Last week we assisted Trailing of the Sheep with local sourcing for their farm to table dinners. Now in its 27th year, Trailing of the Sheep is a vibrant celebration paying homage to a part of the rich agricultural heritage of the American West. The festival included cultural exhibits, culinary experiences featuring delectable lamb dishes, lively folk music, and sheepdog demonstrations.  

Farm to Table Dinners

A big highlight of the weekend was the Farm to Table Dinners featuring lamb raised on local ranches. This year, the Local Food Alliance partnered with Trailing of the Sheep to bring even more flavors of the region to the table. Thanks to Chef Al McCord and a commitment to sourcing local from Trailing of the Sheep, these meals contained more locally sourced ingredients than ever before! 

Local Sourcing

With our procurement support, the Farm to Table dinners included squash from Agrarian Harvest, flour and wheatberries from Hillside Grain, mushrooms from Ironwood Mycology, potatoes and onions from King’s Crown Organics, carrots and herbs from Kraay’s Market and Garden, salad mix, microgreens, beets, and carrots from Squash Blossom Farm, pears and peaches from Waterwheel Gardens, and eggs and milk from Wild Spaces Farm. 

Lamb came from three local ranching families located in Carey, Idaho: 3/D Ranch, Lava Lake Lamb, and Flat Top Sheep Company.  

We are very excited about this partnership with this cherished local festival. At the dinners, we received amazing feedback on the quality of the food and heard the excitement about how these meals celebrate all the amazing agricultural traditions of our area! The lamb was of course the star this past weekend, but our regional farmer made for a fantastic supporting cast! 

Each diner received this card highlighting the farms that supplied products for the meals. During the event our Executive Director, Amy Mattias, shared the following,

“You’ll see an info card on your plate that showcases where most of your plate came from. If you’re local, I ask you to think about sourcing from these producers throughout the year. If you’re a visitor, I invite you to learn about producers wherever you call home. Together, we can transform the way that we eat, the way we treat our natural resources, and the way future generations relate to the earth we’re lucky enough to call our home. I’m very grateful to be at the table with you all and look forward to enjoying many more locally sourced meals at Trailing of the Sheep for years to come!” 

Procurement Policy Work

This partnership represents Local Food Alliance’s focus on assisting area businesses and events on creating procurement policies that prioritize regionally grown ingredients. Our work helps these institutions see what is possible and create accountability in their procurement policies. We’re excited to be working with Trailing of the Sheep and look forward to working with more events and businesses moving forward!