

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Sunizona is a small farming community in Southern Arizona, located on the Northeast corner of the intersection of Hwy. 181 and Hwy. 191, in Cochise County. It was established in 1965 by Lennart G. Erickson, an inventor and electronics firm owner from California. The name Sunizona came from a blend of Sunny and Arizona. It is located at a lat/long of N31.53'03.43 and W109.41'39.59, at an elevation of 4305 feet MSL (mean sea level). Some of the crops raised were Milo (maize) Wheat, Barley, Alfalfa, Corn, and Sugar Beets. But the water tables are deep and the price of natural gas used to run irrigation wells became cost prohibitive. Add that to the low prices being paid for grains and farming has slowed considerably in the area. Fruit and nut orchards however seem to do well in the area now. The area is rich in history, both mining and old west towns. Famers were brought in from mostly Texas, where they were accustomed to dry land farming. Farmers names associated with the area are: Charles Roloff, George Williamson, Jack Huff, Pete Rodgers, Ray Jackson, Mac Tarelton, Tommy Simmons, C.E. Roloff, Tommy Kinder, A.J. Becker, and Lloyd Bridges, to name a few. Temperature extremes in the area can go from 105 in the summer to as low as -13 in the winter. Average yearly rainfall is 14 inches.

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