Mother’s Day is a great time to show Mom how much she means to you by sharing your love of all things local!  Whether you plan to buy her a gift, take her out for brunch, or maybe spend the afternoon touring the wine country - Idaho farmers, food producers, wineries and nurseries are ready to help.

Let’s start with the gift – what Mom doesn't like flowers?  Look for the Idaho Preferred logo to find color bowls or hanging baskets grown in local greenhouses.  Growers like Ward’s Greenhouse and Warm Springs Greenhouse in Garden Valley supply to retail stores and garden centers in southwest Idaho including Zamzows and Albertsons.  In the Sun Valley area look for locally grown plants at Webb Landscape or Hollyberry Nursery and in eastern Idaho you can find local plants at Sunnyside Gardens, Allen’s Greenhouse or Town and Country Gardens.  Maybe this year, Mom would like a flowering tree instead of traditional flowers?  If so, find trees grown by Clayton Tree Farms in Wilder, Franz Witte Nursery, or look for trees grown by Teton Trees in Burley or Reggear Tree Farm in Orofino.

Helping Mom start her garden is also a great gift.  After you've done the “dirt-y” work, look for locally grown bedding plants and starts.  Locally-grown bedding plants can be found statewide – try Alpha Greenhouse in Cascade, Lakeshore Nursery in Nampa, Rustic Gardens in Kuna, Blooming Acre in Monteview, Garden Corral in Midvale or Scarecrow’s Secret Garden in Emmett.  If vegetable gardening isn't Mom’s thing, maybe a flower garden is.  Check out Old Valley Nursery in Eagle for a great selection of flowering annuals and perennials. 

Mother’s Day brunch is an annual tradition for many families.  To add to the celebration, look for restaurants that serve local products – and make reservations early!  Check out the Mother’s Day brunch at the Riverside Hotel prepared by Chef Dean Fuller and his staff, or Chef Dustin Bristol’s brunch at Brick 29 in Nampa, or make it a weekend and enjoy Mother’s Day brunch on a lake cruise at the Coeur d’Alene Resort.  Find Idaho restaurants that serve local foods here. 

Need one more idea to celebrate Mother’s Day the local way?  Try an Idaho wine tour.  Idaho is home to the fastest growing wine industry in the nation.  Today over 45 wineries in Idaho offer complex reds, light and fruity whites and intriguing blends to please any palette.  Vineyards can be found from Twin Falls to Marsing and north to Lewiston and Sandpoint.  Many wineries host special Mother’s Day tasting and events.  For tour routes, locations, events and information, go to www.idahowines.org.  Whatever you decide to do for your Mom this Mother’s Day, she will appreciate your extra efforts to support local producers while celebrating her special day.

Photos courtesy of Ward's Greenhouse in Garden Valley. 

At the market make sure to look for the first of Idaho’s crops. Asparagus is at its prime in April and May. As the days continue to warm, the asparagus grows rapidly and typically peaks around Mother’s Day. This tasty and nutritious vegetable doesn't stick around long so don’t miss it!

Asparagus is easy to prepare. Grill it, steam it, sauté it, or just eat it raw. For a grilled asparagus recipe click here. 

If you want to spend more time outside enjoying the warm spring weather then head out to wine country. Several Idaho wineries are now doing spring release and barrel tastings. To find a winery near you visit www.idahowines.org

Spring is also the perfect time to start sitting outside on the patios of restaurants throughout the state that serve local food and wine. Look for the Idaho Preferred logo in restaurant windows or click here to find locations where the menu includes local  food and wines.

Now get outside and enjoy all the local goodness that Idaho has to offer in the spring!

Whether you are planning a big Easter celebration for family and friends or just dying a few Easter eggs don’t forget to include Idaho grown ingredients. Fresh local ham, the first of the asparagus, grass-fed lamb, fresh baked breads, Idaho wines-and local eggs of course!

If you are looking for local eggs to dye head over to the Boise Co-Op where you can find a large assortment of local chicken or duck eggs. They also have one of the largest selections of local food in one place including meats, breads, produce, and wines.

If you are hoping to serve a local ham at your spring dinner you have several options. Vogel Farms in Kuna has fresh cured, no additives hams available. Hardball Farms in Nampa also has locally grown and processed hams for sale. Other options include Falls Brands Salmon Creek Farms Natural pork products and Homestead Naturals pork.

Another great option is local lamb. Try local grass fed lamb from Lava Lake Lamb, Blue Sage Farms, or Meadow Lark Farms. For a new recipe try Lamb Skewers with Mint Mayo or Rosemary Braised Lamb Shanks for these recipes visit www.idahopreferred.com/recipes.

Keep your eye out for the first of the local asparagus. You may also be able to find the first of local greens to include in a salad. Another option is to serve a local potato salad using local eggs, potatoes, onions, and mustard from Wagner Idaho Foods now available at Paul’s Markets.

If you are wanting something sweet to fill up those Easter Baskets then look for Weiser Classic chocolate Easter bunnies or homemade toffee from The Toffee Cottage. Want to bake something yourself then revisit  Put a Little Local in Your Holiday Baking to see all the “staples” grown right here in Idaho.

If you are visiting a friend’s house for Easter, a hostess gift is in order. Nestle a locally grown flowering plant or a bottle of Idaho wine in a colorful basket for a fun local gift.

Idaho Preferred  products will add flavor and meaning to your holiday dinner. To find more local products and producers visit www.idahopreferred.com

No need to travel to Ireland to have a St. Patrick’s Day meal. Celebrate right here in Idaho with traditional corned beef, potatoes and Irish soda breads produced by Idaho farmers, ranchers and bakers.
 
Weiser River Signature Beef is offering an all-natural local corned-beef. You can find it now through Idaho’s Bounty or the Boise Co-op. Or purchase an Idaho beef brisket from 24 West, Homestead Natural Foods, M & N Cattle, Sisler Ranch, or Vogel farms and corn it yourself following this recipe for Idaho Corned Beef.
 You can’t serve an Irish meal without potatoes. Try Boxty (Irish Potato Griddle Cakes)  made with all Idaho ingredients or an Irish Potato Casserole. Both go great with your local corned beef. If you want to serve something potato but don’t want to do too much preparation make Dorothy’s potato soup mix!
 Don’t forget the Irish soda bread. Zeppole Bakery’s Irish Soda bread is now available throughout the Treasure Valley or serve delicious rolls from Alpicella Bakery, Franz, or Great Harvest Bread Co. 

           This St. Patrick’s Day be Irish- but support local!

Wouldn’t it be great to have your own personal farmer – someone who grew produce for you and a few other Locavores in the community?  Well you can with a CSA. 

What exactly is a CSA?  CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture and very simply it is a share of a farmer or producer’s harvest.  Here’s how it works.  Prior to the planting season, a grower will offer shares in his/her CSA.  The number of shares available depends on the size and volume of produce a farmer can produce.  A share is usually defined as an amount of produce to feed either two or four people for a week and a CSA in Idaho generally includes 16-18 weeks of produce.  Cost of shares varies widely depending on the number of weeks, variety of products offered, whether weekly produce is delivered or has to be picked up, location of the CSA, and simple economics – supply and demand for shares.   The buyer of the shares pays in advance allowing the farmer to plan production and also providing him with capital needed to plant, grow and harvest.

CSA’s vary widely in what they offer.  Some CSA’s are fresh produce only – primarily vegetables - and the produce varies each week depending on what is in season.  Weekly “boxes” may start with lettuce, spinach, peas, radishes and other quick-growing early season crops.  As the weather warms, the box might contain carrots, beets, green beans, summer squash and finally tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet corn and winter squash.  Some CSA’s also include a fresh fruit option where the farmer will work with a local orchard and include seasonal fruit in the weekly offering.  Other CSA’s might include meats, dairy or breads.  Contents are dictated by weather and growing conditions, are not guaranteed, and usually not customized – every share holder receives the same basic selection of products.

If you would like to become a member of a CSA check out these Idaho Preferred producers.  Wissel Farms is the newest CSA in the Treasure Valley and offers a fruit-vegetable membership and free weekly delivery (Wisselfarms.com).  Morning Owl Farms offers several types of CSA’s  - some that are year-around and can be found at www.morningowlfarm.com.  Vogel Farms in Kuna offers a meat subscription at www.vogelfarmscountrymarket.com and Cabalo’s Orchard offers a CSA card for fruits and vegetables grown on their farm in Kuna.  In north-central Idaho check out Jim’s Year Around produce in Julietta. You can find information and the application to their CSA at http://idahopreferred.com/member-database/jims-year-round-produce.

 

The Super Bowl is this Sunday! Even if you are not a big football fan it doesn’t mean that you can’t put together a fun football party. Everyone knows that no Super Bowl is complete without the food and commercials.  When planning the menu for this big get together don’t forget about your eating local resolution.

Make the perfect layered bean dip and serve with Casa Valdez tortilla chips made right in Caldwell. Include Idaho beans, sour cream from Meadowgold or Darigold, cheese from Ballards, Idaho onions, and delicious salsa from Treasure Valley Salsa. If you want to stick with the Mexican food theme, Quesadillas made with Idaho cheese are a crowd pleaser and easy to make. Look for corn, flour and even whole wheat tortillas from Casa Valdez or Fresca. Serve on the side with Idaho sour cream and Treasure Valley salsa.

Another great choice is hot dogs or chorizos.  Look for Falls Brand and Gem Pack franks that can be found at most local grocery stores. Another great option is Hard Ball Farms. They have a variety of different pork products including Basque style chorizos and you can easily order them online. Hog Heaven in Moscow makes a variety of different sausages as does Big Lost River Meats in Mackay.  Serve them on rolls made by Zeppole, Alpicella, Harvest Classic or Great Harvest Bakeries, all baked fresh daily in the Treasure Valley.

For something new and different try this Loaded Baked Potato Dip! It can be made in 10 minutes.

Loaded Baked Potato Dip (Recipe adapted from MyRecipes.com)

Yield: About 4 cups

16 ounces Idaho sour cream
16 slices (12-ounce package) bacon, cooked and crumbled Look for brands like Falls Brand or Hard Ball Farms
8 ounces sharp Idaho cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
1/3 cup thinly sliced Idaho onions

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving to allow flavors to meld together. Garnish with extra shredded cheese, crumbled bacon, and chopped chives. Serve with homemade potato chips using Idaho potatoes. Dip can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

You can’t forget the beverages…local beer, wine, and spirits are great for the adults and regular or chocolate milk for the kids from Cloverleaf Creamery, Darigold, or Meadowgold. Don’t forget the local bottled water for your guests. Rocks Water from Boise is available in several stores including Paul’s and Albertson’s.

For dessert, serve Cloverleaf Creamery ice cream made fresh in Buhl. It is available in several flavors so everyone can have their favorites!

 

Now that your pantry is stocked with Idaho bread and your fridge is full of Idaho dairy products, it’s time to add in local proteins. The selection of local meats available year around ranges from beef to turkeyto rabbit. With this much variety, it’s easy to choose Idaho meats and you will never have to worry about getting bored!

Are you craving a juicy steak or the comfort of slow-cooked pot roast with Idaho potatoes? Then look for quality beef produced in Idaho.  Homestead Natural and 24 West  Ranch offer all natural grass-fed beef, Sisler Ranch offers a variety of cuts of their natural beef, Vogel Farms has grass and grain fed beef, and be sure to try Weiser River Signature beef from the Weiser River Valley available at the Boise Co-Op. For a special occasion treat try world-famous Snake River Farms American Kobe Beef and one of our newest members, M &N Cattle sells American Kobe Beef at Capital City Market and Bown Crossing Market in the summer.  What’s more traditional in Idaho than local lamb?  Lamb is delicious when prepared properly and is available from Blue Sage Farms in Shoshone or you can buy  grass-fed lamb on line from Lava Lake Lamb in Ketchum.

In addition to high quality red meats, Idaho produces several poultry options including organic and free-range chickens and turkeys.  Or for something a little different, try pheasant available from CA Bull Elk Ranch. And we can’t forget the trout! Idaho is the largest producer of food size trout in the U.S. accounting for 72% of all trout raised in the US. We all need to add more fish to our diets – so make it Idaho trout!

Although we can’t all agree if pork is red or “The Other White” meat, it is another protein option for Idaho Locavores. Love bacon?  Then look for Falls Brand varieties at several local retailers.  Hardball Farms in Nampa produces high quality pork as does Homestead Natural who offers pasture raised Idaho pork.  Vogel Farms in Kuna produces both grass and grain fed pork. Find great Basque chorizo and sausage made by Gem Pack at Paul’s markets or contact Big Lost River Meats or Hog Heaven Sausage for a variety of hand-made sausage products.  For some great pork recipes like Roasted Pork and Apples or Grilled Pork Sirloin with spicy onion puree visit http://idahopreferred.com/consumers/recipes/.

Looking to try something new? What about chevon (goat meat) provided by Simon Boers of Hagerman?Around the world goat is a favorite dish. If you are interested in learning more about all things goat, read this great article at  by Idaho food writer Guy Hand. Not ready yet to try goat - but still looking for something new? How about rabbit! Rabbit is lean and high in protein. It is very versatile - great cooked in a stew or roasted and served with winter vegetables. And if you don’t want to prepare it yourself, visit Cucina Gemelli in Twin Falls where Chef Lynn Sheehan prepares dishes with both Idaho goat and rabbit meats.

Finally, if you didn’t have any luck hunting this year  - don’t worry! Idaho producers raise both elk and venison that is available on line and in specialty markets. Elk is available through CA Bull Elk Ranch in Hazelton and Black Pine Deer Farm near McCall offers venison in a variety of different cuts from stew meat to steaks.

With all of these great Idaho meat choices, it’s really not hard to keep your resolution of eating one locally produced item each week. For a list of Idaho Preferred meat producers visit http://idahopreferred.com/consumers/meat.htm.

Are you still searching for the perfect New Year’s resolution and it is already the second week of January…well look no further! What if you resolved to do something that is not only good for you, but also Idaho’s economy?Now you’re thinking “What could be beneficial to me and good for others at the same time?” Eating of course! There is one catch, it is not just eating ANYTHING, but eating locally grown or produced items.

 

 

Eating local does not have to be overwhelming. Start small… maybe with one locally grown or produced item every week! With so many great items to pick from it is easier than you think. For a start, visit www.idahopreferred.com to see what is in season, find local producers and search for great recipe ideas. Or read Idaho Preferred’s blog to get ideas on what to include in your cart to keep you on track throughout 2012.

Here are a few good places to start….

First, there are still Idaho onions, apples, potatoes, and squashes available in many grocery stores. Potatoes and onions are always great to have on hand. Plus, how can you beat fresh LOCAL fruit in January!  Look for Fortress, Symms, and Garrett Ranches apples at your local Paul’s market.

Now for some items that you may not recognize as Idaho products when preparing your grocery list:

Idaho is the third largest dairy state in the nation, so the selection of Idaho dairy products is great. Idaho milk, cheese, and butter are widely available at local retailers. Look for Darigold, Meadowgold, and Cloverleaf dairy products. If you are looking for organic milk, Organic Valley milk is in several stores. Also, Idaho Natural Farm Fresh has ISDA certified Grade A raw milk. Want local milk but don’t want to leave the store? Not a problem, Boise Milk Co. will deliver right to your door.

Don’t forget the cheese! Ballard’s cheese is available in so many varieties, from blocks to curds, that there is something for everyone. If you are feeling like trying something different Blue Sage Farms offers a variety of sheep’s milk cheeses!

What goes better with cheese than bread! No pantry is complete without bread and lucky for you it fits in with your resolution. Idaho breads range from artesian loaves to sliced sandwich breads. There is no excuse to NOT buy locally made breads, buns, and rolls.Breads from Zeppole’s, Great Harvest Bread Co., Franz Bakery, and Alpicella Bakery are all made with Pendleton flour right out of Blackfoot, Idaho. These breads are not only made in Idaho but also use Idaho ingredients.

Now you have a good idea about where to start - don’t forget to check back next week to find out about the large variety of Idaho meats available.

It’s down to the wire and you (and/or Santa) need last minute stocking stuffer ideas .  This year, instead of silly socks and chocolate Santas, try Idaho food and beverage items.  Not only are they delicious and useful, but Idaho Preferred gift items are also unique and might actually surprise someone on Christmas morning!

For those adults in your family who still hang their stockings, try Idaho wines.  With over 30 wineries now making delicious fruity whites and rich complex reds, you can find a wine to fit everyone's  taste.  Idaho wines also make the perfect hostess gift.  To find great Idaho wines, visit www.idahowines.org.  Adult stockings can also be filled with Idaho spirits from potato and huckleberry vodkas to cherry and apricot brandy – perfect for holiday celebrations.  Stockings not big enough?  Then try a gift certificate to a locally owned restaurant that supports Idaho farmers and ranchers by serving local foods on their menus.  For restaurant ideas, go to www.idahopreferred.com.

No matter their age, everyone craves a sweet treat now and then.  Look for Idaho candy made with local sugar, butter and maybe even some huckleberries from Weiser Classic Candies.  Or try all natural sweet creamy toffee made by The Toffee Cottage in Emmett.  Huckleberry syrup, local honey, fruit jams or wine jellies also make great little stocking stuffers.  Add a scone, flapjack or bread mix - or pick up fresh bread at a local bakery – for a gift that will be enjoyed long after the lights are taken down and the stockings are stored.  For another “sweet” option add Idaho apples or fresh cheese curds to your family’s stockings – or better yet fill a basket with several varieties of local apples and set it near the stockings – Santa will certainly enjoy this healthy alternative to your children’s sugar cookie masterpieces as he goes about his nights work!

When you think about eating local – you probably think about fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, and maybe even wine – but don’t forget about all of the “staples” grown right here in Idaho.  The Gem State is the third largest producer of wheat in the US.  Some of that wheat is ground into flour at the Pendleton Flour Mill in Blackfoot and sold locally and across the nation.  Here in the Treasure Valley look for Pendleton Mill’s flour at Paul’s Markets where a 25# bag is a great value at only $6.95!! If that sounds like too much flour – even for your holiday baking needs – consider sharing with a friend.  Flour also stores well and can be kept for a year or more if kept in an air-tight container in a cool dry pantry.  You can also find smaller quantities of local flour by going on line to http://www.idahosbounty.org.

You can’t make sugar cookies without the sugar – so look for White Satin brand white, brown and powdered sugar.  White Satin is the brand produced by the Amalgamated plant in Nampa from sugar beets grown by farmers from throughout the Treasure and Magic Valley areas.  Find White Satin at Paul’s Markets and some other independently owned local grocers.

Real butter is the key to delicious home baked goods and is made right here in Idaho. We are the third largest producer of milk, and although only a very small percentage of it goes to butter production, it is another way to support the largest agriculture industry that contributes so much to the economy of our state.  Darigold butter, made in Nampa, uses milk from dairies throughout southern Idaho and can be found at many local retailers throughout the state – or get it delivered to your home by Boise Milk at http://boisemilk.com.  Also, find local butter made in small batches by Cloverleaf Creamery in Buhl at their store, or at M&W stores, the Boise Co-Op Wissel Farms store, and through Idaho’s Bounty.

Finally, you will need eggs for almost everything you bake – and for your famous Uncle Mike’s eggnog!  And although eggs are a little harder to find this time of year, check out the Boise Co-Op, or go to Idahopreferred.com and find producers like Vogel Farms or Homestead Naturals.  Or - for extra richness and something a little unique – try baking with duck eggs from Morning Owl Farms.

Happy baking to all you Locavores! For more ingredients ideas go to www.idahopreferred.com