Idaho Locavore Overview

Idaho Grown Product

There are plenty of seasonal Locavore opportunities to find exactly the fruit, vegetables, beef, lamb, poultry, wine or dairy products that you may be looking for. Our database currently has more than 120 Idaho growers and producers located in 21 counties as well as 18 wineries located throughout the state.

For more specific detail on what local fruits and vegetables are available (and when), please check out our Idaho availability guide or go here to see all of the Locavore Network growers near you. In addition to fruit and vegetable growers, we have listings for wineries as well as numerous beef, poultry and dairy producers located throughout the state.

Commercial Growing Regions for Idaho Fruit and Vegetables

The principal fruit-growing area is in southwestern Idaho, where apples, plums, peaches, cherries, and grapes are grown, vegetables are grown throughout the Snake River valley. Specialty crops grown in the state include alfalfa seed, hybrid sweet corn, peppermint and spearmint, red clover seed, a great variety of vegetable seeds, hops, and nursery products such as sod grass for lawns and ornamental trees. Idaho is also an important cattle-raising state and is the 8th largest sheep-raising state. Additionally, Idaho is a leading wool-producing state and a major lamb-producing state. Hogs and also chickens are raised, mainly in the Snake River valley.

Idaho Wine

Idaho is typically associated with high mountains and cold temperatures, but southwest Idaho's low elevation and relatively moderate climate make it ideal for growing European wine grapes. And over the past few years, many Idaho growers have begun turning to wine grape production. In March of 2007, a bureau of the U.S. Treasury Department designated the Snake River Valley of southern Idaho and eastern Oregon as an American Viticultural Area. Between 1976 and 2007, the number of commercial wineries in Idaho has grown from one in 1976 to 29 currently (we have 18 Idaho Wineries listed within our Locavore database). The Idaho Wine Festival celebrates the state's grape harvest and is held in Boise the last week of August.

Growing and Planting seasons

Northern through central Idaho is a mountainous, often heavily forested region. Along the western edge of the panhandle lie rolling hills of grasslands and extensive grain fields. Except for the low, warm Clearwater River drainage around Lewiston and Orofino, the growing season is short and relatively cool. At higher elevations and along the eastern side of the state, winter temperatures can fall to -30°F or colder. The frost free growing season is about 90 to 150 days in the valleys and 60 to 90 days in the mountains. Soils in the region are generally slightly to very acid and range from sandy to heavy clay soils. Silt loam soils are common and poor soil drainage is often a concern. For this region, cold hardy, early ripening fruit and cool-season vegetable varieties perform best. In and around Lewiston, the growing season is substantially longer and warmer, making the region suitable for many fruit varieties.

Southeastern Idaho includes high plains and desert to the west, leading to foothills and high mountains to the east. Winters are often cold, with temperatures of -30°F and below not uncommon. Despite high daytime summer temperatures, the overall growing season is short and relatively cool. Throughout most of the region, the frost-free growing season ranges from 30 days at the highest elevations to 150 days in the valleys and plains.

Along the Snake River drainages from Idaho Falls west, the growing season can be 150 days or longer. Annual precipitation is 20 inches or less, except in the mountains, where 30 inches of precipitation is typical. Irrigation is required for crop production in most southeastern Idaho sites. Desert and lowland soils are often alkaline and iron chlorosis can be a problem with fruit and vegetable crops on some sites. Mountain soils are generally acidic. Soils range from sand to heavy clay, with light-textured soils predominating. As with northern and central Idaho, gardeners will enjoy their greatest success with cold hardy, early ripening fruit and cool season vegetable varieties.

Southwestern Idaho around Boise and Payette is ideal for growing many fruit and vegetable crops. The winter climate is relatively mild and the growing season long and warm, with frost-free periods of 120 to more than 150 days common. Moving eastward, the climate cools, but the Twin Falls area is still suitable for many fruit and vegetable crops. Portions of Owyhee County are cooler still, with a 60 to 90 day frost-free period. Soils in the southwestern Idaho are often alkaline and irrigation water can also be alkaline. Gardeners must be alert for symptoms of iron chlorosis.

To check the USDA Growing zone for your specific ZipCode, click here: What's My Growing Zone?

Additional Idaho Locavore information

  • Every state has a Cooperative Extension System. Regional offices offer location specific advice on a broad array of topics (including gardening), and may be able to provide you with contact information for growers who are not yet registered on our site. Most have gardening hotlines and offer informational fact sheets, soil testing and pest identification for free or a nominal cost. Often the help is provided by Master Gardeners who are trained to assist the agriculture agents with home gardener's needs. To find contact information for your local County Extension Office – Idaho County Extension Offices. 
  • If you would like to ask questions of fellow Idaho Locavores, discuss tips, share recipes, stories, pictures or any another great “Slow Food” discovery, please post it in our Idaho forum by clicking here: Idaho Locavore Forum
  • Idaho County Fair Schedules – This link provides schedules for County Fairs within Idaho as well as many other local festivals – Idaho County Fairs