October 8, 2010 by Debra.

Chef Evan Hennessey and Jared Hennessey are celebrating the one year anniversary of their business, Flavor Concepts. With an emphasis on using local foods for their cooking classes and private events, the search for ingredients has led Chef Hennessey on a year-long journey through our local foodshed. Many thanks to Evan for allowing us to post his reflections on what he found here:

Closing the Gap, Farm to Chef

 

One of the most important things to me as a chef is getting closer and closer to the origin of great ingredients. In recent times it has been of great importance to know where your food comes from. As chefs, or in most cases ‘food liaisons,’ it is our job to find these ingredients and present them in such ways as to educate our guests on the possibilities of what’s all around us. Great food shouldn’t come from one store.

 

In addition to the bounty of vegetables available from local farms, I have established new friendships with some great farmers. Now I go into the fields at Tuckaway Farms in Lee and hand pick my produce. I reach into the chicken coops at Applegard Farm to pick eggs. I go to visit Amy Oullette, who raises Crème D’Argent rabbits. I also go to Lasting Legacy Farm and New Roots Farm to visit the cows and pigs that will supply my beef and pork needs. I am able to pick the product to bring back to my kitchen and prepare for our guests.

 

The realm of total local sourcing is at hand my friends. I encourage you to go to the farmer’s markets, introduce yourself to the farmers and see how you can work together.

 

Close the gap.

 

The dates for the winter farmer’s markets have now been released; please check our website for dates, times, and locations.

 

— Chef Evan Hennessey, Flavor Concepts

 

You may also check the Seacoast Eat Local website for information about the Seacoast Eat Local Winter Farmers’ Market, and additional winter markets in Newmarket, Northwood, and Rye.

Posted in author: Debra, sources of local food | Print | No Comments »

September 28, 2010 by Debra.

Good news for fans of Maine’s Own Organic Milk — MOOMilk is again in full production, with the entire line back on store shelves. After announcing several weeks ago that a lack of funding would force the company to suspend operations, subsequent support from both individuals and foundations enabled them to sell their products to two Maine food banks. This provided the necessary cash flow to recover while also making organic milk accessible to more families.

Also, MOOMilk has updated their list of retail outlets to include those served by distributor Crown O’Maine. MOOMilk can now be found in 195 locations in Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. For more information and to find the store nearest you, please visit their website >

Posted in author: Debra, sources of local food | Print | No Comments »

September 22, 2010 by Debra.

Wild Miller Gardens will be offering freshly ground cornmeal at the Newmarket Farmers’ market this Saturday, September 25. They will be grinding it onsite from Flint corn — time for jonnycakes!

Flint corn from the Wild Miller Gardens will be ground into corn meal at the Newmarket Farmers’ Market this Saturday, September 25th using an antique corn sheller from the Newmarket Historical Society. This history laden corn meal will be offered to market goers freshly ground and ready for cooking.

 

Flint corn is zea mays indurata known as Indian corn or calico corn and the same species of maize. This corn is as hard as flint because each kernel has a hard outer layer to protect the soft endosperm. Flint corn has a low water content so it is more resistant to freezing than other vegetables.

 

Native Americans in New England and in the Great Plains cultivated this hardy corn. Flint corn was the only Vermont crop to survive the infamous Year Without a Summer in 1816 when snow fell in June and killing frosts descended throughout the summer months. New Englanders and specifically Newmarket Farmers’ Market patrons can now appreciate this hardy corn in such savory concoctions as Corn Pancakes a la Floriani and Creamy Polenta.

 

Joel Miller will use the antique sheller to shell the corn he grew on his farm and produce corn meal on demand at the market from 9 to 1.  He and his wife Annalisa are staples of the market and the first vendor to populate the roster of the market. They are sought after for their knowledge, amiability and fresh produce, garlic and pork.

 

The Newmarket Farmers’ Market is now in its second season with markets open every Saturday through October 9th nestled in the space between The Stone Church and the historical Stone School on Zion Hill.

Posted in author: Debra, sources of local food | Print | No Comments »

September 18, 2010 by Sara Zoe.

Eastman’s Fish and Heron Pond Farm have opened up their next season of CSF/CSA shares:

Eastman’s will be offering a 5 week Community Supported Fish share, with options of 1lb, 2lb, or 4lb filleted fish each week and three pick up locations:
Emery Farm, Durham, Wednesdays, 4-6pm
Exeter Farmer’s Market, Thursdays, 2:15-6pm
Newburyport Farmer’s Market, Sundays, 9-1pm

The deadline to sign up is September 24th. Sign up online or call 603-760-7422 with any questions.

Heron Pond Farm will be offering shares that include 14 pickups (spread out over 24 weeks) and run through the end of March. There will be a lot of fresh greens all winter long, onions and garlic, winter squash, cabbage, cauliflower, turnips and a whole host of other winter vegetables! Pickups occur at the farm stand in South Hampton, in Dover, or Portsmouth. Learn more and sign up at their website >

Posted in seafood, sources of local food | Print | No Comments »

September 9, 2010 by Sara Zoe.

Update 9/9, 6pm: Kellie Brook Farm’s processing was delayed - we’ll let you know when the chickens are available again!

—————————–

Kellie Brook Farm and New Roots Farm will both have fresh, never frozen chickens today at the Exeter Farmers’ Market, 2:15-6pm on Swazey Parkway. Fresh chicken is such a treat!

Read more about New Roots Farm and their sustainable farming practices on their website >

Kellie Brook Farm’s fresh chicken will also be available at their farm stand in Greenland, at 1024 Portsmouth Avenue/Rte 33, Friday (9/10) through Sunday (9/12) until 3:30 pm. There are also some whole turkeys available by request. Email kelliebrookfarm @ comcast.net to request a turkey.

Posted in sources of local food | Print | No Comments »

August 24, 2010 by Debra.

In celebration of this summer’s abundance of tomatoes, Tracey Miller will be featuring recipes for this versatile fruit on her Wellness blog — a new one every day for the last 10 days of August. The recipes will include using raw tomatoes as well as cooked, with the series starting off with one for Fresh Pasta Sauce, followed by another for Cherry Tomato Chewies. Tips on preserving will also be offered along the way. Make sure to check Tracey’s blog daily to see what’s new!

Many local farmers are offering bulk orders of tomatoes and the option of pick-your-own.  Warren Farm (weekdays 9–6, weekends 9–4) and Brookford Farm (daily except Sunday, 9:30–1 and 2:30–6) are both offering  pick-your-own tomatoes, wilth Brookford Farm also offering special pricing for bulk orders of tomato seconds. Many other farms are also taking bulk orders on tomatoes, such as Stout Oak Farm and Pickpocket Farm, or ask at your local farmers’ market. It’s a perfect time to get canning!

Posted in author: Debra, sources of local food, recipes | Print | No Comments »

August 20, 2010 by Sara Zoe.

New Roots Farm is offering pre-orders of fresh (not frozen) pasture-raised chickens for pickup at the Exeter Farmers’ Market on Thursday 8/26.

New Roots grass-fed chickens are raised on certified organic pasture in the Joel Salatin style as seen in Food, Inc.  We will be offering whole roasting chickens (4-5 pounds) for $4.50 per pound and half-chickens for $5.50 per pound.  The chickens are humanely processed on our farm in Newmarket and are shrink wrapped, sealed and labeled for pickup.  Limit two whole birds per customer.

Order your chicken by emailing Jeff and Renee Cantara at farmers @ newrootsfarm.com or by calling 292-5902

Posted in sources of local food | Print | No Comments »

August 6, 2010 by Debra.

Just in from New Roots Farm in Newmarket — they will be offering special prices on tomatoes at the Portsmouth Farmers’ Market this Saturday, August 7th. Time to start canning!:

I find myself in the happy position of drowning in tomatoes. Thus we are running a special at Portsmouth tomorrow. 5 pounds of slicers for $15 and 10 pounds of canning/”seconds” tomatoes for $15. These are are organic, field grown tomatoes. Many heirloom varieties are available.

For more information please contact New Roots Farm at farmers[at]newrootsfarm.com or (603) 292-5902.

Posted in author: Debra, sources of local food | Print | No Comments »

July 20, 2010 by Debra.

Pasture-raised chicken from New Roots Farm will be available for the first time at the Exeter Farmers’ Market this Thursday:

New Roots will have fresh chicken from our Certified Organic pastures at the Exeter Market on Thursday. These are not commercial cornish cross birds, but instead, are genetic stock derived from American and European heritage breeds. Freedom Rangers were developed in the early 1960’s to meet the highest standards of the French Label Rouge Free Range program. Currently, the Freedom Ranger genetic stock is used by most non-factory farm production models all across Europe and also by small pastured poultry producers in search of a traditionally raised farm chicken — just like the “oldies,” healthy and with a succulent flavor and texture.

Since our Freedom Ranger Broilers are a slower growing breed, they are naturally better suited to being raised on pasture and have none of the health issues associated with industrial birds and their ultra-rapid growth rate. 

We are thrilled to add high-quality chicken to our vegetable, pastured pork and grass fed lamb offerings and should now have chicken throughout the market season in Exeter.

For more information, please contact New Roots Farm directly. The Exeter Farmers’ Market is located at Swasey Parkway, and is open weekly on Thursdays, 2:25 to 6 p.m., through October 28th.

Posted in author: Debra, sources of local food | Print | 1 Comment »

July 13, 2010 by Sara Zoe.

Sherri sends a note, “wild blueberries and blackberries are ready to pick this week at 379  Tolend rd in Dover, NH. Call for picking conditions: 603-740-9332″

Posted in sources of local food | Print | No Comments »