March 2, 2010 by Heather.

The Seacoast Family Food Pantry will be holding a Frugal Feast this Saturday, March 6, 2010, at the Masonic Temple, 351 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH (at the corner of Miller Avenue). The event begins at 5:00 p.m. with a silent auction and refreshments, followed at 5:30 p.m. by a family supper served in the tradition of local soup kitchens with local artists playing music in the tradition of street buskers. 

The Seacoast Family Food Pantry invites one and all to share this evening raising awareness and financial support to ensure that our neighbors and friends do not go hungry.

Tickets are $20 per person or $35 per couple while children under 18 are $5. A table for 8 can be had for $140; an absentee table sponsorship is $75.

For more information and to purchase tickets go to the Seacoast Family Food Pantry’s Web site, www.seacoastfamilyfoodpantry.org/.

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March 2, 2010 by Heather.

This conference is for growers selling at summer or winter farmers markets, farm stands, or PYO operations or selling through Community Supported Agriculture; market coordinators and volunteers; or anyone exploring alternatives to cash payments. Besides growing your farm markets and profits using alternative to cash payments, you will also learn about making food accessible to low income families and increasing nutrition for the well being of individuals and families.

There are two sessions at the workshop. Session A is from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. and will deal with Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) coupons, the new WIC food package, and senior coupons. Session B will be held from 4:30 to 7:15 p.m. and will discuss the Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as Food Stamps-EBT.

Interested participants can attend both sessions or just A or B individually.

This workshop is free and open to all.

More information can be found at http://extension.unh.edu/events/index.cfm?e=app.event&event_id=21130.

To preregister, please contact Deb Stevens at (603) 679-5616 or deb.stevens@unh.edu.

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March 2, 2010 by Heather.

Farmers and agricultural service providers will learn about effective on-farm energy practices that are suitable for New England at this two-day conference, scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, March 15 and 16, 2010, at the Radisson Conference Center in Manchester.

The keynote address will be delivered by Mike Morris, ATTRA/National Center for Appropriate Technology. Morris will address practical ways to assess energy options on the farm. Two workshop tracks will be offered–on oilseed production and greenhouse energy efficiency and conservation–and will include 14 individual workshops on topics ranging from systems for harvesting and pressing oilseeds to using shell corn for greenhouse heat. A complete description of the workshops, along with additional conference information, can be found at http://www.uvm.edu/vtvegandberry/meetings/FarmEnergy3-10.pdf. The registration fee is $25 per person per day and includes lunch and materials. Please register by March 10.

To register, send payment to UVM Extension at

278 South Main Street, Suite 2, St. Albans, VT 05478.

A block of rooms has been reserved at the Radisson (603-625-1000) for conference participants at a rate of $109/double room.

For more information, including request for accommodations to participate in this program, please contact UVM Extension–St. Albans office at 802-524-6501.

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March 2, 2010 by Heather.

All parents try to make sure that their children learn how to eat well. But there is only so much you can do about what they’re eating at school.  Or is there? The following Action Alert from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) urges people to contact their representative to support Congressman Rush Holt (D-NJ) in his Farm to School Improvement Act.

 ”As a way to get healthy food grown by local family farmers into school lunches, NSAC is urging Congress to include $50 million in mandatory funding over the next five years for the national Farm to School program as part of the Child Nutrition Act reauthorization scheduled for action this year.”

Some background on the program from NSAC:

The Farm to School Program would provide one-time competitive grants to schools or non-profit organizations to develop purchasing relationships with local farmers, plan seasonal menus, start school gardens, develop hands-on nutrition education, and provide solutions to infrastructure problems including storage, transportation, food preparation, and technical training.

The Farm to School grant program was authorized in the 2004 Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act, but USDA has never requested any funding for the program.  Congress now has an opportunity to fund this important program when it reauthorizes the Child Nutrition Act in 2010.
 
Congressman Rush Holt . . . introduced a bill [on Friday February 26] to make improvements to the authorization for the Farm to School program and, most importantly, provide the $10 million a year in mandatory funding ($50 million over the five year life of the Child Nutrition Act reauthorization).  Co-sponsoring this important legislation is an excellent opportunity for other legislators to show support for Farm to School.   
 
Farm to School initiatives around the country have demonstrated that Farm to School is a win-win-win for children, schools, local communities and farmers — providing abundant reasons why this initiative should be available to schools throughout the country:

•    The choice of healthier produce options in the school cafeteria through Farm to School results in children consuming more fruits and vegetables, leading to lifelong improvements in their diets;

•    Schools report a 3 to 16 percent increase in school meal participation when farm-fresh food is served, bringing more school lunch funds to the schools;

•    Working creatively with local producers, some schools have found ways to save money while supporting local agriculture by purchasing locally;

•    The transaction from Farm to School keeps dollars in the local economy, strengthening local economies and creating jobs;

•    Schools provide an important new market opportunity for small and mid-sized family farmers and ranchers.

To contact your representative, visit https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml.

For more information on the bill, visit NSAC’s blog,  http://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/new-farm-to-school-bill/, or read the bill itself at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.+4710:.

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