Their local, naturally-grown produce is sold at the Wood River Farmers Markets and delivered to Ketchum, Hailey and Bellevue. They also operate an on-farm store that serves the Carey community, a former “food desert.”
Close to 2,500 pounds of nutrient-dense food were locally grown and sold in 2021
7,200 square feet of land under sustainable cultivation
Itty Bitty provides critical access to food in a historically food scarce community.
Innovative weed mitigation tools uphold regenerative production practices and reduce soil disturbance, protecting water quality.
Avoided approximately 703 pounds of carbon dioxide equivalent by selling produce locally
The $10,000 recoverable grant administered to Itty Bitty Farms provided them with capital to increase their production space, build efficiencies into their weed management and irrigation systems and expand their store offerings to include more locally sourced frozen products, including meat, fish, butter and fruit. A portion of this investment was made by Blaine County’s Land, Water and Wildlife program.
The Carey community has responded well to increased product availability. As Emily and Landon Knowles shared with us, “people are telling us how glad they are that they can get local, affordable, high-quality food right in town.” This project sets the stage for Itty Bitty Farms to increase their production while keeping fresh produce affordable to their neighbors.
Itty Bitty Farms has begun repayment on their investment. The first repayment was scheduled for and successfully executed in December 2021.
We have strong relationships with local farmers and deep knowledge in the local and regional food system built through our Food & Farm program, the Local Food Alliance. We are deeply familiar with local investing and able to provide the technical assistance required to prepare borrowers for financing.
Impact Idaho Fund objectives are primarily aligned to UN Sustainable Development Goals 2 – Zero Hunger – and 11 – Sustainable Communities. In pursuit of more resilient, regionalized food and agriculture systems, the Impact Idaho Fund Pilot will also consider critical impacts on land, water and energy resources.
SVIR envisions a resilient community with a nourishing regional food system, a healthy environment and a vibrant and equitable economy. Through the Impact Idaho Fund, SVIR catalyzes capital for regional resilience projects that advance local food security.