July 25, 2008 by Sara Zoe.

Early Welcome for Bumper Blueberry Crop Foster’s Daily Democrat

Blueberry season has arrived in the region a little earlier this summer, thanks to a perfect combination of rain and hot weather. Even some longtime blueberry growers are somewhat surprised at how ripe and bountiful this year’s blueberry crop is turning out to be.

“It is a good crop. We’re usually one of the earliest as far as blueberries go,” said Anne Lake, owner of Berrybogg Farm in Strafford. “For us, it’s pretty much right on time.” Lake, whose family has owned the farm for 34 years, said blueberry picking began on July 11 this year, which was one day earlier than last summer. She believes the weather was perfect to create an early blueberry picking season.

“Blueberries love rain,” she said, “and they need nice, bright sunshine also.” The farm has three fields of blueberry bushes and sells plenty of blueberry pies, cakes, cookies, plants and ice cream, Lake said.

read the whole article at Foster’s website >

Bull Market: The ‘eat local’ trend has translated into more business at farmers’ markets The Hippo

Rising fuel costs and concerns over food safety have people swarming their local farmers’ markets, joining CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) groups and sourcing local, humanely raised protein.
For farmer Diane Souther this trend has meant a sharp spike in business. “I can honestly say that over the past two seasons we’ve seen a 40-percent increase in sales at farmers’ markets and the farm stand we have,” Souther said. Souther owns Apple Hill Farm in Concord. There she offers pick-your-own berries, and grows produce like lettuce and peas. Souther began hitting the farmers’ market circuit seven years ago. Like most farmers, she saw it as a way to both promote her farm’s pick-your-own business and move produce. The result has been positive; Souther estimates that most of the farmers she speaks with are seeing a 25- to 40-percent increase in sales.
“A farmers’ market gives farmers the best word of mouth advertising. And with more people wanting to reduce their carbon footprint and get to know their local farmer, we are seeing more and more crowds at the farmers’ markets each week,” said Souther, who sells at markets in Concord, Manchester and Bedford.

read the full article at The Hippo’s website >

NH Eat Local Week is coming August 3-9. How will you participate? Read more and sign up at www.nheatlocalweek.org >

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July 23, 2008 by Sara Zoe.

Make sure to read Rachel Forrest’s “Feathers fly over chicken ban at city farmers market” in today’s Portsmouth Herald - the article is extraordinarily helpful in laying out the situation and positions of the key players:

“If you were to go to the city’s farmers market this Saturday, you could buy beans and some pork, lamb, beef and eggs, but if you were looking for chicken for the barbecue, you would be out of luck.

While Kellie Brook Farms’ Tim Rocha has been selling chicken meat since 2002 at the city market, this May the city’s Health Department clipped the wings on his poultry offerings, though Rocha said he follows state health guidelines for safety.”

Read the whole article at the Portsmouth Herald website >

(and if you are looking for Yellow House Farm or Kellie Brook Farm chickens in the meantime, visit the Exeter, Dover, or Kingston farmers’ markets)

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July 16, 2008 by Sara Zoe.

Serving Local Food From A Bright Orange Truck

“One lamb wrap please.” “One lamb wrap.” “No hot.” “No hot.”

It’s lunchtime on a warm and breezy Saturday at the Portsmouth Farmer’s Market.

Customers line up outside a bright orange truck with the words “Fresh Local” painted on its side.

Co-owner Josh Lanahan started the business last month with his partner, Michelle Lozuaway.

After more than 15 years of working in hot, dimly-lit restaurant kitchens, he says he wanted to do something a little different.

Listen to the full story at NHPR’s website >

Back River Farm

Fresh Local Truck

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July 15, 2008 by Sara Zoe.

Somehow when I read this article profiling Hannah and Sammy’s Magical Egg business, I missed this wonderful slideshow with audio by the girls. In case you, too, missed hearing them talk about sassy chickens and selling eggs to be able to buy bicycles, here it is >

Read the full Portsmouth Herald article here >

Hannah and Sammy’s Magical Eggs are available at On the Vine in Exeter, NH

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July 14, 2008 by Sara Zoe.

Eating locally: NH seeks consumer-farm link

By PAULA TRACY
New Hampshire Union Leader Staff
7/14/08

CONCORD – Riding a wave of concern over tainted vegetables, rising transportation costs and a surge to go green, the state Agriculture Department is using the opportunity to sink new roots in local farms.

Rolling out a “New Hampshire Eat Local Week,” Aug. 3-9, the state is marketing farmers’ markets and promoting farm tours to connect consumers and vacationers to New Hampshire’s 3,400 farms and the food Granite Staters eat.

This summer, for the first time, the state is trying a new sort of challenge to get residents to eat local. Merrill said next month’s New Hampshire Eat Local Week will coincide with Farmers Market Week.

A new Web site, www.nheatlocalweek.org, details the effort to get people to try a new vegetable, take a friend to a farm stand, find a restaurant that serves locally grown food, discover a new farm and other ideas to help expand the state’s almost $1 billion farm industry.

read the full article at the Union Leader website >

(cross-posted at www.nheatlocalweek.org)

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July 12, 2008 by Sara Zoe.

Plan a day in Lee! August 9th  10AM – 4PM

8 farms, even more organizations and activities -

Bluebell Greenhouses Route 155, North River Road
Lee Agriculture Art Show
Velvet Pastures Elk Ranch Wednesday Hill Road
Coppal House Station Route 155, North River Road
Ath-Mor Holsteins
Mariacha sheep shearing
Granite State Dairy Trailer
Burleigh-DeMeritt UNH Organic Dairy Farm  Lee Hook Road
Lee Heritage Commission
Lee Agriculture Commission
Strafford County Farm Bureau
Lunch provided by “Agriculture in the Classroom” Program.
Riverside Stables Riverside Drive
Quigley’s Tree Farm Route 155, Turtle Pond Road
Yankee Teamsters
Misty Meadows Wednesday Hill Road
Pawtuckaway Beekeepers 
Lee Cooperative Farmers Market
Echo Ridge Farm Cartland Road

—-

What a great way to wrap up (or complete your challenges for!) NH Eat Local Week!

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July 12, 2008 by Sara Zoe.

Brookford Farm’s quark is on the summer menu at Black Trumpet!

“Heirloom Tomato and Cornbread Pizza with herbed Brookford Farm quark”

Quark is a soft German cheese, and it is delicious. You can Brookford Farm quark from the farm in Rollinsford, and at the Exeter Farmers’ Market on Thursday afternoons, 2:15-6pm in Swazey Parkway.

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July 11, 2008 by Sara Zoe.

We’re creating NH Eat Local Week to celebrate all of the local food that is grown and raised in NH. Our farmers have a lot to offer, and what better way to discover more about our state, support our farming community members, encourage food self-reliance, and make a positive impact on our environment than a week of local eating!

NH Eat Local Week will be from August 3-9, 2008 and everyone is welcome to join in!

Visit the NH Eat Local Week website to learn more >

We’re hoping NH residents all over the state take part. Start making your plans now for NH Eat Local Week! Participation is open ended and suited to whatever you would like to do to eat and enjoy NH grown foods. We’ve created a challenge to get you started, but we’re also hoping to hear from chefs, organizers, institutions, and individuals across the state about their plans for NH Eat Local Week.

Questions and comments welcome here or at sarazoe @ seacoasteatlocal . org

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July 8, 2008 by Sara Zoe.

This is the gorgeous chicken I bought from Kellie Brook Farm a couple weeks ago at the Exeter Farmers’ Market [Which occurs in Swazey Parkway on Thursdays from 2:15 - 6pm. They can also be purchased at the Kingston Farmers’ Market on Tuesday afternoons on the Plains in the center of Kingston, and at the farm on rte 33 in Greenland, call ahead if you haven’t been to the farm before.]

So far, I’ve gotten 3.5 meals for two people out of it, and I still have two thighs and a leg to go. The  first night was hot fresh roasted chicken - each of us enjoying our favorite bits alongside roasted potatoes and other vegetables with the pan juices. Following that was chicken quesadillas, and lunch the next day was the best chicken salad, simply chicken, a little mayo, and a little sour cream, salt and pepper. I used the bones and the remaining pan juices from the first night to make a wonderful and quick stock that made some amazing black beans (this is the .5, as the beans needed some other foods to make a meal.) The rest is going to make its way onto a dinner salad of mostly lettuce with some cooked early potatoes, a hard boiled egg or two, and the last of the season’s garlic scapes minced and crisp-fried into a perfect salad topping -

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July 7, 2008 by Sara Zoe.

The strawberry season is dying down, but raspberries are just beginning! Seacoast Harvest has a full list of raspberry sources, both pick-your-own and already picked.

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