Announcements

Our guests have sent us an Instagram video about their meteor shower experience that you can watch here:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C02CbhzvI_S/

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Are you interested in finding incredible dark skies to see the upcoming meteor showers? We have night skies that are perfect to view as we share the same skies as Kitt Peak, a United States astronomical observatory located on Kitt Peak of the Quinlan Mountains in the Arizona-Sonoran Desert. 

Lyrids | April 21–22, 2024

The Lyrids peak on the night of April 21–22, 2024, when you can expect to see an average of 10 meteors per hour in dark, clear skies. Rarely, the Lyrids produce surges of up to 100 meteors per hour. This meteor shower is visible from both the Northern and Southern Hemisphere but is much more active in the Northern Hemisphere, where the meteors’ radiant is high in the sky.

Perseids | August 11–13, 2024

The Perseids are one of the best meteor showers to observe, with over 50 meteors per hour at its peak! Plus, we can all enjoy seasonable August nights.

Draconids | October 8-9, 2024

The Draconids aren’t one of the bigger shows of the year, but they do mark the start of a busy season of meteor showers. After the Draconids, a shower happens every one to two weeks until late December.

The second quarter moon will darken the skies in the early evening for what should be a good show. The best viewing will be in the early evening from a dark location far away from city lights.

Orionids | October 21–22, 2024

The Orionids are named after one of the most recognizable constellations in the sky, Orion, from which these meteors appear to radiate. Often featuring some of the brightest and fastest streaking stars, the Orionids appear in mid-October and peak in the hours before dawn on October 22.

Leonids | November 17–18, 2024

The Leonids is typically an average shower with 10 to 15 shooting stars per hour, but on rare occasions, they have been known to produce “meteor storms,” which result in thousands of meteors streaking across the sky. (We do not expect meteor storms this year.)

Geminids | December 13–14, 2024

The Geminids are THE biggest meteor shower of the year, and the shooting stars streak across the sky the entire night with 75 meteors per hour at its peak. Plus, it gets dark early, so you don’t have to stay up until the early hours to see the king of the meteor showers.

In 2023, the Geminids had optimal viewing conditions; however, in 2024, the conditions are MUCH different. The Geminids will occur during the Full Cold Moon, which will make them very difficult to view.

Check out the link to the calendar at: 

Meteor Shower Calendar 2024 (timeanddate.com) 

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We wanted to share that J&J Ranch AZ runs entirely on Green Energy. We have had a few questions on how we use our energy, and we do so by our solar panels that provide all our electrical needs and by Harvesting water that uses three different filtration systems.

Our Cabins will also use Solar power for the Air Conditioning/Heating and recharging of our portable power stations with collected rainwater for any water needs.

We also wanted to let everyone know that we depend on Mother Nature to provide us with the energy we need for everything to function.  We can not foresee pending cloudy days that might limit the amount of charges the batteries can hold.

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Update: Our Cabins are now available.

They will include a pull-out bed, kitchen area with sink, compact refrigerator/freezer(complimentary bag of ice), AC/Heat, Power Stations to recharge devices, Propane BBQ for outdoor cooking, and an outdoor shower/restroom facility.

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We just received our first official video review from James and Paul Rv Adventures and are very excited to share this with everyone.

This can give more details about what a stay at our ranch would be like.

Thank you, James and Paul!

P.S. They have updated their description in the video link to include our property as 18.5 acres instead of 8.

You can see the full video review here:

(7) J & J Ranch | Tucson, Arizona - YouTube

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We are very excited to announce that we will be working with Tucson Cactus and Succulent Society.

 The Tucson Cactus & Succulent Society, Inc. (TCSS) is registered with the IRS as a 501(c)(3)tax-exempt organization dedicated to education, information, conservation, and discoveries about cacti and succulent plants. They will be at J & J Ranch Az on April 18th to rescue 100s cacti along our 2-mile driveway before we do our yearly road improvements. Some of the plants they will be saving include Ocotillos, Hedgehog Cactus, Shin Dagger Agaves (Agave lechuguilla), and Limberbush to name a few. The rescued plants will be transplanted in the Pima Prickly Park; some will go home with volunteers, and the rest will be sold at their plant sales. If you would be interested in participating, please see the link below.

For those of us who live in Tucson and the surrounding area,  we know how expensive cactuses are in the nurseries. Still, by joining the Tucson Cactus and Succulent Society ($ 20-year membership for a family) and participating in the rescue, you could go home with an Ocotillo up to 6 feet for only $8 a tag fee. 

Rescue Program Information, Policies, and Rules: 

Tucson Cactus & Succulent Society - Cactus Rescue (wildapricot.org)

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We are very excited to support Southwest Animal Rescue! We will donate $5 for every guest who books and stays a night.

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We now have our very own Jelly's for Sale!!!

List of our Jelly and Jams 8 oz Jars

$10.00 each or buy 5 get one free

We at J & J Ranch AZ are very excited to announce that we have our own J & J Ranch AZ Prickly Pear Products. We have been busy with our new partnership with one of our local artisans, Connie, with Connie’s Country Corner. Connie makes amusing jelly and jams, as well as other great homemade items. We have worked together on recipes to bring you Prickly Pear Jelly and Prickly Pear Jalapeño Jelly, as well as many other favorites like Strawberry Rhubarb, Strawberry Peach, Apple Butter, and Jalapeño to name a few.

All of the jellies are 8oz jars and will sell for $10 each, but the best news is if you buy 5, we will give you the 6th free. We are currently working on our website but wanted our friends and families to have the opportunity to get them early. We will start taking orders today and start delivering in Tucson as early as tomorrow, and then once a week, we will make deliveries until the website is complete. By ordering early, you will also save on the $5 delivery fee that will be added once our site is up and running. If you live out of state, we are working on our shipping costs, and if you are interested, please message us, and we can tell you what the cost will be for shipping ahead of time. If there is a jelly or jam that you would like to see, please reach out and let us know.

 We are already working hard to come up with other jellies and jams for the upcoming holidays, like Apple Pie. To see a list of our yummy items, please the descriptions below:

List of our Jelly and Jams 8 oz Jars

$10.00 each or buy 5 get one free

J & J Ranch AZ Prickly Pear Jelly 8oz- Limited

Prickly Pear Limited is made from start to finish in small batches here at J & J Ranch. We start by handpicking the Prickly Pear fruit in August. Then we fire roast each fruit before boiling them in water to release the flavorful juices. From here, the juices go through a three-step straining process to remove and pulp and seeds. It is then cooked with sugar, pectin, and lime juice until thickened, canned, and water-bathed.

Ingredients: Fresh Prickly Pear, Water, Sugar, Pectin and Lime Juice

Prickly Pear Jelly 8oz-

This jelly is a collaboration between J & J Ranch AZ and Connie's Country Corner. The Prickly Pear fruit is sourced and harvested by J & J Ranch AZ. The fruit is then supplied to Connie's Country Coner to make this heavenly jelly. With our partnership, we have worked together on creating a special recipe for your enjoyment.

Ingredients: Fresh Prickly Pears, Water, Granulated Sugar, Pectin, Fresh Lemon Juice.

Prickly Pear Jalapeno Jelly 8oz-

This jelly is a collaboration between J & J Ranch AZ and Connie's Country Corner. The Prickly Pear fruit is sourced and harvested by J & J Ranch, AZ. Then, The fruit is supplied to Connie's Country Coner to make this jelly. With our partnership, we have worked together on creating a special recipe for your enjoyment. This is made exclusively for J & J Ranch AZ. Jelly is sweet with mild heat. We use it as a glaze on chicken and pork chops when grilling on the BBQ.

Ingredients: Fresh Prickly Pear, Water, Granulated Sugar, Deseeded Mild Jalapenos, Apple Cider Vinegar, Fresh Lemon Juice.

Apple Butter 8oz- Enjoy the creamy Apple Butter that is made from a balance of tart and sweet Granny Smith Apples with warm hints of ground cinnamon.

No additional Pectin is added to this product.

Ingredients: Granny Smith Apples, Granulated Sugar, Ground Cinnamon

Jalapeno Jelly 8oz- This is a sweet jelly with a mild heat. Great by itself or over cream cheese with crackers. It is great when used as a glaze when grilling.

Ingredients: Fresh Deseeded Jalapeno, Granulated Sugar, White Vinegar, Pectin,

Plum Jelly 8oz- This jelly is made with fresh ripe purple plums making the flavor sweet with a slightly tart undertone.

Ingredients: Fresh Purple Plums, Granulated Sugar, Pectin

Strawberry Jam 8oz- If you love Strawberries, then this is the jam for you. This jam is packed full of delicious fresh strawberries that are bright red, juicy, and sweet.

Ingredients: Fresh Strawberries, Sugar and Pectin

Strawberry Peach Jam 8oz- You'll definitely capture the flavors of summer with this chunky, delicious toast topper. The heavenly mixture of fresh strawberries and sweet peaches will bring your memories back in a bottle.

Ingredients: Fresh Strawberries, Fresh Peaches, Granulated Sugar, Pectin

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam 8oz- This jam is a flavor combination that gives you sweetness from fresh strawberries and the sourness, tanginess, and tartness of the Rhubarb. These two ingredients balance each other out and leave you with tantalizing flavors.

Ingredients: Fresh Strawberries, Fresh Rhubarb, Granulated Sugar, Pectin, Fresh Lemon Juice

Other Items for you to enjoy

J & J Ranch AZ Prickly Pear Juice Pint -

Our Prickly Pear Juice is made from start to finish in small batches here at J & J Ranch. We start by handpicking the Prickly Pear fruit in August. The fruit is then fire-roasted to remove any spins and glochids before boiling the fruit to release the flavorful juices. The juices are then put through a three-step straining process to remove any pulp and seeds. To finish the juices are brought back to a rolling boil before canning and water bathed to seal. Prickly Pear Juice can be enjoyed over ice and added to your favorite beverage or cocktails.

Ingredients: Fresh Pricky Pear and Water $10.00 each

J & J Ranch AZ Prickly Pear Pancake Syrup Pint- Our Prickly Pear Syrup starts with our Prickly Pear Juice that is made on the Ranch. We then add equal amounts of Prickly Pear juice and Granulated Sugar with a touch of Lime juice. Then it is brought to a slow roiling boil and cooked down for 7 hours. The finished product is then canned, and water bathed. We suggest pouring it over ice cream or pancakes and waffles.

Ingredients: Fresh Prickly Pears, Water, Sugar, Lime juice $12.00 each

J & J Ranch AZ Prickly Pear Simple Syrup 32oz jar- Our Prickly Pear Simple Syrup starts with our Prickly Pear Juice that is made on the Ranch. We then add Granulated Sugar and Lemon juice. Then it is brought to a slow roiling boil and cooked for 20 minutes. The finished product is then canned and water-bathed. Some of our suggestions are to us this in Margarita’s, Tequila Sunrise, or a sweetener in your Ice Tea. Our favorite cocktail is 1 shot Bacardi Rum, 1 shot Prickly Pear Simply Syrup, and fill with Lemonade and ice.

Ingredients: Fresh Prickly Pears, Water, Sugar, Lemon juice $20.00 each