The Wood River Valley jumped on Michael Pollan's message of supporting local farms and food two years ago when a group of citizens joined forces with organic farmers to create Idaho's Bounty Co-Op Inc. The non-profit cooperative will both provide food for a reception preceding Pollan's lecture on Thursday, Nov. 13, and will present a local food fair on Friday, Nov. 14, from 4-8 p.m. at the nexStage Theatre in Ketchum.
"It's a unique connection," said Jeannie Wall, general manager of Idaho's Bounty. "He's already written about this area. In Southern Idaho we have a lot of really great land being farmed sustainably."
Wall said Mike Heath, a founding member of Idaho's Bounty, is one of the farmers that Pollan featured in his book "Botany of Desire."
The food fair is a fundraiser for Idaho's Bounty, which is member owned. All the food presented at the fair will make up a seven- to 10-course meal.
Situated around the perimeter of nexStage will be farmers and local chefs, with tables and chairs in the center. The farmers will offer samples of their produce, and dishes will be served by chefs Ric Lum of Buffalo Bites, Chris Kastner of CK's Real Food, Tyler Stokes of Globus and Chris Slawson of Glow Live Food. As well, private chefs Brent Barsotti, Becky Ludwig and Julie Johnson and baker Nancy Rutherford of Rolling in Dough will prepare dishes. Several visiting Idaho vintners will serve wine and Fletcher Brock will entertain with acoustic music.
Present will be Mike Heath from M&M Heath, Ed and Christa Lucero of Morningstar Farms, Clarence and Tona Stilwill of Fair Mountain Farms, Teri Backstrom of Petra Farms, Stacie and Steve Ballard of Ballard Cheese, Vickie Durand of Durand Farms and Bryan Tempest of Bigwood Bread. Presentations will include cider pressing and a cheese making demonstration specially for children.
"What we are trying to do is promote this rich, nutritious food supply and make it a safer and more diverse system by providing more opportunities," Wall said. "It's not just looking at the big producers but the garden growers and the people who make prepared foods from the organic produce."
Pollan says we should all strive to lead lives in which shaking hands with the hand that grew our food is not unusual.
"It's the farm-to-the-family-table concept," Wall said. "Idaho's Bounty uses modern technology, the Internet, to foster that community. Even if you can't shake their hands, you can go online and read their story, join a farm tour or come to this event to meet them and savor the local foods and the chefs."
This winter there will be changes afoot for members of Idaho's Bounty in the form of fresh and varied produce.
"Geothermal resources are very unique to southern Idaho," Wall said.
"Greenhouses heated with that provide farm-fresh produce all year. Besides the root vegetables, we will provide fresh local produce such as tomatoes, arugula, mesculin and spinach."
Tickets for "A Taste of Idaho's Bounty" are available at Iconoclast Books, Chapter One Bookstore, at the door on Friday or through Julia Augustus at 721-1412. The cost is $40 per person, $90 for families and $25 for students.
The founding members and volunteers of Idaho’s Bounty ride a wave of support. Courtesy photo by Paulette Phlipot
