2023 Spud Day Grand Marshall

 Idaho Spud Day announces their Grand Marshall for 2023

Douglas Reed Adams

This year’s Grand Marshal, Douglas Reed Adams was born on Columbus Day.  He has said that getting his birthday off from school each year was like being royalty.   

He is the oldest son of Reed and Olive Adams and grew up with his sister and two brothers in Rigby, Idaho. The family then bought a farm in Basalt, Idaho along the Sand Creek. His father taught him valuable lessons about raising animals and the value of hard work and doing things right.  Doug attended and graduated from Firth High School.  He loves attending his class reunions and meeting old friends. 

In the early 60s he established Doug’s Meats. Doug and his wife Arlene jointly built the business from the ground up.  They met on a blind date, and he knew right away he wanted to marry her.  Arlene was from Vancouver, WA.  But had lived her early years in Shelley.  They married in 1955 in the Idaho Falls LDS temple and raised six children.  Debbie, Steve, Gaylene, Sandy, Randy and Julene. Sadly, Sandy passed away in 1973 while the family was attending a church camp outing.  The Adams children were raised down at the meat plant, learning to cut, grind, mix, put up orders, measure out portions, and deliver millions of pounds of product all over Southeast Idaho and sometimes further.   

Doug loves having his family surrounding him.  When asked to be the Grand Marshal for The Spud Day parade, he asked his wife to be beside him and would love his 6 kids,13 grandkids and 44 great grandkids to all participate on a float.  He is proud of our community and is grateful to have lived and served Shelley and SE Idaho with his exceptional cuts of meat for almost 70 years.   

When Doug was 18, he went to work at Taylor Meat Company.  He had been taught to work hard and with perfection. He quickly earned the respect of the owners with his abilities and his good report with the customers.  He was gifted in being able to pick out the best beef at auction. A federal grader took Doug under his wing and taught him how to grade cattle.  He put Doug ahead of him in the cooler and let him grade the beef which taught Doug invaluable lessons. He told Doug he had a natural talent for grading beef.  At Doug’s request his daughter Debbie drew the grades of meat on the poster that still hangs in the retail showroom.  Doug’s Meat being the top of the scale. Doug was fortunate to work with a gentleman from Germany, Al Muller, that taught him the secrets to the proper way to cut pork to obtain the best cuts for bacon and ham.  He shared his top-secret recipes for good sausage, hot dogs and corned beef with Doug.  This was also his first experience in going down to Eastern Idaho State Fair to service the vendors with beautiful hams. He met the Prices and other good folks that have remained his customer.  He has worked down at the State Fair every year since.  After a full day at Taylor Meat Co., Doug would go to his second job at Joe’s Grocery here on State Street in Shelley.  He would cut the meat for their cases and accounts.  Joe Dial offered to lease the grocery store to the Adams’ and so after six years he left Taylor Meat.  The grocery end of the business and lack of good working equipment was difficult and took away from Doug’s desire to focus on the meat business.   

In the early 60’s Doug’s Meats found a new home in its current location on South State. The Adams’ traveled to Salt Lake and met with vendors, who became life-long friends. New coolers, saws and equipment were purchased. Arlene took great care to manage the books and orders while Doug made sure their clients were getting the best quality meats.  Doug eventually bought a feedlot to raise his own beef. Every mixer of ground beef had to have Doug’s stamp of approval before it went to the final grinder and up to the patty machine. A trip to the cooler with him would be a lesson in which roasts and steak came from which beef.  Doug worked long hours cutting meat but took time to personally visit restaurants, schools and universities in the area to build up his wholesale business. Until his retirement he cut every steak for his restaurant accounts. 

Doug’s Meats services the booths at the EI State Fair and Spud Day.  Doug and Arlene also own the famous PRIME STEER booth that they operate at EISF and Spud Day.  People travel from all over the state for a prime steer burger. The Adams have kept with their family ways including their kids and grandkids in the running of the fair booth.  Doug’s Meat is now operated by their eldest son, Steven Adams, who has followed in his father’s footsteps of serving great cuts of meat to the community and beyond.  

A few years ago, I asked Doug what truly brought him joy.  He didn’t have much to say at the time.  But a few days later I received two hand-written pages. Most were about serving others and giving of your time. I’ve been told all my life what an amazing man my father is. I will tell you he is so much more. Those pages are priceless.  Doug Adams is the hardest working, most generous man I’ve ever known.   

He loves life, he loves God, and he loves serving others.  He is a faithful member of the LDS Church and has served in many positions over his lifetime. The Adams family are so proud he is being honored as the Grand Marshal at this year’s Spud Day Event. He is passionate about everything he goes after.  He loves wood-working and building things. Camping, fishing and hunting with him was the best adventure. If he isn’t visiting the meat plant helping Steve out during fair or other busy seasons, or down to his son Randy’s trailer business, you will find him in his shop planning his next big project or driving his ToolCat to help someone in need down around the corner and maybe a few miles up the road.