IdaHome--May 2020

Real Estate

Community + Culture + Recreation +

ISOLATION IDAHO-STYLE Thank You Everyday Heroes Dogs and Their People

19 Love Stories Real Estate Goes Virtual

BOISE, EAGLE, MERIDIAN, NAMPA, CALDWELL & BEYOND

LORI OTTER

208.340.0920 ottergirl1009@msn.com PROUDLY SERVING THOSE WHO CALL IDAHO HOME

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HomeServices

2019 H ONOR S OCIETY

TABLE OF CONTENTS COMMUNITY

12 Gardening for

Your Own Good

TECHNICALLY SPEAKING

30 Idaho STEM Action Center Regears to Make PPE

18 A Tribute to

Health Care Workers

20 Everyday Heroes 26 Picking Up Chicks 32 Dogs and Their People 35 Pandemic Outdoor Etiquette 38 Support Hungry Families: The Idaho Foodbank

40 Teacher Feature:

FOOD, ARTS, & CULTURE

8

19 Love Stories

14 Drive-Thru Idaho's History 22 Virtually Tapas 29 Tables = Windows at Calle 75

Kala Hernandez

36 American Zebra

REAL ESTATE NEWS

39 Chow Down with

25 Real Estate Goes 3-D

Reed's Dairy Delivery

Wait Five Minutes

Despite these strange and trying times, I am rejoicing in spring. Sure--today’s weather has alternated between walls of water careening from the sky, winds so strong they’re carrying away the neighbor’s kites, and perfect sunshiney hours leading into cotton candy sunsets, but hey, that’s Idaho. If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes.

Never has this felt more true in so many big ways. My family, like yours, is hunkered down in our space, waiting this one out.

At the very least, my young children are having the time of their lives, in part because we got our first pets, four baby chicks that are currently living in our laundry room. You can read more about that in this issue, which celebrates Idaho’s beautiful and much appreciated outdoor spaces.

We’ve got stories on local milk delivery, gardening, and the good, heartwarming ways we’re showing up for each other. You can read about Idaho Foodbank’s important work, tear up at former St. Luke's CEO and President Dr. David Pate’s tribute to the tireless folks in healthcare, or lose yourself in the poetry of Idaho’s Poet Laureate, Diane Raptosh.

If you’re looking to get out of the house, check out our story H E AT H E R H A M I LT O N - P O S T on the great and plentiful opportunities for scenic driving. Or stay local as families across the globe are placing teddy bears in Editor in Chief their windows so children can go on a “bear hunt” in cars or on a neighborhood walk. What a wonderful way to come together for the sake of the many children whose lives are being impossibly changed by this pandemic. Read about a local agriculture teacher who is working with students and administration to continue to sell plants, despite school closures.

Real estate is changing too, at least for now. It’s hard to say what the market holds, and it depends on who you ask.

But agents are getting more creative, utilizing digital tools and virtual reality to offer home tours, which you can read about here. Help us celebrate the incredible innovativeness of Idahoans of all kinds--from restaurant owners to Saturday markets, niche stores to educators-- and help others where you can.

When we’re traveling and my children ask if we’re almost there, no matter where we are, I always tell them halfway. If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes. Just five more.

Please stay safe and comfortable out there, and know that we at IdaHome are thinking about you.

Be well.

Special thanks to Dave Coverly for his Speed Bump cartoon.

Heather

See You Soon In McCall. #SeeYouSoonInIDAHO

plan ahead for brighter days at

visitmccall.org

Wishing you health and safety in these uncertain times.

We look forward to welcoming you to McCall when the time is right.

M AY 2 0 2 0 publisher K A R E N DAY karen@idahorem.com managing editor H E AT H E R H A M I LT ONPOST heather@idahorem.com art and design K AR EN K EY art@idahorem.com K A L E Y BE LVA L design@idahorem.com social media manager K E L L I E M A L ON E director of operations and sales manager M AR IELLE W ESTPH A L admin@idahorem.com contributing photographers K A R E N DAY JOH N W E B S T E R DA N E D GE JON AT H A N BOR B A R A N DA L L P OS T MON IC A GR A BOW SK A C H A R BE CK M E GH A N S C H I ER E CK S T E L L A DE SM I T Marketing, Sales and Distribution karen@idahorem.com IdaHome Magazine is publishing by Idaho Real Estate Marketplace P.O. Box 116 Boise, Idaho 83701 208-481-0693 © 2020 IdaHome Magazine. All rights reserved. The opinions expressed by the authors and contributors to IdaHome Magazine are not necessarily those of the editor and publisher.

ON THE COVER Independent and locally owned/operated, Ralston Group Properties (Ralston Group) challenges the status quo within the real estate industry. This vibrant, "boutique" brokerage is grounded in the belief that creating long-term, trust-based relationships and always serving the client’s needs first, is both good business and the right thing to do. Five words define this residential and commercial real estate firm: Trust + Experience Photo by John Webster. + Heart + Thinkers + Advocates.

With offices in downtown Boise and Ketchum, their agents are handpicked and represent the very best in the industry and in our community. Ralston Group… A Tradition of Trust.

CONTRIBUTORS Dee Ferris is an Idaho-based freelance writer, with a particular interest in food and gardening. W hile in isolation this spring, she “got stuck" in Florida.

Nick Sawyer is an Idaho-born and bred artist who creates fine art wood furnishings and enjoys taking photographs of his lovely doctor- wife, Caitlin. See more of his wood works at www.sawyerdesign.com Diane Raptosh became the f irst poet laureate for Boise, Idaho, in 2013. Her book American Amnesiac was long-listed for the 2013 National Book Award. Her latest poetr y collection, Dear Z: The Zygote Epistles will be released this July.

19 LOVE STORIES Gets to the Heart of It

8

www.idahomemagazine.com

*These stories have been edited for length and appear in full on @19lovestories

By Heather Hamilton-Post

A

Katy DeVries April 8, 2020 Boise, Idaho "My name is Katy Devries. My parents have been dairying since 1988 in Buhl, Idaho.

The other day, my parents told me they had to start dumping their milk.

It’s a very visceral thing to see because you can just see it going down the drain and you see hours of work and time and nutrition and feed costs that went into creating that.

Most dairy farms do not have any storage options for containment for the milk that they already have. So when the processor doesn’t have any containment either, they are left with no choice but to dump it.

Today, I spent $140 on food to donate. Yesterday, I spent $175. I’m dropping all of this food off now at The Idaho Foodbank.

The dairy industry is really close to my heart so that’s the only one I’m really catering to. But if I could, I’d go buy a million onions and everything else.

And I’m doubling up my cheese on everything (laughs)."

Angie Smith

Angie Smith loves the Boise community—it is why, after years away, she moved back to a city her family has been in for four generations. “I have a lot of history here. I spent every summer in Idaho, and Boise has been such a part of me becoming who I am—the influence of this place...I’ve always loved it,” she says. Now she’s working to show that love via 19 Love Stories, a (for now) digital storytelling project that combines socially distanced interviews with portraits.

“The role of the artist is to reflect back. My work is taking the essence of our collective experience and putting it through my own filter using my tools and gifts so I can give it back in photographs and interviews and curation,” Smith explains. A photographer by trade, Smith hopes to share the diverse range of stories the people in her community offer, a goal she was dedicated to even before Covid-19 hit. “Sometimes in the media and in

Oscar Gomez with his wife Elisabeth Barrio Botanica San Mateo March 28, 2020 Boise, Idaho “My name is Oscar Gomez and I own Botanica San Mateo. We’ve been open for four years now."

The last two weeks have been hard.

You get scared. It’s kind of difficult, you have to watch for yourself and your family and at the same time try to help someone else. We get customers in our community, hispanics and people from Africa, from different cultures. They are looking for stuff to take if they have a fever or a cold and they are looking for something natural.

So we try to be here for them."

www.idahomemagazine.com

9

conversations, there’s a lot of othering. I wanted to create a project that shares the actual voices of the people who call Boise home,” she says. “And then I got sick and had to quarantine.”

Though Smith was ultimately negative, she’d been to both Seattle and New York and was tested in the beginning, when tests took two weeks. She describes how isolated she felt, and the lack of human stories in the news—what she called the more nuanced emotions of this pandemic, discussions of how people are thinking about their lives and what they want. “It’s such a time to maximize those types of conversations.

We’re learning a lot right now,” Brett Perry and John Michael Schert March 28, 2020 Boise, Idaho JM: “This is a really valuable time to envision a brand new future. But one thing that’s really important when you are going through moments of change is, it’s easy to be excited about what could be. It’s also easy to get hung up on what we are losing.

People actually don’t fear change, they fear loss. And change is loss.

There’s the question: what do we keep? Most of what we are and how we function is going to stay the same.

But the feeling of loss is so strong and it’s so uncertain.

Brett: My hope is that people come out of this more kind, more thoughtful and more generous and that people grow stronger together. John Michael always uses the analogy that when a forest fire comes through, the first things to pop up are some of the most gorgeous wildflowers you can ever see. Will that happen here [in Boise]?

When there is chaos and destruction and things melting down, the creativity tends to shine through.

10

Smith says.

For 19 Love Stories, Smith tries to highlight kindness in the community she hears about from people on social media, but also speaks with people she encounters on walks or bike rides. The response has been great, she says, describing how people are more emotionally open and ready to connect. Who she approaches is often based on feeling. “I look for people who look like they’re doing something they wouldn’t normally be doing. I spoke with a guy pulled over at a spot overlooking the city because I could just tell it wasn’t his ‘normal’,” she explains. Or, she recalls, a couple golfing in a park—stuff that, under other circumstances, might seem strange.

“And even when things ease up and we go back to work and open again, the fallout and influence of this time will continue.

I’ll keep talking to people about their vision of the future,” she says.

Ultimately, Smith hopes to display her project in a physical exhibition because, she says, the way that art exists in the world also helps tell the story.

Smith’s portraits offer a profound look at the world around us through ordinary eyes, all of whom offer a very wise and diverse perspective. They’re resonating with a local audience too, some of whom have extended offers of continued help to the subjects of the portraits, which Smith says is very fulfilling. She feels lucky to be doing this work in Idaho, where we have more space and freedom.

“I don’t know if I’d be comfortable with this project in New York. But my first instinct here is to tell the story of this time,” she says.

Support 19 Love Stories by subscribing as a patreon, which allows advanced access and extended interviews at www.patreon. com/19lovestories, or follow along on Instagram and Facebook.

Find a loan that fits your life Whether you’re downsizing, changing neighborhoods, or need more space, we’ve got options.

Let’s plan your next move.

Loan programs

Why move?

• • • •

Closer to school or work Expanding family Empty nest A neighborhood more suited to families with children or seniors

Joseph Pattee

Branch Manager NMLS ID# 7464 1 211 W Myrtle St Ste 300 Boise, ID 83702 O: 208.473.2182 M: 208.899.1688 jpattee@guildmortgage.net Apply Online www.teampattee.com

• • • • •

Conventional FHA VA USDA Jumbo

Lori Hosac

Kimberly Stastny

Sales Manager NMLS ID# 76068 1211 W Myrtle St Ste 300 Boise, ID 83702 O: 208.473.2170 x105 M: 208.794.7768 lhosac@guildmortgage.net

Senior Loan Officer NMLS ID# 38004 1211 W Myrtle St Ste 300 Boise, ID 83702 O: 208.333.8150 M: 208.891.1488 kstastny@guildmortgage.net

Apply Online guildmortgage.com/lorihosac

Apply Online guildmortgage.com/kimstastny

Joseph Pattee is authorized to do business in the states of Idaho, Oregon and Washington. Branch NMLS ID 779503; Kimberly Stastny is authorized to do business in the state of Idaho. Branch NMLS ID 779503; OR ML-176; Lori Hosac is authorized to do business in the state of Idaho. Branch NMLS ID 779503; Guild Mortgage Company is an Equal Housing Lender; Company NMLS ID 3274 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org). All information, loan programs & interest rates are subject to change without notice. All loans subject to underwriter approval. Terms and conditions apply. Always consult an accountant or tax advisor for full eligibility requirements on tax deduction.

Gardening

For Your Own Good

By Dee Ferris During World War II, victory gardening was all the rage. City gardens and suburban backyards turned into productive plots of nutritious vegetables. The country came together in a myriad of ways to be self-supportive while essentials were used for sundry items needed for the war effort. Many folks maintained those gardens well after the war ended, and these gardens, and the seeds from them have sustained generations.

It’s time we consider revisiting these efforts by gardening in the time of coronavirus. This time around we call it resilience gardening, a practice that should continue to reap benefits for seasons to come.

Due to the pandemic, businesses, recreation and art have all been hit hard. But gardening is a way to engage in all three. When you purchase your plants locally, you support your neighbors and keep your money in your community. Gardening takes some physical work-- hauling dirt, prepping beds, shoveling and weeding.

This recreation is a kind of Zen activity with a satisfying outcome.

And is gardening a kind of art? Absolutely. Landscape designers prove that every day. For a neophyte like myself, the fun is in the planning: where will each plant will go, with what, and how tall will it grow? I curate my garden from year to year by moving plants around, adding new items, and tossing in seeds to see what else I can bring forth. Like a firefly to a candle, I am drawn to an artistically created garden, even if it’s a simple gathering of potted plants on a porch or balcony.

Any sized space with sun can become your personal garden, and any plot in your yard \ a joyous area where watching your babies grow is a balm to the soul.

F OR A V E GE TA BL E G A R DE N BE D :

1. Find the right accessible space with at least six hours of sun.

2. Create abase for good drainage; till to start a garden but never afterwards as it disrupts the beneficial microbes in the soil. Use a hoe between rows instead.

3. Build healthy soil with soil, compost, manure and other ingredients that are necessary in your area.

4. Water near to plant roots where they need it most, possibly with a soaker hose.

12

www.idahomemagazine.com

5. Mulch with organic materials to protect soil from dehydration, and prevent weed growth.

6. Plant for biodiversity, and with an eye towards attracting good bugs, and soil regeneration.

In Idaho, businesses like florists, greenhouses, and chains with garden sections have been deemed as "essential", and remain open. Ordering plants online continues. But look closer to home for seedlings. Organic seeds are available from the locally-owned Snake River Seeds Cooperative, which also has a seed exchange library, like many communities, including in Hailey, Coeur d’Alene, Eagle, Rathdrum, Twin Falls and Rigby.

Some seeds may need a few days of germination before planting. You can use an egg carton to begin growing seeds and then pop them in some loose rich planting soil, before gently moving them into a pot or garden plot after the last frost. For vegetables, it’s best to lay out rows in a carefully placed raised bed that receives plenty of sunlight. Cover seeds with a thin layer of soil, and water regularly.

“It's easy to get ahead of yourself; every gardener, no matter how experienced, has some failures every season,” said Amy Mattias, co-manager, of the Wood River Seed Library in Blaine County. “Grow what you like to eat. Succession planting is important if you want a continued harvest all season long. Pick varieties adapted to your climate, melons and sweet corn may not do as well in our cooler climate whereas kale and lettuce won't do well in San Diego’s summer heat.”

Planting with our dry high desert climate in mind is essential. Idaho isn’t called the potato state for nothing.

The climate is just right. It’s satisfying to grow your own potatoes in a raised bed in your back yard. Cover the seed potatoes and keep covering sprouts for about four weeks, with dirt and mulch, to keep them from turning green as they sprout. Warning, folks, don’t over water your potatoes; moist not wet is the way to go.

For seed potatoes—literally little potatoes—I recommend ordering from potatogarden.com, or everythingpotatoes.com.

Among the characteristics of a resilient garden is that it will produce at least some of its own seed for future use. You can let the seeds grow where they drop, or collect them to give back to the seed libraries thus continuing the circle of life.

This year we should plant for the long term, appeasing Mother Nature and adapting sustainable practices to see us through the unknowable future. www.idahomemagazine.com

13

DRIVE-THRU IDAHO HISTORY

or How to Become a Road Scholar

By Karen Day

W

agons were still rolling across the Oregon Trail when Idaho became the 43rd state in 1863. Today, you can travel the same route as those early pioneers along Harrison Boulevard on your bike. Then again, why not strap your entire, stir-crazy family into the car, turn on the air-conditioning, gas up at pandemic bargain prices, and within a few hours, explore the plethora of roads leading back to Idaho’s past. All you need to time travel is cell reception and the online Idaho Highway Historical Marker Guide.

Floating somewhere in our dusty, middle-school memories, names like Lewis and Clark, Sacajawea, Chief Joseph hold a romantic aura of adventure. Imagine, however, sipping spring water from the source on the Lolo Trail where The Corps of Discovery camped before entering Idaho. A few miles farther, how about standing at the birthplace of the 15- year-old Lemhi Shoshone girl who guided those 33 14

www.idahomemagazine.com

men to America’s future? Just follow the Historic Markers posted along Highway 28 and along the way, be sure to stop and read those signs. Or at least read the Guide—because, let’s be honest—how many times have you whizzed past one and wondered, “What did that say?”

Driving through Idaho’s history is as easy as swiping down through sepia-toned photos and pages of 489 historical signs posting fascinating facts about the beginnings of the Gem State. Stand at the top of White Bird Grade on Highway 95 at Historical Marker 227 and look down on the engineering marvel that required 60 years to construct. Down the same highway, at Historical Marker 38, travel the valley where Chief Joseph led his starving band of women and children toward Montana with the US Cavalry in pursuit.

For an afternoon escape from Boise, head up Highway 21, heavily peppered with local historical markers like Grimes Creek, where the discovery of gold in 1862 brought thousands of prospectors to Idaho City and eventually robbed Lewiston of its title as state capital.

No matter which direction you turn, there's a road that will eventually lead you to a historical marker, thanks to a dedicated, state historian emeritus named Dr. Merle Wells, who began the project in 1956. Dr. Wells died in 2000, but his encyclopedic legacy of the people and places that created Idaho live on in every Idaho Highway Historical Marker.

What better time than now to slow down and see the past?

This 1911 stagecoach is in the collection of the Idaho State Historical Museum.

Driving through Idaho’ s history is as easy as swiping down through sepia-toned photos and pages of 489 historical signs posting fascinating facts about the beginnings of the Gem State.

Much of 1860's Idaho City still stands. www.idahomemagazine.com

15

We may be social distancing, but we are still neighbors.

420 W Main Street | Suite 102 | Boise, ID 83702 191 Sun Valley Road | Suite 202 | Ketchum, ID 83340 www.ralstongroupproperties.com

Photo courtesy of St. Luke’s Health System

A TR IBU TE T O H E A LT H C A R E WOR K E R S

I

want to express my admiration for our health care professionals—doctors, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, respiratory therapists, radiology technicians, pharmacists, infection control practitioners, laboratory technologists, nursing and medical assistants and everyone else involved in caring for our patients, as well as those who make it possible for them to provide that care—environmental services workers, supply chain professionals, food service workers, security, health care leaders, those who serve as reception and registration staff, and everyone else who contributes to the operations of our urgent care centers, emergency departments and hospitals.

Think about how scared you have been hearing about the sickness and death caused by this pandemic. Now imagine caring for these patients, seeing the shocking rapid deterioration of a patient in his or her 30s or 40s who was talking to you yesterday, but sedated and paralyzed on a ventilator today. Think about being that nurse, alone with a patient, holding their hand as the patient takes his or her last breath.

Health care professionals are scared too. We are scared when

By Dr. David Pate we don’t totally understand a communicable disease and aren’t convinced we have the ability to prevent ourselves from becoming infected. It doesn’t help when we hear about our colleagues who have been infected or died, or in dreadful situations, where we have to put a breathing tube into someone we were working along side just last week.

Though we get scared too, I have never known of a situation where one of us did not come to work willing to take the chance that we might become sick, because, like law enforcement and first responders, it is our calling, our duty, and our passion to care for others. More often, what wears on us is not the concern that we might become ill, or perhaps even die, it is the concern for our families—that we might inadvertently bring this disease home to one of our family members. That is far worse in our minds.

So, I want to take this opportunity to tell all those who show up to work at urgent care centers and hospitals in the midst of this pandemic—you inspire me. I am extremely proud of you, and I can never thank you enough for your courage, your dedication and your talents. I pray for your health and

safety every day.

President Trump was right— we are fighting a war against an invisible enemy—the novel coronavirus. In this case our health care professionals are the soldiers in this fight. Therefore, I ask the President to provide recognition to health care workers who die of this disease during their courageous service to win this war in a manner analogous to how we honor fallen soldiers. And, when we do win this war, I would ask the President’s consideration of a national day of celebrating our health care heroes and honoring the memory of those health care workers who give their own lives to save the lives of others.

God bless all these brave men and women.

Dr. David Pate is the former CEO of St. Luke's Health System. He currently sits on Idaho's Coronavirus Task Force.

E V E RY DAY H E ROE S “OUR GR ATITUDE for healthcare workers, first responders, workers who keep our supply chains moving, leadership in government, government security and safety nets, and those who work at our stores, businesses, in industry, in education, and on farms and ranches is deep and abiding.”

Idaho First Lady, Teresa Little speaks for us all…

20

www.idahomemagazine.com

e r o t s In e n i l n O or

SAME !

S G N I SAV

*

Order Online.

*$4.95

service

fee

We’ll bring the groceries to your car.

albertsons.com or use the Albertsons Delivery & Pick Up App

*When you spend $75 or more on Drive Up & Go™. Enter Promo Code DRIVE20 at checkout.

THIS OFFER: VALID ONLY FOR 1ST TIME ONLINE GROCERY ORDERS. MUST SPECIFY DRIVE UP & GO. Not valid on orders fulfilled by Instacart. SUBJECT TO APPLICABLE SERVICE FEE. Order by 12/31/2020. Minimum $75 purchase required.

Minimum purchase calculated based on subtotal of all qualifying items in cart at checkout, excluding alcoholic beverages, tobacco and fluid dairy products. Enter Promo Code DRIVE20 at checkout. LIMIT 1 PER HOUSEHOLD. May not be combined with any other free/reduced delivery or service fee offer. We reserve the right to modify or cancel offers and/or to correct typographical, pictorial and other ad or pricing errors.

ALL ORDERS: Service available in select areas. In some areas, service may be provided by another Albertsons Companies store banner (that banner’s product availability, pricing and promotions will apply) or a third party service provider; or independently by Instacart (Instacart’s terms and conditions, account registration, fees, product availability, pricing and promotions apply). Online orders require a minimum purchase, unless otherwise noted. Prices for products you order online generally are higher than in Albertsons physical stores and may vary by fulfillment method chosen. Online promotions, discounts and offers may differ from those in Albertsons physical stores. Full terms at albertsonscompanies.com/ about-us/our-policies/terms-of-use.html and delivery.albertsons.com/terms

By Dana DuGan

Dear Humans,

background is attractive too. Create atmosphere. Light

Suddenly, we are not social animals. We sit alone,

the candles!

sipping our coffee like alienated folks in an Edward Hopper

7. Avoid direct sunlight on your face or immediately be-

painting where social distancing was an artistic statement

hind. Soft, indirect lighting, with your eyes at mid-level is

rather than a survival mandate.

best. Cozy up to the screen, two feet is best. Tilt the screen

For myself, stuck in a state until far from my home in Idaho, I’ve become a homesick, watching videos of my

to frame your whole face. TRY not to stare at yourself!

8. If you use a cell phone use a tripod or prop and stabilize.

friends and family members hiking—at safe distances—

9. Turn off televisions, radios or loud music that can be

together in the greening foothills. They interact in per-

distracting.

son—but apart—while my recent birthday was celebrated

The Taste Test

via handheld devices and laptops. Inspired by loneliness,

We all downloaded the HouseParty app, which I like

I decided it was time to have a dinner party with my

for the quality and the ability for people to pop in or out.

friends- virtually!

Zoom allows more people to engage at once, plus, it offers

Here’s what I learned.

1. Choose venue on a video chat device such as Zoom,

a Virtual Background option. Aloha!

Our group “shared” bread, grapes, and cheese;

Skype, House Party, Facetime, or Google Hang Out. Test

homemade guacamole, decorative raw vegetables; and

them first to make sure you understand how it works.

some handsome empanadas that I could almost taste

2. Send a virtual invitations with firm event start time and a

through the screen. My party wasn’t formal, but the

RSVP link. Use (free!) Evite or Paperless Post invitations

Sancerre was crisp, and my friend’s cocktails were report-

3. Enthusiasm is increased by choosing a theme: 50’s cock-

edly bright and fizzy. We donned fancy earrings and com-

tails, Tropical, Belle Époque or Cinco di Mayo. Headdress-

mitted to be moderately coiffed, at least from the waist up!

es are encouraged!

The first few moments felt a bit awkward, orchestrat-

4. Keep it to a minimum of six if you want to chat with

ed, but the fun of sitting down together, sharing a repast,

everyone. This goes for couples too. Two laptops or cell

required and eventually created a higher level of conscious

phones at the same dinner table is doable.

connectedness. My virtual night out with friends also

5. Each person is invited cook something around the

offered a surprising realization, a gift really. Rather than

theme or share a recipe for everyone to make.

talking over each other as we normally do, we had to take

6. Set your table with panache, good china and stem-

turns. Welcome, friends, to the lost art of listening! So,

ware. White plates refract light onto your face. Note your

login and raise your glass!

22

www.idahomemagazine.com

Bon Virtual Appetite!

BOISEPARADEOFHOMES.COM 2020 VIRTUAL PARADE TOUR AVAILABLE NOW!

Promoting the responsible development of our community since 1956.

That was the year that the first ever Parade of Homes was held in Ada County.

The idea of several area builders to start a local Parade of Homes to help promote building and the value it brings to the economy came to be. This idea also generated the start of the Building Contractors Association of Southwestern Idaho, who received the trademark rights from the National Association of Home Builders to hold an annual Parade of Homes show.

The road to recovery is beginning, especially in Idaho real estate. Ken Blair’s business has already doubled, thanks to a unique offering—3D home tours and all of the features that accompany them.

Blair, who operates 360Idaho, an exclusive distributor of web-based real estate marketing suite TourFactory, says that, pre-pandemic, roughly 5% of agents with active listings utilized 3D tours. Now, he estimates that number at 80%.

“We’ve been doing this for years now because it provides more information to the shoppers, people moving from out of state who don’t have the luxury of touring a home in person,” he explains. “Not only are they tourable 24/7, but you can take measurements with your mouse and see furniture before you even move in.”

Now, in the midst of a nationwide health crisis, people are worried about entering a stranger’s home in person.

Homeowners are worried too.

But, thanks to 360 Idaho, they’ve got access to more information about the home from the comfort of their current residence. At between 8 and 10 cents per square foot, the 3D tours offer a new way to market or look for your next house.

But there are a lot of ways

to take a 3D photo—you can even capture such an image using your cellphone. Blair warns that the quality just won’t be there though, a common misconception he runs into. “We use a blackbox that collects 10,000 data points per second and stitches it all together. It’s not like a camera—it gives you a lot of high data you can use for other purposes,” he explains. Best of all?

You don’t even need 3D goggles to take the tour, just a computer or phone. Of course, if you want to fully immerse yourself, 3D goggles will complete the experience.

Blair says there are a variety of applications outside of real estate, including improving the SEO ranking of businesses since Google regards 3D images as high as video

content. He explains that places are also using similar technology for city planning purposes like parking allotment and even maintenance.

“If you were working in an office and there was a water leak in the ceiling, you could put in that repair and identify it so maintenance knows where to go,” Blair says.

“Pretty cool stuff.”

For his part, Blair is helping local organizations, including a tour for the St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway house. He’s also worked with local businesses to make 3D tours, ensuring that people can view inventory and even store layouts before getting in their car for a shopping trip. “I don’t like to see stores close because of Amazon, and this really drives traffic,” Blair says.

www.idahomemagazine.com

25

picking up

By Heather Hamilton-Post

chicks

Overwhelmed by the pretension, work, and poverty of graduate school, I sought the help of a university counselor who recommended I buy a pet-an idea I knew, even at the time, was preposterous. I really like cute things, which is probably why I have two children less than two years apart, but taking care of things is hard when you’re not busy, and harder still when you’re walking an insane tightrope, which I was. I did not get a pet.

Fast forward a few years to a weeks-long quarantine brought on by a global pandemic, and I’m standing outside Dunlap Hatchery, hopeful that an overhatch will yield a few chicks (which can normally be reserved, but these are strange times) to take home to the family I also care for while trying to work full time hours. What could go wrong?

Two weeks earlier, the walls of our house rattled, the light fixtures 26

swaying as the neighbors and my husband ran into the street, a requisite six feet apart. I was grabbing my children from the garage where they were riding bikes around in tight circles, dragging them by their tiny arms into the doorway of the home we had moved into only a month or so before. Later, my three year old asked if, should he play in the garage again, there might be another earthquake.

My friend Clayton advised me to get four chicks if our goal is three, in case something goes wrong. Although my children have watched The Lion King 15,000 times, they don’t understand the “growing up” montage in which Simba begins walking on a log as a fresh faced cub and emerges a full grown man lion ready to fund his startup by the end to show the progression of time. Let alone the utter permanence of Mufasa’s death, so I doubt we’re ready for this. Still, I get four chicks from

www.idahomemagazine.com

a nice man who helps select the breeds of chicken because I, in my infinite wisdom, have selected nothing. I did, however, Google videos that said the word pullet for pronunciation purposes on the drive over because I’m smart and not at all unprepared for this.

On the short drive home, the chicks begin chirping in the gin box the hatchery has provided.

If I’m being honest, a box of gin may have been a better choice, but no matter. At home, my sons peek into the box and squeal with delight. Cuuuuute chicks, hiiii chickies, my 21 month old says, over and over. How are my cheeper peepers?, the almost four year old asks at random intervals throughout the day. The chicks poop and eat and nestle cutely under their brooder plate.

In an optimal chicken parenting situation, these baby chicks would huddle under a hen, seeking warmth when they couldn’t

regulate their body temperatures and learning to eat from a mama who pecked the ground, roaming wherever she desired. I read, on the toilet, that hens, even in the absence of fertilized eggs, can get “broody”, collecting eggs and refusing to move from their spot but one time a day, when they eat, drink, and poop all at once.

Saturday, we build the coop, which the chickens will not live in for at least six weeks. My children, however, won’t leave it, playing puppy in the run and riding the coop itself like it is a horse. These are the same children that long refused any sort of container or playpen of any kind, but it is different when your parents would actually prefer you not hang out inside. But there is no poop in the coop yet, and it buys my also quarantined husband and I stretches of time to work or clean up some of the other non-toy items our children have strewn about the house.

On the chick’s one week birthday, I notice that one has developed what might be pasty butt, an actual, legitimate condition new chicks face. I hold her in my hands, running warm water over the dried poop, picking it off with my fingernails. Pre-motherhood this would have bothered me. Now, I do it while planning next week's dinner menu. Another chick has a bald spot, which is fine—but it feels hard and bulgy, and Google tells me that chickens have something called a crop, and that it can become impacted. The message boards recommend DIY surgery, which I am, despite my childhood desire to be a veterinarian, 100% not up for.

Which is, of course, how I find myself paying $54 at the vet’s office for a $3 chick and explaining that yes, Ruthie the chick is still eating, pooping, and as I discovered on the drive over, lunging upward in something

resembling flight. She seems fine, and the vet injects her with saline solution to help flush things out. I pick up probiotics and electrolyte solution on the way home. My son wants to know where spiders go if they’re sick.

Doing something in the same way you once did does not guarantee that things will happen in the same way, but I don’t know how to explain that to my now earthquake-fearing child. A month ago, he didn’t even know that such a thing could happen. I don’t know how to raise chickens either, which I know might surprise you, given my exceptional internet skills.

There’s some degree of learning as we go right now for all of us. But the chickens are getting bigger, and they’re venturing out more and more. Soon, they’ll have full feathers and social lives, coffee dates and drinks with friends. For now though, these cheeper peepers are safe at home.

www.idahomemagazine.com

27

WINDOWS

CALLE 75

BY H E AT H ER H A M I LTO N - P OS T

Mike and Rosie Weems went through the stages of grief when Idaho began shutting down in response to Covid-19.

“We were panicking and trying to figure it out. We went into this little despair, and we wondered where we should go from here. And everything shut down, and we shut down our downtown location and the one at The Village. And then, over a lot of wine, we started talking about where and why we started,” Rosie says.

Named for Highway 75 where they began at the Hailey Farmer’s Market, Calle 75, pronounced ki-yay, has actually been around since 2008. In the midst of an economic recession, Mike and Rosie started selling tacos to pay the bills and never really stopped, eventually moving to Boise.

“I grew up at my parent’s bowling alley restaurants, but the taco part came from Rosie,” says Mike. “We used Rosie’s family recipes for carne asada and chicken and fresh salsas. Her dad taught me how to make the meats and her mom taught her how to make the sauces.” Rosie’s favorite is the carne asada, but Mike and their toddler son usually gravitate toward carnitas.

Of course, you can find these and other favorites via the walkup window at Calle 75’s downtown location, or via their taco truck, a solution the Weems came up with the night they sat down to make a plan. Rosie says that a friend reached

out to ask about the possibility of a taco truck coming to the neighborhood. “We just went with it. I thought, ok, we’ll see what happens. We gave them a condensed menu. It was a lot of trial and error,” Rosie explains. “But it gave us a spark, and we tried it again.” They set up an online invoicing system, implemented safety protocols for themselves and their employees, and started showing up in neighborhoods around the city.

“It’s kind of a joke that most cooks hate the sound of the printer machine spitting out tickets in the kitchen because it means we’re really busy. You go to bed thinking about that sound, but when that first ticket came out the Wednesday we opened the window, we all started cheering,” Rosie says.

Calle 75 is also raising money to provide meals for those on the frontlines— places like St. Lukes, St. Alphonsus, Eagle Fire, and Costco. “On Wednesdays, we’ve been feeding displaced service industry workers. Whoever needs it. At the local level, we’ve seen tremendous support,” says Mike.

Remember to support Calle 75 and the Treasure Valley’s many great local eateries by ordering take out and delivery!

READY, SET, MAKE IDAHO S TEM AC TION CENTER TE AMS UP TO PROVIDE PPE B Y H E AT H E R

H A M I LT O N - P O S T

THREE YEARS AGO, Idaho STEM

Action Center set out to begin an initiative that would provide a holistic approach to learning in science, technology, engineering, and math fields. The answer, it seemed, was in 3D printing. “Students got to use math in design, measurements, and again when their prints would fail to find a solution. We started training educators in 3D printing—180 in all,” explains Dr. Angela Hemingway, Executive Director at the center.

Called Idaho Makers for Equity, the educators included teachers,

30

librarians, and folks in afterschool programs, and in a short time, accomplished incredible things.

The center, which seeks to engineer innovative opportunities for educators, students, communities, and industry to build a competitive Idaho workforce and economy through STEM and computer science education was created in 2015, and is advised by nine governor-appointed board members. The work they do is varied and inspiring.

For this initiative, makers from around the state began 3D printing items for Idaho School for the Deaf and Blind. “Maybe someone had heard a t-rex roar,

www.idahomemagazine.com

but now they could feel what a t-rex skull might have been like. They printed alphabet books with braille underneath pictures of apples and giraffes. Really amazing things came out of that,” Hemingway explained.

Pivot to 2020 and a nation in the middle of a global pandemic. Quickly, Idaho Makers for Equity became #IdahoMakersUnite, shifting to a maker community constructing personal protective equipment for those on the frontlines. “Makers are printing and sewing masks and shields, and ties to keep masks off of ears, but that is evolving,” Hemingway says.

Comprised of a diverse group from every corner of our state, #IdahoMakersUnite doesn’t exactly have a ‘type’. In Burley, teachers are leading the charge. In Twin Falls, efforts have been spearheaded by Twin Falls Public Library with the help of larger contributors like Chobani. Hemingway says that there are currently 54 makers signed up across the state in small and large groups, 24 health care facilities requesting

TECHNICALLY SPEAKING help, and a few great companies who have stepped up to provide things like filters for masks.

Typically, the requests for PPE aren’t coming from hospitals, but places like senior living centers, hospice centers, police departments, and ear, nose, and throat doctors. Idaho STEM Action Center works to connect makers with facilities in need of help—right now, she says, their biggest need is for sewists who can make masks.

The makers are donating their time, but may seek funding via available grants on Idaho STEM Action Center’s website if they choose for things like 3D printing filament, elastic, and fabric. So far, it’s hard to quantify what’s happening because everything is still very much in progress. “But I know that Salmon Public Library has donated hundreds of face shields, and Coeur D’Alene hospice workers received face shields too. They’ve made hundreds of components,” Hemingway says.

In less than three weeks, #IdahoMakersUnite has organized in a big way. Idaho STEM Action Center’s website is equipped to accept requests from facilities, offers from companies, and makers who’d like to help. Their resource library is extensive, and offers makers a variety of information, patterns, and 3D printer files. They also offer information to help makers protect themselves from potential legal issues, which is essential when you’re dealing in issues of health. But most importantly, they’re providing a way for people to help.

“People are at home, and maybe they’ve lost their own job or their customer base. And they just want to give back. They want to make a positive impact in a way they can control, help on an individual level,” explains Hemingway.

“We’re seeing the best of Idaho right now. It’s why people want to come here. These people want to lend a helping hand,” Hemingway says. And, while 2020 is off to a complicated start, Hemingway is right. “This is highlighting all the great things about Idaho and Idahoans. And we’ll keep doing this until everyone has the supplies they need to work safely,” she says.

To volunteer as a maker, request personal protective equipment for your facility, or donate materials to #IdahoMakersUnite, visit https://stem.idaho.gov/idahomakersunite/!

“

“We’re seeing the best of Idaho right now. It’s why people want to come here. These people want to lend a helping hand.”

– Angela Hemingway, Executive

Director, Idaho STEM Action Center

www.idahomemagazine.com

31

DOGS & TH E IR P E O P LE According to experts, intelligent dogs can learn between 150 and 200 words. Due to the pandemic, many humans and canines are spending more time together than ever before. Sidewalks and parks are bustling with dogs walking their people, so we decided to ask a few for their thoughts about us anxious, needy “two-leggeds.”

Bogus, the Golden Retriever on his human, Molly: “She’s somewhat needy, but so am I. We’re very compatible that way.”

32

www.idahomemagazine.com

Stranger, a Cane Corso Italian Mastiff and Kai, a Swedish Vallhund, commented on their two-legged, Tessa, but they only speak Italian and Swedish.

Wesley, a regal stray, on his adopted, twolegged, Quinn: “I’m worried about how much she talks to me, so I’ve started answering her.”

“I got this kid when he was in kindergarten,” says Yeti, an American Eskimo, about his boy, Harper. “I plan on taking him to college.”

The German Shepherd, Rico, on his fetching partner, Emma: “I’ve finally got her trained to throw.”

About Leah Harris Neustaedter, Annabelle, the Labrador says, “A lot of humans are scared right now. It helps to snuggle up extra close to your people and take deep breaths together.” www.idahomemagazine.com

33

Chapter 5 Avimor Trails, Open to All & Growing

There was a time when only a small handful of people enjoyed the foothills in Avimor, but what was once a 37,000 acre cattle and sheep ranch has now become a premiere trail and outdoor destination for the Treasure Valley and beyond. The private grazing land that was only enjoyed by a select few in the past has now become a beautiful public open space where everyone can enjoy the foothill views, migrating elk and wildlife, and everything outdoor Idaho has to offer.

It’s amazing how popular the Avimor trail system has become in such a short time. Early on Avimor recognized that trails and access were important to its vision and what started out as just few improved cow trails and jeep tracks blossomed into over 100 miles of purpose built foothill trails and single track. A true trail network has now taken shape and the ultimate vision of multiple loops, challenging routes, and connectivity to other trail systems is becoming a reality. Over the last decade Avimor has worked closely with ADA County, the BLM, Fish & Game, local cattle and sheep ranchers, and other local agencies to respectfully map its trail network into the landscape. This inclusion of all the stake holders has proven to strike a good balance between public use and environmental stewardship. So much so that in coordination with Idaho Fish & Game Avimor exercises a winter “outer-limit” trail closure from December 1st to March 31st. This closure allows large herds of wintering elk and deer to have a safe quiet space to survive the challenging winter weather.

Avimor’s dedication to trails and open space immediately drew outdoor lifestyle focused residents who of course took pride and an interest in their local trails. What formed over time was a coalition of Avimor residents who help build and maintain the trail system (Trail Ninjas). Every Spring and Fall the Avimor Trail Coordinator (Marc Grubert) organizes trail maintenance days where the local residents spend an entire day maintaining or building new trails… finishing up with a BBQ & social hour. It’s a labor of love, and the result is amazing.

The trails are well-designed and typically follow the International Mountain Biking Association standards to not only be enjoyable but also shed water appropriately.

That hard work is paying off, and we are seeing Avimor trails used by a multitude of user groups.

That’s probably why cycling organizations like NICA (Idaho High School Mountain Bike League), Broken Spoke Cycling, and the BYRDS (Boise Young Rider Development Squad) all host races and their events in Avimor every year. Riders and families from all over the west come to Avimor to enjoy our trails and events.

Living in the foothills with access to exceptional trails is what drives many people to buy a home in Avimor but the sense of community and camaraderie is what keeps people living here long term. At full build-out, Avimor will have over 25 square miles of open space with 100’s of more miles of trails, which makes Avimor a place with fresh air and fresh ideas.

Located North on Highway 55 a Mile Above Shadow Valley Golf Course Model Homes Open Daily 10 am - 5 pm 208-939-5360 • www.avimor.com Marketed by Epic Realty LLC • RCE 35084 Advertisement

OUTDOOR ETIQUETTE: The Path Less Traveled

BY KAREN DAY Spring 2020 has entered slow and strange. With the first of many warm days to come, the foothills are bursting with yellow Primrose, blue Lupine and hikers, bikers and dogs. With National and State Parks closed, city parks are experiencing unprecedented crowds with many revelers clumping together as if they live on a different planet than the people in masks. Uncertainty defines our lives right now, but one thing is clear—we’re in this together, however, we need to stay apart—even in the wide-open spaces.

“We’ve done some counts at city parks, the Greenbelt and trailheads,” said Doug Holloway, Director of Boise City Parks and Recreation Department. “Usage is about double compared to last year. And yes, there’s plenty of feedback that some people are not adhering to self-distancing. Our job is not to police the public, but to educate them on the best and safest ways to enjoy the parks and trail systems, especially now.”

Outdoor etiquette and public safety would appear to be guided by common sense: Be considerate of others and your environment.

Ridgetorivers.org also offers more

specific guidance in the time of COVID: · Uphill traffic has the right of way. · Be mindful of blind corners. · Keep your dog under control. · Hike single file without crowding. · When yielding, move 6 feet off the path in a 90-degree angle and wait. Do not hike parallel to the path.

Holloway added another suggestion. “If you see a parking lot, city park or trailhead packed with cars, bikes, or people- keep going up! We have over 190 miles of trails and 13 different reserves easily accessible from Boise. Try Military Reserve or Daniels Creek.”

The Ridge to Rivers website rates hundreds of near-by trails for difficulty, environs and maps each in interactive, 3-D detail. Along with paths less traveled, there’s an invitation to take the “Happy Trails Pledge.” It sounds corny, but the pledge simply articulates common sense for the common good in our great, Idaho outdoors. Not a bad idea as the not-so-normal summer approaches.

Say Hello I pledge to be mindful of my actions, friendly and expect to see other folks around every corner. Each user on the trail is a fellow outdoor enthusiast. I pledge to be kind when I choose to interact with others. People come out to the trails for different reasons. I want to make sure there is room for everyone.

Show Respect I pledge to offer respect to my fellow trail users. All user groups have rights and responsibilities to Boise’s trails and to each other. Whether you hit the trails for recreation, fellowship or a mental refresh, you are welcome here.

Blessed with the largest wilderness in the lower 48, Idaho is a compellingly beautiful reminder that open space is a gift. However, much like the ubiquity of freedom in America, the cost of the great outdoors is not free. Hiking out our back door, biking the riverside Greenbelt or just rolling like a happy dog in the deep green grass of Camel’s Back Park is a luxury we take for granted, but much money, management and labor maintain those amenities for our enjoyment. We can pay it forward with outdoor etiquette.

www.idahomemagazine.com

35

AMERICAN ZEBR A: Praise Song for the Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument

I like how, when I look out on this desert Idaho plain, I can pretty much graze my palm on the Pliocene— and doing so, greet the great wide savannahs of Africa— mossy and tree lined, laced in saber-toothed cats, hyena-like dogs and a half caravan of even-toed camels.

I like how, when I look upon these bluffs, I have to leave off acuity— level all spectacle, un-specimen Earth. Even so, here blows another tumbleweed: Be careful with that match!

You see, my lowly rollicking O, I love how this lookout offers no viewfinder.

So I must mesh with the idea of what might have been the lontra weiri, Hagerman’s mystery otter, nearly four million years ago.

Should I not add this riverine creature was named for singer Bob Weir?

I have to admit I am way, way thankful he fathered the Grateful Dead, which helped bring us hippies.

36

www.idahomemagazine.com

That, plus those love-ins we never quite had down in Nampa, where I grew up, 117 miles from here: It all instilled what I will call gratitude’s latitude—grains of particulate hope. [stanza break] I like how standing still in this place serves to remind that every epochal zone clearly inheres in us. Notice.

Most people only look for what they can see. Oh, Great Dane-ish Hagerman Horse: Maybe you’re Africa’s own Grévy's zebra. Should I not grab you here in this wayfaring now—and stiffly by the mane, to say yes, of course, I’m indebted?

I’m here at this look-out—the long meanwhile whole Snake River histories molted and soaked in and found their shot to break free to the bone layer under that soil-load dubbed by the digging biz overburden.

Listen here, Visitor.

Lay your troubles down, once and for everyone.

And say can you see—hey : here’s some binoculars : What kind of place will we be when I cross over into you and you cross over into me?

— Diane Raptosh

www.idahomemagazine.com

37

Help Idaho Foodbank Combat Rising Food Insecurity

By Heather Hamilton-Post Before Covid-19, one in eight Idahoans were food insecure. For children, that number increases to one in six. “There’s going to be a very long recovery for our state and our country, even when the stay-athome order is lifted,” says Susanne Lally, who works in Public Relations and Government Affairs for Idaho Foodbank. “People have lost jobs and schools have closed. The number of people we’re serving has exponentially increased. We’re serving people who have never had to utilize our services, but people are so gracious and giving right now,” she adds.

The Idaho Foodbank, a nonprofit deemed essential during the coronavirus pandemic, continues to serve individuals and families throughout the state, providing an invaluable resource to the many 38

families that need help making ends meet. In 2019, this amounted to food for 201,500 families, seniors, and children served every single month. By weight, this amounts to 20.3 million pounds of food. Of this, 90% was donated.

Idahoans are showing lots of support, and, though Lally is encouraged by the community response to recent changes in the numbers of food insecure Idahoans, she hopes that people remember that this is an ongoing problem, even when things have somewhat returned to “normal” for many of us.

And how can the public help?

In much the same ways they always have. Because the Idaho Foodbank is distributing more food than previously, cash goes a long way in covering food, food

www.idahomemagazine.com

transport, and additional supplies.

They’re also always looking for volunteers, and though they’ve adjusted things to align with social distancing, people who are high risk or feel ill should stay home.

Check locally too—community food pantries run by Idaho Foodbank often need volunteer support.

Finally, if you’re thinking a little larger, the foodbank encourages you to think local. They write that they are “focusing on large quantities and bulk donations through our network of corporate and food industry partners.” If you’d like to plan a food drive, coordinate with neighborhood food pantries or churches to gather food that immediately helps your immediate community.

Right now, we’re riding a tidal wave of incredible generosity. It is inspiring and hopeful—a reason people love our state and choose to call it home. But, as Lally points out, this isn’t a short term problem, and while we don’t know exactly how long the fallout from Covid-19 will last, we’re likely to rely on each other more than ever.

If you need food assistance, or you know someone who does, please visit idahofoodbank.org/getfood/ or call 211 to get connected to your local food pantry.

When I opened the door to hurriedly put out my trash,

it was already there—cheese curds, chocolate milk, locally made bread, and brown eggs, glowing in a halo of early morning sunlight, cold and fresh. I hadn’t anticipated a breakfast feast, but there I was. Avocado toast in the time of quarantine, add eggs and balsamic glaze, serve with chocolate milk—more on that later.

Reed's Dairy, an Idaho institution, formerly existed only in Idaho Falls, where locals and tourists alike could stop in for some farm-fresh milk, grilled cheese, or out-of-this-world ice cream, produced in small batched by a small herd of “happy Holstein cows on a family dairy we’ve farmed for four generations.” And, while the cows are at home in Idaho Falls, the dairy has additional retail locations in Ammon, Meridian, and Boise, though they offer customizable delivery (you can change your order every week or keep it consistent) around Idaho Falls and then from Mountain Home to Emmett to Kuna. They’ll ship anywhere in the US too.

I live in Caldwell, and I signed up just last week because I’m trying to avoid the stores. It’s how I ended up sipping the best chocolate milk I have ever had, without question, one Thursday morning. The milk, fortified with potato flakes, is truly decadent, somewhere between milk and milkshake in a wild land of unknowable perfection. The cheese curds, which squeak when they hit your teeth, are at once revolutionary and nostalgic. I get that these are lofty ways to describe cheese and milk, but you’ll have to trust me on this one.

Reed's Dairy delivers everything from produce to butter to bread and milk, either housemade or curated from local farmers.

Our eggs were from Kuna’s Vogel Farms, which you can read about in the November/December issue of IdaHome.

Rachel Cass, who grew up in Idaho Falls and now lives in Boise, remembers childhood trips for ice cream. “And it’s how we got our milk growing up, and it came in big, cow-shaped trucks” she recalls. Now, she stops by every time she heads home to watch the chickens peck around the yard, sheep baaa, and happy cows meander around.

Whether you’re a lover of local foods or just want to avoid the grocery store, Reed's Dairy delivery is a fun and fulfilling option every month of the year. You may have even seen them around— Boise Milk is owned and operated by Reed's Dairy, and their distinctive milk boxes adorn porches throughout the Treasure Valley.

When you can, stop into the storefront or Idaho Falls dairy for a fresh grilled cheese and scoop or two of inventive and exceptional ice cream flavors (my favorite is the grasshopper, but there are no shortage of choices).

Delivers

(More Than Milk!)

CHOW DOWN www.idahomemagazine.com

39

Teacher Feature Kala Hernandez, Agricultural Sciences, Notus Jr. Sr. High School “A big part of agricultural education is hands-on,” says Kala Hernandez, in her second year teaching agriculture at Notus.

“But we can’t do that now. It’s a big draw for our program, and there’s no way to make it happen.”

Hernandez, like many, is learning to teach remotely, while balancing the demands of her own children (and their education) from home.

Through email, discussion boards, and Google classrooms, she’s learning to meet students where they’re at.

Hernandez teaches alongside Kevin Barker, a seasoned educator who, she says, is also finding new ways to connect. “But we talked about it, and we want ag classes and FFA (a student leadership organization) to be a bright spot

40

for students. We want to be a positive light, to support our students. We don’t want to add to their stress, so we’re trying to teach and assign things that are more fun,” she says.

Her students don’t all have equal access to technology, which further complicates things.

Though the district contacted each family and set them up with internet and computer access, the process is still ongoing, and some families are sharing a device with many students in their household.

Because of this, real-time meetups aren’t always possible. Hernandez explains that it makes it difficult to adapt and adjust to students based on their reactions, something she’s usually very good at.

“My students are telling me that they miss school. I never thought I’d hear that. They want to come back. They miss each other. We miss them. This is all so hard,” she says. But ag science programs and national and local FFA organizations are doing what they can to support students, as they always have.

www.idahomemagazine.com

“Community service is also a major pillar of our organization, and that’s difficult right now. But I’m using our 3D printer to print straps that keep medical masks from digging into the skin!” Hernandez explains.

The Notus FFA Chapter is proud to offer a community plant sale too, which happens annually.

This year, it looks a little different.

Beginning in mid-April until supplies run out, the greenhouse and Notus Jr. Sr. High School will be selling an assortment of plants, including tomatoes, bedding plants, and hanging baskets, which students have grown throughout the semester. Patrons will sign up for a spot online, and only one family will be allowed at a time. Between each visitor, the greenhouse will be sanitized. Proceeds benefit the Notus FFA Chapter.

“We’re just so happy our students get to see their hard work pay off, even now. We’ll get through this,” Hernandez says.

Alicia C. Ralston 208-850-7638 www.ralstongroupproperties.com

420 W MAIN STREET · SUITE 102 BOISE IDAHO 83702

191 SUN VALLEY ROAD · SUITE 202 KETCHUM IDAHO 83340

Happy Trails to You

EXPLORE

TODAY Located North on Highway 55 a Mile Above Shadow Valley Golf Course Model Homes Open Daily 10 am - 5 pm • 208-939-5360 • www.avimor.com Marketed by Epic Realty LLC • RCE 35084