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!)
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:
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.
The CSA Innovation Network, a national network for local CSA farms, is excited to announce CSA Week, taking place from February 20th through February 26th to promote CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). CSA is a farm membership system that allows consumers to sign up to receive a season’s worth of a farm’s products (veggies, eggs, meat, etc) every week. Along with getting to enjoy fresh, delicious, and local food, being a CSA member is an excellent way to support and get to know your local farmers. During this special week, farmers, farmer support organizations, and CSA enthusiasts across the country will be working together to raise awareness of CSA and promote CSA signups.
Join us in promoting CSA Week as we celebrate our relationship with local agriculture and lift up local CSA farmers who work hard to produce the season’s best food. Historically, this event has been called “CSA Day” and it was started by Simon Huntley and Small Farm Central years ago. Last year, the CSA Innovation Network extended it to last an entire week so that more people hear about the event and have the ability to connect with their local CSA farms during this time.
“There has never been a better time to connect with fresh local food while helping to make our local farmers and communities more resilient,” said Carrie Sedlak of the CSA Innovation Network.
The CSA Innovation Network is providing a free packet of digital tools to help farmers promote their CSA during this special week, which is available to people who sign up for CSA Week on the Network’s website. And the CSA Week Participant map, also located on the Network’s website, will provide a visual of all the participating farmers and farm support organizations across the country.
You can play an important role in CSA Week by highlighting your local CSA farmers and spreading the word that this is the most popular time to sign up for a CSA share. Folks won’t want to wait long to sign up, as shares sell out quite quickly! CSA is more than food – it’s about directly impacting your local food system and bridging community relationships, and we hope you will join us.
There are several farms that offer CSA memberships in the Monadnock Region. Below is a short list.
Hillside Springs Farm and CSA Garden in Westmorland offers vegetables, herbs, berries, and flowers from Early June-late Nov. Select a Full or Half Share CSA. Frank Hunter & Kim Peavey run a hand and horse-powered farm, using only sustainable and biodynamic farming methods.
Hillside Springs Farm and CSA Garden Frank Hunter & Kim Peavey 32 Comerford Road, Westmoreland 603-399-7288 hillsidespringsfarm@gmail.com hillsidespringsfarm.com
Village Roots Permaculture Farm in East Alstead is a small, diverse, regenerative family farm offering the following CSA shares: small and large poultry shares, small and large pasture shares (a mix of chicken, lamb, beef, and pork), and Spring greens shares. Marty Castriotta and Ellen Denny sell turkeys, whole lambs, and whole and half pork and beef. They also offer permaculture site consults, installations, design courses, and workshops.
Village Roots Permaculture Marty Castriotta 134 Old Settlers Road, East Alstead 603-477-5533 marty@theorchardschool.org villageroots.org
Seven Generations Farm in Gilsum is a small-scale herbal farm and homestead, practicing permaculture and herbalism. They offer a bi-monthly Full Moon Herb Share. Each share includes a variety of apothecary items and medicinal plant products. Half and Full shares are available.
Seven Generation Farm Eric and Nicole Zablowsky Alstead Hill Road, Gilsum sevengenerationsfarm.com
Jenny and Bruce Wooster of Picadilly Farm in Winchester grow certified organic produce. They offer various types of CSA shares that are available June-December, with share pick up at the farm or in sites in Keene or Brattleboro, VT.
Picadilly Farm Bruce and Jenny Wooster 264 South Parrish Road, Winchester 603-239-8718 csa@picadillyfarm.com picadillyfarm.com
Stonewall Farm in Keene grows certified organic vegetables using regenerative practices. They offer a full-season CSA from May through October.
Abenaki Springs Farm grows a wide variety of certified organic produce, small fruit, flowers, and pasture-raised poultry and pork in Walpole. Their market-style CSA runs from May through the end of October. Pick out weekly shares at the Keene Farmers Market or at their farm stand in Walpole.
Sun Moon Farm in Rindge is an intentionally small vegetable, herb and cut flower farm with a focus on community. From mid-June through October, friends can pick up their shares in the farm’s barn while visiting with their farmers and other neighbors. Members also have an opportunity to purchase fresh greens and storage crops throughout the winter.
Sun Moon Farm Craig and Megan Jensen 121 Thomas Road, Rindge 603-899 2806 sun.moon.craig@gmail.com sunmoonfarm.org
Tracie’s Community Farm in Fitzwilliam offers spring, summer, and fall CSA shares in a variety of sizes and with the option of home delivery to Keene and the surrounding areas. Shares are harvested, washed, and packed the day of delivery, and include a large variety of ripe, in-season produce.
Tracie’s Community Farm 72 Jaffrey Road, Fitzwilliam 603-568-6102 farmers@traciesfarm.com traciesfarm.com
About the CSA Innovation Network: The CSA Innovation Network is a national community of practice led by farmers and farmer support organizations who are dedicated to unifying and strengthening the CSA movement. Our mission is to serve as a resource base of programs and tools that facilitate idea-sharing and promote the value of CSA in order to support stronger local food systems across the country. Learn more at https://www.csainnovationnetwork.org/
Farmers are the heart of our region: providing fresh produce, caring for the land, and nourishing our community. With farmers being key to our local food system and conservation priorities, it is crucial that they too are supported.
The Cheshire County Conservation District recently launched a crowdfunding campaign to support this program. All proceeds will go directly to making solar more accessible to local farmers.
Your donation today, increases the viability of local farms, advances the sustainability of our region, and in turn, strengthens our local food system!
Yarden of Eatin' 