Seacoast Eat Local

In North Hampton, a proposal to change zoning laws has caused some debate. Shir Haberman for Seacoast Online has reported on the issue. This is a section from the article:

Changes proposed to the existing ordinance governing agricultural activities in town would have defined what those activities could include. It allowed the breeding, raising, housing and sale of livestock, from buffalo to pigs, on any parcel of land two acres or more. The proposal also allowed for the storage of manure on the property and lowered setbacks required from neighboring property lines to 50 feet or 85 feet from a neighboring residence from the current 200 feet. It also took fowl and poultry out of the town’s current definition of livestock and gave them their own category.

Agriculture Commission member Cindy Jenkins told Planning Board members her group was submitting the proposed changes to bring the town into compliance with state law. RSA 672:1, states: “Agricultural activities are a beneficial and worthwhile feature of the New Hampshire landscape and shall not be unreasonably limited by use of municipal planning and zoning powers or by the unreasonable interpretation of such powers.”

“The 200-foot setback struck us as being an unreasonable application of zoning powers in North Hampton,” Jenkins said. “The state of New Hampshire is encouraging us to have more to do with the food we eat. There is no sustainability if we have to rely on commercial food operations and trucking for food.”

In the end, “the Planning Board voted 4-0, with Dr. Joseph Arena abstaining, to hold off on recommending the Agricultural Commission’s amendment to town voters at the May 11 town elections. Instead, board and commission members will join with residents in trying to develop a way for property owners to raise their own food, while limiting the amount of nuisance that activity would cause abutters.”

To read the entire article, click here.

In the wee hours of the morning, 3:00 a.m. to be exact, on Wednesday, April 22, 2010, the York County Farmers’ Network and the York County Farm Bureau are organizing a trip to the Chelsea Market, right outside of Boston. This trip will allow farmers’ to see how food is distributed throughout New England, where it comes from, how it is packaged, and the quality standards that are required.

All farmers are welcome!

Those attending should meet at the Wells Transport Center at 3:00 a.m. to carpool to the market. The intended arrival will be 5:00 a.m. With an estimated return to Wells of around 9:00 a.m. Click here for the announcement about the event Chelsea Market on April 22, 2010.

If you have questions contact Frank Wertheim, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, York County, at 207.324.2814 or 1-800-287-1535 (in Maine) or  frankw@umext.maine.edu.

If you’ve caught the first couple of episodes of the new television show, Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, you’ve seen what an important role schools play in teaching children about food. It’s cheering to see that Cheryl Dixon, the Kitchen Manager for Mitchell School in Kittery, has recently been recognized with an award for excellence for her work in promoting healthy eating and local food in her school:

Dixon’s idea was simple: Teach students to lead healthy lifestyles by exposing them to a variety of fresh and local foods.

“It’s so important,” said Dixon, who instituted several programs at the Mitchell School to support her vision. “These are the formative years.”

The first project, the Let’s Go! 5-2-1-0 program, is a unique partnership of several Maine health, business and community-based organizations. The five-year initiative promotes healthy lifestyles for kids and their families, by encouraging individuals to eat five or more fruits or vegetables, limit screen time to two hours, exercise for one hour and drink zero sugary beverages each day. Dixon promoted these goals throughout the school by hanging posters and integrating daily goals into art, library and other classroom lessons.

Dixon also brought the Farm-to-School program to Mitchell School, providing lessons in farming, composting and environmental awareness by exposing kids to fresh produce and locally made dairy products, such as cheese and yogurt.

For full article >

As for Jamie Oliver, he won this year’s TED Prize, an award that includes “one wish to change the world.” His wish: Teach every child about food. Thank-you, Cheryl, for helping to make this wish happen!