PRESS RELEASE — Wednesday, July 7, 2010
For Information Call Anne Peterson at 208-373-7368
or Bob Evancho at 373-7369
OUTDOOR IDAHO “Eating Local” Examines Local Food Movement in Idaho
— Airs July 15 (Thursday, at 8:00/7:00 p.m. MT/PT
— Repeats July 18 (Sunday) at 7:00 p.m. MT/PT
— See it in HD July 15 (Thursday) at 9:00/8:00 p.m. MT/PT and July 18 (Sunday) at 8:00/7:00 p.m. MT/PT
A new OUTDOOR IDAHO program looks at the increasing numbers of small farm operations that sell directly to consumers, part of a growing local food movement that supports more than 50 farmers markets statewide.
Idaho Public Television producer Thanh Tan says her research for the show reveals that America’s efficient food system brings seasonal goods to grocery stores year around. But it also sends locally grown crops and money out of state with food items traveling an average of 1,500 miles before arriving in stores.
“The opportunity to see how hard some farmers are working to diversify their crops and strengthen our regional food-shed says a lot about how much Idahoans care about each other and our economy,” Tan says.
OUTDOOR IDAHO “Eating Local” airs July 15 (Thursday) at 8:00/7:00 p.m. MT/PT and repeats July 18 (Sunday) at 7:00 p.m. MT/PT. See it in HD July 15 (Thursday) at 9:00/8:00 p.m. MT/PT and July 18 (Sunday) at 8:00/7:00 p.m. MT/PT. The discussion continues on a live DIALOGUE on “Local Foods” July 15 (Thursday) at 8:30/7:30 p.m. MT/PT, which repeats July 18 (Sunday) at 5:30/4:30 p.m. MT/PT.
The growers, whose operations range from less than 10 acres to 500 acres, supply restaurants and some stores, set up mini-distribution systems and cultivate local processing, in addition to stocking farmers markets. Some operations are certified organic, others rely primarily on natural methods in their production process. The program also visits a dairy operation that produces ice cream and bottles milk in glass, a cheese producer, a small distributor for fresh produce, and looks at the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) structure.
“Our viewers will meet a very passionate group of producers and consumers who are focused on nourishing minds and bodies with fresh, wholesome food,” Tan says. “I hope the program spawns a broader discussion on food policy.”
Mary Rohlfing of Boise is one of the people featured in “Eating Local.” She is a former college professor-turned-organic-farmer of 8 acres. She first obtained ducks to help control pests and weeds, then realized the birds provided a bonus. “We recognized the potential to build a market for eating duck eggs,” Rohlfing says.
Mike Heath, with 500 acres outside Buhl, went to Malaysia as a farming consultant and came home with new ideas supplied by the island nation’s farmers. “Everything depends on a good rotation because we can’t deplete the soil and then just throw a bunch of nitrogen and phosphorus and potassium on it,” Heath says.
Dan Freeman, a Harvard University graduate who became a small Idaho farmer, describes the local food movement as people growing things using methods of 50 years ago or more. “I think Idaho has a great position in that respect because people know how to do it,” Freeman says. “There is a great local knowledge base for growing food in most communities.”