The potato harvest is in full swing at Koompin Farms and it's easy to see why Idaho is the number one potato state in the country, producing nearly a third of all potatoes grown in the U.S. Sheep and cattle ranching also have deep roots in the state. Diane and John Peavey organized the annual Trailing of the Sheep festival in Hailey and a sheep parade down main street in Ketchum. The Nature Conservancy's Silver Creek Preserve and the Henry's Fork of the Snake River attract anglers from all over the world. The special romance of drifting an Idaho trout stream helped launch Hyde Driftboats in Idaho Falls where the best selling driftboat in the world is manufactured.
Power from nuclear energy was born near Arco, where the Idaho National Laboratory tells the story of these nuclear pioneers. At Craters of the Moon National Monument, the "weird"geology and extreme temperatures offer a chance to witness the adaptability of plants and animals. The Teton Flood Museum shows the results of a catastrophic failure of the Teton Dam in 1976. The Hells Canyon Mail Boat is a weekly treat for residents living along a remote stretch of the Snake River and also brings passengers upriver to overnight at Beamer's Copper Creek Lodge. Sustainable harvest logging is part and parcel to a healthy timber economy which allows a family logging operation like the Larson's to continue a multi-generation tradition of work in the forests of Idaho. The Cataldo Mission, just off Interstate 90, is an easy opportunity for travelers to learn about the state's oldest building.
(Discoveries America Mountain West States 5 DVD collection includes 5% discount: Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah and Colorado. Condensed version also available with 5 DVD's in a single case.)
DVDDAID REVIEW: Discoveries America, Idaho
"Serving up the 48th entry in Jim and Kelly Watt's award-winning high-definition-filmed Discoveries America series, Idaho proves that the state is more than just spuds. Although Idaho does in fact produce nearly 1/3 of all US potato crops, viewers may be surprised to learn that Idaho is, among other things, 2nd only to Australia in sheep production, the site of the 1st nuclear reactor in the world to generate useable electricity, and the nation's 1st choice for ski sports.
Idaho also features one of the harshest environments on Earth around the surreal Craters of the Moon National Monument, where over the course of a single day, temperatures range from 50 below zero to a soil temp of 178 Fahrenheit, while - incredibly - still supporting over 800 species of plants and 210 varieties of birds. Also covering a potato harvesting, a sheep parade, and the short history of the Teton Dam disaster in 1976, Idaho features additional segments on the US mail boat delivery system along Hells Canyon, the timber industry and some primo sports fishing in the Snake River. Presenting a charming look at the Gem State, this is definitely recommended for travel collections."