Boise’s newest West Bench Farmers Market is bringing culture and community to the forefront. The goal is to create a regenerative food system that thrives on local support, sustainable farming practices, and cultural diversity. We are so here for it.
Located on 3085 N Cole Rd under the big red pergola, The West Bench Farmers Market is a stylish and diverse gathering space ideal for farmers markets and gathering with the community. It runs every Thursday from 6-9pm from June to September.
Market overview
The West Bench Farmers Market was founded through a collaboration between Global Lounge and Global Gardens, with support from the Idaho Office of Refugees and a pretty sizable USDA grant that will keep it up and running for the next three years.
Artisan Handmade Jewelry at West Bench Farmers Market. Credit Carly Connery.
I got the chance to speak with two staff members of the market, Dayo Ayodele, who serves as executive director for the Global Lounge, and Ben Brock, program manager for Global Gardens.
Dayo calls himself more of a community steward. He’s also the founder of Global Gardens, which began in 2006.
“Boise is a hub for cultural engagement where people can congregate and gather,” says Dayo. The market had a few test runs in years past, but it’s now in full swing, and community reception has been overwhelmingly positive.
Let’s face it: Boise is growing. We needed a new farmers market with an international flair and better opportunities for small-scale producers. That's where West Bench Farmers Market comes in.
“We’re really lucky to have really supportive folks over the Boise Farmer’s Market,” said Ben. “They answer my phone calls all the time.” The Boise Farmers Market team is all for this new market, especially with it being on Thursday. They also use the same onboarding software, which makes the transition easier for newer farmers.
As a whole, the market aims to support sustainable farming practices, promote cultural diversity, and offer the community access to healthy, fresh foods. Community and food culture are the core of their operation and show their commitment to creating a better Boise.
Artisans for Hope boutique at West Bench Farmers Market. Credit Carly Connery.
Food vendors
Adelfa's Comida Cubana: Chef Noel Argote-Herrera brings his family’s authentic Cuban cuisine to Boise.
Ansots Basque Chorizos: Ansots is a family-owned restaurant and USDA-approved chorizo production facility located in Boise. Crafted from premium pork shoulder with plenty of pimenton and garlic to satisfy any connoisseur.
Belong Co. Ice Cream: Flavors like crazy cookie, cake batter, fruit sorbet, and chocolate caramel. They’re all about creating opportunities for adults with disabilities to explore.
Bird Street Bread: Sourdough bread, sourdough cookies, sourdough brownies, sourdough cinnamon rolls, pre-made sourdough mixes, and more. They use a 60 year old Alaskan sourdough starter! The bread is also slow-fermented and cold-proofed to develop maximum flavor and texture.
Boise Booch LLC: Woman-owned, family-operated kombucha brewery and taproom rooted in the heart of Boise. Both boozy and non-alcoholic kombucha in small batches, crafted with care, intention, and a whole lot of local love. Brewed with care, using high-quality ingredients and traditional fermentation methods, all served with a healthy pour of local pride.
Clove Me Crazy: Clove Me Crazy is fun and flavorful, serving bold, spiced Somali shaah. Founded by Halima Hamud, a Somali-American with a love for tea and community. Inspired by the rich flavors and warmth of the tea culture found in Somali homes.
Darjeeling Momo: Dumplings, kabob, fried rice and chow mein.
Funkiest Medina LLC: Traditional spiced coffee brewed with purpose and rooted in community. Elixir de Olla is slow-steeped with real ingredients like cinnamon, citrus, and unrefined cane. So good you’re gonna want two bottles!
Indo-Malay: Nasi Lemak (a fragrant, spicy rice dish), Mie Goreng (stir-fried noodles), Rendang (a slow-cooked curry), spring rolls, and fried chicken. Come and enjoy this delicious food!!
Liberian Flavors Kitchen: Fish, ribs, chicken, attieke (traditional West African side dish), plantain, jollof rice, fried rice, non-alcoholic drinks, and more. Flavorful dishes crafted from cherished family recipes.
Mama G’s Kitchen: If you haven’t met Mama Guerda, she’s kind of a local legend around here, and also an absolute sweetheart. She serves up beignets, rice, beans, chicken, plantains, beef, pork, fish, sambusas, fufu, and kwanga. With years of perfecting her craft, Mama Guerda has specialized in the art of making authentic and flavorful Congolese delicacies. What makes her unique are the traditions of cooking these meals that she learned from her mother and is now passing on to her kids. Mama G’s Kitchen is a small family-owned business created with the intent of bringing a taste of Africa to Idaho.
Oww Snap: Louisiana Creole recipes inspired by grandma's cooking. Check out their Instagram here!!
Roots of Mexico: Traditional Mexican food like Pozole, Chicken Tinga Tostadas, Fish Tacos, Conchita, Cinnamon Rolls, and Aguas Frescas.
Three Fates Coffee Co: Brings a European coffee experience to Boise. Lattes, Americanos, Cappuccinos, London Fogs, British cuppa, chai, hot chocolate, tea, and pastries from Gaston's Bakery!
Chef Noel Argote-Herrera with Adelfa's. Credit Adelfa's Comida Cubaba..
“There's a lot of smiles and kids hugging. All the right things are happening.” said Ben. Though, he admits he was pretty nervous the night before the first market on June 5th. “Have we done enough publicity? Do we have enough Instagram followers? Is anyone gonna show up when we bang the drums and open this market?? But by 6:15pm that first Thursday, people were fired up.”
It’s a place you can go and know you’ve made a small difference, whether that’s through a conversation with one of the farmers or trying a dish you’ve never had before. The hope is that this will create a ripple effect for our community and bring together people from all walks of life.
Agricultural vendors
Entering the Farmer’s Market scene can be intimidating for new vendors, but the West Bench Farmers Market helps make this transition easier through education and support.
“It definitely has an international feel with all the different smells, sounds, and sights. It’s a global market, and we love it.” said Ben.
Free Spirits Beverage Co: Alcohol-free shrub cocktails, drinking vinegars, Simple Syrups, rimming salts and sugars, jams, sauces made with our shrub mashes, RTD alcohol-free canned cocktails, cocktail kits, ice pops ready-to-drink mocktails on site for sipping & shopping, tea and coffee alternatives, distilled rose water, Bitters, Frills (dehydrated drink garnishes), alcohol-free spirits like Amaros, Mezcal, Whiskey, tabletop planters that include herbs and edible flowers (plants are grown by Melissa) and bamboo plants (grown by Melissa)
Global Beans: Sustainably sourced coffee with a selection of light, medium, and dark roasts.
K-Moss Farms: Onions, garlic, leeks, shallots, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, beetroot (beets), radishes, parsnips, turnips, lettuce, spinach, kale, cabbage, arugula, swiss chard, collard greens, and corn. Originally from Somalia, Khadija Moss spent several years in a refugee camp before making her way to Boise. In addition to farming, Khadija works at Saint Alphonsus and runs her own childcare business. Outside of her professional life, Khadija enjoys cooking and spending quality time with her children.
Mama Salima’s Farm: Arugula, basil, beans, beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, garlic, greens, green onions, herbs, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce heads/mix, onions, peas, hot/sweet/bell peppers, radishes, salad mix, spinach, spring onions, summer/winter squash, chard, tomatoes, tomatillos, and turnips. Although a beginning farmer with Global Gardens, Salima has years of experience as a farmer and is known for her great kale, cabbage, and peppers. Her son, Issa, has noted that for Salima to be out at the farm is her version of therapy. Around Global Gardens, Salima is affectionately referred to as “Mama Salima”.
Moustapha Green Diamond Farm: With a long-held dream of starting his own farm, Moustapha is thrilled to now be part of Global Gardens as a commercial grower. He also recently got married and is awaiting his wife’s arrival in Boise!
New Hope Farm: African vegetables as well as American vegetables such as carrots & salad.
Fresh produce at West Bench Farmers Market. Credit Carly Connery.
“We thought that would be a great area to team up,” said Ben. “The timing was right to really put some resources behind [the market].”
There’s fresh produce, prepared meals, art, handmade jewelry, the most amazing spiced black coffee, baked goods like baklava, and everything from egg rolls to chorizos.
Be sure to check out the Global Lounge as well. It’s a community gathering space and cultural hub home to classes, meetings, band practice, and everything in between. The walls are filled with murals from local artists like Sector Seventeen.
You can read more stories about some of the farmers at Global Gardens here!
Other vendors
Artisan Handmade Jewelry: Cute handmade jewelry booth with beaded and glass jewelry, matching sets that make great gifts, earrings, and smaller $5 bracelets in the front! Their products are a collection of natural and man-made beads with a Mediterranean design.
Cedar and Sage: Each item is crafted to celebrate the natural grain, age, and character of the wood, adding soul and warmth to your home.Their products are made using organic materials like glass, stone, metal, wood, and ethically sourced bone beads. Every element is thoughtfully chosen and artfully arranged by hand. Repurposed with purpose. Crafted with care. Made to be meaningful.
John's Work 208: “I am a visual artist with no set style or medium. I just try to make beautiful things.” says John.
Local artist John Hargrett at West Bench Farmers Market. Credit Carly Connery.
Miner Provisions: A one person passion project revolving around creating out of the box hot sauces, condiments and spices using local Idaho produce. They have everything from wild sauces to scorched earth spicy, tea infused salts, savory candies and some of the coolest merch around.
Parcero Wine Bar: Whether you’re a seasoned wino or a casual enthusiast, every glass at Parcero is an opportunity to toast to the good times.
Here’s a list of community groups involved:
City of Boise
Idaho Women's Charitable Foundation
FARE Idaho
Idaho Preferred
Boise Bicycle Project
Cross of Christ Lutheran Church
Heath+Soul Inc.
Pella
The Bucket Ministry
Tropico FM
West Bench Neighborhood Association
Interested in becoming part of the market? You’ll need a few things to start, like a seller's permit, health license, and insurance. You can find more information on becoming a vendor here.
How you can support
World Refugee Day is happening this Thursday, June 19, and it's going to be a HUGE celebration!! The theme is "Community as a Superpower," which is truer than ever right now. This is a time to connect across cultures, celebrate traditions, stand in solidarity with one another, and honor those still waiting to be welcomed to a safe community.
Bring your friends and family to enjoy food and music, learn about different cultures, and meet new people. It’s a free event with food available for purchase, and meal vouchers available to newcomers to America.
Celebrate World Refugee Day at West Bench Farmers Market!
Getting involved
Besides showing up on Thursday’s, there’s a few other ways you can get involved. Artists and vendors, I’m talking to you, too!
They are currently accepting community volunteers for two shifts during the market. The first shift goes from 3-6:30pm and the second from 6:30-9pm. You can find more information on volunteering at the market here!
There’s also live music at the market! Reach out to Dayo if you’re interested in playing. You can also find a contact form on their website.
Mama Salima's Farm and family at West Bench Farmers Market. Credit Carly Connery.
With hints at a plan to move the Boise Farmers Market further East in the next few years (and possibly to the Idaho Botanical Garden), this is the perfect spot for a new market. Be sure to check out all the other shops in the plaza while you’re there. I absolutely love the Idaho Capitol Asian market. They have some great snack options, drinks, produce, and more.
Also, Global Lounge will be having a huge World Village celebration from September 4-6pm at JUMP with includes participants representing our Mexican, Basque, Native Americans, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Indonesia, Bosnian, African, Lao, North, and South America, Middle Eastern, Indian and Greek communities. World Village gives people an opportunity to listen, watch, learn, feel and interact while learning and teaching cultural aspects of Idaho's multi-cultural heritage. Through art workshops and dance workshops, people will learn elements of movement and symbolism that break down language barriers.
They could get a storefront in the future. They’d love to keep expanding and growing in the next three years. But, what you can do right now is show up, support, and experience the beauty and community found at this cute little global market.
Support Artisan Handmade Jewelry at West Bench Farmers Market! Credit Carly Connery.
See ya on Thursday!!
Thanks for reading!
With love from Boise,
Carly
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