Farms – Yarden of Eatin'

NH Eats Local Month

August 7, 2022Leave a comment

Read our annual Monadnock Region Local Food System updates

Throughout the month of August, partners throughout the state highlight New Hampshire Eats Local Month — a month-long celebration of local food and New Hampshire farmers and producers.

All month long, we hope to inspire you to eat more locally grown, raised and made foods, meet the farmers, growers, and chefs behind your food, and learn new skills that keep you eating locally throughout the year.

As part of the NH Eat Local Month festivities, we will feature Monadnock Region local food and farm events on our website and social media posts. NH Eats Local Month also coincides with National Farmers’ Market Week, honoring farmers’ markets all across America.

2022 NH Eats Local Month Events in the Monadnock Region (and beyond!)

– August 1 – 31: Live Free Eat Local Challenge

– August 1 – 31: Round It Up Donation Drive for Food Connects

– August 1 – 31: NH Eats Local BINGO

– August 4 – 7: Cheshire Fair

– August 5: Cool Chefs on the Farm at Cornucopia Project

– August 7 – 13: National and New Hampshire Farmers’ Market Week (CHECK OUT OUR REGION’S FARMERS’ MARKETS SCHEDULE)

– August 8: Picadilly Farm Tour in-person event hosted by The Monadnock Food Co-op

– August 9: Orchard Hill Breadworks Pizza Night: MC Violence Prevention

– August 13, 20, & 27 (Saturdays): The Farmers Market of Keene

– August 13: Summer Saturday at Acworth Village Store (Dinner & Live Music)

– August 13: Saxy Chef Pie Tasting at the Co-op & Food Connects at the Co-op

– August 14: 7th Annual Taste of Monadnock Beyond Food and Wine Festival

– August 16: Orchard Hill Breadworks Pizza Night: Cooper’s Crossroad

– August 19: Monadnock Local Harvest Event

– August 19: Cool Chefs on the Farm at Cornucopia Project

– August 20: Monadnock Farm Tour

– August 20: Summer Saturday at Acworth Village Store (Dinner & Live Music)

– August 21: Smoothie Workshop & Produce Tour

– August 22: Kitchen 2.0: A Virtual Cooking Class for Kids

– August 23: Orchard Hill Breadworks Pizza Night: The Orchard School

– August 27: Summer Saturday at Acworth Village Store (Dinner & Live Music)

– August 27: NOFA-NH’s 50th Anniversary Celebrating Five Decades of Organic Farming, Gardening and Food

– August 30: Orchard Hill Breadworks Pizza Night: Westminster Cares

Stay tuned for more!

Monadnock Farm Share Applications Due May 30

May 12, 2022Leave a comment

The Monadnock Farm Share program makes farm shares more accessible to limited-income community members who otherwise would not be able to participate in a local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.

CSA programs are an opportunity for community members to enjoy farm-fresh produce while supporting local agriculture.

Community members pay 50% of the total farm share cost through the program. View program eligibility here.

This year’s applications are due by May 30, 2022, and Cheshire County Conservation District will review applications on a rolling basis (first come, first served).

Community members choose from a listing of participating farms throughout the region.

Access this year’s program information & eligibility, application, and participating farm list below:

2022 Application

2022 Participating Farm List

Program Information and Eligibility

What is a CSA?

Farmers face many costs in the operation of their farms. Community Supported Agriculture programs alleviate the financial burdens of farmers before the season begins. CSA customers provide an upfront payment to reserve a share of the season’s harvest.

The cost of the CSA serves as a deposit for the season! This upfront cost allows farmers to purchase needed seeds, materials, or equipment for the upcoming season. At the same time, customers can reap this investment by taking home delicious produce once the farm season begins!

Many farms offer half share or full share CSA options. These options vary from farm to farm, but half shares are smaller to feed smaller households, while full shares can feed a larger household or households that eat a lot of vegetables.

Some farms offer on-farm pick-up days, while others provide delivery! Some farms pre-package their CSA shares for a quick pick up, while others allow customers to pick-your-own (PYO!). Pick-up days offer a unique experience to see where your food is grown and interact with other community members! While delivery offers a convenient way to bring fresh produce to your household!

By purchasing a CSA, you support local agriculture while also eating delicious, nutritious, and locally grown produce!

For additional information, questions, or assistance in completing your application, contact Benée Hershon at benee@cheshireconservation.org or 603-756-2988 x 3011.

Support NOFA-NH Farm Share Program at Our Co-op

August 25, 2021August 25, 2021Leave a comment

The Monadnock Food Co-op will launch a month-long Round It Up Donation Drive to benefit the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Hampshire (NOFA-NH) Farm Share Program on September 1, 2021. The Co-op’s Round It Up program empowers shoppers to make positive changes in their community by donating their change to local community organizations.

The NOFA-NH’s Farm Share Program provides limited-income New Hampshire residents with discounted Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares, also known as farm shares. The program benefits children, families, and seniors by connecting low-income individuals with certified organic farms to provide a season’s worth of local farm fresh products at a reduced cost.

Since 2017, the Farm Share Program has partnered with 13 certified organic farmers to provide over 370 low-income NH residents with 117 subsidized farm shares. Participating farms in the Monadnock Region include Abenaki Spring Farm in Walpole, Picadilly Farm in Winchester, and Stonewall Farm in Keene.

“NOFA-NH believes that everyone has a right to nutritious, healthy food,” said Karl Johnson, NOFA-NH Board President. “We’re proud to support New Hampshire organic farmers by making high-quality local food accessible to community members in need. Funds raised by the Monadnock Food Co-op are critical to ensuring that children, families, seniors, and other low-income individuals across the state can receive a season’s worth of farm-fresh, organic produce through NOFA-NH’s Farm Share Program.”

About NOFA-NH

NOFA-NH is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to building a community of farmers, gardeners, homesteaders, land care professionals, educators, environmentalists, food activists, and educated consumers to help support New Hampshire’s local organic farming community. NOFA-NH actively promotes regenerative, ecologically sound gardening, farming & land care practices for healthy communities by helping people build local, sustainable, healthy food systems: nofanh.org.

August is NH Eats Local Month

June 21, 2021June 21, 2021Leave a comment

Supporting and eating local is a 365, 24/7 celebration in the Granite State. But we pull out the stops in August to celebrate NH Eats Local Month! Join us for 31 days of rallying around the bounty of New Hampshire and to thank our hard working farmers, fishers, and food businesses.

Over 100 partners throughout the state join together to celebrate the power of food in bringing us together and encouraging the continued choice to eat and support local food. Join in for events, contests, film screenings, storytelling, and more.

LEARN MORE ABOUT 2021 NH EATS LOCAL MONTH!