September 2, 2010 by Heather.

Here is a class from UNH Cooperative Extension that most of us can benefit from. Learn cooking skills to prepare your fresh, local foods. Check it out:

Have fun while learning and sharing food together! Join a hands-on cooking class and learn how to make healthy meals that can be prepared quickly with food enthusiast Peggy Evans, creator of ABC Foods website. Terri Schoppmeyer, educational program coordinator at UNH Cooperative Extension, and Diane Giese, director of the Seacoast Family Food Pantry, will join Evans in covering class topics such as cooking for one or two, comfort foods revisited, and trying something new. The four-class series will meet on Wednesdays, September 8, 15, 22, and 29, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the United Methodist Church, 129 Miller Avenue in Portsmouth.

Class preregistration is required. Contact Diane Giese, Seacoast Family Food Pantry, 603.436.6161 to register.

Healthy Weight Cooking Group is cosponsored by Seacoast Family Food Pantry, UNH Cooperative Extension, and Nutrition Connections.

Click here to download the Healthy Weight Cooking Class flyer.

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September 1, 2010 by Debra.

With what is sure to become an annual event, UNH Slow Food is sponsoring their first Seacoast Community Eat-in:

Join UNH Slow Food on Sunday, September 12 at 5:30pm for the first annual Seacoast Community Eat-In. This event is free and open to the public and will be held on the UNH campus behind Demeritt Hall, just off Main Street in Durham. This is a potluck event — bring a favorite dish to share with your friends and neighbors.

 

WHY AN EAT-IN?

Let’s face it. We lead busy lives. Often we’re too busy to share a meal with friends and neighbors, much less take the time to meet new ones. The Seacoast Community Eat-In is an opportunity for the community to take a break collectively and enjoy the company of others over a homemade meal.

 

GETTING THERE

If you are unfamiliar with the UNH campus, please click here for a map. The Eat-In will take place just behind Demeritt Hall, shown towards the center of the map. Parking is available along Main Street, next to Thompson Hall, and in various lots across campus. There is no charge for parking on Sundays.

 

Many thanks to Gordon Jenkins at Slow Food USA for use of his classic “fist and fork” logo.

For more information >

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August 31, 2010 by Debra.

Next up in Rye’s Honor Your Home Speaker Series is John Carroll, scheduled to speak on the topic “Local Foods, Farming & Sustainable Practices”:

Save Saturday, September 11th to hear Professor John Carroll, advocate for local foods and sustainable farming

 

Seacoast Science Center, 10:30–11:30 AM

 

Hope to see you there!

 

John will talk about his latest book, The Real Dirt: Toward Food Sufficiency and Farm Sustainability in New England and about his book Pastures of Plenty: The Future of Food, Agriculture and Environmental Conservation in New England.

 

John Carroll is Professor of Environmental Conservation at the University of New Hampshire. He is the author and editor of The Wisdom of Small Farms and Local Food, Sustainability and Spirituality, The Greening of Faith, Ecology and Religion, Environmental Diplomacy, and International Environmental Diplomacy. He is a Kellogg Foundation National Fellow.   

 

NOT TO BE MISSED!  If you have any questions please contact Mimi White at 603-964-6586

For more information >

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August 25, 2010 by Debra.

Notices for Fall events are starting to come in, including these two from Brookford Farm in Rollinsford:

Our Next Hayride is on September 11

 

Bring the kids out to the farm for a hayride on Saturday, September 11th, at 4 p.m. They’ll get the grand tour of the fields and animals, including cows, pigs, and chickens — and maybe they’ll even get to see some newborn calves. It’s totally free and no reservations are required.

 

 

October Quark Festival

 

This October 10, 2010, from 11 – 4, Brookford Farm will be hosting an event in celebration of real food & local culture with a harvest festival we are calling the Quark Festival, in honor of one of our favorite cheeses. Local artisans will be there, as well as chefs from celebrated local restaurants, and we’ve invited local musicians and farmers as well. Sample our delicious artisinal cheeses as well as other dishes made with our pasture-raised beef and pork, organic vegetables, and renowned dairy products. There will also be workshops on traditional crafts like beekeeping and food preservation, pumpkin-carving, a straw labyrinth, and of course a hayride through beautiful countryside. For kids, there will be crafts, games, activities, and more!

 

For more information, you can check out our farm website and blog at www.brookfordfarm.com and www.brookfordfarm.blogspot.com.

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August 25, 2010 by Debra.

The final NOFA-NH Farm Tour of 2010 will be at Tuckaway Farm in Lee on Tuesday, August 31. If you are interested in organic, no-till techniques, small grain and oilseed production and processing, and/or production and use of biodiesel, this is a farm tour you won’t want to miss!

Organic No-Till Farm Tour

NOFA-NH 2010 Summer Organic Garden & Farm Tours

Tuckaway Farm, 59 Randall Rd, Lee, NH

Tuesday, August 31, 5:30 PM

 

This tour will be focused on organic no till equipment and limited/no till establishment of covercrops to build soil organic matter. Small grain and oilseed on-farm variety selection as well as harvesting and on-farm processing of grains and oilseeds for feed and fuel will also be discussed. On-farm biodiesel production and use will be briefly covered as well.

 

Dorn Cox has been growing organic grains and oilseeds for 7 years and researching varieties, cultivation and harvest practices. He helped found the Great Bay Grain Cooperative with nine other farms. They have helped build a local knowledge base around local grain and oil seed production and processing. Dorn is currently enrolled in the Natural Resources & Earth Systems Science PhD program at UNH focusing on carbon policy and soil based carbon sequestration. Four generations of his family currently live on two farms, Tuckaway Farm and Sheltering Rock Farm. Tuckaway Farm is a diversified mixed power (draft horse and tractor) family farm with hay, timber, small fruits and berries and a market garden with direct sales.

 

Directions:  From Concord: take US-4 E to the Rt-155 N ramp toward Durham/Dover. Turn Left onto NH-155 / Turtle Pond Rd. Stay on NH-155 for 0.8 miles, then turn left onto Randall Rd.

 

Workshop is $10 for NOFA members, $15 for non-members (children under 18 no charge). To pre-register, or if you have questions or financial need, please contact Barbara Sullivan, Business Manager NOFA-NH (Northeast Organic Farming Association of NH) 4 Park Street, Suite 208 Concord, NH 03301 Ph: 603-224-5022 Fax: 603-228-6492 Email: barbara@nofanh.org.

 

Details at: http://www.nofanh.org/node/140. Tours are held rain or shine (extreme weather will cancel).

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August 24, 2010 by Heather.

On Saturday, September 11, 2010, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. join Strawbery Banke for its 2010 Vintage and Vine find-raising event. This year Stawbery Banke is partnered with the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets to offer a wine tasting tour through Strawbery Banke’s historic houses. There will be hundreds of wines to taste and order, star chefs grilling under the tent, food by the seacoast’s best restaurants at every house, music by Truffle Electric, and a silent auction.

Tickets are $35 per person or $55 including a VIP reserve tasting. Tickets can be purchased at Strawbery Banke’s website or by calling 603.422.7501.

For more information about the event see Strawbery Banke’s Vintage and Vine page.

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August 23, 2010 by Sara Zoe.

A Gravenstein Cider Press and 1669 Supper, August 29th, 4pm

The Gravenstein was introduced to western North America (California) in the early 19th century, perhaps by Russian fur-traders who are said to have planted a tree at Fort Ross in 1811. Its origins have been traced back to 1669 Denmark, although there is some evidence that the variety originated in Northern Italy. Now in America, this antique was the source of applesauce and dried apples for the troops in WWII and was declared an American heritage food by Slow Food USA and inducted to its ARK OF TASTE in 2005.

The dinner will feature a multi-course Gravenstein themed supper after guests participate in ‘a Gravenstein cider press’. Come enjoy just pressed sweet, tart and delicious organic orchard cider with supper:

The Evening’s Gravenstein Menu

Maine grown field greens tossed in a ‘just pressed’ Gravenstein cider vinaigrette with shaved heirloom orchard apple, applewood smoked walnuts, Great Hill farmhouse blue cheese and wildflower bee pollen.

Orchard cider syrup lacquered berkshire pork loin roast with farmstead local cheddar mashed Maine potatoes, spiced apple chutney and bacon-fat caramelized summer squash.

Apple pie with Shaine’s of Maine ginger ice cream.

Join us in celebrating this antique apple on August 29th

Cider Press, 4pm
1669 Supper, 5pm
$30/p (kids- $15) (plus applicable state tax and gratuity)

For reservations call:  207.459.4271

www.thenewenglandfarm2forkproject.com

info@thenewenglandfarm2forkproject.com

Dinner  will be held at Raven Hill Orchard, 255 Ossipee Hill Road, East Waterboro, ME 04030

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August 20, 2010 by Sara Zoe.

The Natural Heritage and Agricultural Fair is next weekend, August 28 + 29. It will be held at Warren Farm in Barrington, NH and is going to be fantastically fun and filled with locally grown goodness.

Help spread the word by sharing the website, agfair.wordpress.com

and

Downloading and printing our a few fliers (.doc) for friends/neighbors/coworkers/neighborhood store/library (and so on!)

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August 20, 2010 by Sara Zoe.

Next up in this excellent series:

Dover Cassily Community Garden’s Children’s Summer Activity Series

Exploring the Compost Pile!
Saturday, August 21st at 10:00am.

This week we will be exploring (read: digging in and climbing about) our two compost piles; one finished and one working. We will also be harvesting and caring for existing plantings. Come ready to dig! Tractors, trucks and diggers welcome!

Children of all ages are welcome to participate in DCCG’s free children’s program. No preregistration is necessary. We will meet at the DCCG shed at 10:00am and walk out to the garden together. It is a good idea to wear sunscreen and a hat and bring bug spray, water and a snack.

More info at dovergarden.org or email Traci, Youth Outreach Coordinator at the.mogget@yahoo.com

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August 16, 2010 by Debra.

As part of World Kitchen Garden Day, five vegetable gardens in Exeter will be open to visitors on Sunday, August 22:

Kitchen Garden Tours

Exeter, NH

Sunday, August 22, 2010

2 to 5 p.m.

 

Five local people will open their vegetable gardens for you!

 

Come join the tour on Sunday, August 22, from 2 to 5 p.m. The first stop is at 175 High St. in Exeter. Maps will be available there or  “click here” to print your own. Pictured above are some veggies grown in the Hugo’s garden, including fresh-baked blueberry muffins by Mrs. Hugo!

 

This event is held in honor of World Kitchen Gardens Day. See www.kitchengardeners.org for more inspiration on how to go green, and eat fresh and healthy food, grown by YOU!

 

FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!

The tour ends with a Potluck Dinner Finale at 5 p.m. at the Jones Farm in Brentwood. For more information, please visit the website of the  Congregational Church in Exeter >

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