stories
Idaho is known for agriculture—particularly potatoes—across the world. In a state with plenty of land for farms, ranches and dairies, there is also an abundance of water. Without water to sustain Idaho’s most famous crops, the state would not rank first in the nation for the production of potatoes, trout, barley or peppermint.
However, ongoing droughts are affecting the amount of water Idaho has available to put toward agriculture. Growers and residents alike are looking at a future where they must prioritize how and where they use water.
It’s been called the Great Resignation: a voluntary mass exodus of employees from the national labor market, particularly low-paying service jobs, starting in early 2021. Idaho isn’t exempt from the Great Resignation. Here are a few Idahoans’ experiences, from the views of both workers and employers.
Canyon County, including Sunnyslope, is updating its comprehensive plan and, in the process, is considering how to preserve ag land.
So far, options include the creation of an “agritourism overlay,” allowing the county to create zoning rules for that area. In particular, an “intensive ag overlay” would protect agricultural areas from being encroached upon or creating incompatible uses.
A generation of Basque Idahoans sought a renewed connection with the Basque Country through the traditional recipes brought with their grandparents to America. In the Basque American hub of Boise, Idaho’s Basque cuisine fuses traditional flavors and methods with culture, ingredients and innovation picked up in the new world.
Countless beds of fresh herbs, wandering chickens and a greenhouse bursting with bright red tomatoes take habitat in Angelo Brunson's backyard. It's the kind of small operation that makes Angelo's Ristorante in Coeur d'Alene, one of the city's standout farm-to-fork establishments.
Executive chef and owner Brunson's European heritage and passion for organic ingredients guide his business model as well as his personal mantra: To eat good quality food and know where it's coming from.
Universal standards in Idaho say the size of a server's tip depends on how well someone is served. However, some would say otherwise and have different thoughts on how tipping should work.
On a sultry day in early June, the front lawn of the Hells Canyon and Zhoo Zhoo winery feels like a tiny slice of Tuscany transported to Caldwell, Idaho. But the winery has an open secret: Both the wine and ambiance are made possible by solar power.
There is little debate that farmers markets, despite having existed for centuries, are one of the bright spots in contemporary American culture. But they’re not limited to the middle class like it may seem today. Markets around Idaho are coming up with innovative ways to help get food to people who need it most.
Some restaurateurs in Idaho are practicing what they believe is a more equitable compensation model, called gratuity-free. Not everyone embraces this somewhat controversial model, but these managers and owners say they are working to “even the playing field” for employee wages at their restaurants.
Many Boise-area families in the early to mid-1900s bought their produce from Garden City—a hub for Chinese immigrants whose gardens gave the municipality its name. Learn their stories in our Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month feature.
Rising land prices have put the cost of farming outside the reach of many young farmers, but a program taking root in Idaho is helping.
Idaho farms—including Peaceful Belly Farm in Canyon County and Full Circle Farm and Nedrow Farm in Teton County—are using conservation land easements that can reduce the cost of permanently preserving farmland by up to half. Here’s how an easement works.
Spring is the season for celebrating fantastic local beer and the people who make it: April is Idaho Craft Beer Month, and May 16-22 is American Craft Beer Week.
At Project FARE, we love telling the stories behind the things you love to eat and drink, so we’re honoring the hoppy, malty, sour season for the next six weeks with a virtual tour of breweries across Idaho.
Keeping farmworkers safe from heat-related illnesses is getting harder every year.
Without serious action on climate change, reports state, extreme heat and weather may make it impossible to grow food — or work outside safely to harvest it.
Idahoans saw signs of this future in the brutal summer of 2021. Now, as the 2022 harvest season approaches, farmers, farmworkers and the organizations that advocate for them are gearing up for another heat wave.
For many women like wine educator Kathryn McClaskey, innovating in food and agricultural fields where leadership and prestige tend to skew male has meant finding a voice and using it to make a path for themselves and others where few examples existed before.
From farming to fine dining and coffee roasting to winemaking, female entrepreneurs and creatives have been part of Idaho’s thriving food scene from the beginning and are leading the way as it grows.
Eugene Settle was 5 years old when he and his family moved from Oklahoma to the Pacific Northwest in 1899. His father, who grew up in Mississippi and was a descendent of enslaved people, had visions of hunting, farming and settling a homestead of his own.
Learn the Settle family story and more in our Black History Month feature.
In Idaho, cottage baking laws allow entrepreneurial home bakers to sell goods made in their own kitchens directly to consumers, as long as they adhere to a few basic guidelines. Whether as a part-time side gig for a little extra cash or as a full-time business, with a little finesse and some word-of-mouth marketing, bakers like Rizzuto often find cottage baking pays off quite sweetly.
As record-breaking heat, smoke and wildfire plagued the Pacific Northwest this summer, many of Idaho’s agricultural businesses were affected by the enduring summer, droughts and long fire seasons of the past few years.
The summer of 2021 was an especially hot, smoky one with July being the hottest month in recorded human history and an unusually early start to the smoke lingering in the air. While some places hadn’t seen any serious effects, local growers and ranchers at the base of our food chain were dealing with lessened crops, wildfire, lack of rain and smoke exposure.
Written by Anteia McCollum
Every Saturday from May until October, vendors sell everything from farm fresh vegetables and potted herbs to handmade wooden spoons and stained glass decor at Idaho’s many farmers markets.
Located throughout the state, from the urban Treasure Valley to the rural fields of the Palouse, farmers markets serve their communities while creating a unique one itself.
Written by Anteia McCollum
The scent of summer in Idaho’s Treasure Valley is undeniably one of the land.
Drive down Ustick or Highway 20/26 on a balmy July night with the windows down, and the cool, grassy smells of spearmint and alfalfa fields surround you. If you’re out particularly late, and the dewpoint is just right, the mechanical whir of harvesters and farm trucks provide an ambient soundtrack to the evening, their headlights illuminating their own dust clouds.
Asked about his pricing strategy at the Boise Farmers Market, Steve Spiteri of Meridian’s Ohana No-Till Farm described a moment of standoff at the booth. It’s a familiar snapshot: The vendor stands on one side of the plastic table while the buyer stands on the other, bag of salad in hand.
Whether you’re a Coeur d’Alene local or just visiting town for the weekend, there are several food trucks in the city that go above and beyond. Three rise to the top: Las Brasas, Young Shin's Famous Korean, and Raw Dead Fish.
Boise has plenty of plant-based dining on offer that goes beyond standbys like Indian cuisine. If you’re vegan or vegetarian, add these eight spots to your must-eat list.
Since 1983, the Festival at Sandpoint has been bringing excellent music immersed in an intimate, natural setting to North Idaho. The music, bands and musicians get a lot of recognition, but one of the crucial elements to a successful Festival, year after year, is the handful of local vendors who serve food and drinks on Festival Street.
The Outlaw burger at The Outlaw Bar and Grill, along the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, is considered one of the best by Silver Valley locals.
Looking to enjoy some great tunes with your great bites? These Boise-area spots are the place to be this summer.
Whether you’ve lived in Coeur d’Alene for decades or are visiting for the first time, this noteworthy group of five must-try restaurants can help you answer the question, "Where should we go to dinner?"
Boise has plenty of great places to eat, whether you have celiac disease or are gluten intolerant, but a few stand out from the crowd. The places mentioned here offer clear labeling that takes the guesswork out of reading a menu (a big relief to celiacs), and they don’t sacrifice taste or quality when it comes to their gluten-free offerings.
Now in its 10th year, Boise’s annual Treefort Music Fest — like a 10-year-old kid … or, uh, a tree — is continuing its growth spurt by featuring more than 500 artists for the first time. But with bigger size comes bigger appetites.
Ice Cream for Breakfast Day sounds like one of those made-up social media holidays, but it’s the real deal – and Idaho is the perfect place to celebrate on Feb. 5.
Our state is home to some of the freshest ice cream you can find (after all, we are third in the nation for milk production), as well as shops highlighting local ingredients and experimenting with fun flavors.
There are nearly infinite Scotch egg origin stories, but what historians agree on is that the dish long ago hopped the pond to the United States. Although BBC once reported that “Scotch eggs bemuse many Americans” and listed them among “7 British Food Habits Americans Will Never Understand,” the humble dish is now having a moment on classy restaurant menus in Boise, Idaho.
Written by Lex Nelson
Learn how Pocatello chefs are honoring the labor and flavor of produce from Bowman Farm.
Learn about chef Ian Pecoraro and his farm-to-table project, Cellar Door in Moscow
Learn about McIntyre Pastures, a family-run, no-till, pasture-based farm in Caldwell, Idaho.
Learn about the Snake River Seed Cooperative, which provides regionally adapted seeds for farms and gardens in the Intermountain West. The employee- and grower-owned co-op works with 50 growers, mostly family farms, to supply seeds.
Nestled at the at the base of Lone Mountain and next to the Selkirk mountain range sits Lone Mountain Farms & Brewery, a diverse farm and brewery with fields of rare grains, hops, vegetables, and foraging chickens.
The location of Lone Mountain Farms is perfect for growing hops and grains, which allows owners Luke and Emily Black a unique opportunity to create beers grown and brewed on the same farm. They are devoted to seeking out rare and unique grains from all over the world, searching for the most flavorful grains to brew into their farm-craft beers.
Photos by Annie Zasadny
Homesteader Farms is located in Wilder, Idaho and is a true family farm. Tanya and Scott run the farm along with help from their two 14 year old twin boys and their 4 year old daughter.
Scott and Tanya are working diligently to grow the best tasting and nutrient packed produce they can without the use of chemical fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides.
The Latah Farmers Market is in the midst of its second season as a small-scale, local market catering to county residents–vendors and visitors alike.
Organizer Erika Sattler, originally from California, moved to Deary, Idaho, to expand her regenerative cattle-raising business, Texas Ridge. She eventually compounded this interest by founding the market during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Over the past 10 years, there has been a shift back towards growing food in urban spaces. But building a high-production farm right outside the back door of a grocery store is as urban as you can get.
Since 1999, Pilgrim’s Market in Coeur d’Alene has been offering healthy, local and sustainable foods, supplements and lifestyle products. In 2015, they decided to take their values a step farther by establishing a market garden directly behind the store to bring fresh produce directly from farm to shopping basket.
A central question propels Patrick Shepherd-Blalock and Noah Espinoza: What does it mean to thrive?
The energetic chefs behind Pocatello’s newest food truck, Thrive: Artisanal Bowls and Wraps, focus on internationally-inspired food with Idaho tastebuds in mind.
From Austin to San Francisco, and now Idaho, kava is planting its roots as a buzzworthy alcohol alternative with flavors like lavender lemonade and peanut butter. Some people call kava calming, energizing, relaxing or even euphoric—a buzz without the alcohol. It’s made from the root of a plant in the pepper family that’s found throughout the Pacific islands and Southeast Asia.
Last March, Al Zohiry opened My Ice Cream Roll in the Lynwood Shopping Center in Twin Falls.
Ice cream wasn’t his initial intention. Al Zohiry actually planned to open a high-end European cafeteria with a rolled ice cream corner in a building in downtown Twin Falls. After ordering the machines and powder base for his ice cream, the sale of the building fell through. That’s when he found the property in the Lynwood Shopping Center and decided to focus solely on rolled ice cream.
When it comes to beer in the Magic Valley, Koto Brewing Co. is the place to be. From porters to blondes, IPAs to cream ales, Koto covers the gamut of flavor preferences.
But for head brewer Pierre Tusow, nothing beats the 2nd Base IPA. 2nd Base is a double dry-hopped version of the Table Base IPA, one of Koto’s most popular beers.
If you don’t like beer, the owners of Barbarian Brewing think they can change your mind.
While Barbarian specializes in sours, co-owner Bre Hovley assures that everyone can find something to like out of their diverse beer lineup, which has included 300 different varieties over the years. Enthusiasts can even sign up for a brewery membership that includes access to special barrel-aged beers released quarterly, along with a discount in their Boise and Garden City taprooms.
On a sunny evening after a week of April snow, Groundwork Brewery’s outdoor patio was packed nearly shoulder to shoulder on a Wednesday night in Lewiston. While local musician Ben Wagner performed on a small stage crafted from a shipping container, customers of all ages enjoyed drinks and food.
“Music nights are my favorite,” said Amanda Rigney, co-owner and manager of Groundwork. “The environment is fun, the music is fun and it’s a good way to make people happy. That’s pretty easy with pizza and beer.”
When it opened, Radio Brewing Company was the first brewery in the town of Kellogg—and five years later, it remains the only one. Owners Ashley and Fred Mehaffie bring years of brewing experience to Idaho’s Silver Valley, and they’re planning to use those skills to expand. . The Mehaffies recently purchased the former Kellogg City Hall, Library and Firehall building that is next to their current taphouse.
When Daniel Love and his Mother Earth Brewing Company business partners decided to expand out of California six years ago, Idaho offered everything they were looking for.
They wanted to open shop in Boise because the city is where everything was happening, Love said. In December, their dream of a downtown Boise tasting room came to fruition.
Davis and Hailee Gove, owners of Jim Dandy Brewing in Pocatello, want to celebrate the “barley belt” of the Snake River Plains.
The Goves originally considered opening a full restaurant, but decided to put 100% of their effort into beer production, focusing on the use of fresh local hops and barley and the development of their brewing skills.
In the heart of a once booming North Idaho mining community, customers are striking it rich once again, not with silver, lead and zinc, but with homemade pies.
Since opening Dec. 20, Mae’s Market in Smelterville is gaining a reputation as a place to buy delicious, homemade food items. One in particular is gaining popularity: the pear pie.
The old adage that word of mouth is better than advertising certainly holds true for The Pie Safe Bakery & Kitchen in Deary, a town of about 500 people east of Moscow. Owners John and Grace French have never taken out a paid ad to promote their bakery and restaurant, yet people from all over North Idaho and the Palouse find their way there.
It must be the pie that draws them in.
After spending most of January planning, preparing and rehearsing for the Valentine’s special, Lodgepole will host around 50 couples for the occasion, highlighting food made with local and regional ingredients.
Himalayan Flavor is the creation of Nepalese native Roshan Kumar, who came to Idaho to study finance and accounting at Idaho State University. After he graduated in 2016, Kumar opened the Himalayan Grocery and Smoke Shop near ISU. His next ambition was to open a restaurant.
When Nicole and Conor Hammons bought a historic building on the up-and-coming end of Coeur d’Alene’s East Sherman Avenue in 2019, it seemed like a great opportunity to start a business.
The couple faced construction woes, opening setbacks and impending closures due to the pandemic – but it turns out the challenge was worth it. The Hammons opened Wine House in July 2020, and the wine bar has become a neighborhood hot spot.
A new report from the American Farmland Trust estimates Idaho will convert tens of thousands of acres of agricultural land to urban and rural development in the coming decades—though planners and landowners have the chance to reduce that number.
As intense flooding destroyed infrastructure in places like Yellowstone National Park and its neighboring communities in June, the heavy rains also refilled many of the region’s reservoirs that had dropped to historic lows earlier in the year.
For Idaho farmers, 2022’s “miracle spring” brought short-term good news – paired with long-term challenges presented by changing climate and precipitation patterns.
Shortly after Russia began its horrific, internationally condemned invasion of Ukraine, Boise’s Mad Swede Brewing Company heard about the resistance efforts of Ukrainian brewery Pravda Brewing, who are using their equipment to manufacture molotov cocktails and have asked brewers around the world to “brew for Ukraine.”
When you think of climate change, you might first imagine the atmosphere. But the speakers at the 2022 Climate Summit in Boise want humanity to look to the ground.
The keynote speaker, Gabe Brown, is a North Dakota farmer and rancher who has transformed his land with regenerative agriculture practices, such as no-till farming, integrated grazing, crop diversity and growing cover crops.
Three Idaho chefs and a Boise baker are semifinalists for the 2022 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards, the James Beard Foundation announced in a press release Feb. 23.
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.
For many Mexican families, pozole is a Thanksgiving staple served in place of turkey. Sal Alamilla, co-owner of the restaurant Amano in Caldwell, has enjoyed just such a feast. It inspired Amano’s 2020 Thanksgiving community event: Pozole for Familias.
All afternoon on Turkey Day, Alamilla’s team handed free bowls of house-made pozole to everyone who stopped by the restaurant. Ladled from a single pot, the stew alleviated loneliness, banished hunger, and brought food-insecure families and business executives together at one steamy table.
This year, Pozole for Familias is back! Amano will serve free stew from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 25. The pay-what-you-want bowls of pozole will benefit Inclusive Idaho (II) — a local nonprofit that builds inclusion for historically excluded groups in the Gem State, like people of color and those in the LGBTQ+ community.
Written by Lex Nelson
Fancy or casual, adventurous or comfortable, Project FARE contributors share where to find fabulous date night gnoshes
Whether you’re looking for something sweet and cool or fun and filling, Project FARE’s writers and photographers have the inside scoop on great summer treats across the state.