Doug Thurgood stares down his driveway and sees change before his eyes. On the left is his farm, where he’s grown corn, wheat and peppermint since 1985. On the right is a row of houses extending into the distance.
In between, a white vinyl fence separates the old Nampa and the new Nampa, one way of life and another. The fence symbolizes the tug of war that’s taking place, with agriculture on one side and residential development on the other.
"It's really paralyzed us,” Thurgood said. “It really has, to be able to function as a farm."
Thurgood farms on land he owns off Can-Ada Road in north Nampa and leases land nearby, which he said is largely owned by investors. The land he owns is surrounded by new houses.