The Barrington Heritage Commission and the Barrington Farmers, with the sponsorship of the Barrington Recreation Department, are pleased to announce the first annual Natural Heritage and Agricultural Fair to take place Saturday, September 12^th, from 10am-4pm, at the Warren Farm, off of route 4, in Barrington, NH. The fair is a collaborative effort of local farmers and conservationists to celebrate the beauty and agrarian utility of our local natural resources.

Arrive in style on a mule-drawn hay ride, shuttling you to the day’s events.

The farmers’ market is open with many area farms offering vegetables, fruit, corn, potatoes, local meats, and heritage poultry. NH Crafters bring their wares, jewelry and yarns. Come and taste the goodness of local foods, sweet and savory, prepared by our own NH chefs.

The barnyard brims with heritage animals raised by NH farmers, working for NH food security. Cows, hogs, alpacas, rabbits, goats, sheep, and herding dogs, turkeys, ducks, geese, and chickens will all be accompanied by their farmers for your questions, ideas, and curiosity. Discover how to homestead and create your own farm.

Come and learn about the many area initiatives to preserve and protect our natural resources for our health, enjoyment, and local food security. Learn about our water, our soil, our flora and fauna. Learn about bees and honey, worms and organic gardening. Find out what you can do to bring nourishing local food into our schools and how to preserve farm lands for future generations. Meet your NH experts, whose goal it is to partner with the community to transform our state into a sustainable haven.

Dance and take in the folk music of bands and fiddle jams. Learn to contra dance, and watch the spectacle. Listen to old-fashioned story telling and the history of our local farms. Go back in time to the Revolutionary War and see the routines of our earliest Americans and junior militias.

Join the celebration and conversation about what we can do to reclaim the greatness and wonder of our New Hampshire natural heritage and agriculture.

There’s a new fair in town! We’re delighted to note that Warren Farm (site of Slow Food Seacoast’s first-ever Farm Picnic, in 2006) will be thost of the Natural Heritage Agricultural Fair on Saturday, September 12, 2009.

The fair runs 10 AM - 4 PM and includes lots of wonderful offerings:

• Farmer’s Market with lots of great, fresh, local food
• Crafts and Specialty items made by local artisans
• Educational Displays and Information about Agriculture, Land Conservation, Sustainability and Living Local
• Animals accompanied by their owners who can answer questions about the purpose each animal serves on the farm as well as in our healthy local diets.
• Musicians, Country Dancing, yummy local food cooked up fresh, Revolutionary War re-enactors in authentic garb, Jr. Militia, Mule Team Rides, and Old Fashioned Storytelling

Help Out! The festival welcomes you as an attendee….or as a volunteer! Volunteers are needed on the afternoon of September 11 for setup,or on the day of the fair for parking and breakdown. To volunteer, please callCharles Tatham at charles.tatham@aphis.usda.gov

Directions to the Fair:

Two miles west of the Lee traffic circle off route 4.
From Lee Circle (where Rt 4 and Rt 125 intersect) head West on Rt 4 for 2 miles. Warren Road is on the Right hand side. The farm is down Warren Road 1/3 rd mile.

Contact for Questions, or to be a Vendor:  nh.ag.fair@live.com, or call Jessica at 603.335.2605

In the coming weeks, Seacoast residents will have several opportunities to learn how to can and preserve the summer’s harvest.

Yes You Can! is a food preservation demonstration that will be provided s at the Exeter Farmers’ Market, Swazey Parkway on Thursday, August 13 from 2:15-6:00 pm and at the Portsmouth Farmers’ Market at City Hall parking lot on Saturday, August 15 from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm. Another presentation is scheduled for the Rye Public Library on Tuesday, August 25 from 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM.

The demonstrations are offered free-of-charge and will be provided by Claudia Boozer-Blasco, Extension Educator in Family and Consumer Resources with the UNH Cooperative Extension in Rockingham County.

Participants will learn the most up-to-date techniques for canning fruits and vegetables safely in a water bath canner.  Safe canning techniques will be demonstrated by making tomato salsa.  Proper equipment for canning will be displayed and current recipes by the US Department of Agriculture will be available.

This demonstration is designed for those who are preserving foods for the first time or for those who have been canning for many years. The exhibit and demonstration is open to the public and wheel-chair accessible.

Both the Exeter and Portsmouth Farmers’ Markets are coordinated by the Seacoast Growers Association.  More information can be found at www.seacoastgrowers.org

All programs are FREE (your tax dollars at work!) and open to the public.

What great news! After a few years of stellar local stewardship for an “Eat Local” event by Seacoast Eat Local, the state of New Hampshire has embraced the idea of celebrating local agriculture with a statewide Eat Local Month.  The press release below gives details about the month and its theme weeks, so you can begin planning for how you’ll take part. Discover the amazing bounty of our state by celebrating with us! Since the month begins with “Farmers’ Market Week,” August 2-8, why not get started by venturing out to a brand new weekday market in one of the many Seacoast towns that offer one - you’re likely to be delighted by your discoveries!

August is NH Eat Local Month!

August 2-8 is NH Farmers’ Market Week

By

Gail McWilliam Jellie, Director

Division of Agricultural Development

NH Dept. of Agriculture, Markets & Food

Governor John Lynch has proclaimed the month of August 2009 as NH Eat Local Month! Each of the four weeks of the month has a theme: “Visit a Farmers Market”, “Family to the Farm” (visit a farmstand or farm), “Share the Harvest” (providing food for those in need), and “Looking Ahead” (preserving and storing food for the winter). Last year, the first week of August was declared “NH Eat Local Week”, and was marked by local dinners and other events, and more interest is anticipated in this month long celebration of New Hampshire’s farmers and their harvest.

New Hampshire residents and visitors, alike, are showing unprecedented interest in local food, and this month long celebration offers a great opportunity to feature New Hampshire grown foods. Visit www.nheatlocal.org for event and activity information.

As part of the NH Eat Local Month festivities, the week of August 2-8 has been proclaimed as New Hampshire Farmers’ Market Week, by Governor Lynch.  It also coincides with the 10th annual National Farmers’ Market Week, saluting farmers’ markets all across America.

Direct marketing of farm products through farmers markets is an important sales outlet for agricultural producers nationwide. Farmers markets have continued to rise in popularity, mostly due to the growing consumer interest in obtaining fresh products directly from the farm. The number of farmers markets in the United States has been growing steadily, according to US Dept. of Agriculture figures, with over 4,800 farmers markets operating in the United States.

New Hampshire has also seen tremendous growth in farmers markets, with nearly 80 markets operating throughout New Hampshire today. The NH Dept. of Agriculture, Markets & Food and the NH Farmers’ Market Association support the development and operation of farmers’ markets and other direct marketing activities for agricultural producers.  Farmers’ markets offer products such as farm-fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, meat and dairy products, baked goods, flowers and much more. Learn more about New Hampshire farmers’ markets at the NH Farmers’ Market Association website: http://www.nhfma.org/. Find a list of New Hampshire farmers’ markets at: http://agriculture.nh.gov/publications/documents/farmersmarket.pdf.

Local farmers’ markets will be celebrating Farmers’ Market Week with a variety of events such as demonstrations, food tastings, music, entertainment, and more. A special kick off celebration for both NH Eat Local Month and Farmers’ Market Week will be held on August 1st, 9 am at the Concord Farmers’ Market. NH Commissioner of Agriculture, Lorraine Merrill will welcome Governor John Lynch and First Lady, Dr. Susan Lynch to the market, along with many other guests, farmers and shoppers.

For more information, contact Gail McWilliam Jellie at the NH Dept. of Agriculture, Markets & Food, 25 Capitol St., Concord, NH  03302-2042, Tel. 271-3788, email: gmcwilliam@agr.state.nh.us, website: www.agriculture.nh.gov.

From our friends at the Seacoast Growers Association (SGA):

Seacoast Growers Association is pleased to announce the start of its weekday farmers’ markets in Dover, Durham, Exeter, Hampton and Kingston.  In addition to new vendors, this year brings the Exeter market a full two weeks early, and offers a new location with great accessibility in Dover.

The Exeter Farmers’ Market starts May 21st in the Swasey Parkway, off Water Street in downtown Exeter, Thursdays from 2:15 to 6:00 p.m.

The Dover Farmers’ Market starts June 3rd in its new home in the parking lot of the Herbal Path at 835 Central Ave., Wednesdays from 2:15 to 6:00 p.m.

The Durham Farmers’ Market starts June 1st in the parking lot of Durham Bike on Pettee Brook Lane in the downtown loop.

The Hampton Farmer’s Market starts June 2nd in the Sacred Heart School parking lot, across from the post office just north of Route 101, Tuesdays from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m.

The Kingston Farmer’s Market also starts June 2nd and is located “on the plains” across from the fire station on Main Street / Route 111, Tuesdays from 2:15 to 5:30 p.m.

SGA’s weekly Saturday market in Portsmouth opened the first week of May.  It is held in the City Hall parking lot on Junkins Ave., from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

While maintaining an agricultural focus, SGA farmers’ markets also are proud to offer fresh seafood and quality prepared foods such as jams, cookie dough, honey mead, and blended teas.  Our skilled artisans also present some of the finest crafts on the Seacoast, ranging from woven reed baskets, pottery and leather work to goat milk soap, herbal medicine, jewelry and Chinese brush paintings.

All SGA markets are open rain or shine and offer the “SGA Guarantee”: Our products are grown and made by our own vendors here on the Seacoast.

Now in its 33rd year, Seacoast Growers’ Association is a state-registered nonprofit organization representing 57 local independent businesses.  SGA works closely with Seacoat Eat Local, Seacoast Local and Slow Food Seacoast, all of whom can be found every Saturday at the Portsmouth Farmers’ Market Information Booth. Volunteer Local Food Advocates are also welcome to join this local food movement; free training is provided.

Our monthly e-newsletter provides special recipes and updates on what foods and flowers are in season.  To sign up or for more information on any of our programs or markets, including maps to all six locations and a full list of vendors, visit www.seacoastgrowers.org.

More information to follow soon about this new weekday market in Rollinsford, NH.  Starting in late June, the market will feature locally produced vegetables, food products, and select crafts.  Interested in participating in the market?  Contact Steve Kokolis, Market Manager at (603) 743-0923 as soon as possible for an application and guidelines.

After this market on Saturday, there won’t be another farmers’ market for two months, when the summer markets begin the first Saturday in May in Portsmouth!

Farmers’ and fishermen will be on hand to help you stock up on local meats of all varieties, dairy, eggs, and much more. Several farmers will be bringing greens that have overwintered in the ground in greenhouses. We’ve heard from Heron Pond Farm that they’ll be bringing spinach, chard, salad mix, escarole, possibly other greens, and potatoes. The Yankee Fishermen’s Coop learned to expect greater demand and will be bringing a lot more local shrimp and their fresh, affordable lobsters!

March 7, 10am-2pm at the Stratham Town Hall, 10 Bunker Hill Ave

Directions, participating farms, and more information

Help spread the word! Send an email along to coworkers, friends, family members and let them know about this market.

Volunteers needed: help farmers carry in their goods in the morning a get a sneak peek at what is available. Contact kate@seacoasteatlocal.org if you’d like to volunteer.

From Seacoast Eat Local we received the following exciting bulletin:

Northern shrimp, also called native or Maine shrimp, are fast cooking, inexpensive, tasty, very local, and incredibly sustainable. You can buy them at many fish markets all over the seacoast, including Seaport Fish in Rye and Sanders in Portsmouth [and in many other local markets as well]. You’ll also be able to buy them directly from the fishermen at the next winter farmers’ market on February 7th in Exeter. For more information about northern shrimp, including cooking directions and recipe ideas, visit the Slow Food Seacoast blog.

By Charlie French and Ken LaValley

Residents of New Hampshire’s seacoast region can now purchase locally and sustainably-caught shrimp and lobster direct from local fishermen at the Winter Farmers’ Markets. With shrimp and lobster prices at near 20-year lows, this is just the boost that local fishermen need.

New Hampshire’s rich history in commercial fishing has helped to shape the state’s character and sense of community. In fact, commercial fishing has been a vital component of the state’s economy for over two centuries and has grown to a multi-million dollar industry in New Hampshire employing approximately 100 commercial fishermen. Equally important, recent economic studies based on National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) data suggests that New Hampshire’s seafood industry has lead to the creation of approximately 250 jobs in other sectors including food processing, tourism, restaurants, boatyards, etc.

However, the seafood industry is at a critical juncture that will determine its future viability. On the one hand, fishing regulations aimed at protecting declining fish stocks have made it difficult for commercial fishermen to turn a profit. Couple this with rock-bottom prices for shrimp and lobster, commercial fishermen worry that their livelihood is in jeopardy.

The question is; how can the shrimp and lobster industries sustain the resource and increase profits from fish sales? The answer may lie in establishing direct markets for local and sustainably-caught seafood.

This winter, the Yankee Seafood Co-op, based out of Seabrook, New Hampshire, will begin selling shrimp and lobster direct to consumers at Winter Farmers’ Markets sponsored by Seacoast Eat Local. As Bob Campbell, Manager of the co-op explains, the idea is to build stronger links between the commercial fishermen and local fresh markets and area restaurants. And what better venue than a farmers’ market where a variety of locally produced foods can be purchased.

If you are interested in purchasing locally-caught seafood, below are the dates and locations of upcoming farmers markets where pre-packaged shrimp will be available in the Seacoast:
• Saturday, February 7th from 10am-2pm at 21 Front Street, Exeter, New Hampshire
• Saturday, Saturday, March 7, 10am-2pm at Stratham Town Hall, Stratham, New Hampshire

More information about these winter farmers’ markets is available at www.seacoasteatlocal.org