BY KAREN BOSSICK
The world knows Idaho is famous for its potatoes. But the state, and southern Idaho in particular, produces a rich array of other foods, as well, including pears, apricots, peppers, sweet corn, dried beans and hops.
Find out how to access those and other local foods in more than 75 places and ways via the inaugural “Wood River Valley Locally Grown Guide,” which makes its debut today.
The guide is earmarked to be published annually by the Local Food Alliance—part of the Sun Valley Institute. It offers information about 40-plus local farms and ranches, regional farmer’s markets, Community Supported Agriculture endeavors and retail outlets and restaurants featuring locally grown products.
“By creating a single resource that helps everyone in our community better access local food, we hope to increase awareness of all the opportunities that exist and bring more support to our farmers and ranchers,” said Stacy Whitman, co-founder and co-director of the Local Food Alliance.
Lexie Praggastis, the new executive director of Sun Valley Institute, noted that the COVID-19 crisis has exposed the fragility of our global food system, which relies on industrial-scale agriculture, extractive practices and shipping products over long distances.
“Building a regenerative and resilient food future will require the development of a strong and diverse regional food system,” she added. “We are excited about how the Locally Grown Guide will connect local consumers to farmers and help cultivate our regional food economy, better positioning us for a regenerative future.”
The colorful guide is available at Atkinsons’ Markets, visitor’s centers and post offices. It is also available at Wood River Farmers’ Markets, St. Luke’s Wood River Hospital, Konditorei Café & Bakery, GLOW, Big Belly Deli, KB’s, Java and other outlets.
It can viewed online at www.localfoodalliance.org/food-guide.
To submit a free listing to the 2020 online guide or next year’s print guide, email Whitman at stacy@sunvalleyinstitute.org.
The guide was made possible by the following sponsors: Andrea and Jamie Lieberman; Atkinsons’ Market; John Sofro, Berkshire Hathaway; Bungalow Munch + Jeri Howland; Cafe Della; Cookbook Restaurant; Felicitas Funke; Glow; Hillside Grain; Idaho Lumber and Hardware; Konditorei; Mason Family Restaurants, and NourishMe.
Also, Quin and Peter Curran, Perry's Restaurant; Piedaho; Pride of Bristol Bay; Sue Engelmann; Zenergy Health Club, Spa & Boutique, and VAMPS Muffy Ritz, Anne Kalik, Jan Toohey, Joan Scheingraber, Molly! Goodyear, Louise Wilson Noyes, Pamela Ridgeway, Kaz Thea, Leslie Maksik, Sandra Willingham, Claudia Klokke, Kathy Lynn, Andrea Lieberman, Linda Lynch, Charlotte Unger, Kimberly Ellwanger, Laura Todd, Erica Thorson, and Susan Scovell.