Seacoast Eat Local

A note from Meadow’s Mirth Farm with details of their unique, very flexible CSA:

Josh and Jean at Meadow’s Mirth have been growing organic produce and selling at the farmers’ markets since 2004.  We are now accepting new members for our 2010 Community Suported Agriculture (CSA) program.  Buying
 a
 farm 
share
 is
 a
 sustainable 
way
 to
 help 
farmers 
with
 early 
season
 start‐up
 costs,
 and
 secures 
a 
market
 for
 farmers’ fresh 
produce.  By joining our CSA, you, the 

shareholder,
 benefit
 by 
getting
 a 
discount
 on
 our
 wide variety of products offered at the farmers’ market,
 and 
free
 choice
 as 
to
 what
 you
 want
 in
 each
 pickup.   You take
 as 
much 
or
 as
 little
 as 
you
 need 
for
 the 
week and it gets deducted from your balance.

  This 
amounts 
to 
less
 food
 waste,
 and 
more
 of
 what 
you 
enjoy.

  Pickups will be at one our farmers’ markets.  You 
can
 choose
 
location
 that
 works 
for 
you,
 and 
not 
worry
 about
 having 
to 
bring
 cash 
to
 the 
market 
for
 your
 veggies.

  Plus 
if
 there 
is 
something
 you 
need 
that 
we
 don’t
 provide 
(eggs,
 dairy, 
etc) 
you 
can 
purchase 
it
 from
 one 
of 
the 
other 
market
 vendors for one stop shopping at the farmers’ market.

  If
 you
 need
 to 
skip 
a 
week
 or two, 
there is
 no 
need 
to
 call.

 We
 will
 keep
 track 
of
 your
 balance 
and  periodically
 notify 
you
 so
 you
 can 
plan
 accordingly.

  Pickups are at Durham, Amesbury, Exeter, and Portsmouth markets in the summer, and Rollinsford and Exeter in the winter.   For more information check out our website or come see us at the Seacoast Eat Local winter markets.

  Download and read the .pdf for the nitty gritties

Congratulations to the organizers and host of Concord’s new winter farmers’ market on the beautiful, welcoming market with lots of great food they hosted this past Saturday. Upcoming markets are scheduled for February 27th and March 27th (also dates of Seacoast Eat Local markets on the Seacoast, so people in multiple parts of the state can have very local food!)

Here’s a great write-up on that market, and you can become a fan on Facebook!

From NOFA-NH:

ACT AGAINST GENETIC ENGINEERING IN OUR STATE!

There is nothing locally grown nor heirloom about genetically engineered food.  The NH localvore, slow food and organic movement can collaborate and take the first steps in discouraging the presence of genetically engineered food and products in our state. 

Take part in a meeting on:

Wednesday, Feb 3

6:00-7:30 PM

Blue Moon Market and Café

8 Clifford Street, Exeter, NH

http://www.bluemoonmarket.net/retailer/store_templates/shell_id_1.asp?storeID=6CF10CED79FA4E5A8C17EBBF9184343B

 

to hear about two bills in the NH House Committee on Agriculture and the Environment: one to label seeds that are genetically engineered or contain genetically engineered organisms (GMOs) and the other to provide farmers the right to seek damages if their crops become contaminated by GE crops.

 

(The Café will still be serving food if you come hungry.)

 

Speakers at this meeting:

Bob St. Peter of Food for Maine’s Future, will share his experience working on the GE issue in Maine, and will brief everyone on current Maine laws regarding GMOs and past failed attempts at labeling.  

State Representative Susan Wiley and others that sponsored the bills will be present

Northeast Organic Farming Association of NH (NOFA-NH)

There will also be time for an open discussion about your interests in this issue.

 

The hearings for the two bills are scheduled for

 

Thursday, February 11

Legislative Office Bldg (LOB)

Concord, NH

 

            11:00 AM for HB 1388 – Compensation for contamination

1:00 PM for HB 1172 – Labeling of GMO seeds

 

NH House Bill # 1172  Label seeds with Genetically Modified Organisms

http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102952052573&s=215&e=001j8G5QbIxw2XbL930A3tizMfQuYF-Ppl2cl1VW849TK5D4r76obJ3j4X15YYrcOT-RP8Ze3UNXPd8VodbpKsfpNkipV1xCLNJGS1Sgulw7_c_vNMmtJwDW5d5RsOcKdFR0s5XjVV0vQkZElGPzrSf893YzEeMfnwKCDz6BKqD-Ag=

 

More and more people raise their own food in NH to insure quality, purity and to save money. How do they know if their seeds contain genetically modified organisms or not if the seeds they buy are not labeled?  This bill asks that the time-honored consumer’s right-to-know be extended to seed labeling.

 

NH House Bill # 1388  Give farmers the right to seek damages if their crops are contaminated by genetic drift

 

http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102952052573&s=215&e=001j8G5QbIxw2X-BM1EzEk6AfsFbeaSxKr6H8W06JsRVgneI0dCljUqd8xi8aw7dcIjpMT9izGqRSkh3aeIoE2Xj60ZPDp6ZqufN5vq0Ew8HAi0Rf3BghVNRH4Jssfs0Hj2wrpIpH8lRN581Ynsm6lt2pYnSwHDzHhj7qnYUUbOyXI=

 

Genetic drift is proving to be a huge problem for farmers that do not purposefully raise crops that have been genetically engineered.  If a farmer’s crop becomes contaminated with GMOs through pollen drift, the farmer can be sued by the manufacturer of those genetically engineered seed, most often by Monsanto. This bill gives the farmer the right to seek damages if genetic contamination occurs. 

 

 

Please make the time to appear in person at any of these hearings, and let Elizabeth Obelenus at NOFA-NH know your plans.  The many aspects as to why genetic engineering is not welcomed need to be covered at these hearings to build a strong case.  For example, if you or someone you know works in the sciences and can talk from that point of view about why genetic engineering is bad for our health, or know a farmer that wants to grow sweet corn organically but wonders if their crop will get contaminated by neighboring GE corn, ask them to contact Elizabeth at NOFA.    Written testimony is also encouraged.

NOFA-NH CONTACT INFO:  (603) 224-5022 or info@nofanh.org