[Music plays.]

 Narrator: Welcome to the Nobody Knows podcast with Callie Zamzow. Join us for conversations with local changemakers and hear the stories that don’t always get told. It’ll be honest, messy, and beautiful. Touching and humorous. Slow down for a glass and pull up a chair. This is the Nobody Knows podcast.

 Callie Zamzow: Welcome to the podcast. Oh, I’m so excited to be getting going with this new revamp. I have so many things on my mind today. I’m in this phase of my life where, on occasion—monthly at certain points—I can’t sleep in the middle of the night. I’ll just wake up at 3 a.m. and things are on my brain.

 Callie Zamzow: Last night was one of those nights. And the thing on my brain—appropriately—was farmers markets. I was thinking about how, as a child, my parents would seek them out even when we were on vacation. We would find what the local people were growing and selling. It was a big deal.

 Callie Zamzow: I remember one time we went to San Francisco to visit my Aunt and my Uncle Charlie. They took us to a farmers market, and they had strawberries that were—at the time, as a kid—bigger than my hand. I just remember my mind was blown. I’d never seen a strawberry like that before.

 Callie Zamzow: And just all the things that go with that. The community and the gathering. So I spent some time in the middle of the night thinking… and then, thankfully, I fell back to sleep. And here we are this morning. I’m excited because today we get to talk about farmers markets and a whole bunch more. Our guest today is Amber Beierle.

 Callie Zamzow: She’s the Executive Director of the Boise Farmers Market. But she’s had this whole life before that that I want to talk about a little bit. And then this beautiful—and I think incredibly brave—transition to a totally new job. And now doing these amazing things in the community in a completely different way. I have so many things I want to talk to her about. Welcome to the studio, Amber. Thank you for being here.

 Amber Beierle: Thanks for having me. And yeah—much like my farmers and ranchers—there are many seasons to my life, many seasons to what we do. There are always connections back to a farmers market.

 Callie Zamzow: So you’re just instantly making me think about this transition you made. Can we really quickly talk about what you did previously, just so our audience has an idea of who you are and where you came from?

 Amber Beierle: Just that classic story of a 2C coming to Ada County, wanting to be a teacher… deciding that was a terrible idea—for me. For me. I love teachers. I recommend anybody who wants to really appreciate their middle school teachers do student teaching. I loved it. It changed my life… but I had a professor who really directed me. I loved history, and I knew I wanted to educate people in some way, and I knew I wanted to tell stories.

 Amber Beierle: So I continued with grad school and went through the public history route—being able to tell stories. While in grad school, there was an opening to be a tour guide at the Old Idaho Penitentiary. I thought, oh, this is cool. I can do that. So I did. And then that became my career. I ended up being the site administrator there at the Old Idaho Penitentiary.

 Amber Beierle: All puns intended, I loved my time there. I loved who I worked with. I loved history. I loved learning about… you know, there were 13,000 inmates there, and I wanted to tell those stories. Not to—like, you know—some people would say, “These guys are murderers and things.” And yes… but there are complexities. That’s the human story and the human experience. For every story about horrible things there are really uplifting stories as well.

 Amber Beierle: So that became my life and what I wanted to do. I sort of accidentally became an administrator and discovered I had executive… executive talents—I don’t know what that is exactly. I accidentally backed myself into that corner. Then I took an opportunity that was much larger at a different government agency, and it just didn’t work out. In four months, I figured out that wasn’t the direction I wanted to go. It was a great time to have a midlife crisis. [Callie laughs.]

 Callie Zamzow: It’s always a good time for that, right?

 Amber Beierle: Yeah. This position pops up on the Idaho nonprofit job board. I knew I wanted to be a storyteller. I wanted to use my talents. My grandfather was a farmer. So when I applied, I told the story about myself and my connections to the land. And here I am, three years later—the director of the farmers market. First director they’d had. We’ve grown as an entity and everything. That’s my journey to the farmers market. That’s how I got to market.

 Callie Zamzow: Because of today, and the changing up of this podcast, it’s on my heart how scary change can be. You seem so confident… and maybe it’s the way you’re telling the story, but were you scared? Like, “Holy crap, I’m doing this thing that’s totally different”?

 Amber Beierle: Very calm, cool. No—I was terrified. [Callie laughs.]

 Callie Zamzow: No I want to hear that, I want to hear that you were a little terrified. 

 Amber Beierle: I think the thing is, the best version of me as a leader is my vulnerability. I can honestly say part of me not having success in the job I went to was imposter syndrome. I went in thinking, I don’t know… do I belong here? Am I good enough?

 Amber Beierle: I make all the correlations back to farmers markets now because that’s what I do. You’re mid-season and you took this gamble. You either ride it and figure it out as you go along… or you lose the crop, lose everything. That’s the analogy I try to live by.

 Amber Beierle: Along the way I had my kids and my now-wife—we were dating at the time. Because what a good time to start dating is when you’re unemployed and transitioning through major life decisions. [Amber and Callie laugh.] That was a great time. But she stuck with me. I have those anchors to say, these are the ebbs and flows of life. What can I teach my kids in this moment? That usually motivates me. What can I do for somebody else? Inadvertently, that helps me a lot.

 Callie Zamzow: Same—especially for our kids. If I can create a lesson out of something… I definitely do that. Like, okay, how am I— I mean, even today. Funny story: I got ready this morning and my daughter goes, “Mom, your lashes…” And I’m like, but it’s a podcast, honey. She was like, “Let me do your lashes.” So I don’t know if you can tell my fabulous lashes today, [Amber: Absolutely I can tell.] but my daughter put them on this morning. I was like, okay. My husband was like, “Whoa, what’s going on there?” [Amber laughs.]

 Callie Zamzow: Anyway—these things we do with our kids… it rounds out everything. I love that our kids want to be involved. They care about what we’re doing.

 Amber Beierle: Not that this is our therapy session, but when I was going through that change, my kids were like, “Why don’t you just go back to the Old Idaho? We like it there.” So explaining to kids how life works and being vulnerable—like, yeah, I really liked it there. I took this chance over here. And that’s okay. We’re going to be okay. The kids are like, “Yeah… can I have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich now?” [Amber and Callie laugh]

 Amber Beierle: Again, you sow the seeds and then wait for it to grow. Water it… fertilize… do all the things. All good analogies for the farmers market and what was going on with me.

 Callie Zamzow: Oh my gosh. Let’s dive into the farmers market. Before we talk about where it’s headed, can you tell us how it began?

 Amber Beierle: I think there’s about 35 years of some iteration of a farmers market here. For people who’ve been around Boise long enough, the farmers market was downtown as part of what is still the Capital City Public Market. Around 2012, there was a division of priorities. I’m in a great spot, because I wasn’t there for any of it. [Callie laughs.] Controversial to say it was contentious at times.

 Amber Beierle: At its height, the market took up all of 8th Street and Idaho. It was huge. A main attraction. Wonderful in some ways, but not necessarily great for farmers and ranchers trying to reach serious shoppers. Prices can be higher—though we’re finding that’s not always the case now—but the quality is higher, and there’s education involved. It takes time to become savvy in those things.

 Amber Beierle: It’s not a bad thing, but it was a tourist attraction—food trucks, specialty demos. I remember going down and learning how to pickle. My ex-wife learned how to pickle there. But it wasn’t the exercise of community that some of our farmers and ranchers wanted. And then also just taking those priorities off the board. Of course a board makes all the decisions, and ultimately there was a split and there was a decision to make two distinct markets.

 Amber Beierle: The Boise Farmers Market became the ag-focus—food-focused: farmers, ranchers, specialty foods, food trucks—with priorities on truly local ingredients. Not from hundreds or thousands of miles away, but from the valley.

 Amber Beierle: So that started. It was still kind of downtown, then it moved to where we are now at 1500 Shoreline. And there was one more move in between. I know that in the 35 years of its existence, there have been at least six moves that have happened. That’s farmers right—change happens, but we continue to work toward permanency. And so I think the priorities of the board are keeping it local, keeping the community spirit, and creating a sense of place wherever we are. I admire everyone who came before me. Tamara Cameron was the market manager and really brought all the professionalization and standards to it so it means something to be at our market. You’re buying into our values. That’s something we want to emphasize going into the future as well..

 Callie Zamzow: I was a big attender of the first, very big iteration—blocks in the city and all that. When the controversy happened, I fell out of it. Then there was confusion: there’s one over here and one there… what’s the difference? This year my husband and I made a point, during Greenbelt walks, to wander over. The food part has a completely different feel.

 Callie Zamzow: You’re surrounded by things. My husband’s a photographer on the side. So many opportunities to take pictures of interesting things. The food is beautiful and vibrant. And the people. It’s a real sense of community. It’s not a big impersonal event. It’s personal. You can talk to each vendor. It’s a lot of community.

 Amber Beierle: I think that’s so intentional on so many levels. If you don’t have a close, intimate relationship with where your food is coming from, that’s a problem. Also, where is your money going? Maybe you saved twenty cents, sure. But what are the values behind it? Where is that dollar staying?

 Amber Beierle: And the product quality—forget it in your fridge for a week and it’s still good. You can’t do that with something that’s been on a truck for two weeks and in a store for a week. Our farmers and ranchers are often bringing things to the market harvested within the last 24 hours.

 Amber Beierle: This past weekend my wife and I were at Fiddler’s Green Farm. I don’t eat a lot of eggplant. She asked, “Should we get that?” I’m like, what will we do with it? So I asked Justin, “What do you do with it?” He launches into a recipe. I don’t cook—my wife listened and said, okay, get it. Those are the exchanges we strive for. I know Justin and Davis at Fiddler’s. I can trust them. Or just ask, “How are the wife and kids?”

 Amber Beierle: You don’t get that at the bigger grocery stores. They’re not bad—but we always point to the abundance of local food. Locally grown food by local producers could feed the valley. COVID revealed that. We were wildly successful with the drive-through model. There is abundance here, and we can feed everyone. If we can do that with better quality food and help the local economy, why wouldn’t you? So, that’s our role—to compel people to do that.

 Callie Zamzow: There’s a huge part of our society that’s disconnected from where food comes from. Drive-throughs. Eating a meal made two years ago. [Callie and Amber laugh.] This is the polar opposite. I don’t want to get too existential… but it feels like we can change ourselves at a cellular level when we know where our food comes from, we know the people who produced it, we have relationships there, and we’re cooking from whole ingredients. What’re your thoughts on that?

 Amber Beierle: That’s part of the stories we’re trying to tell. You can sit there all day with the science/. I was actually just having a conversation about soil. [Callie laughs.] We have a composting program. Timber Creek takes market waste and turns it into compost some of our farmers use. You can literally see the loop happening and the reduced emissions that come with these quality practices.

 Amber Beierle: With ranchers and meat, we’ve learned how the beef industry can emit bad stuff into the environment. Some of that is inevitable. But our ranchers use the best practices they possibly can. They’re not industrial. They’re focused on animal care, land stewardship, spreading impact—not concentrated waste. That’s what we offer: best practices.

 Amber Beierle: Nutrient density drops the longer food travels. We also have certified organic farmers and many with no-spray commitments. Organic certification is a process, but you can come ask, “What do you do?” You can have the conversation. Sure, anyone can fib, but it’s harder face to face. At a cellular level, that’s everything: the soil inputs, the environmental impacts, nutrients in your body, and the feeling of helping your local economy. Full circle—science and the love behind it.

 Callie Zamzow: Yeah, clearly. I love that. We were just talking before the show about apples. As kids we had those mealy red apples you’d give your teacher but never eat yourself. Now we know the nutrient content is what makes them taste so “appley” and delicious. I remember as a kid my brother saying, “This carrot isn’t ‘carroty.” The nutrients are what make it taste like a carrot. If it’s grown right, it tastes like a carrot should.

 Amber Beierle: Exactly. I think our motto needs to be “Just try this.” [Callie laughs.] [Callie: Love that.] It’s about getting people to think differently about food and our relationship to it. I have two young boys of my own and two bonus kids. Mine are the pickiest eaters in the world. At the market we have our Sprouts Kids Club and different activities. One of the most popular things we do is just taste-testing. Asking “Do you like this or not?” and reminding them “Don’t knock it till you try it.”

 Amber Beierle: I try to have that spirit with my kids. At least try it. And then yes, we can get back to the peanut butter sandwich. [Amber and Callie laugh.] Thank goodness it's starting to work—my youngest is trying new food. He’ll say, “I’m so glad we have the farmers market.” [Callie: Aww] He’s my little advertiser.

 Callie Zamzow: I think that’s a great segue to talk about all of the programs, because it’s not just the market. Want to talk about some?

 Amber Beierle: Absolutely. I hit on the Sprouts Kids Club, which focuses on kids ages 5–12—mostly for granting purposes. We partner with Boise River Garden School, Ada Soil and Conservation District, and Health partners. We teach kids to be savvy shoppers—planting, soil lessons, herb salts. My kiddo made herb salt and loves to put it on food he actually tries.

 Amber Beierle: We also have our Green Team. Last year we piloted recycling with Curb It and audited our waste. What we found was our team was wasting so much time hauling gross garbage. So we separated the composting and just used the city program that’s available and we were actually able to reduce landfill waste by 20%. It was a huge deal for just a pilot program.

 Amber Beierle: Now we partner with Timber Creek Recycling commercially, so we can compost more than what you can at home. Obviously any avenue composting is good, but it’s great we offer a bit more composting commercially. You’ll see waste stations, which are all very intentional with the long-term goal of being zero waste, where everything can be composted or recycled. These initiatives mostly come from our farmers and ranchers—“I don’t feel good about that waste.” We set eco-product standards for samples so everything can go into compost.

 Amber Beierle: Another program we formalized last year is Vendor Assistance. There’s two parts. One, reducing fees for farmers, ranchers, and makers facing hardship—especially historically socially disadvantaged groups, veterans, and new farmers. Two, rapid response when anomalies hit—a storm knocks out crops or a greenhouse, or a truck breaks down.

 Amber Beierle: We’d done GoFundMes before. Last year we formalized it through our 501(c)(3) partner, Treasure Valley Food Coalition. We passed the initiative on a Monday. A microburst storm hit and knocked out half of Tree Roots Farm. They couldn’t come to market. Ian was wondering if he needed a full-time job. [Callie: Oh man.] We put out a call to action and our community really rallied together. In less than a week, we raised $11,000—enough to tide them over until saved and newly planted crops came in. I’m really proud of the Vendor Assistance program. That’s my heart and soul.

 Amber Beierle: Right now we’re actually helping folks who were in an accident. It wasn’t their fault, and that was their truck to get to market. We’re there to help them get back. No knock on big corporations, but you’re not going to get that from them. We will actually help you return to the market.

 Amber Beierle: Finally, our Mobile Market—now a partnership with City of Good. We purchase from farmers—it’s just another buyer for them—and take food out to neighborhoods in a mobile van. It’s now an electric vehicle with solar panels that power onboard refrigeration. Through City of Good it’s pay-what-you-can. Farmers get fair market value. Folks who need it most just pay what they can. We target stops in areas of need and food deserts. It’s been wonderful to watch that grow.

 Callie Zamzow: Back to nutrition—if you’re juggling a lot and not eating nourishing food, how do you get out of that? What a wonderful thing—helping people at the cellular level so they have energy to move past where they are, figure out next steps, and in some cases survive.

 Amber Beierle: We prioritize community through collaborations. City of Good was born from the farmers market during COVID when we shut everything down except the drive-through. We proved we were essential. City of Good put restaurant workers to work assembling meal kits—through the market. They’ve grown as a nonprofit and now prioritize food for everyone and radical access—good food, not just any food.

 Amber Beierle: Food drives are important—people need to eat first. But they need good food too. We align with like-minded orgs: you want to feed people; we want to feed people good stuff regardless of ability to pay.

 Amber Beierle: Another program: Double Up Food Bucks. We’ve seen a drop in SNAP, which is terrible, but we still offer it. Farmers markets are the good stuff. Right now we match up to $20. If someone runs $20, they get $20 more. If they run $100, they still get $20. We’re working to make it a 100% match. Ability to pay shouldn’t be a barrier to nutritious food. It’s great watching people say, “My neighbor should eat as well as I do.”

 Callie Zamzow: I’m going to go here—probably a danger zone. Not trying to be. I heard you say “like-minded” and “mission-driven.” I didn’t hear anything about politics.

 Amber Beierle: Politics are always there… but they’re not what drives us. My favorite thing about farmers markets—cheesy but true—is that food is the great unifier. We all need it. We can all value local. The biggest gripe is price. You can haggle over that, but not over value: keeping money in the community and eating really good food.

 Amber Beierle: Maybe in the next presidential debate they can ask me for the right questions. [Callie laughs.] Food could be the kumbaya moment. We’ve got farmers and ranchers from all political walks. When a vendor’s car breaks down or a storm comes through, everyone gives—because it’s not hard to come together. [Amber sniffles.] 

 Amber Beierle: Sorry—these are the moments where I get— 

 Callie Zamzow: Well, I asked for it. [Callie laughs.] 

 Amber Beierle: I come from rural Canyon County. A little about me: in 1988, in second grade, I campaigned for Michael Dukakis. My mom loves this story. At parent-teacher conferences, the teacher said, “We didn’t realize your family was Democrats.” My mom goes, “We’re not. Amber is who she is.”

 Amber Beierle: That’s what I see with our farmers. Conservative, liberal, whatever—we come together: Do we have values some might call radical? Maybe. Maybe not. You’re not going to argue with clean air, good soil, and keeping poisons off food. Food and land are great unifiers.

 Callie Zamzow: I thought you handled that very well. That was beautiful. Okay. How has your relationship with food and land changed over the years? Being from Canyon County and that sort of thing.

 Amber Beierle: Yeah, I grew up around fields. Mint—people are like, “Isn’t that wonderful?” Not when you’re surrounded by it. That’s an overpowering stink. [Amber and Callie laugh.] As I mentioned, my grandfather was a dry farmer in Kansas—wheat fields. So I always had appreciation for farmers’ hard work. It grounded me but spoiled me too, because of the abundance around me.

 Amber Beierle: I remember onion trucks out by Greenleaf and Wilder, where I grew up. Sometimes my mom would say, “An onion fell off—go pick it up.” We’d get it from the side of the road. We grew up near canals and ditches with asparagus. And it’s so funny these lessons have helped me through time. My mom would say “Cut it right. If you don’t cut it right, it won’t grow back.”

 Callie Zamzow: Really—your mother and my dad! We were told, do not snap that off. If you snap that off, you’re in trouble.

 Amber Beierle: Exactly. So I had access to all this stuff. Farmers grew melons behind our place and would say, help yourself. I just had it all around me. Moving to Boise, which of course is the big city when you’re coming from rural Idaho, was a shock: this abundance isn’t everywhere. But it’s close. Now, we need to prioritize land management and what growth looks like. In Idaho, land isn’t that controversial. We come together on land and food—again, farmers markets.

 Amber Beierle: Our farmers are mostly small-scale, not hundreds of acres. Prioritizing those small acreages matters. I tend to go on tangents—hopefully that answered the question. [Amber and Callie laugh]

 Callie Zamzow: That was great. It’s actually time to thank our sponsor.

 Callie Zamzow: This episode is brought to you by Zamzow’s—your local partner in garden, pet, and planet care. Whether you’re growing your own veggies or supporting local growers at the Boise Farmers Market, Zamzow’s has the compost, seeds, and soil-building know-how to keep your connection to the earth thriving. To learn more or check out a wide variety of products and offerings, visit zamzows.com or stop by any of our Treasure Valley locations.

[Sponsor music sting.]

 Callie Zamzow: I do have a quick story for you. My son was walking through a store and decided—at the top of his lungs—to repeatedly say, “Nobody knows…” and just wait for other people to respond. [Callie: Aw that’s so cute.] This is a seven-year-old. People were echoing it through the store. [Amber and Callie laugh] People are laughing and looking at us. We let our freak flag fly. But also, clever advertising.

 Callie Zamzow: I’m giving credit to Art Gregory—33-year employee at Zamzow’s. He came up with that. Everyone kept saying “Zamz-ows,” so the rhyme helped people say it right. 

 Amber Beierle: It’s a measure of how local you are, if you can get it.

 Callie Zamzow: Yeah, “Boise” and “Zamzows.” Those are the two.

 Amber Beierle: And then if you don’t recoil when you hear “Stinker Station.” [Amber and Callie laugh]

 Callie Zamzow: That’s true.

 Amber Beierle: That’s what Kelly’s around for, all the OG stuff.

 Callie Zamzow: All right, time to move to our segment we call Sharing Is Caring. Rapid-fire questions. It doesn’t have to be rapid. First: a book you return to again and again?

 Amber Beierle: Oh goodness. Catcher in the Rye. Which is, like… me and serial killers? I hear they carry that with them. Have you heard this?

 Callie Zamzow: No.

 Amber Beierle: It’s a conspiracy theory. Chapman had it on him when he shot… Lennon. Anyway—terrible story to tell. Catcher in the Rye is not a bad book. It spoke to me. When a book hits at a particular time… I was in grad school when I first read it. I tried in high school and couldn’t get through it. It didn’t speak to me then. 

 Callie Zamzow: Believe it or not, I read it for the first time two summers ago. I was like “I’ve never read this book. I need to read this book.”

 Amber Beierle: I think we’re all Holden Caulfield at different times—everyone’s a phony. Lots of existential stuff during transitions.

 Callie Zamzow: Thank God for books. That’s all I have to say about it. Okay—how about a podcast or article that changed your perspective?

 Amber Beierle: A leadership one by a friend—of course I never remember titles. I love leadership content—Brené Brown and similar. People have different opinions, but the focus on emotional balance and emotional intelligence… vulnerability… that lands for me.

 Callie Zamzow: There’s a Brené Brown quote about this middle part of our lives as women. I can’t read it without crying. It’s time to cut through the crap, drop the falsities, and be yourself.

 Amber Beierle: And the armor that once protected you—served a purpose—now holds you back.

 Callie Zamzow: You know the quote.

 Amber Beierle: I do.

 Callie Zamzow:  Read it again yesterday. Still makes me cry. Favorite market vendor or dish?

 Amber: That’s like picking a favorite child. I’ll choose a safe one for now: Purple Sage Farms in Middleton. Tim Sommer is our board president. But also—relationships. I call him Preacher Tim. Have him on your podcast; plan three hours. He’s passionate. Almost 40 years of organic farming. He’s raised kids and now grandkids on the farm. He’ll say, “My kids are doing things I couldn’t imagine. I can’t imagine what my grandkids will do.” I love Tim for his passion and care for land, family, and market priorities.

 Callie Zamzow: Sounds like someone I need to know.

 Amber Beierle: Everybody needs to know Tim—Preacher Tim.

 Callie Zamzow: Something bringing you unexpected joy right now?

 Amber Beierle: Tomorrow I go on vacation with my kids. Maybe not unexpected… but any moment watching my kids be goofy and silly. We’ve got a front swing. I’ll grab a good local brew, watch my lawn get watered and just watch my kids. It brings me so much joy. Cliché, but true. They make the weirdest games and songs. Experiencing that daily—that’s the joy I live for.

 Callie Zamzow: You’re so present. You feel very present with me today. I imagine your kids feel that too. You seem like someone who, if you’re in a moment, you’re in that moment.

 Amber Beierle: Other than thinking about my vacation at this exact moment… [Amber and Callie laugh] No—truly, and bringing it back, that’s what the farmers market is about. Veggies with short shelf life—appreciate them at their peak. Capture it when you can.

 Callie Zamzow: On a personal note, my daughter’s about to go away to college. I have one, and she’s flying far away. We’re very close, so everything is poignant right now. This morning when she wanted to put eyelashes on—and I am not that person—I was like, yep, put them on, sister. Because it’s a little bit of time I get with you. I’m cherishing those moments so much right now. These kids change our lives for the better.

 Amber Beierle: Yeah, suck our little souls and fill up the cup in the weirdest moments. [Callie laughs.]

 Callie Zamzow: They do. Okay—now the part of the podcast where we ask for a fun fact. In your life or work, what’s something that nobody knows?

 Amber Beierle: I thought about this a lot. Some people will say, “I knew that,” but it surprises most: I have a not-so-mild obsession with Amy Grant. Amy Grant is my hero. My church.

 Callie Zamzow: I was not expecting this answer. I love it.

 Amber Beierle: She sings a song called “Trees.” Shade we’ll never see… Essentially, you plant a tree and the shade from that tree you may never enjoy, but you do something beyond yourself. Those are my Amy Grant moments. My kids can tell—when I’m irritable or sad: “Mom needs Amy Grant.” [Callie laughs.] I just want to put it into the universe: I’m safe. I’m not weird. People out there with talents change lives. You have no idea who I am, and yet you profoundly affect me. Daily. So there you go, nobody knows—until now.

 Callie Zamzow: First, I’m going to remind myself about Amy Grant. I think I only know one song.

 Amber Beierle: You know more. “Baby Baby.” “That’s What Love Is For.” “I Will Remember You.” She’s been the soundtrack to your life and you didn’t know it—at the dentist office, the mall, over the intercom.

 Callie Zamzow: Not to be cheesy, but what you said about her affecting you without knowing it—I suspect you’re embodying that. You’ve affected me today. This has been a wonderful conversation. I’ve absolutely loved it. Thank you for being here.

 Amber Beierle: Thanks for having me. This is great.

 Callie Zamzow: It’s time now for the Zamzow’s Tip of the Week. This is when I share a little tip or tidbit about how you could do things differently in your yard and garden or with your pets.

 Callie Zamzow: Today, we’re in the heat of summer—the hottest period. People’s lawns are crashing like crazy. A lot of times people think it’s watering. Often it’s nourishment. Unfortunately, in the heat of summer we can’t put down normal fertilizers because they’ll burn the lawn.

 Callie Zamzow: We have a product called Huma Green. It’s only available at Zamzow’s. It supports life in the soil by adding carbon back into the soil. Our soils are very low in carbon. Anytime we can add carbon, it boosts soil life and helps any plant around it.

 Callie Zamzow: Generally we put Huma Green down on lawns. My favorite part is you put it in a spreader and let it fly anywhere. I like to be haphazard with it. Unlike normal fertilizer, where you have to be careful, I put it in the spreader and start running around. When I get close to the flower bed, I shoot it into the flower bed too. It’s great for roses, flowers, and bushes. In the meantime, it helps my lawn look green. There’s also what we call Huma Green Green—the literal grass color turns a beautiful, rich green. Your tip of the week: in the heat of summer, turn to Huma Green. It will help in every way.

 Callie Zamzow: If you enjoyed today’s episode, be sure to follow the podcast, leave a review, and share it with a friend. And of course, go visit the Boise Farmers Market. I highly recommend it. Do it this Saturday. What’s the timeframe?

 Amber Beierle: The walk-through market is April through October, every Saturday, 9 to 1. Then we have the winter market indoors in November and December. So maybe I’ll have to come back to talk about that.

 Callie Zamzow: Love it.  If people want to get a hold of you or learn more, where can they find you?

 Amber Beierle: The World Wide Web is a beautiful thing. boisefarmersmarket.com. And me—always available for conversations and collaborations. Amber@theboisefarmersmarket.com gets you direct access to me.

 Callie Zamzow: Fantastic. Thank you again for being part of this podcast and for being such an easy guest today.

 Amber Beierle: Whether or not you wanted to hear it, I just spilled it out. [Laughs]

 Callie Zamzow: I wanted to hear it. They all wanted to hear it.

 Callie Zamzow: We’ve got more stories ahead from the people shaping Boise. Thanks for listening, and we’ll talk to you soon.

 [Music fades out.]