TED: COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS, ON ARIZONA PBS, ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," WATER LEVELS AT LAKE POWELL ARE DROPPING TO THE POINT THEY'RE JEOPARDIZING POWER PRODUCTION AT A MAJOR DAM.

>>> AND ON CRONKITE NEWS, HOW THE COLORADO RIVER SHORTAGE IS IMPACTING ARIZONA LETTUCE FARMS?

ALL AHEAD IN THE NEXT HOUR OF ARIZONA PBS.

.

TED: GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M TED SIMONS.

ARIZONA SENATOR KYRSTEN SINEMA TODAY REJECTED CLAIMS SHE'S KEEPING THE WHITE HOUSE IN THE DARK ABOUT HER CONCERNS OVER THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION'S $3.5 TRILLION SPENDING PLAN.

A STATEMENT RELEASED BY SINEMA'S OFFICE READS IN PART -- THE STATEMENT ADDS THAT SINEMA CONTINUES TO ENGAGE IN GOOD FAITH DISCUSSIONS WITH PRESIDENT BIDEN AND SENATOR SCHUMER TO FIND COMMON GROUND.

THIS AS SINEMA AND JOE MANCHIN OF WEST VIRGINIA FACE INCREASING PRESSURE TO PASS THE SPENDING BILL WHICH WOULD MOVE PROGRESSIVES TO PASS THE ADMINISTRATION'S INFRASTRUCTURE BILL, A PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT SINEMA HELPED PUSH THROUGH THE SENATE.

>>> ON CAPITOL HILL, THE HOUSE AND SENATE PASSED A SHORT-TERM BUDGET BILL THAT WILL FUND THE GOVERNMENT THROUGH DECEMBER 3.

THE VOTE CAME HOURS BEFORE A POTENTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN.

>>> ARIZONA ADDED MORE THAN 2700 NEW CASES OF COVID-19 TODAY.

SIMILAR TO THE PAST FEW WEEKS, SAME FOR COVID-RELATED FATALITIES WHICH INCREASED BY 25 TODAY.

COVID HOSPITALIZATIONS SHOW ENCOURAGING DECLINE WITH THOSE NUMBERS AT THEIR LOWEST LEVELS SINCE MID-AUGUST.

>>> TODAY ENDS THE OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED MONSOON IN ARIZONA FOR ANOTHER YEAR.

IT WAS A GOOD ONE.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAID WE HAD THE SECOND HIGHEST NUMBER OF MONSOON DAYS ON RAIN DAYS ON RECORD, 23 DAYS OF MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION.

THAT FELL ONE DAY SHORT OF THE ALL-TIME RECORD SET IN 1896!

IT WAS ALSO THE 26th WETTEST MONSOON RECORDED.

SKY HARBOR'S TOTAL HIT 12.42" OF RAIN WITH TWICE THE AMOUNT RECORDED IN COUNTY RAIN GAUGES.

>>> THERE IS A CHANCE THAT WATER LEVELS IN LAKE POWELL COULD DROP TO THE POINT THAT BY AS EARLY AS NEXT YEAR, POWER PRODUCTION AT GLEN CANYON DAM COULD COME TO A STOP.

WE TALKED ABOUT IT WITH SARAH PORTER AT THE KYL CENTER AT ASU'S MORRISON INSTITUTE.

THANK YOU FOR TALKING WITH US ABOUT THE CONTINUED DROUGHT.

THE CHANCE OF SOMETHING HAPPENING BY NEXT YEAR REGARDING POWER IN GLEN CANYON DAM, THEY SAY IT'S SLIGHT, BUT THAT'S ENOUGH TO RAISE ANTENNAS, ISN'T IT?

>> YES, THERE IS A BETTER THAN SLIGHT CHANCE OF LAKE POWELL, FALLING TO A LEVEL WHERE IT IS INCAPABLE OF PRODUCING POWER, WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS, BASED ON THE MODELING THAT THE UNITED STATES BUREAU OF RECLAMATION HAS RECENTLY PUBLISHED.

TED: ARE YOU SURPRISED, SOUNDS LIKE THEY'RE SURPRISED, ARE YOU SURPRISED THAT WATER LEVELS HAVE BEEN DROPPING AS FAST AS THEY HAVE, ESPECIALLY UP IN THAT PART OF THE WORLD?

>> THE BIG SURPRISE WAS THAT WE HAD PRETTY GOOD SNOWPACK IN THE UPPER ROCKIES.

THE WATER SUPPLY FOR BOTH OF THE BIG RESERVOIRS, LAKE POWELL AND LAKE MEAD ON THE COLORADO RIVER.

WE HAD SNOWPACK BETWEEN 80 AND 90% OF AVERAGE AND YET THE FLOWS WERE CLOSER TO ABOUT 30 AND 35% OF AVERAGE.

SO THE HOT, DRY GROUND SUCKED UP THE WATER RATHER THAN BEING IN A SITUATION WHERE THE WATER COULD EVENTUALLY MAKE ITS WAY TO RIVERS AND INTO THE RESERVOIRS.

SO THAT'S THE BIG SURPRISE.

TED: YEAH, IS THAT A NEW PHENOMENA, THAT YOU KNEW HAD HAPPENED BUT HADN'T SEEN RECENTLY?

>> I DON'T THINK ANYONE HAD ANTICIPATED THAT DIFFERENTIAL, YOU KNOW, 89% OF SNOWPACK, BUT 34% OF SNOWS.

THAT IS A BIG ADJUSTMENT TO THE CHANGING HYDROLOGY OF THE COLORADO BASIN.

WHEN IT'S HOT AND DRY YEAR AFTER YEAR, AND REMEMBER, WE HAD PRETTY MUCH NO MONSOON IN MUCH OF THE COLORADO BASIN IN THE SUMMER OF 2020.

THAT JUST CREATED CONDITIONS FOR THE GROUND TO SOAK UP THE WATER THAT CAME BY WAY OF SNOWPACK.

TED: INTERESTING.

SOMETHING ELSE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THEN.

YOU GET RAIN AND SNOW, BUT IF YOU HAVE THE MONTHS AND MONTHS OF DRY AND HOT, IT MITIGATES IT, DOESN'T IT?

>> YEAH, YOU'VE TAKEN THE WATER OUT OF YOUR SAVINGS ACCOUNT, IT'S A DEFICIT AND YOU HAVE TO MAKE UP THE DEFICIT BEFORE YOU HAVE WATER FLOWING INTO THE RIVERS.

>> THE SITUATION WITH HYDROELECTRIC POWER, THOUGH, HOW SERIOUS IS THIS?

>> IT'S AN EXTREMELY SERIOUS SITUATION.

THERE ARE TWO DAMS ON LAKE POWELL.

ONE ON LAKE POWELL, ONE ON LAKE MEAD, THAT PRODUCE OVER A BILLION -- OVER 4 BILLION KILOWATTS OF ENERGY A YEAR, SO THEY PROVIDE ENERGY, ELECTRICITY FOR MILLIONS OF PEOPLE IN THE WEST, AND THERE IS CONCERN THAT LAKE LEVELS IN EACH OF THOSE RESERVOIRS ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE POINT AT WHICH THE DAM CAN'T PRODUCE POWER THAT WE NEED TO TAKE SOME IMMEDIATE STEPS.

TED: WHAT WOULD SOME OF THOSE STEPS BE?

>> WELL, USE LESS WATER, TAKE LESS WATER OUT.

SO THERE'S NOT MUCH CAN YOU DO.

WE CAN'T MAKE IT SNOW MORE IN THE ROCKIES, SO WE CAN'T PUT MORE WATER IN.

SO WHAT WE CAN DO IS TAKE LESS WATER OUT.

THERE ARE REALLY TWO WAYS OF TAKING LESS WATER OUT.

ONE IS TO FIND WILLING PARTICIPANTS IN CONSERVING WATER IN THE RESERVOIRS, AND THOSE WILLING PARTICIPANTS PROBABLY EXPECT TO BE MADE WHOLE FOR THAT IN SOME WAY.

SO THAT WOULD PROBABLY TAKE MONEY, AND THE OTHER IS TO GO THROUGH PAINFUL NEGOTIATIONS ABOUT MANDATORY CUTS, AND WE WENT THROUGH 2 1/2 YEARS OF VERY PAINFUL NEGOTIATIONS IN THE STATE, JUST IN THE STATE OF ARIZONA, ABOUT PAINFUL CUTS.

THAT ROUTE DOESN'T HOLD THE LIKELIHOOD OF A QUICK, GOOD OUTCOME, THAT FINDING WILLING PARTICIPANTS PRESENTS.

TED: THE INFRASTRUCTURE, SARAH, THE INFRASTRUCTURE PACKAGE GOING ON NOW.

CAN THAT IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM HELP MITIGATE ANY OF THIS?

>> WELL, FUNDING TO SUPPORT WATER USERS AND THEIR WILLINGNESS TO LEAVE WATER IN THE RESERVOIR VERSUS HELPFUL, CAN BE VERY HELPFUL, AND THAT'S NEEDED.

BUT YOU KNOW, THERE ARE PROBABLY STILL OPPORTUNITIES OUT THERE, ESPECIALLY IN THE UPPER BASIN, TO INVEST IN MORE EFFICIENT INFRASTRUCTURE THAT HELPS CREATE WATER CONSERVATION, BUT WE'VE BEEN WORKING THROUGH THOSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS OR SO.

SO THERE AREN'T HUGE WINS OUT THERE.

>> SOUNDS LIKE THE ACCELERATION PASSED EXPECTATIONS.

YOU TALK ABOUT 5 MILLION SOME ODD PEOPLE ARE AFFECTED BY THIS.

RURAL AREAS, TRIBAL NATIONS, IF THEY'VE GOT TO GO, I IMAGINE IF GLEN CANYON, THE POWER SYSTEM WERE TO STAY DOWN, YOU GOT TO FIND POWER SOMEWHERE, IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT MORE EXPENSIVE, ISN'T IT?

>> IT MAY BE MORE EXPENSIVE.

WITHOUT A DOUBT, THE UTILITIES THAT ARE PROVIDING POWER TO THE CUSTOMERS ARE BUSY WORKING ON FINDING ALTERNATIVES.

AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ELECTRICITY AND WATER IS THAT WE DO HAVE A GRID, AN ELECTRIC GRID.

THERE IS MORE OPPORTUNITY IN THE CASE OF ELECTRICITY TO FIND THOSE ELECTRONS FROM FARTHER OFF AND MOVE THEM THROUGH THE GRID TO WHERE THEY'RE NEEDED.

WITH WATER THAT'S DIFFERENT.

WATER IS VERY HEAVY, THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR WATER IS VERY, VERY DIFFERENT.

IT'S MORE COSTLY TO MOVE, IT TAKES ENERGY TO MOVE IT, SO IT'S A DIFFERENT PROBLEM TO SOLVE, BUT YOU KNOW, THESE NEW PROJECTIONS ARE THE SIGNAL THAT UTILITIES NEED TO REALLY DOUBLE DOWN ON MAKING SURE THAT THERE WILL BE ELECTRICITY AS NEEDED, IF THE UNTHINKABLE HAPPENS.

TED: AND SIGNAL TO STAKEHOLDERS AS WELL, RIGHT, SARAH?

>> YEAH, YEAH, AND IN THE MEANTIME, THE LATEST PROJECTION TRIGGERED A PROVISION THAT HAD ESSENTIALLY REQUIRED THE LOWER BASIN STATES, CALIFORNIA, ARIZONA AND NEVADA, TO GO BACK TO THE TABLE AND FIGURE OUT SOME ADDITIONAL STEPS THEY COULD TAKE TO HELP KEEP WATER LEVELS IN LAKE MEAD UP.

SO IT'S A TWO-PRONGED THING.

YOU HAVE TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THERE WILL BE ELECTRICITY FOR THE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT, SHOULD HOOVER DAM AND GLEN CANYON DAM NOT BE PRODUCING ELECTRICITY, ONE OR THE OTHER, AND YOU ALSO REALLY NEED TO TAKE ADDITIONAL STEPS TO TRY TO KEEP THE LEVELS OF THOSE RESERVOIRS UP.

TED: SARAH PORTER, ASU KYL CENTER, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ALWAYS GOOD INFORMATION.

APPRECIATE IT.

>> GOOD TO TALK WITH YOU, THANKS.

AND UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

THE DEA IS OUT WITH A NEW WARNING REGARDING FAKE PRESCRIPTION DRUGS LACED WITH FENTANYL.

.

TED: THE DEA RECENTLY ISSUED A RARE PUBLIC SAFETY ALERT THAT WARNS OF ALARMING INCREASE IN DRUG OVERDOSES CORRESPONDING TO AN INCREASE IN THE AVAILABILITY OF FAKE PRESCRIPTION DRUGS THAT ARE LACED WITH FENTANYL AND METHAMPHETAMINE.

WE SPOKE TO MERILEE FOWLER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MATFORCE ABOUT THE DANGEROUS TREND.

MERILEE FOWLER, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

THE DEA HAS COME OUT WITH THIS WARNING REGARDING FAKE DRUGS LACED WITH FENTANYL.

THIS IS A BIG DEAL.

DEA DOESN'T COME OUT WITH THESE WARNINGS VERY OFTEN.

WHAT EXACTLY IS THE WARNING WARNING US ABOUT?

>> YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST SO CONCERNED RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OUR STREETS ARE BEING FLOODED WITH COUNTERFEIT PILLS THAT ARE LACED WITH FENTANYL.

SO AGAIN, SYNTHETIC DRUGS THAT ARE MANUFACTURED BY DRUG DEALERS AND COMING IN OUR SOUTHERN BORDER AND THEY'RE IN OUR STATE, AND PEOPLE ARE DYING AT ALARMING RATES.

TED: THESE ARE COUNTERFEIT DRUGS.

EXPLAIN WHY COUNTERFEIT DRUGS WOULD BE LACED WITH SOMETHING AS STRONG AND AS LETHAL AS FENTANYL?

>> YOU KNOW, IT'S A SAD THING WHEN PEOPLE DEVELOP A USE DISORDER, THEY CALL IT CHASING THE HIGH, AND A FEW YEARS AGO, WE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING WITH HEROIN.

BUT WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING NOW, WHAT IS REPLACING HEROIN IS THE SYNTHETIC COUNTERFEIT PILLS LACED WITH FENTANYL, AND THEY'RE 50 TIMES MORE POTENT THAN HEROIN.

PEOPLE CAN TAKE A SMALLER QUANTITY AND GET THAT SAME HIGH, SO REALLY IT'S BECOMING A DRUG THAT PEOPLE ARE SEEKING, AND IN OTHER CASES, THEY DON'T REALIZE PEOPLE THAT ARE USING METH AND COCAINE ARE OFTEN LACED WITH FENTANYL AND NOT AWARE IT'S LACED WITH FENTANYL.

WE'RE IN A VERY ALARMING SITUATION WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE DRUG TRADE.

TED: IMAGINE FOLKS HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH FENTANYL IS IN THERE?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THE DEA, WHEN THEY CAME OUT WITH THE WARNING, HAD DONE A STUDY AND 42% OF THESE COUNTERFEIT PILLS HAVE A DEADLY DOSE OF FENTANYL.

IT ONLY TAKES A SMALL AMOUNT OF FENTANYL FOR PEOPLE TO DIE, AND PARTICULARLY SOMEBODY AS OPIOID NAIVE LIKE A YOUNG PERSON TAKES ONE OF THESE PILLS, WE'RE SEEING ALARMING RATE OF YOUNG PEOPLE TAKING ONE PILL AND DYING.

THAT'S WHY THEY'RE USING THE CAMPAIGN.

ONE PILL CAN KILL.

TED: HOW DO THESE FAKE PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, HOW ARE THEY GETTING AROUND?

INTERNET THE MAIN INSTIGATOR, I SHOULD SAY?

>> YEAH, WE ARE SEEING THAT.

PARENTS NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO.

AS I MENTIONED, WE'RE SEEING ALARMING RATE OF YOUNG PEOPLE DYING.

IN YAVAPAI COUNTY, FIVE TEENAGERS DIED AND TWO OF THEM WERE 14 YEARS OF AGE.

WHEN WE DO MORE OF A DEEP DIVE INTO THEIR DEATHS, THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING.

CASES WHERE THEY ACCESSED IT THROUGH INSTAGRAM OR SNAPCHAT, AND THEY CAN BE DELIVERED TO A PERSON'S HOUSE AND PARENTS ARE NOT AWARE.

SO IT'S A VERY DANGEROUS TIME.

THEY'RE ALSO, OF COURSE, COMING ACROSS OUR BORDER, AND IT'S REALLY ALARMING IF YOU LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF PILLS THAT HAVE BEEN COMPENSATED.

THE DEA ANNOUNCED THAT SO FAR IN 2021, THERE'S OVER NINE MILLION PILLS JUST IN ARIZONA CONFISCATED, THE ILLICIT COUNTERFEIT PILLS.

TED: WE OUTLINED THE PROBLEM HERE, WHAT CAN BE DONE?

WHAT ARE ANSWERS?

SOME SOLUTIONS?

>> WELL, THE FIRST THING I WANT TO ENCOURAGE, NOT JUST PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS BUT ANY ADULT THAT CARES ABOUT CHILDREN, THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS, NOT JUST WITH CHILDREN, BUT ANYBODY TO TELL THEM, NEVER PUT ANY PILL IN YOUR MOUTH THAT YOU DO NOT KNOW THE SOURCE OF WHERE IT CAME FROM BECAUSE, AGAIN, THERE ARE OFTEN THE M-30, ROUND BLUE PILLS THAT HAVE AN M AND 30 ON THEM BUT DISGUISED AS OTHER THINGS.

WE'VE HAD FENTANYL IN ASPIRIN, FAKE ASPIRIN THAT'S BEEN CONFISCATED.

THE FIRST MESSAGE IS TELL PEOPLE NEVER PUT ANY PILL IN YOUR MOUTH YOU DO NOT KNOW THE SOURCE WHERE IT CAME FROM.

AND THE SECOND THING I WANT TO ENCOURAGE PARENTS THAT WE NEED TO BE A PROTECTOR OF OUR CHILDREN, MONITORING SOCIAL MEDIA, WHEN THEY CAN ACCESS THESE DANGEROUS DRUGS, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE KNOW WHAT SITES OUR CHILDREN ARE ON, AND ALSO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO LEARN MORE.

WE PUT UP A NEW WEBSITE, AND WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE AWARE WITH THE PROBLEM AND AWARE WITH FENTANYL IN OUR STATE.

TED: THAT GOES TO THE COALITION THAT YOU ARE A PART OF, RIGHT?

>> RIGHT, RIGHT.

ALL OF THE COALITIONS IN ARIZONA, THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE COALITION LEADERS OF ARIZONA DEVELOPED A GREAT TOOL KIT, AND GEARED TOWARDS PARENTS SO THEY KNOW HOW TO HAVE EFFECTIVE TALKS WITH THEIR CHILDREN.

POWER POINT PRESENTATIONS, A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION THAT PEOPLE CAN LEARN AND THEY CAN ACCESS THAT ON THE TALK NOW AZ WEBSITE.

TED: IS THAT PART OF THE TOOL KIT THAT THE COALITION IS BEHIND?

>> WE HAVE BILLBOARDS THROUGHOUT THE STATE, WITH THE ONE PILL CAN KILL MESSAGE, AND THE OTHER MESSAGE IS THE M-30 PILL AND THE QUESTION IS WOULD YOUR CHILD KNOW WHICH PILL HAD A DEADLY DOSE OF FENTANYL?

AND THE ANSWER IS THEY DON'T KNOW, THEY DON'T REALIZE.

WE'RE MAKING SURE PEOPLE HAVE THE TOOLS, PARENTS HAVE THE TOOLS THEY NEED AND PEOPLE ARE EDUCATED ON WHAT'S HAPPENING.

TED: AND WE SHOULD MENTION, BOTTOM LINE HERE, THE DEA IS NOT WARNING AGAINST LEGALLY PRESCRIBED MEDICATION.

THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FAKE PRESCRIPTIONS OUT THERE, AND AGAIN, IF YOU'RE NOT GETTING YOUR PRESCRIPTIONS FROM A DOCTOR OR PHARMACY, YOU'RE NOT GETTING THE MEDICATION.

>> THEY ARE NOT COMING FROM THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY, THEY ARE MANUFACTURED AND PUT TOGETHER BY DRUG DEALERS AND FLOODING OUR COMMUNITIES.

ONE THING I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO REALIZE IS THE NUMBER OF OPIOID DEATHS CONTINUES TO INCREASE SIGNIFICANTLY.

IN 2020 IN ARIZONA, WE HAD 1980 PEOPLE THAT, FIVE PEOPLE A DAY, THAT DIED FROM OPIOID DEATHS, SO WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN BECAUSE A SIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGE OF THOSE DEATHS ARE THIS ILLICIT COUNTERFEIT FENTANYL.

TED: MERILEE FOWLER FROM MATFORCE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

.

>> THE PANDEMIC LED TO AN EXPLOSION OF HOME GARDENING WITH LOTS OF BACKYARDS TURNING INTO LITTLE URBAN FARMS.

WE SPOKE WITH GREG PETERSON OF THE URBAN FARMER ABOUT THIS TREND AND HEARD ABOUT THE GREAT AMERICAN SEED-UP THAT HELPS GARDENERS GET PLANTING STARTED.

GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

GOOD TO YOU HAVE ON SET.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME, LOVE CHATTING WITH YOU.

>> THE URBAN FARMER, THE PANDEMIC, ARE WE SEEING EXPLOSION OF URBAN FARMING?

>> HUGE EXPLOSION OF URBAN FARMING.

WE HAVE NEVER BEEN SO BUSY AS WE HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF.

TED: WITH WATER CONCERNS, PEOPLE ARE PUTTERING AROUND, HUH?

>> A LOT LESS ENVIRONMENTALLY COSTLY TO GROW FOOD IN YOUR YARD THAN IT IS TO GROW IT AND PACK IT AND SHIP IT FROM PERU.

TED: YOU GET AT THE RIGHT TIME OF YEAR, TOO.

>> EXACTLY.

>> PHYSICAL BENEFITS, MENTAL BENEFITS OF GARDENING, SIGNIFICANT, AREN'T THEY?

>> YEAH.

AT 60 I'M STARTING TO FEEL, IT GETTING DOWN TO DIG IN THE BEDS, THAT'S A PHYSICAL MOVEMENT THAT KEEPS ME ACTIVE, PLUS THE CONNECTION TO THE SOIL AND TO NATURE AND THE BIRDS.

I'VE BEEN ORGANIC FOR 30 YEARS AT THE URBAN FARM, AND THE AMOUNT OF WILDLIFE THAT WE SEE, INCLUDING RACCOONS AND BOBCATS, INTERESTING, RIGHT, AND THE BUG LIFE IS JUST MIND BLOWING.

TED: IT'S ANKLE BITING BLOWING TOO, BECAUSE THE MOSQUITOES WILL GET YOU.

SOMEONE WATCHING SAYING I WOULD LIKE TO GET STARTED AS A LITTLE URBAN BACKYARD FARMER.

WHAT'S THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION?

>> START WITH A 10X4 FOOT BED, WHETHER IT'S AN IN THE GROUND BED OR RAISED BED, AND MAKE SURE YOU PUT IT IN THE RIGHT PART OF YOUR YARD.

SO PLACEMENT OF YOUR GARDEN WILL EITHER HAVE YOUR GARDEN BE SUCCESSFUL OR NOT.

TED: INTERESTING.

>> IF YOU PUT IT ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE STRUCTURE, GARDEN IS NEVER GOING TO GET ENOUGH SUNLIGHT TO GROW.

YOU WANT TO BE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE STRUCTURE OR THE EAST SIDE OF THE STRUCTURE, WE CALL IT SOUTHERN EXPOSURE OR EASTERN EXPOSURE.

EASTERN EXPOSURE GETS SUN FROM SUNUP UNTIL NOON.

SOUTHERN EXPOSURE GETS SUN ALL DAY.

IF YOU PUT IT IN ONE OF THOSE EXPOSURES, YOU ARE GOLDEN FOR SUNLIGHT.

TED: WHAT ABOUT WATER AND SOIL HEALTH HERE IN ARIZONA?

>> SOIL IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THING CAN YOU BUILD TO GROW FOOD.

YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING ELSE BUT THAT.

THAT'S THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO, AND DIRT IS WHAT WE HAVE IN OUR YARDS.

YOU GO DIG IN YOUR YARD AND IT'S HARD AND CHUNKY AND BROWN, RIGHT?

THAT'S DIRT.

THAT'S ONE COMPONENT OF HEALTHY SOIL.

WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS BUILD HEALTHY SOIL.

FIVE COMPONENTS OF HEALTHY SOIL, DIRT, AIRSPACE, ORGANIC MATTER, WATER AND EVERYTHING THAT'S ALIVE IN THE SOIL, BUT IT'S REALLY MUCH SIMPLER THAN THAT.

IF YOU ADD ORGANIC MATTER TO YOUR DIRT, THAT'S THE FIRST BIG STEP FOR YOU TO MAKE.

ADD LOTS AND LOTS OF COMPOST, PLANTING MIX, SO WE'RE SUPPLEMENTING OUR SOIL, SO ALONG WITH THE COMPOST AND PLANTING MIX COMES SOIL LIFE.

TED: YES.

>> YOUR NUMBER ONE JOB IS TO BUILD HEALTHY SOIL IN YOUR GARDEN.

ONCE YOU'VE DONE, THAT WATERING IS STRAIGHTFORWARD.

MOST OF US LISTENING ARE GOING TO BE USING CITY WATER, WISH WE HAD FLOOD IRRIGATION.

TED: YES.

>> AND THERE ARE SIMPLE SYSTEMS YOU CAN SET UP TO WATER YOUR GARDEN.

NUMBER ONE IS GO OUT THERE WITH A HOSE EVERY MORNING.

TED: IT'S THAT BASIC.

ALSO, YOU GOT TO PLANT THE RIGHT STUFF, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE GROWING STUFF THAT SHOULDN'T BE GROWING HERE.

YOU HAVE THE GREAT AMERICAN SEED-UP.

WE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN THE PAST.

EXPLAIN WHAT THIS IS AND HOW IT WILL HELP SOMEBODY GETTING INTO GARDENING OR SOMEBODY WHO IS ALREADY AN URBAN FARMER?

>> THE GREAT AMERICAN SEED-UP IS A GREAT SOLUTION TO LOCAL SEED SHORTAGES.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THE ONLY PLACE WE HAVE SEEDS TO BUY FOR OUR GARDENS ARE PRETTY MUCH THE BIG BOX STORES AND FEW NURSERIES.

SO WHAT BILL AND BELL, KARI, JANICE AND I HAVE DONE IS PUT TOGETHER THIS BAZAAR, AND DO IT ONCE A YEAR IN THE FALL, AND PEOPLE WALK INTO A 10,000-SQUARE-FOOT ROOM AT NORTH PHOENIX BAPTIST CHURCH, AND WHAT WE'VE DONE IS PUT TOGETHER 80 DIFFERENT TYPES OF OPEN POLLINATED SEEDS, THE BEST ONES FOR YOUR GARDEN AND YOU COME IN AND SCOOP TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENT.

YOU GET TO BULK BUY.

THIS IS GLASS GEM CORN, AND THERE WILL BE A PLASTIC BAG NEXT TO THE BUCKET AND ON THE BUSINESS CORN IT TELLS YOU ABOUT THE CORN AND HOW TO GROW IT.

YOU WALK UP TO GLASS GEM CORN, YOU PUT A CARD IN THERE, ZIP IT UP AND HAVE A TALLY SHEET AND YOU SAY I GOT ONE SCOOP OF GLASS GEM CORN, AND LIKE I SAID, THERE'S 80 DIFFERENT VARIETIES, YOU CAN PICK THE VARIETIES YOU WANT, AND WHEN YOU'RE DONE WITH THE SCOOPING PROCESS, YOU TAKE IT TO CHECKOUT AND FOR LESS THAN 50 BUCKS, YOU CAN GET ENOUGH SEEDS TO LAW OF FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE BECAUSE WHAT COMES WITH YOUR TICKET TO THE GREAT AMERICAN SEED-UP IS EDUCATION HOW TO SAVE YOUR OWN SEEDS, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

TED: AND FREE ONLINE CLASSES TO HELP FOLKS, ONCE YOU PUT IT IN THE GROUND, PUT IT IN THE SOIL, THAT'S JUST THE BEGINNING, ISN'T IT?

>> EXACTLY.

TED: OF A LIFELONG RELATIONSHIP.

>> RIGHT.

TED: WHEN IS THIS HAPPENING WHERE, IS IT HAPPENING?

>> OCTOBER 1 AND 2, FRIDAY NIGHT THE 1, FROM 4:00 TO 8:00, SATURDAY FROM 10:00 TO 2:00, AND IF YOU GET ONLINE TO GREAT AMERICAN SEED-UP.ORG, GET YOUR TICKETS SOONER THAN LATER.

IF THE TICKETS AREN'T ON SALE ANY LONGER, YOU CAN COME ON DOWN AND SEE US.

TED: GOOD TO SEE AND YOU CONGRATULATIONS ON ALL YOUR SUCCESS, GREG PETERSON, YOU ARE AN URBAN FARMER.

>> I AM.

TED: GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

>> THANK YOU.

.

TED: AND THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.