March 28, 2011 by Debra.

A great big giant carrot-sized thank-you to all who came out and joined us at last weekend’s Winter Farmers’ Market in Rollinsford! The final count was 2,239, our largest in attendance yet, making for a wonderfully bustling day filled with great food and good cheer. Extra special thanks go to Brian and his amazing crew at the Wentworth Greenhouses for hosting the markets, and also to Salmon Falls Stoneware for providing much needed additional parking. These farmers’ markets would not be possible without all of their hard work, generosity, and collaborative spirit.

While this was our last market for the year at the Wentworth Greenhouses, Seacoast Eat Local still has two more markets to go for the 2010-2011 winter season. They will both take place at the Exeter High School on Saturday, April 9th and April 23rd. Wentworth Greenhouses will start up their summer season markets outdoors in early June and will run weekly through October.

A glimpse of last weekend’s festivities in Rollinsford can be found here (click upper right-hand corner for slideshow):

http://www.flickr.com/photos/seacoasteatlocal/sets/72157626363888822/

We look forward to seeing you all when the Winter Farmers’ Market returns next month in Exeter!

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March 24, 2011 by Debra.

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!

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March 13, 2011 by Debra.

The next York County Farmers’ Network potluck & program, York County Farmers’ Markets: Market Managers’ Forum, will focus on what makes a market successful, how to reach the public, and ideas for improving farmers’ markets:

York County Farmers Markets: Market Managers’ Forum

Anderson Learning Center (downstairs classroom)

21 Bradeen Street, Springvale, ME

Tuesday, March 15, 5:30 PM

Program: Representatives from Farmers’ Markets in Newfield, Sanford, York, Kennebunk, Wells, No. Berwick and Saco will discuss what makes a market successful, how to reach the public, ideas for improving our Farmers Markets. They’ll also share information on their individual market: times of operation, how to join, etc. Please join this informative forum.

 

Annual Membership Donation time! The York County Farmers’ Network asks all those participating in our Winter Programs and/or Summer Twilight Meetings to consider making a $20 per year membership donation, payable by March 15th, to help defray the costs of getting together. In addition to supporting the website and helping to pay for plates and cups and mailings, your donation signals an interest in continuing this type of grass-roots agricultural programming in York County. Donations will be collected at this or any other YCFN event, or may be mailed to: UMaine Cooperative Extension, 21 Bradeen St., Suite 302, Springvale, ME 04083. Made payable to: YCEA (York County Extension Association) with “YCFN” in memo line.

 

Potluck Supper: The meeting will begin at 5:30 PM with a Potluck Supper and social time. In addition to your supper contribution, and in the spirit of resource conservation, please bring your own plate, cup and utensils. The program will begin at approximately 6:30 PM.

 

Questions or if you need directions: Please contact Becky Gowdy at 207-324-2814 or rebecca.gowdy@maine.edu. Be sure to call the office or check WSCH Channel 6 in case of a possible cancellation due to severe weather.

For flyer and more information: www.ycfn.org.

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March 10, 2011 by Debra.

Winter Farmers’ Market in Exeter, featuring CSA farmers + a movie!

On Saturday, March 12, 40+ farmers, fishermen, and food producers will be in the cafeteria of the Exeter High School in Exeter, NH, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. selling their meats, cheeses, milk, eggs, vegetables, baked goods, honey, and maple syrup! You can find a full list of participating vendors and the products they will be selling at www.seacoasteatlocal.org. The Exeter High School is located at 315 Epping Road in Exeter. Here’s a map!

Interested in joining a CSA? 

Come to the market in Exeter on March 12th and talk with farmers who are offering 2011 CSA shares. There are a lot of diverse options for pick-up locations, share structures, available foods, and farm involvement. Talking with the farmers directly is a great way to find the right option for you!

Participating farms:

Applecrest Farm Orchards

Brookford Farm

Eastman’s Local Catch (fish shares)

Farmer Dave’s

Heron Pond Farm

Meadow’s Mirth

Riverside Farmstand

Stone Wall Farm

Stout Oak Farm

Wake Robin Farm

Willow Pond Community Farm

In addition, the following farms have let us know they have CSA shares available:

Red Manse Farm

Touching Earth Farm

Two Toad Farm

For more information about these and additional area farms offering CSA’s, visit our website. Considering a CSA for the first time? Read Choosing a CSA for questions to think about and to ask farmers. Learn more about CSAs at LocalHarvest.org.

Market and a Movie!

The Citizens for Community Wellness will be hosting a free matinee screening of the movie Fresh from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the Exeter High School on March 12th. Following the movie, there will be a panel discussion with local farmers, food service directors, chefs, and parents. Fresh celebrates the farmers, thinkers and business people across America who are re-inventing our food system. Forging healthier, sustainable alternatives, they offer a practical vision for a future of our food and our planet. More information >

You can find a full list of participating vendors and the products they will be selling at www.seacoasteatlocal.org.

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February 28, 2011 by Debra.

It was another fine day at the Winter Farmers’ Market in Rollinsford last weekend — thank-you to one and all who came and helped to make it happen! For those of you who missed it, want to relive it, or just want some veggie inspiration, we’ve gathered some photographs of the day:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/seacoasteatlocal/sets/72157626155423176/with/5482367416/

Also, an article on the Winter Farmers’ Market from Foster’s: Farmers’ market in Rollinsford brings local products to buyers in winter

Join us when we return to Exeter with our next Winter Farmers’ Market on Saturday, March 12th!

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February 24, 2011 by Debra.

One-stop shopping, all winter long

On Saturday, February 26th, 40+ farmers, fishermen, and food producers will be inside the beautiful Wentworth Greenhouses in Rollinsford, NH, from 10am-2pm, selling vegetables, meats, cheeses, milk, eggs, fish and shrimp, prepared foods, baked goods, honey and maple syrup! You can find a full list of participating vendors and their products at www.seacoasteatlocal.org. The Wentworth Greenhouses are located at 141 Rollins Road, Rollinsford, NH, 1 mile past Red’s Shoe Barn of Dover. Here’s a map!

Additional parking and a shuttle will be available from 10am-2pm at Salmon Falls Stoneware, just around the corner from the greenhouse! 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. There is plenty of parking at Salmon Falls Stoneware; the shuttle is a great option for parking, especially if you like to come early to the market. Salmon Falls Stoneware is located at 75 Oak St, Dover, NH. Here’s a map!

CSA Day at the Winter Farmers’ Market

The market will also feature the opportunity to learn more about CSAs in the Seacoast area and speak directly with CSA farmers. Community Supported Agriculture offers a terrific way for people to get a steady supply of local food directly from the producers.

• Meet 15+ farmers and fishermen, and learn about CSA share options for the 2011 season

• Talk with farmers about quantity and pre-ordering options for meat and poultry

• Buy a share in a farm’s harvest for the coming season

• Buy a share in a fishing boat’s catch

14 farms + 1 fishery have signed up to participate in CSA Day on February 26th. Collectively, these farms represent over 825 acres in production, ranging from 2 to 340 acres in size.  In 2011, they are offering a total of 2,135 CSA shares + 790 winter shares, and half of the farms offer year-round shares or winter share options. There are a lot of diverse options for pick-up locations, share structures, available foods, and farm involvement. Come to CSA Day to find the right option for you!  Learn more about the participating farms at our website >

Last chance for shrimp this year!

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has set the shrimp season closure on February 28th (midnight). The shrimp freeze well, plan to stock up! Weather premitting, Yankee Fishermen’s Coop will be at the market on Saturday 2/26 with shrimp sold in 5 and 10 lb. bags. The F/V Rimrack also sells shrimp directly off the boat at Rye Harbor. For more information regarding availability and buying directly off the boat, call 603-343-1500 or visit www.rimrackfish.com.

Artisan Crafts at the Market

Wentworth Greenhouses will be hosting select craft artisans in the glass greenhouse on market dates. This is the greenhouse on the left as you enter. Be sure to visit the glass greenhouse for locally produced goods including leatherwork, woodwork, pottery and more on the dates we are in Rollinsford. Visit www.wentworthgreenhouses.com for more information.

Featured Winter Vegetable: Rutabaga

This week at the market we’ll be featuring rutabagas. This root vegetable has an earthy, buttery flavor, which is often sweetened by cool weather. They are a cross between cabbage and a turnip. To store rutabagas keep them in a cool, dark place or refrigerate them. Rutabagas should be peeled to ensure all the fibrous skin has been removed. Erin of Allgood Eats and Jen of Get Well Grounded will be at the market demonstrating basic peeling, chopping and preparation of rutabagas. Look for simple, delicious recipes for rutabagas at the farmers’ market!

Purchasing locally grown food directly from area growers helps ensure our farms stay in business—keeping open space and good food growing in the Seacoast. You can find a full list of participating vendors and the products they will be selling at www.seacoasteatlocal.org or visit us on Facebook for the latest updates and specials.

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February 16, 2011 by Debra.

The magic of an empty space transformed into one bustling with people and filled with an abundance of food and good cheer is difficult to convey, especially to those that haven’t yet been to our Winter Farmers’ Markets. Here’s just a glimpse of what our local producers had to offer in January and February, along with some bonus behind-the-scenes photos (slideshow link). Thank-you to all that came to Exeter last weekend and for supporting local food — we couldn’t do it without you!

Join us when the Winter Farmers’ Market returns to Rollinsford on Saturday, February 27th. Before then, a number of farmers’ markets will be open this coming weekend, helping to bring you local food throughout the winter:

• Biddeford Farmers’ Market, ME

• Newmarket Farmers’ Market, NH

• Raymond Winter Farmers’ Market, NH

• Rye Winter Farmer’s Market, NH

• Salem, NH Farmers Market

• Snell Family Farm - Winter Store Day, Buxton, ME

• Winter Gateway Farmers Market, York, ME

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February 10, 2011 by Debra.

Join us this Saturday, February 12th, when 40+ farmers, fishermen, and food producers will be at the Exeter High School in Exeter, NH, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. selling their meats, cheeses, milk, eggs, vegetables, lobster and shrimp, prepared foods, baked goods, honey, and maple syrup! You can find a full list of participating vendors and their products at www.seacoasteatlocal.org. The Exeter High School is located at 315 Epping Road in Exeter — to help get you there, here’s a map!

Celebrate with a Local Valentine’s Day

Make it a day that tells them just how special they are to you and support our local farmers, fishermen, and food producers at the same time: do all your shopping at the Winter Farmers’ Market for the most delicious locally grown ingredients. You’ll be inspired to make a heart-warming meal from the foods farmers have grown. Personally, nothing says “I Love You” like a gift of local bacon, but for the more traditionally-minded, how about honey for your honey, a box of flours, or a bunch of frilly winter greens? From grass-fed steaks and native shrimp, and lobster to delicious sweets, the market provides one stop shopping for both special meals and everyday items.

There will be a great assortment of vegetables, including salad greens, bok choi, kale, radishes, cabbage, lettuce, winter squash, carrots, potatoes, turnips, shallots, onions, and garlic. In addition, beef, pork, chicken, lamb, goat, and turkey will all be available from local growers. Farmers will have eggs, milk, and cheeses as well as honey, maple syrup, baked goods, and prepared foods made from locally grown ingredients. Area food producers have pledged to a high standard of localism this year and will be offering ready-to-eat meals, soups and stews, jams and jellies that contain locally grown ingredients.

Featured Vegetables: The Lily Family

The lily or allium family includes garlic; red, yellow and white onions; leeks; scallions; chives; and shallots. Onions and garlic keep best if properly cured; store in a cool, dry place with plenty of ventilation; moisture will cause rot. Shallots have a delicate flavor that is less aggressive than garlic or onion. They are classically used in vinaigrettes and sauteed in butter or oil to flavor sauces. To keep from tearing while cutting onions, try chilling peeled onions in the refrigerator before cutting or holding a piece of bread or cracker in your mouth. To remove the smell from your hands try rubbing with vinegar or lemon juice. Watch this video on how to dice an onion, a skill worth practicing.

Recipes:

• Onion Tart

• (Garlicky) Maple Bacon Jam

• Garlic Chips on Roasted Cauliflower

Look for more recipes for the lily family at the market!

Food Donations Welcome

The New Hampshire Food Bank will be at the market to accept food donations from consumers and vendors. Fresh foods are encouraged; consider buying extra potatoes, onions, root vegetables, or winter squash to donate. Donations of cash or canned foods are also welcome.

Volunteer 

We’re looking for those interested in joining our crew of volunteers — help set up, provide information during the market, or clean up afterward. Email foodguide@seacoasteatlocal.org if you would like to volunteer for this or future markets.

Support Local Food 

Purchasing locally grown food directly from area growers helps ensure our farms stay in business, keeping open space and good food growing in the Seacoast. You can find a full list of participating vendors and their products at www.seacoasteatlocal.org, and check our Facebook page for market updates and specials.

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January 30, 2011 by Debra.

You may have noticed Jennifer and Erin at our last Winter Farmers’ Market in Rollinsford. Surrounded by a bevy of beautiful winter squash, they sliced and diced, answered questions, gave recipes, and handed out samples to at least one person who’d never tasted winter squash and who learned she loved it!

For those of you who brought home those irresistible winter squash from the farmers’ market, Jennifer and Erin have generously shared more of their recipes — just follow this link where you’ll find:

- Roasted Squash with Sweet & Savory Greens

- Chocolate- Acorn Squash Dip

- Versatile Stuffed, Roasted Winter Squash

- Tomato-Squash Sauce with Pasta

- Sweet & Spicy Braised Butternut Squash

- Butternut Squash-Tofu Stuffed Shells with Goat Cheese-Tomato Sauce

- Kuri & Apple Saute

- Roasted Squash Seeds

- Butternut Fries

- Winter Squash & Chestnut Casserole

An extra special thank-you to Jennifer and Erin for helping us launch this, our first time to include a cooking demonstration at the Winter Farmers’ Market! If you missed it, make sure to stop by when the demonstration table returns to Rollinsford, February 26th, when Jennifer and Erin will be back featuring another winter standby, a giant among winter roots, rutabaga! Before then, visit us at the next Winter Farmer’ Market in Exeter, February 12th, when we’ll be featuring those workhorses of the kitchen — onions, shallots and garlic — look for recipes!

For more information about our Winter Farmers’ Markets in Exeter and Rollinsford, please visit www.seacoasteatlocal.org.

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January 23, 2011 by Debra.

The Seacoast Growers Association is now accepting applications for the 2011 season of outdoor farmers’ markets:

Farmers, Foodies and Artisans: Daydreaming about getting into the sun? Bumper crop in your garden last year? Looking to expand your cottage industry? Consider applying for booth space at one of our five weekly outdoor markets, held from May/June to October/November in Dover, Durham, Exeter, Hampton and Portsmouth. The deadline for new vendor applications is March 1.

Big & Small: If you’re interested in getting into farmers’ markets but aren’t sure you can commit, consider these options: Grow smart: Our weekday markets reach a happy medium of being great business for the vendors who attend, while still affording a somewhat more laid-back pace that’s perfect for businesses new to farmers’ markets. Partner up: Alternating weeks at market with another vendor or sharing booth space is a great way to get into the groove — especially for similar or complimentary businesses. Maintaining your “spot” from week to week keeps the market consistent, which in turn keeps customers happy — and coming back.

 

New farms are especially encouraged to apply for membership, which must be comprised of 60 percent agricultural, 20 percent craft, and 20 percent prepared food vendors, in accordance with our nonprofit bylaws. This formula keeps the focus of the markets on food — an aspect that organizers hear every year is what marketgoers appreciate. 

For more information and applications, please visit www.seacoastgrowers.org.

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