Boise City Council Approves Community Farming

18 Wednesday Apr 2012

Posted by Bob and Robin in Community Garden, Food, Local Farmers Markets, Local Harvests, Local Markets, Locavore, Special Information, What's For Dinner?

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This just in from the Idaho Statesman.

Boise City Council approves new rules for urban agriculture, but a vote on river jumping will wait
By ANNA WEBB — awebb@idahostatesman.com
Posted: 12:00am on Apr 18, 2012

The issue has inspired lots of passion and plenty of discussion. During a Boise City Council public hearing, several members of the public spoke in favor of the urban agriculture ordinance. No one spoke in opposition.

• Urban farms are now allowed in all zoning districts, along with community supported agriculture (CSAs), where customers buy shares of produce for pick up during growing season. The new rules also allow such operations to sell small amounts of produce.
• Urban farming retail spaces are limited to 500 square feet. New parking and overhead lighting is prohibited. Business hours are restricted to 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Produce stands have been operating with six month permits. Now, they’ll be able to apply for yearlong permits.

Read more here: Urban Agriculture

Great Day At The Boise Saturday Market 02 July

02 Saturday Jul 2011

Posted by Bob and Robin in Boise Adventures, Local Farmers Markets, Local Harvests, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Things To Do, What's For Dinner?

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Great weather for the Boise Saturday Market! It looks like the crowds may finally be growing to keep up with the growing market. Great to see old friends, Dana, and others. Here are some photos I took. Cheers!

Here is one of the vegetable vendors. Great selections!

And the breads and croissants from Le Cafe de Paris. Yum-O!

And one of the other vegetable vendors.

But there is more than just vegetables. One can purchase lamb, buffalo, beef, pork, elk, doughnuts, Mexican food and wine. Many herb booths and still some plants left for the gardens. And there is one entire block – maybe two – devoted entirely to the arts. A great way to spend a Saturday morning! Think Local!

Tester Amendment to the Food Safety Moderization Act

15 Monday Nov 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Interesting Information, Local Farmers Markets, Local Harvests, Special Information, Things To Do

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I have just received this from Wes Malvini and I do believe it is an appropriate post for this blog. Please participate in this where ever you are located in the United States. Inforamtion is here of how to contact your US Senators. I used a version of the phone script in an email. Thanks.

ACTION ALERT: Act by Nov. 17 on Senate Food Safety Legislation
Call your Senators MONDAY or TUESDAY

by Wes Malvini on Sunday, November 14, 2010 at 1:38pm

From The Cornucopia Institute:
It now appears that the Food Safety Modernization Act (S. 510) will be voted on in the Senate during the “lame-duck” session as early as Wednesday, Nov. 17.

This bill, as we have noted before, would impose extremely burdensome and unnecessary requirements on the thousands of small farmers and food processors who are producing safe, nutrient-dense foods for their local communities – in fact, it may force some of these producers out of business.

A key amendment sponsored by Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) would exempt small farmers who direct market more than 50% of their products.

These farmers must have gross sales (direct and non-direct combined) of less than $500,000, and sell to consumers, stores, or restaurants that are in-state or within 400 miles. This amendment is especially important for off-farm retail locations such as farmers markets and CSAs.

Please call your Senators today (most offices have voice mail where you can leave a message) and ask them to support the Tester Amendment on the Food Safety bill. If you are a farmer this is important to protect your livelihood. If you are a consumer, where will you buy your safe and nutritious food if your local farmers are forced out of business?

It’s easy to call. Go to Congress.org and type in your zip code in the box in the upper right hand corner. Click on your Senator’s name, and then on the contact tab for their phone number. You can also call the Capitol Switchboard and ask to be directly connected to your Senator’s office: 202-224-3121. Once connected ask to speak to the legislative staff person responsible for agriculture. If they are unavailable leave a voice mail message. Be sure to include your name and phone number.

The message is simple:
“I am a constituent of Senator___________. I ask that he/she support the Tester Amendment to the food safety bill. The Tester Amendment will exempt the safest, small, owner-operator farms and food facilities and farmers who direct market their products to consumers, stores or restaurants. Food safety legislation should not create inappropriate and costly regulatory barriers to family farms and the growing healthy food movement in the drive to crack down on corporate bad actors. Please support the Tester Amendment and market opportunities for small and mid-sized family farms, and small food processing facilities.”
Thank you for your help and support for those producing some of the nation’s safest and most nutritious food!

First Annaul Harvest Under The Stars

25 Monday Oct 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Buy Idaho, Local Farmers Markets, Local Harvests, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Special Events, Special Information, Things To Do, Wine and Food

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It is just great when a community comes together to support a local, but far reaching, organization. A New Beginning Adoption Agency in Boise is one such organization. On October 23, Boise came together, under the direction of Wes Malvini,to support this organization with the First Annual Harvest Under The Stars. As Wes said it,

“With our delicious array of harvest foods and hot beverages (Hot apple cider, butternut squash soup, cocoa, coffee, beer, wine, beef stew, plus lamb chicken and vegan sliders), a rockin’ concert by Finn Riggins, Quartertons Boise, comedian Heath Harmison, and magician Weseley Hanna– October 23rd at 6:00 p.m will be the only place to be (rain or shine)!

Bring a jacket and enjoy our GIGANTIC covered tent and heaters!

A New Beginning Adoption Agency (and meet who you’re supporting):
208-939-3865
9703 W Ustick Rd, Ste 101
Boise, Idaho
A New Beginning“

If you would like to know more about A New Beginning, their phone number, web site and mailing address are listed. They would be more than happy to talk to you about their services. Everyone was told to wear a costume if they wished to. Some of us did. Others came as themselves. Here are some photos from the event. Hope to see you there next year. This is a family oriented event and during the day there are some “Kid Approved” events and activities.

With “A Wink and a Smile” Wes Malvini leads the evening as MC

Robin in costume.

Cristi and Debbie from the Buzz Bistro in Boise.

Here are some of the food items supplied by the Buzz Bistro

Lamb Patties
Oat Patties
Butternut Squash Soup
Chicken Skewers with Fresh Vegetables

The food dishes prepared and distributed by the Buzz Bistro were made from all Idaho products.

Idaho’s Bounty vegetable display

One of the several bands and acts that performed.

Some other participants in the evening were Davis Creek Cellars, Woodriver Cellars, the Boise Coop and Ballard Cheeses. All of their help and products were greatly appreciated. Thank-You.

Lamb For Sale

21 Thursday Oct 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Lamb, Local Farmers Markets, Local Harvests

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Well, it’s that time of year for fresh lamb. We have been getting lamb for about 4 or 5 years now from this source and it has been fantastic. E-Mail Leanne Felzien for more details if you are interested. I don’t know the price right now, but if you don’t want a whole lamb, think about splitting it with someone – share the cost. Leanne will let you know the cost. Indirectly, you can contact Gail McClellan Parker for information and she will forward your questions to Leanne.

The lamb comes cut to your specifications and likes and quick frozen by a local butcher. The lamb is locally grown and harvested. Cheers!

Harvest Under The Stars

28 Tuesday Sep 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Interesting Information, Local Farmers Markets, Local Harvests, Local Markets, Party Time, Things To Do

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I received this information from Wes Malvini and he asked me to post it. Looks like it could really be fun.

Harvest Under The Stars

Visit us for a magical, night under the stars where innocence and imagination take you back to the time of being a child! Event organizer, Wes Malvini has brought together Idaho’s finest agricultural producers, local restaurants, businesses, citizens, musicians, and wineries to support the adoption of children from foster care! The event begins in the early parts of the day as a “Family Fun Day”–with games and booths to celebr…ate Idaho’s harvest. Get your children’s photos taken in the pumpkin patch or shop for local produce as your kids jump in the fun house and paint pumpkins! If you’re just passing by, come on in and eat some lunch from Brenda’s Foods and other local, fresh, and organic producers!

Later in the evening come back down and listen to the “joyful melodies, funky grooves, (and) soaring harmonies”* of Finn Riggins and rythmic, acoustic blues by The Quartertons. Fill your stomach muscles with laughter and eye sockets with wonderment as local comedian Heath Harmison and Mentalist, Mental Wes take you down a new kind of rabbit hole.

But that’s not all! The night is catered by Idaho’s Bounty delicious selection of local and sustainable foods! Also Idaho wineries such as Holesinsky Organic Winery, Davis Creek Cellars, and Woodriver Cellars!

Forget your adult shoes at home and become a kid again! All proceeds for A New Beginning Adoption Agency which is a non-profit, private adoption agency licensed in Idaho, Oregon, and Utah. They have been providing adoption services in Idaho for six years and have been involved with the placement of 250 children placed into adoptive families.

The mission of A New Beginning is to create healthy adoptive parents, children, and birth parents through education, preparation, and support throughout and after the adoption process. They have developed pre-placement adoptive training that all adoptive parents are required to complete. They have also developed support groups for birth parents and offered counseling to every birth mother that enters their doors.

When: October 23rd, 2010 from 12:00-4:00 (for children and parents) and 6:00-9:30 (adults ONLY)

Where: North End Nursery North End Nursery, North End Organic Nursery, 2350 Hill Road, Boise, ID

Cost: $20.00 in advance (email Wes Malvini) $25.00 at the door. Or enter our COSTUME PARTY and receive $5 off your tickets a the door and enter to win great prizes!

Sponsors: Idaho’s Bounty, North End Organic Nursery, Holesinsky Winery, Davis Creek Cellars, Woodriver Cellars, Brenda’s Foods, Heath Harmison, Mental Wes, Domestic Jones, BC-Creative.

——————————

This looks like it might be a really interesting and fun affair. Cheers!

Thunder Mountain Line Locavore Dinner

27 Monday Sep 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Local Farmers Markets, Local Harvests, Locavore, Main Dish, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Things To Do, What's For Dinner?

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For Robin’s Birthday, Marnie gave her a Locavore Dinner on the Thunder Mountain Train. This train goes along the Payette River from Horseshoe Bend to Banks, Idaho. Thank you Marnie – It was well worth it. They had a table reserved for us and balloons over the table. It was really a lot of fun to ride the train again and to “get out” with Robin for even a short time. When we reached Banks after riding through the back country and along the river, we had this awesome meal totally produced from locally grown foods and prepared locally. Enjoy these photos of our sojourn! Cheers!

Robin and Bob onboard the Thunder Mountain Line

The Payette River. There are Class 5 rapids on this river.

Kayaking

The Payette River Valley

The Thunder Mountain Line

Arrival at Banks!

In Banks and getting some food.

Ham, Bread, Apple Crisp, Potato Salad and Squash

Pasta with Chorizo, Salmon, Gnoche and Lamb Meatballs

Some of the dinner crowd

I hope you enjoyed the photos. We sure did enjoy getting them for you. Here’s to the next sojourn!

Boise Urban Market News

03 Friday Sep 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Local Farmers Markets, Local Harvests, Local Markets, Special Information, Things To Do, Thought For The Day

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I received this the other day from Hallie of the Boise Urban Market and thought some of you might be interested. Cheers!

“A team of food enthusiasts and I put on the Boise Urban Market once a month. We provide people a starting point or launching pad into a food-related career by accommodating them as vendors at our monthly markets. This allows product development opportunities to our vendors before having to pay many of the expenses that come with selling food at a traditional farmers market, restaurant, or store. To give you an idea of some of the products enjoyed at our markets, here is a list of a few of the items our vendors have brought since the Boise Urban Market’s inception in April: Artisan jalapeno cheddar bread made in dutch ovens, Dandelion-Mint Jam, Goat Cheese, Ginger-Peach Chutney, Chocolate Tofu Cheesecake, chilled Gazpacho, Kombucha Tea, Andouille Sausage, Falafel and Tzatziki sauce served hot, Walla Walla Onion Marmalade, and Vegan Lemon Bar Cupcakes.

The market has an ever evolving list of vendors, so we definitely keep things interesting by having new foods every month. Our market is only open to members of our club, which allows us flexibility and makes sure everyone who comes, knows that they are getting homemade food, not food that has been made in a commercial kitchen. If this sounds like something you’d like to be a part of, please Become A Member!

The Community Gardens website (a program of the Idaho Foodbank) is the first thing that comes to mind as far as an “all in one” website. I find the community calendar on that site especially useful. I also highly recommend Behind the Menu, Northwest Food News and would keep an eye out for the Treasure Valley Food Coalition (their website isn’t up yet but they are functioning). Aside from these, the North End Organic Nursery has an urban farmers market on Tuesday evenings from 4:00 – 6:30 where people can go to buy (or sell) produce from local gardens. Idaho’s Bounty co-op networks with the sustainable farms in primarily southern Idaho and is a really great non-profit. They are currently re-vamping their Boise drop-off schedule, but Idaho’s Bounty is a wonderful resource for sustainably grown meats, produce of all kinds and they even have many products made from all Idaho grown foods. I hope this helps!

Best,
Hallie / the BUM team”

Boise City Market Is In Full Swing

07 Saturday Aug 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Boise Adventures, Local Farmers Markets, Local Markets, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Vegetables, What's For Dinner?

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This time of year, summer is in full swing in Boise, the Boise City Market thrives with participation from both the vendors and the visitors. And, if you look at the photos below, a certain amount of color and beauty. I think I heard somewhere that about 10,000 people visit the Market each Saturday. The photo to the left is an overview of the Market … Well one small section, at least.

The Market now covers a much larger area then they did at the beginning of the season and they have even blocked one intersection for the safety of the people walking. It is good to see that the City of Boise allows this type of activity to take place, even if it does mean that a large section of downtown Boise is for “pedestrians only” each Saturday morning.

Fresh beans and squash are among some of the produce offered.

Many varieties of lettuce are available for that salad tonight!

Fresh beets, turnips and cucumbers can make an enjoyable dinner or salad.

Fresh tomatoes, cabbage, Swiss chard, kale, carrots and turnips!

Hope you make it down to the Boise Saturday Market and support our local farmers in their endeavor to bring us the freshest and most delightful products. Vegetables are not the only thing available: Try some elk, lamb, beef, buffalo, chicken, eggs, fruits, honey, artisan breads, fresh cut flowers, plants and a variety of “take out” dinners. I know I have missed some items, but right now I’m hungry! Probably going to do a Leg of Lamb with Sauteed Chard and Onions.

Boise City Club – "Local Foods"

21 Wednesday Jul 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Local Farmers Markets, Local Harvests, Local Markets, Things To Do, Thought For The Day, What's For Dinner?

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On Tuesday, 20 July, Robin and I went to the City Club of Boise to listen to a program about Local Foods. Such a great program and it complimented the PBS program on Outdoor Idaho, Local Food. The panel consisted of Janie Burns, from Meadowlark Farms and Dave Krick, from the Red Feather Lounge and the Bittercreek Alehouse in Boise. The moderator was Marsha Franklin of Dialog on IPTV – Idaho Public Television.

Some very interesting points were brought our during the discussion:

95% of the food in Idaho is imported from other places. We only eat 5% of the foods grown locally in Idaho.
The 20/20 Program. By 2020 in Idaho try to eat 20% locally grown foods
2011 will be the Year of Idaho Food
Cities in the US that have Directors of Food (There are others)