March 1, 2010 by Heather.

Do you love local food? Is your calender free Friday, March 19, through Sunday, March 21, at 6:00 p.m.? Then maybe you should make reservations for the New England Farm 2 Fork Project’s “a forty mile meal.” But do it fast, there are only 30 seats available for what is sure to be a remarkable culinary treat.

According to their Web site, “The New England Farm 2 Fork Project’s ‘a forty mile meal’ dinner will consist of locally made artisan and farmstead cheeses, pastured local lamb, antique (heirloom) apples and many other locally raised products. Our gastronomic goal is to serve the best local, sustainably produced ingredients, and to treat them with respect and simplicity in our cuisine. This means using as much of a products resources as possible, be it the greens from garden grown organic beets, or the livers and gizzards of barnyard chickens. Our deep-rooted regional influences have shaped and continue to shape New England farm cuisine and inspire our cooking and food on a daily basis.”

For more information, to read the full article, or to RSVP for “a forty mile meal” please see the New England Farm 2 Fork Project’s Web site, http://tnef2fp.blogspot.com/2010/02/forty-mile-mealdefining-local-new.html. 

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March 1, 2010 by Heather.

If you run a farm, restaurant, retail store, or other outlet for locally produced food within Merrimack County the Capital Area Farm and Community Connection (CAFCC) is looking for you. This spring, CAFCC will be publishing a guide to local foods in the Merrimack County area. The guide will be distributed for free throughout Merrimack County with an anticipated distribution of 12,000 guides.

Free listings in this guide are available. You need to complete a registration form by March 15, 2010. Paid advertisement and sponsorships are also available and welcome.

The registration form is available at the Merrimack County Conservation District Web site, www.merrimackccd.org, or by calling (603) 223-6023. Contact CAFCC coordinator Ruth Smith at localfood@merrimackccd.org if you need further information or want to take out an ad.

If you’re a farmer in Rockingham and Strafford counties, don’t feel left out; it’s time to submit your information for the 2010 edition of Seacoast Harvest.

Complete a form for the 2010 Seacoast Harvest at www.tinyurl.com/seacoastharvest.

Guidelines for who can be listed are found at http://www.seacoasteatlocal.org/seacoastharvest/index.php?page=about.

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March 1, 2010 by Heather.

With the recent weather issues we’ve seen, it’s a little hard to remember that spring is on its way. Luckily, Wentworth Greenhouses has some exciting classes coming up that will get you thinking spring in no time!

Saturday, March 6th, 10:00-11:30 a.m.
Grow Your Own
Session #2 - Seed Starting and Transplanting
FREE SEMINAR

The second vegetable-gardening class will focus on seed starting and transplanting.  Julie will be teaching the entire series.  She has been growing vegetables for many years and sells product at her local farmers’ market.

Grow Your Own classes to follow:
Session #3 - Planting and Maintenance
April 3rd, 10:00-11:30 a.m.

Session #4 - Disease and Pest Control
June 5th, 10:00-11:30 a.m.

Session #5 - Harvest and Late Season Planting
July 3rd, 10:00-11:30 a.m.

To register for upcoming classes please call 603-743-4919
or email wgiretail@ttlc.net 

For more info, please visit the Wentworth Greenhouses Web site. 

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March 1, 2010 by Heather.

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is now offering technical and financial assistance for conservation practices related to organic production through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Organic Initiative. In 2010, NRCS in New Hampshire has more than $280,115 dedicated to the EQIP Organic Initiative. Applications can be submitted year round, to be considered for the next ranking, your application must be received by March 12, 2010. Assistance is available for agricultural producers who are:
-currently certified organic farmers
-transitioning to certified organic production
Individuals, groups, and entities who own or manage certified organic operations or operations that are transitioning to certified organic are eligible to apply.  Contracts can last from 2 to 10 years. Payments are limited to $20,000 per participant annually or $80,000 over a 6 year period. There is no minimum acreage requirement to apply for EQIP, however, projects that address significant resource concerns are more likely to receive funding. Beginning, socially disadvantaged, and limited-resource farmers may be eligible for higher payment rates. Applications are accepted all year but are reviewed in a competitive ranking process when funding becomes available - usually once each year. Please contact your local NRCS office or conservation district to start the planning and application process.

For More Information
National Organic Initiative Web site  http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Programs/eqip/organic/index.html

NH Organic Contact
Brandon Smith, Resource Conservationist
(603) 868-7581

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