Seacoast Eat Local

One-stop shopping, all season long!

On Saturday, March 26th, 50+ farmers and food producers will be inside the beautiful Wentworth Greenhouses in Rollinsford, NH, from 10 am–2 pm, with an amazing array of locally produced foods to chose from. You’ll find everything from root vegetables to fresh greens; a wide selection of staples such as flour, milk, and eggs; all alongside an incredible variety of meats, cheeses, prepared foods, and baked goods. Come ready to gather everything you need to make spring feel as renewing on your plate as it is in your garden. A full list of participating vendors and their products may be found at www.seacoasteatlocal.org. Wentworth Greenhouses is located at 141 Rollins Road, Rollinsford, NH, 1 mile past Red’s Shoe Barn in Dover. Here’s a map!

Additional parking and a shuttle will be available from 10 am–2 pm at Salmon Falls Stoneware, just around the corner from the Wentworth Greenhouses. The shuttle will run continuously during the entire market — arrive and leave on your own schedule! The parking and greenhouse are less than a mile apart, making it a quick 4-minute ride each way, with door to door pick-up and drop off. If you like to come early to the market, the shuttle is a great option for parking. Spread the word! Salmon Falls Stoneware is located at 75 Oak St, Dover, NH. Here’s a map!

Credit cards now accepted by 6 farmers and food producers at the market 

While Seacoast Eat Local continues to work toward being able to accept Food Stamps and Debit cards on behalf of all of our vendors, six farmers and food producers are now able to accept credit cards directly at their booth: Harrison’s Poultry Farm, Hubba Hubba Foods, Hurd Farm, Jenness Farm, Lasting Legacy Farm, and Red Rover Coffee all accept credit cards for purchases.

Featured Vegetable: Carrots

This week at the market we’ll be featuring carrots! Jen from Get Well Grounded and Erin from Allgood Eats will be demonstrating simple, easy ways to prepare carrots. Carrots are a great source of beta carotene, vitamin A, and antioxidants. They’re naturally sweet when raw; light cooking enhances this sweetness. Carrots lose very little nutritional value through cooking, with some nutrients becoming even more available in the process. Carrots store well, making them an ideal winter crop and ensuring their availability throughout the year. Once you’ve brought them home, they can be stored in cold, humid conditions such as in a bag in the refrigerator. Look for simple, delicious recipes for carrots at the Winter Farmers’ Market!

Even more market fun! 

Look for our free kids craft table and stop and listen to live music while you enjoy a beverage or lunch — live music for March 26th will be Mike & Mike!

Food donations welcome

Slow Food UNH will be on hand to accept food donations from consumers and vendors on behalf of the Cornucopia Food Pantry. Fresh foods are encouraged; consider buying extra potatoes, onions, root vegetables, or winter squash to donate so that all may share in our bounty of local foods. Donations of cash or canned foods are also welcome.

Get involved, become a volunteer

We’re looking for volunteers to help set up, provide information during the market, or clean up afterward. Come early to help unload and you’ll get a sneak peek at the goods before the market opens! Email foodguide@seacoasteatlocal.org if you would like to volunteer.

Thank-you Wentworth Greenhouses for a terrific season! 

With three more to go in our 2010-2011 Winter Farmers’ Market season, March 26th will be our last market for the year at the Wentworth Greenhouses. Our two remaining markets will both take place at the Exeter High School on April 9th and April 23rd. Wentworth Greenhouses will pick up their summer season markets outdoors in early June and will run weekly through October. We’d like to thank our partners at Wentworth Greenhouses — these amazing farmers’ markets would not take place without their hard work, generosity, and collaborative spirit!

Get out on a Friday night and enjoy some local fare!  There are 2 Localvore Dinners coming up this month at Chez Bouchon Bistro, 32 Depot Square, Hampton. Chef Ted McCormack of Harvesting Hermit will be the guest chef for these 2 special events.  The four course dinner is $45 per person, served at 6:30pm, community seating.  The menus include lots of food from local farms and fishermen, including locally raised vegetables, meat, seafood, cheeses, and more! To see the menus, click here. To make a reservation call 926-2022.

    York County Farmers’ Network (www.YCFN.org) is hosting a Food Safety for Small Farmers class on Tuesday, March 29 at the Anderson Learning Center on Bradeen St in Springvale, Maine.  This class is part of the monthly pot luck supper series and begins at 5:30 pm.  Bring a dish for the pot-luck, and your own plate, cup, and silverware (to avoid using disposable supplies).   The instructional portion of the evening begins at 6:30 if you would like to attend the class only.  This event is free to the public, but a small donation to YCFN is greatly appreciated.  This class is taught by Cheryl Wixson, the Organic Marketing Consultant for MOFGA.

Cheryl Wixson grew up on a dairy farm in Winslow, Maine. She is a third generation graduate of the University of Maine, and is the University’s first woman agricultural engineer.  In 1999, Wixson built a state-of-the art kitchen and educational facility dedicated to teaching people the joys and benefits of healthy eating and cooking utilizing Maine products while supporting a sustainable environment.  Cheryl is a food columnist for the Bangor Daily News, consults with restaurants from Maine to California, develops recipes for food manufacturers and hosted two Maine Public Television series, the latest being What’s for Suppah?.  She has studied food science and human nutrition at the University of Maine, is a master composter, and teaches kindergarten children that food comes from farms.

The York County Farmers’ Network was formed in 2003 to encourage the growth and viability of farm-based businesses in York County, Maine. We invite all types of commercial farms to be members of our organization: small or large, full or part-time, organic or non-organic, crops or livestock.

YCFN meetings throughout the year encourage networking among farmers and sharing of successful practices as well as lessons learned. The organization also aims to serve as a resource to the community by connecting individuals to our members through our “Find a Farm” search feature on the www.YCFN.org website.