Da’Nede Farm

When you talk to Freddy Muñoz at the Da’ Nede’ Farm booth you would never suspect that he hasn’t spent all his life farming. But in fact, after growing up in Flagstaff, Freddy moved to San Francisco and spent the next thirty-five years as an electrician working in the tallest high-rises. He retired to Camp Verde to “chill out” only to discover he couldn’t sit still. It was then he found a new passion: growing vegetables.
Da’ Nede’ Farm is located on Middle Verde Road in Camp Verde. There’s one acre planted in crops which are grown without chemicals or pesticides. Freddy likes to say “We farm with love, not a certification.” Freddy doesn’t have a particular favorite crop, but he does love to search seed catalogues to find unusual items. That’s why you’ll find things like Russian Brown and Serpent Armenia cucumbers, Zephyr squash and garlic flowers at his stand. He’s always happy to educate folks about his produce as well.
For most of the year Freddy manages his farm on his own, but come summer his daughter Molly returns from Europe to lend a hand (ask her for her tomato sauce recipe. It’s delicious). Da’ Nede’ Farm has been a contributor to the Sedona Community Farmer’s Market since its inception. Freddy’s customers are just as loyal!
And where did the name Da’ Nede’ come from? Freddy explains: he had an old friend and mentor from the Navajo Reservation. The Navajo prefer to be known as The Dinē, and in honor of his friend Freddy anglicized the word. The result? Da’ Nede’
written by Laura Cox