IDAHO TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL FARM TO SCHOOL MONTH IN OCTOBER
The Idaho State Department of Agriculture’s Idaho Preferred® Program will celebrate statewide Farm to School Month in October as part of the National Farm to School Month. The initiative seeks to feature the ways farm-to-school efforts can improve child nutrition, support local economies and educate children about the origins of food.
The 2016 National Farm to School Month theme, One Small Step, highlights the simple things anyone can do to get informed, get involved and take action to advance the initiative in schools and communities.
To assist schools in making the most out of farm-to-school opportunities, Idaho Preferred® will provide such resources as suggested menu applications, classroom posters, teacher curriculum and fun physical activities that advance a food theme. These weekly themes also represent some of Idaho’s major agricultural industries – including dairy, potatoes, apples and trout – and focus on easily accessible local foods.
The official start to Idaho’s Farm to School Month will occur Monday, October 3 at Whittier Elementary School in Boise. During lunch, the school will be taking “One Small Step” by adding fresh Idaho apples and vegetables to their salad bar. The menu addition will be used at all cafeterias in the Boise School District on October 3, and will include 40 cases or about 6,500 Idaho-grown apples. Throughout the year, Boise schools also will serve Idaho grapes, green peppers, garbanzo beans, trout, potatoes and a wide variety of dairy products.
“Students, parents, faculty and food service staff in our district are really supportive of preparing and eating locally grown and produced items,” said Peggy Bodnar, RDN, LD, SNS, Food and Nutrition Services supervisor for the Boise School District. “We love supporting the local economy, and the foods Idaho produces taste fantastic!”
“Celebrating National Farm to School Month is just one more element of our very active Idaho Farm to School program” said Leah Clark, Idaho’s lead for the National Farm to School Network and manager of ISDA’s Idaho Preferred® program. “Our Idaho Farm to School program is a great collaboration between the Idaho’s departments of Agriculture and Education, Idaho Ag in the Classroom and, most importantly, our school nutrition professionals. And, it is paying off. The most recent USDA Farm to School Census shows that 45 percent of Idaho schools, or 55 districts with over 107,700 students, are serving local foods. In 2015, more than $4.2 million was spent by Idaho schools on locally produced foods.”
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About Idaho Preferred®
The Idaho State Department of Agriculture’s Idaho Preferred® program promotes the quality, diversity and availability of local food and agricultural products grown, raised or processed in Idaho. Idaho Preferred® strives to increase consumer awareness of local farmers, ranchers and food processors; provide education and information about seasonal local product availability; reach out to local communities and schools; and provide a connection between producers and retailers.
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For more information about National Farm to School Month visit the National Farm to School Network website.
For more information and resources for Idaho schools, visit the Idaho Preferred Farm to School webpage.
State & Lemp is like nothing else in Boise. This small unassuming location that gives the restaurant its name, is home to outstanding contemporary American cuisine that is built on local, seasonal ingredients. Menus at State & Lemp change weekly and each night, Wednesday through Saturday, dining guests enjoy a prix fixe menu crafted by an amazingly creative chef /management team including Owner / Founders Jay Henry and Remi McManus and Chef Kris Komori.
he month-long celebration will kick-off this year in Northern Idaho at the Schweitzer Fall Festival in Sandpoint on Friday, September 3 through Monday, September 5, 2016. This northern event of the summer is expected to have around 7,500 attendees throughout the three-day festival of local music, food, wine, crafts and over eighty local micro-brews, beers and ciders. The Idaho Preferred® team will sample local apples from Henggeler Packing Co. and Litehouse Foods yogurt dip, which is made with Idaho dairy in their Sandpoint plant. Idaho Preferred® will work to educate festival-goers about choosing local, seasonal products and the importance of Idaho agriculture.
About Idaho Preferred®
This summer, sink your teeth into an Idaho peach and taste the difference of locally grown tree fruit! Our growing conditions are perfect for peaches. Idaho’s hot, dry days and cool nights allow for maximum sugar production and ultimate sweetness! Local peaches are more flavorful than those shipped in from out of state because they are left on the tree longer and picked at peak ripeness. To ensure you find the freshest peaches in your area, look for the Idaho Preferred® logo.
Our favorite way to enjoy this summer treat is fresh from the tree, but this versatile fruit is also delicious dried, frozen, grilled, canned or made into jellies and jams. Try some of our delicious 
One of the hippest spots in Boise, 
Litehouse®, Inc
Nestled off of State Route 55 in Caldwell is the quaint and cozy Orchard House restaurant. The Orchard House focuses on serving fresh, local, seasonally inspired cuisine. They use real local butter, fresh herbs and high quality creams and milk. Everything on the menu is made fresh to order, so when you visit, prepare to sit back, relax and enjoy your time there.
MIDDLETON, ID, May 24, 2016 – USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service recently awarded Middleton School District a “One in a Melon” award for administering an exemplary Farm to School program. One school district per state was selected for the award by receiving the most public nominations.
With a true farm-to-table philosophy, Capitol Cellars incorporates Idaho-grown and raised ingredients and seasonal specials so there is always something local on the menu. 
Because owners Skip and Melinda Smyser both served terms in the Legislature, daughter and restaurant manager, Logan Smyser, incorporated a political theme using creatively named menu items such as The Senator’s Prime Rib, Bethene’s Beet Salad, Joe Williams Watermelon Salad and Pete’s Idaho Lamb Osso Bucco. And don’t pass up the Bison-tennial Ribs – sourced locally and prepared to perfection. 
We recommend visiting more than once or bringing a group of friends who like to share, as the dinner menu is divine and loaded with local ingredients – you’ll want to try them all!
We sampled a smorgasbord of Idaho cuisine including: Len’s Lettuce Wraps- Kurobuta pork belly, butter lettuce from Laura Lee Farms, carrot, radish coins, roasted pepper-lemongrass sambal and local micro greens from 
The local love doesn’t end before the dessert menu, so your meal shouldn’t either. The all-Idaho creme brulee is made with Matthews Farms eggs, local cream and sugar. Or try the homemade chocolate ice cream made with local dairy, sugar and 
In addition to the Idaho foods, Capitol Cellars has one of the best Idaho wine lists in town. Make sure you go on a Wednesday for their Wine Down Wednesday special – 25% off bottles of all Idaho wines! So this summer when you have guests in town, or just want a great Idaho meal, head downtown and down the stairs to Capital Cellars.
June is National Dairy Month and in Idaho there are many reasons to celebrate. Dairy is Idaho #1 agriculture industry adding over $3 Billion to our state’s economy. We rank 3rd in the nation in milk and cheese production and are a major producer of many other milk products sold domestically and abroad. All of Idaho’s 500+ dairies are family owned and many are multi-generational. These families care for over 580,000 cows – each producing an average of 7 gallons of milk per day. Milk you purchase arrives in the grocery store within just a day or so of when it left the dairy, providing a very fresh, wholesome and nutritious product for your family.
Celebrate June Dairy Month with a cold glass of milk, cheese, ice cream, or this yogurt parfait topped with Idaho strawberries – also fresh and local in June! Want to learn more about the dairy industry first hand? Visit a Meridian dairy hosted by United Dairymen of Idaho – for more information, please visit: