5 minute read
FIELD TO FORK
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
Connects Idaho's Independent Food and Beverage Businesses
By Tim Atwell
It was a gray, snowy day last January when Idaho’s independent food and beverage businesses congregated at Jack’s Urban Meeting Place (JUMP) in downtown Boise. In contrast to the dreary weather, the Field to Fork Festival was bright, busy, and cheerful. Like an indoors farmer’s market, the inside of the JUMP building was lined with rows of table-clothed booths on the third and fifth floor, with each booth representing a local business. Meanwhile on the ground floor, the JUMP community kitchen was open for the guests to enjoy demonstrations from some of Idaho’s top chefs, including James Beard nominees Dan Ansotegui and Nate Whitley.
One of the defining features of the event was the participants’ willingness to share what they had to offer: bites of ostrich meatballs from American Ostrich Farms, samples of specialty coffee roasts from Dawson Taylor, and a crash course in fungiculture from Dream Girl Farms. Offerings downstairs were just as exciting, with dozens of people crowding around the kitchen to see top-level chefs in action and enjoy samples of oysters, chorizo, and other local favorites.
The Field to Fork Festival was hosted by FARE Idaho, a non-profit that sprang to life to support Idaho’s independent businesses during the shutdown in Spring 2020. By joining forces and finding ways to help one another, the independent businesses that comprise FARE Idaho were able to help each other deal with several difficult years in the independent food and beverage industry.
“Our job at FARE Idaho is to help build a more sustainable and resilient food system here in Idaho. Our goal with Field to Fork is to bring everybody together under one roof,” said Katie Baker, Executive Director of FARE Idaho. “Not only to celebrate Idaho food and beverage, but to build deeper connections.”
PHOTO BY MARILYN ISAAC PHOTOGRAPHY
In addition to exhibitor booths and cooking classes, the Field to Fork Festival offered several educational sessions hosted by panels of experts from Idaho’s independent food and beverage industry. Ranchers described the challenges of competing with corporations who could process cattle for half the cost of a family-owned ranch. Hops growers celebrated the vibrance and flavor of Idaho’s hops, but also took a more somber tone when discussing the current oversupply issue facing Idaho’s hop farms.
The first annual Field to Fork festival was held at JUMP Boise on January 19, 2023.
PHOTO BY MARILYN ISAAC PHOTOGRAPHY
During the Q&A portion of the sessions, a question that kept arising from the audience was, “What would solve your problems?” Again, everyone seemed eager to share what they had to offer, to collaborate and look for solutions to the challenges faced by Idaho’s independent businesses. Though there were a wide range of backgrounds, businesses, and industries represented in the room, everyone seemed intent on finding new ways to help one another. As one panelist described it, the group was a “community of trust.”
Katie Baker, Executive Director of Fare Idaho.
PHOTO BY MARILYN ISAAC PHOTOGRAPHY
Building community at Field to Fork was a top priority for Alexander Keoki, Marketing Coordinator at Teff Company, local food blogger, podcaster, gastronomist, and champion of FARE Idaho. “We’re so much stronger as a community. It’s important to have that connectivity for businesses, and to help these family farms thrive,” Keoki said. “I’m hoping this is an annual event, and I’m also hoping for more routine events throughout the year to keep the connections within the community.”
Keoki was just one of many in attendance willing to share their resources, ideas, and talents with the community. Even when the session panelists were discussing the seemingly overwhelming challenges they faced, it was with a tone of optimism. That optimism was contagious, and it seemed to affect everyone in the room.
DOMA Coffee of Post Falls, Idaho is named for founders Rebecca and Terry Patano’s sons Dominic and Marco. DOMA’s logo captures that family spirit with an illustration of Terry’s father, while its sustainable packaging conveys its dual focus on environmentally friendly practices.
PHOTO BY MARILYN ISAAC PHOTOGRAPHY
When people asked, “What would solve your problems?”, the underlying question seemed to be, “What can we do to help?”
In that way, the Field to Fork Festival brought together a community of independent businesses, and it gave them a space to connect, collaborate, and ask questions about what everyone could do to help one another.
“Listen to the problems,” said Rocci Johnson, co-owner of Humpin’ Hannahs, head of the Rocci Johnson Band, and co-secretary of FARE Idaho. “Listen to the problems that our family-owned businesses are facing. Let’s find a way to assist with all of that and make sure our food chain is secure. Make sure that we’re doing what we can to make sure that food security in Idaho is sustainable and safe and abundant.”
Johnson’s appeal seemed to resonate at the Field to Fork Festival. While the day was filled with impactful speakers, lessons, and discussions, it was listening to the stories of people who are committed to bringing us all the best quality life and food that made the most powerful impression. It’s our food, so maybe we should listen more often.
