March 12, 2010 by Heather.

The year 2010 marks the 15th annual New Hampshire Maple Weekend. March 27th and 28th are sure to be exciting days for those who choose to visit any of the 65 sugarhouses across the state that will be welcoming visitors. Events include learning how maple syrup is made, learning the history of maple syrup, tasting free samples, pancake breakfasts, horse-drawn rides, sap collecting, petting zoos, musical entertainment, and much more. And it all will be enjoyed while sweet maple steam rises from evaporators and New Hampshire maple producers work in sugarhouses to boil sap down to syrup, a craft that has been refined over hundreds of years in New England. Visit the New Hampshire Maple Producers website for more information on the weekend.

One sugarhouse that will be welcoming guests during New Hampshire Maple Weekend is Sugarmomma’s Maple Farm, 213 Ridge Road, Northwood, also a vendor at the Winter Farmers’ Markets. Sugarmomma’s will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., rain or shine, on March 27th and 28th.  There will be hayrides, a pancake breakfast, pony rides, and much more. See Sugarmomma’s website for more details.   
 

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March 12, 2010 by Heather.

Yesterday, the Hippo ran a story about Manchester restaurants striving to bring more local food into their kitchens. But this was no small article simply naming a few locations and the beginning of their adventure. This was more of an in-depth study on how New Hampshire is coming home, so as to speak, and how the momentum for local food is growing. Writer Heidi Masek got input from many restaurant owners, farmers, and local food leaders.

Chef Jeffrey Paige said it’s amazing that right now in New Hampshire you can find venison, buffalo, beef, pork and chicken raised locally, and probably eight or 10 different kinds of cheeses.

But although everyone is excited about local food, there remain many challenges to fully stocked restaurants. Masek says:

These [farms] are usually family businesses, though, and producers are working so hard on products that a lot of them don’t have time to market or distribute. “That’s the hard part of this whole process. The average chef works 60 hours per week,” Paige said. They need sourcing simplified.

And that’s one of the things a group of 50 to 75 people–farmers, producers, distributors, chefs, and others–met to work on in January at Cotton Restaurant in Manchester. It was a New Hampshire Farm to Restaurant Connection meeting and they were starting to figure out ways to get more local products into Manchester restaurants. 

The bottom line of what the New Hampshire Farm to Restaurant Connection does is to sustain New Hampshire farms — provide farmers with a reason not to sell to real estate brokers, Charlie Burke said. However, local foods are also safer, better and fresher.

Of course, there’s a lot more where this came from. The article also takes a look at what groups in all parts of the state and even over into Vermont are doing. It’s worth taking a few minutes to read the whole article on the Hippo’s website.

And remember, you can always find local food near you in Rockingham, Strafford, and York counties with the help of Seacoast Harvest.

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March 8, 2010 by Heather.

Spring has sprung, and it’s time for the Strafford County Conservation District’s 2010 Annual Conservation Plant Sale! The Strafford County Conservation District (SCCD) holds this sale, its largest fund-raiser, to provide landowners with trees, shrubs, and plants at discounted prices with a few goals in mind. ”The goals of the [SCCD] are to offer plants for sale to land owners for controlling erosion, wind/sound breaks, bird/wildlife food/shelter/nesting sites, evergreens that are ideal for growing your own Christmas trees, fruits for your own use, starting a business, or for making the natural world more enjoyable.” 

Another benefit is that these plants are grown in Farmfield Greenhouses, Lebanon, ME, and Wentworth Greenhouses, Rollinsford, NH. So this sale supports local conservation, local greenhouses, and gives people a more affordable way to plant their own decorative and edible plants. Wondering just what they’re selling? A lot! The main types of items are evergreens; deciduous trees; fruit trees; shrubs; wildflowers, ground covers, vines, and ferns; small fruits and roots; and perennials, herbs, vegetables, annuals, and flower baskets. The SCCD has produced a six-page document of all the options, which is packed full with information about each item, like what type of soil the plant flourishes in or if it’s native to the area. SCCD Plant Sale Info

Orders are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Orders should be placed by March 25, 2010. Fill out the SCCD Plant Sale Order Form and send, along with your payment, to the Strafford County Conservation District, 259 County Farm Road Unit #3, Dover, NH 03820-6015.

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March 7, 2010 by Sara Zoe.

Their farm in Lee offers a wide variety of organic vegetables as well as pork, and they use working draft horses!

Wild Miller Gardens

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March 3, 2010 by Heather.

It’s the time of year when it feels like spring will never come again. But have no fear, Bill Spiller started his tomato plants on Monday. Which reminds me, it’s time to pick a CSA!

Anna and Bill Spiller of Spiller Farm in Wells, Maine, farm about 130 acres with 30 acres in row crops, 4 acres in strawberries, 4 acres in apples, and 1 acre of raspberries as well as hay fields and 60 acres of pasture and woods. Their family has been farming in Wells since 1894. They’re easy to find, only minutes from Route 1, which will make it handy when you go to pick up your weekly CSA produce. Their CSA will be 18 weeks long, running from mid-June to mid-October, with participation costing $295. Visit the Spiller Farm Web site for more information on what they offer, http://www.spillerfarm.com/2010/03/community-supported-agriculture.html.

If Wells is just too far for you to travel and you’re looking for a different CSA there are plenty to choose from! This handy list of CSAs and CSFs that participated in our Winter Farmers’ Market CSA Day at Wentworth Greenhouses should get you off and running. http://www.seacoasteatlocal.org/winterfarmersmarkets/CSAHandout.pdf 

Some additional information about CSAs and CSFs can be found at http://www.seacoasteatlocal.org/winterfarmersmarkets/#events.  

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March 1, 2010 by Heather.

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is now offering technical and financial assistance for conservation practices related to organic production through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Organic Initiative. In 2010, NRCS in New Hampshire has more than $280,115 dedicated to the EQIP Organic Initiative. Applications can be submitted year round, to be considered for the next ranking, your application must be received by March 12, 2010. Assistance is available for agricultural producers who are:
-currently certified organic farmers
-transitioning to certified organic production
Individuals, groups, and entities who own or manage certified organic operations or operations that are transitioning to certified organic are eligible to apply.  Contracts can last from 2 to 10 years. Payments are limited to $20,000 per participant annually or $80,000 over a 6 year period. There is no minimum acreage requirement to apply for EQIP, however, projects that address significant resource concerns are more likely to receive funding. Beginning, socially disadvantaged, and limited-resource farmers may be eligible for higher payment rates. Applications are accepted all year but are reviewed in a competitive ranking process when funding becomes available - usually once each year. Please contact your local NRCS office or conservation district to start the planning and application process.

For More Information
National Organic Initiative Web site  http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Programs/eqip/organic/index.html

NH Organic Contact
Brandon Smith, Resource Conservationist
(603) 868-7581

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June 5, 2009 by Jeff.

For farmers trying to enter into farming as a full-time profession affordable farmland is hard to come by.  Many landowners and older farmers have land that they wish was being put to good use as fields for growing vegetables or pasturing livestock.  Organizations around the country have established LandLinks to help put these two groups together.  LandLinks serve as a database of farmers looking for land to lease or buy and landowners who would like to sell or lease their farmland.  Both farmers and landowners are often open to a variety of mutually beneficial arrangements.

New England LandLink exists to serve just such a purpose. NE LandLink is hosted by the New England Small Farm Institute in Massachusetts and lists farms in New England and New York that are in search of farmers.

Farmers can join LandLink for $10 and will receive contact information for farms that interest them as well as updates on new properties.

NH Farm Link was formed on June 21, 2000 and has now joined NE LandLink to connect more New Hampshire farmers and landowners.

For more information, contact John C. Porter, UNH Cooperative Extension Dairy Specialist/Professor, Emeritus at john.porter@unh.edu.

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September 13, 2008 by Sara Zoe.

Pick-your-own farms and farm stands at apple orchards throughout the seacoast:

Apple Annie

Apple Annie is a small orchard with about 200 apple trees. We offer pick-your-own and ready picked apples and our own unpasteurized cider in (more)

Applecrest Farm Orchards

Weekends in September and October, Applecrest offers their famous Fall Festivals which include apple and pumpkin picking, live bluegrass (more)

Butternut Farm

Family oriented, pick-your-own fruit farm. Calling first is always best, as phone message is updated daily during the season with news on (more)

DeMeritt Hill Farm

A seasonal orchard specializing in P-Y-O Peaches, Blueberries, Apples & Pumpkins. Open Labor Day – Christmas Eve, call for hours. (more)

Doles Orchard

Hazelton Orchards

Libby & Son U-picks

Mack’s Apples

Farm market opens in August with early apples, peaches, and locally grown vegetables. We also carry NH maple syrup, jams, jellies, honey, (more)

McDougal Orchards

Historic, seventh generation family farm located just a mile from downtown Sanford/Springvale. 26 varieties of apples available for PYO or (more)

McKenzie’s Farm

McKenzie’s Farm is a hilltop family farm specializing in June tomatoes! On a clear day, we can see Mt. Washington. We have pick-your-own (more)

Nottingham Orchard

Oliver Merrill & Sons

Pick your own and ready picked, farm stand. Open year round, daily from 8-5. Offers a variety of fruits and vegetables including apples, (more)

Snell Family Farm

Snell Family Farm is a diversified farm committed to growing great food and beautiful plants for the people of Southern Maine. Our season (more)

Spiller Farm

We have been selling fruits and vegetables for more than 40 years through our farm store, 3 farm markets, and pick-your-own. Come and enjoy (more)

Sunnycrest Farm

Pick your own and ready picked. Farm stand offering a variety of fruits and vegetables. Open June-December. Strawberries, raspberries, (more)

Vickery Orchard

Woodmont Orchards

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August 7, 2008 by Sara Zoe.

Due to the inclement weather on Wednesday, the mobile poultry processing unit was unable to be at Kellie Brook Farm on Wednesday, but will come on Friday. Fresh Chickens will be available at Kellie Brook Farm Saturday, August 9, Sunday, August 10, and Monday, August 11, any time of day at the farm stand in Greenland.

To the many who came to Exeter Market today for fresh chickens - you are great and we are sorry you were disappointed! It was very gratifying to see so much interest in this fantastic product. I hope the trip was worth your while as the Exeter Farmers’ Market has a lot to offer, and my apologies that we weren’t able to spread the word about the delay sooner  - these are the challenges small farmers face and your support despite the setbacks and obstacles means a lot in terms of keeping small farms in business, ensuring our access to a healthy, safe, and available food supply in years to come. And the chicken will be worth it as it amazingly delicious!

Directions to Kellie Brook Farm (.pdf)

Feel free to call ahead to check specific product availability, (603) 702-0342

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July 30, 2008 by Sara Zoe.

Come for a self-guided tour of Lee’s diverse farming community. This year, eight farms will be open to the public. There will be demonstrations and activities at each farm all day long. Some activities will include a sheep shearing demonstration, free horse-drawn wagon rides and ice cream at Coppal House Farm provided by the Granite State Dairy Council and sponsored by Ath-Mor Holsteins. Riding and jumping demonstrations at Echo Ridge Farm, local artists show at Blue Bell Greenhouses, bee keeping exhibit and the Lee Farmer’s Market at Misty Meadows, and more. Lunch to benefit NH Ag in the Classroom will be available at UNH Burleigh-DeMeritt Farm, and lunch will also be available at Velvet Pastures Elk Ranch featuring Elk burgers. Location: For a complete listing of farms, events, and schedules, please visit www.nhcornmaze.com. Time: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Information: www.nhcornmaze.com.

Download the brochure for a map and farm descriptions, print and share a poster to help spread the word >

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