The first substantial potato fields planted in Idaho belonged to Mormon colonists.
Historical accounts indicate that their presence in Idaho was partially an accident.
As the numbers of Mormon colonists in the Salt Lake Valley increased, they pushed outward seeking new lands. The Mormon farmers had been directed to establish a new colony north of the Salt Lake Valley area in the Cache Valley. Believing they were still in Utah, the new families of settlers began immediately to establish their farms. Potatoes were one of the first items the farmers planted. This is the first recorded planting of potatoes in Idaho in an area where the settlers remained and the crop is till grown to some extent today.