If you’ve ever wondered where your food really comes from—or if you’ve questioned what’s hiding in that “organic” label from the grocery store—this conversation with Cassie Soulberg of Sun Mountain Four Seasons Farmers Market will change how you shop, eat, and think.

Cassie isn’t your average farmer. She’s a fourth-generation Idahoan who’s traded a modern lifestyle for a deeper connection to land, livestock, and community. From rotationally grazing her animals on a rugged mountain in Kingston to starting one of North Idaho’s most unique private farmers markets, her mission is simple: raise real food, share it locally, and help others return to their roots.

1. Raw Milk Isn’t the Enemy—It’s the Cure for Gut Issues

Cassie’s personal story started with raising a Jersey cow named Lily. Raw milk from Lily provides her family—and her customers—with creamy, unpasteurized nourishment that many believe is easier to digest than conventional dairy. In fact, many people who are lactose-sensitive have found raw milk to be a game-changer.

“Start with just a shot,” Cassie suggests. “Most people don’t have any issues—and their gut health actually improves.”

Unlike store-bought milk, which is pasteurized and stripped of natural enzymes, raw milk in Idaho is legal under certain certifications and offers an old-school alternative with deep nutritional value.

2. GMOs and Overprocessed Foods Are Sneaking Into Your Kitchen

From soy byproducts to genetically modified wheat, Cassie and the podcast hosts unpack how even “healthy” food can be hiding synthetic ingredients. “We don’t even know what’s natural anymore,” one host remarks, emphasizing the need for transparency and local sourcing.

Cassie’s approach is the opposite of industrial farming: holistic, seasonal, and personal.

3. Local Farming Builds Resilience—and Real Community

When Cassie started her market, it wasn’t just to sell her pork or raw milk. It was about rebuilding a lost network of neighbors who produce and trade what grows best on their land. The market, located at 631 Division Street in Kellogg, now supports over 30 local producers, most of whom are vetted personally by Cassie.

Whether it’s pasture-raised meats, homemade sourdough, or tallow-based skincare, everything is local, clean, and conscious.

“I put my money where my mouth is,” she says, proudly. “If I sell it, I use it.”

4. The Private Market Model Protects Freedom and Food Integrity

Sun Mountain is not your typical farmers market. It operates as a private membership-based association, allowing members to buy and sell outside many of the federal regulations that make small-scale farming nearly impossible. That means more transparency, fewer barriers, and a direct line between farmer and consumer.

Membership costs just $40/year for Silver Valley residents—or $15/quarter for non-residents—and gives access to five days of market shopping per week, plus special exchanges and community events.

5. The Prairie is Disappearing, But the Local Food Movement is Growing

Cassie shares heartfelt memories of her childhood on the prairie—riding horses, farming 50 acres, and trading cookies for favors from neighboring ranchers. Like many lifelong Idahoans, she’s watched those open fields turn into subdivisions. But instead of giving up, she’s rebuilding what was lost, one cow, one loaf of bread, one market exchange at a time.

6. There Is a Better Way to Eat—And It Starts with Meat

Asked what food people should never buy at the grocery store again, Cassie doesn’t hesitate: meat.

“You don’t know where it’s coming from or what it’s been fed. It’s the one thing you eat every day—you should know who raised it.”

At the market, all meat is raised without GMOs, on local land, by producers who actually live the lifestyle they preach.

7. Small Steps Matter—Even if You Still Eat Doritos

What made this episode so relatable is the honesty—yes, Cassie loves raw milk and ferments her own veggies… but she also drinks a weekly Dr. Pepper. And the hosts? They’re self-proclaimed Dorito junkies with framed chip bags in their basement.

This isn’t about guilt or perfection. It’s about awareness, small changes, and getting back to real food—one choice at a time.

Want to Learn More?

Visit Sun Mountain Four Seasons Farmers Market in Kellogg 

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