Community in Eagle
People to See
A Farmer’s Market
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By Corey Fagan
Let’s set things straight: organic, local produce is available, right here in Eagle. You asked for it, and Reggies Veggies – Mrs. Veggies Market brought it to you. They are located in that sunny yellow shop right on old State St next to Doug’s Burger Den. This fall I kept thinking that the State Street Ice Cream Shoppe was selling local produce, but that is definitely not the case; this is much more than that. Now that the Saturday Market is closed for the season, some of our favorite food items, like Ira Power’s All-Natural Bread and Kettle Korn, can be found at Reggies Veggies – Mrs. Veggies Market. Not only will there be a new enclosed building out back to hold all the wonderful organic fruits and vegetables, but so are delicious sandwiches and soups for those cold winter days. The most delicious wild salmon, that I can’t seem to get enough of, is on hand and December will mark the arrival of organic beef. But most of all, I must admit, my family is hooked on the Boise Bleu salad dressing; my kids love to dip organic red pears in it. Talk about a great afternoon snack!
While I sat down with owner Gia States over a delicious cup of Chai Tea, I was inspired by her love of bringing good things to the local people of Idaho. Not only are fruits and vegetables close to her heart, but so is Idaho. Gia and her husband Reggie are both fourth generation Idahoans who “want to support local farmers. It’s good for us and the Earth.” Like many of us, Gia is concerned with the changing face of Idaho. “It’s hard to bring in produce from other places, but you have to when a lot of our land isn’t used for farming anymore.”
On a brief family journey to discover the heart behind the vegetables, Gia warmly spoke of Reggie’s great grandfather, who believed in farming the land and bringing healthy, local food to the people of Weiser, Idaho. To this day, the States Produce Stand, currently run by a family member, still brings the freshest fruits and veggies to Weiser. While Grandpa States seemed to have plenty of interesting stories, from wrestling with a cougar down a hill to his soft heart for flowers, it touched me to hear of his love for farming. It is what he, along with many other farmers, literally died believing in. Grandpa States lost his life while picking tomatoes to bring to the local people. We don’t give it much thought as we pull our wallets out to pay for the food we eat, but there is a lot of hard work and family history involved with everything cultivated from the land. Grandpa States had such an incredible passion for farming that his family, two generations later, still believes in it and works hard every day to bring local produce to Eagle.
Next time you stop by Reggies Veggies – Mrs. Veggies Market, be sure to hang around long enough to hear a great story, or find out how to eat honey from a natural honey comb. Ask Gia about the 115 year old begonia that sits with its ‘angel wings’ right by the front door. Then take home some of the good things that local farmers and Reggies Veggies - Mrs. Veggies Market, have worked hard to bring to you.
