Arizona is known for its 5Cs, Copper, Cattle, Cotton,Citrus, and Climate, that helped support the economy when Arizona’s population first started. And the 5Cs are still important factors today. Each 5C represents a different part of Arizona culture and economy with different activities to do all around Arizona. Here are a few activities you can enjoy, involving the 5Cs and supporting small local businesses.  

Copper: 

Copper was originally mined in Arizona by Native Americans for tools, weapons, pottery, and making jewelry; these practices are still done today. Jewelry is always in style, so why not buy locally made jewelry to help support small businesses? A small business to check out is Lady from Ajo Distinguished Copper and mixed metal jewelry, located in Ajo. This makes for a fun day trip, if that sounds interesting to you, however shopping online is also an option. If a store closer to Gilbert is more convenient, shop at LomaSiiva. This shop located in Tempe carries authentic Native American jewelry that is beautiful and helps to create a unique style. 

Cattle: 

Arizona has thousands of cattle farms, with an average of 1500 cows at each farm. Besides cows, Arizona is home to other types of cattle such as goats. One popular activity in Arizona involving cattle is goat yoga. Established in 2015 by April Gould and Sarah Williams, the two friends combined their talents of yoga and training goats to create the first ever goat yoga class. AZ Goat Yoga is located in Gilbert and has classes held on either Friday or Saturday nights. Each night has a different theme that the goat participates in by wearing different costumes. The class includes a very beginner level yoga lesson while goats jump on as they please, then at the end of class people can do yoga poses with goats placed on top of them for fun photos. 

Cotton: 

In the 1900s, cotton became a cash crop for Arizona farmers and was used in clothing, fertilizer, fuel, cardboard and paper. Today, Arizona is still one of the top cotton producers. Cotton is most commonly found in clothing, and Arizona has a variety of boutiques and stores to shop at. One popular store to shop at is State Forty-Eight, where you can support a local business and represent Arizona. 

Citrus: 

Despite Arizona’s harsh climates, citrus fruit grows plentiful here during the citrus season: Nov. to May. During this time, people visit these citrus farms and pick fruit, and take pictures while enjoying the beautiful scenery. Two citrus farms near Gilbert are Agritopia and Hagen Farms, but there are many more farms in Arizona if you want to take a day trip.

Climate:

Arizona is known for its sunshine with over 300 days of sunshine a year, with an average temperature of over 100 degrees in the summer. Climate helps support the economy by bringing in visitors all year round, especially snowbirds during the winter. Even though the temperature is starting to cool off, it’s still hot enough to enjoy a pool day. Mesquite Groves Aquatic Center is located in Chandler and has many different water attractions including slides, diving boards, a lazy river, and a play structure. Since there are many activities at the pool there is something for everyone to enjoy, even if it is just sitting in a chair and enjoying the sun. 

Whether you are enjoying a day at the pool, popping in to a local shop or taking a day trip to visit an orange patch in Scottsdale, there are so many activities and commodities in Arizona to enjoy. And with each activity you get to help a local business and contribute to Arizona’s economy.