COEUR D’ALENE, IDAHO (Idaho Farm Bureau) — What began as a small agriculture education event for local fifth graders has grown into one of North Idaho’s largest hands-on learning experiences focused on where food comes from.
Farm to Table was founded in 2015 by Linda Rider and retired educator Joy Crupper to connect students with agriculture and teach them where their food comes from.
Rider passed away in December 2025 following a battle with cancer, but organizers say her passion for agriculture education continues through the program she helped create.
The event now spans four days and serves nearly 2,000 students from public, private, and homeschool programs across Kootenai County.
In an interview conducted prior to her passing, Rider shared that the program’s goal was always to help students better understand the importance of farming and caring for the land.
“I would describe this event as a wonderful field trip that we provide for fifth graders,” she explained. “I would like them to know that farming is important, agriculture is important, and that people in agriculture care about their animals and they care about their land so that it can be ongoing, for however many years. Because we all need to eat, and it truly is important that we do it well so that we have good food for a long time.”
Farm to Table is organized through a partnership between the Kootenai County Fairgrounds and the Kootenai/Shoshone Farm Bureau, with support from agriculture groups across Idaho.
Over the years, Rider also became heavily involved with ag organizations, such as 4-H, Farm Bureau, and Idaho cattle groups, while helping operate Rider Ranch alongside her husband.
“I have this passion that people should understand where their food comes from, and Farm Bureau has just been a great avenue for me to be able to utilize to do that,” Rider said.
Today, Farm to Table continues serving students across North Idaho while carrying on Rider’s mission of connecting young people to agriculture.
