Farm Fest to debut Saturday at Kootenai County Fairgrounds
John Mobbs carries a four-day-old calf after tagging its ear in April 2022. Mobbs and wife Betty will give a presentation on regenerative ranching Saturday during the inaugural Farm Fest.
DEVIN WEEKS/Press File
Treaty Rock Elementary student Anna Monroe gazes up at Whiskey the horse during a Farm to Table at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds in May. Farm to Table is sponsored in part by the Kootenai-Shoshone County Farm Bureau, which is hosting its first Farm Fest event Saturday at the fairgrounds.
CAROLYN BOSTICK/Press File
COEUR d'ALENE — The desire for a good steak and a night of dancing planted a seed that would grow into a full day of awareness, education and focus on North Idaho's farming community: Farm Fest.
"Let’s celebrate agriculture in our community," Kootenai-Shoshone County Farm Bureau board member Kim Edmondson said Wednedsay.
With a tagline of "Keep it country," the inaugural Farm Fest will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday in Buildings 1, 2 and 3 at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds, 4056 N. Government Way.
More than 40 vendors and a host of presenters will share their insight and expertise throughout a day of awareness and understanding of North Idaho agriculture. Growers will be empowered with tools and resources and consumers will be invited to build lasting connections with the people behind their food and wares.
"We all want to know where our food comes from," Edmondson said. "We want to know what’s in it; we want less processing or as little processing as possible."
Opening remarks will be given by Kootenai-Shoshone County Farm Bureau President Joe Dobson. Presentation topics will include whole foods and creating healthy homes, contemporary pork butchery, raising a backyard flock of chickens, regenerative ranching and the role of the fairgrounds in the community and more.
Pumpkins will be given away to kids as supplies last. Attendees will also enjoy draft horse-drawn wagon rides, weather permitting.
Daytime events will be free and open to the community.
A locally sourced dinner and dance will be from 5-9 p.m. Tamarack Ridge Band will perform. Tickets are $55 and can be purchased at eventbrite.com.
Edmondson, a co-chair of the Kootenai-Shoshone County Farm Bureau's promotion and enrichment committee, said the dinner and dance will be reminiscent of the cowboy ball events put on by Bass Western World.
"We just want to get together and celebrate," she said, adding that Farm Fest is not a fundraiser, "It’s a party."
Treaty Rock Elementary student Anna Monroe gazes up at Whiskey the horse during a Farm to Table at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds in May. Farm to Table is sponsored in part by the Kootenai-Shoshone County Farm Bureau, which is hosting its first Farm Fest event Saturday at the fairgrounds.