Meet the Project FARE editor

When I was 8 years old, my favorite place on the planet was Karen’s Ice Cream in downtown Moscow, Idaho. Fluorescent lights shone off checked tile floors and tall tables, leading to a counter lined with tubs of homemade ice cream in pastel colors and shades of chocolate. The room smelled like waffle cones, like every ice cream shop, but in my mind it’s better than any other.

Tara and her children eat ice cream in downtown Moscow

When we were there for a celebration (or a bribe), my parents let me order whatever I wanted, which meant a parfait with Junior Mint and lemon custard ice cream, pineapple sauce, marshmallow sauce, gummi bears and sprinkles. The folks behind the counter always laughed at the sugar-bomb combination. I was always in awe that I got to eat it.

Karen’s closed in the mid 1990s, around the time my family moved away from Moscow. When I returned for college, all that was left was the logo painted on the back of the building. Now even that is gone – though I take my kids to a fantastic new ice cream shop just down the street.

But Karen’s is, for me, the spot where food first melded with place, people, history and memory – where food became a story.

As editor of Project FARE, I’m thrilled to lead our team of writers and photographers in telling stories about Idaho food: the systems that produce it, the environment that supports it, the cultures that shape it, and the people who grow, harvest, distribute and serve it. 

Every element is part of creating the moments that turn a scoop of ice cream – or a pint of tomatoes, a plate of tacos, a glass of wine, a pot of lentils – into something bigger. 

By peering behind the scenes, we can better understand what “farm to fork” means, and what it takes to work toward a world where every step along the way is just and equitable. Where everyone’s story matters.

I invite you to join me on this adventure by signing up for our newsletter and following us on Facebook and Instagram. I also want to hear your ideas for Project FARE – email me at tara@projectfare.org to suggest stories or share comments. (And if you’ve heard of any place that makes Junior Mint ice cream, let me know.)

Tara Roberts is a lifelong Idahoan from Moscow and Laclede (a tiny town along the Pend Oreille River). She has been a newspaper reporter, science communicator, college media adviser, writing instructor, and freelance writer and editor. She lives in Moscow with her husband, two sons and dog. Follow her on Twitter @tarabethidaho.