Via Seacoast Local and RiverRun Bookstore:

Seacoast Local and RiverRun Bookstore present Ron and Arnie Koss, authors of The Earth’s Best Story: A Bittersweet Tale of Twin Brothers Who Sparked an Organic Revolution, in the next lecture of the Making the Connection speaker series on Tuesday, May 18.

The Koss brothers founded Earth’s Best Baby Foods, the first nationally distributed organic foods company, 25 years ago. They describe their book as a how-to of entrepreneurship lessons. At the event, they will talk about ideas, reality, and success in the context of creating a bright and sustainable future.

WHAT: Ron and Arnie Koss talk about The Earth’s Best Story: A Bittersweet Tale of Twin Brothers Who Sparked an Organic Revolution at RiverRun Bookstore

WHEN: Tuesday, May 18, at 7 pm

WHERE: RiverRun Bookstore, 20 Congress St., Portsmouth, NH (603-431-2100) and webcast LIVE at www.riverrunbookstore.com!

MORE INFO: Visit the RiverRun website for details about the event. Learn more about the book on the Chelsea Green website.

Seacoast Local’s  Making the Connection series, co-produced by RiverRun Bookstore, serves as a catalyst for continuing education, community connections, and sustainable change for Seacoast residents.

Via Seacoast Eat Local:

Your Organic Vegetable Garden: Managing Pests & Diseases

Many home and community gardeners have taken up growing vegetables in recent years. This rewarding pursuit comes with its own set of challenges. Those vegetables we find so delicious can be equally attractive to a wide range of insects. Understanding the difference between beneficial insects and destructive pests is often difficult. In Your Organic Vegetable Garden: Managing Pests & Diseases, Eric Sideman, Organic Crop Specialist for the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA), will cover the identification of pests and diseases common to growing vegetables. He also will discuss organic methods of prevention and management, with a special focus on identifying and preventing Late Blight.

This event is free and open to the public. It is a collaboration of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA), Seacoast Eat Local, and Seacoast Community Garden Network.

Space is limited. To RSVP or for more information, please email Debra Kam.

WHO: Eric Sideman, Organic Crop Specialist, Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA)

WHERE: Portsmouth Public Library, Hilton Room, 175 Parrott Ave, Portsmouth, NH

WHEN: Tuesday, May 25, 2010, 6–7:30 pm

Some of you may already know Eric Sideman through his informative Pest Reports for MOFGA. Eric earned a B.S. in agriculture from Cornell University, an M.S. in biology from Northeastern University, and a Ph.D. in Botany from the University of New Hampshire. He moved to Maine in 1982 to teach biology and ecology at Bates College. In 1986 he moved on to MOFGA to become what some call “the nation’s first Organic Extension Agent.” He provides technical support for farmers and gardeners, serves as staff scientist for MOFGA, plans and produces educational events for MOFGA and Cooperative Extension, and serves on various agricultural committees for the Maine Department of Agriculture and the University of Maine. From 1997 to 2002 Eric served a term on the National Organic Standards Board, an advisory board to the USDA National Organic Program. Eric has recently moved to New Hampshire, just over the border from Maine, and now MOFGA has a great opportunity to give support to farmers and gardeners a long way from Unity.

Via the Simply Good Food Blog:

An unlikely hero, Joel Salatin is a rural Virginia farmer who has come to symbolize slow food, local food, practical organic farming methods, and no-nonsense ruckus-making. Read about a new Earth Eats interview and videos on the Simply Good Food Blog.

The solution for the climate crisis, the food crisis and the water crisis is the same: biodiversity-based, organic farming systems. —Vandana Shiva

In Resurgence magazine, Vandana Shiva talks about the “water famine” in India that has resulted as a consequence of the Green Revolution—that is, of the switch from traditional farming methods and crops toward chemical agriculture and water-intensive crops. She speaks of falling water levels, disappearing groundwater, widespread drought, and declining soil fertility Issue 259, (March/April 2010).

Shiva’s context is India, but the problem—and the solution—is as global as it is local. Want to know more? Read Water Wisdom on the Resurgence website. Then bring it home by supporting the wise farmers in your community.

(Seacoast Winter Farmers’ Markets continue this Saturday, in Rollinsford! The remaining Seacoast winter markets are listed here.)

Illustration donated by Brenda Drew Designs, www.brendadrewdesigns.com

The Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) New Hampshire Herbal Network (NHHN) 1st Annual Spring Herb and Garden Conference will be held on Saturday, May 22, 2010, at Pine Hill Waldorf School in Wilton, NH.

The conference, entitled Beautiful Earth, “will feature some of New Hampshire’s top herbalists, gardeners, farmers, retailers, crafters, artisans and trades people who support organic growing methods, ecologically friendly products, local food, sustainable agriculture, natural medicine, and community awareness.”

Check out the NOFA–NHHN link for details!

In December, the USDA determined that Monsanto’s genetically engineered (GE) alfalfa met the Obama Administration’s standards, despite the risk of contaminating organic crops … and acknowledgment that GE alfalfa is virtually certain to contaminate normal seeds. Cross-contamination is the number one concern with GE crops.

The USDA is accepting public comments on Monsanto’s application through February 16. Credo Action provides this link to learn more, then quickly and easily (customize and) submit a form message to USDA. Please act now!

Via NOFA-NH:

The theme of this year’s Northeast Organic Farming Association, New Hampshire Chapter (NOFA-NH), Winter Conference is “A Place at the Table”. It encourages everybody to become involved in shaping an organic farming and food future. There is a place at the table for everyone at the NOFA Winter conference, but we are especially encouraged by the prospect of young voices participating in the discussion. Keynote speaker Sharon Astyk will offer a special family-centered workshop on the topic of creating a viable way of life. The conference has many informational sessions that would be relevant to future farmers and consumers interested in organic food and farming. In addition, there is a special track for youth presented by youth.

Early registration discounts are available through February 26.

WHEN: Saturday March 6, 2010

WHERE: Rundlett Middle School, Concord, NH

CONTACT: Winter Conference Coordinator Scott Morrison, (603) 226-9434, WinterConference@nofanh.org, NOFA-NH website

UNH Cooperative Extension announces a meeting and workshop on growing small fruit (blueberries/raspberries) and vegetable on Thursday, August 20, 2009 form 5:15 pm till 7:30 PM.

The event will be hosted by Ron and Lois Laurence, Blueberry Bay Farm at 38 Depot Road, Stratham, NH

Topics are:
- Integrated Pest Management
- Transitioning to Organic farming
- Cultural practices
- Update on insects, diseases on blueberries, raspberries and mixed vegetables
- Organic, natural pesticides and alternatives
- Biological control
- Bird and netting control

Sponsored by:
UNH Cooperative Extension, Rockingham County, Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA-NH), NH Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food and Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Speakers from UNH Cooperative Extension are: Alan Eaton, Entomology and Integrated Pest Management Specialist, Becky Grube, Sustainable Horticulture Specialist, Cheryl Smith, Plant Health Specialist, Nada Haddad Agriculture Extension Educator and Janis Connor, Agriculture Inspector with the NH Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food

The meeting  was approved for 2 (two) pesticide re-certification credits (Private and Commercial)

The twilight meeting is open to all and there is no cost to attend; registration not required. Rain or shine
For more information call UNH Cooperative Extension: Deb Stevens or Nada Haddad @ 679-5616 or visit www.extension.unh.edu Persons requiring specialaccommodations should call two weeks prior to the event so that proper consideration can be given to the request.

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Nada Haddad
Extension Educator, Agricultural Resources
University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension       Rockingham County
113 North Road
Brentwood, NH 03833-6623

Phone: (603) 679-5616
Fax: (603) 679-8070
e-mail: Nada.Haddad@unh.edu
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Need weekend plans? Want to set winter aside for a day and think about green and growing things?

The Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Hampshire’s 6th Annual Winter Conference takes place this Saturday. Local And Organic: The Sustainable Future, takes place Saturday March 1, 2008 at the Winnisquam Regional High School, 433 W. Main St in Tilton, New Hampshire from 8:00 am–5:30 pm.

Tod Murphy, owner of The Farmer’s Diner, will Keynote. Tod will be introduced by our new Agricultural Commissioner, Lorraine Merrill. We have 36 workshops running all day. Speakers include Mark Fulford, Julie Rawson, David Yarrow, Mike Collins, Robert King, Dan Kittredge and other many other presenters from the Northeast who will offer their experience and expertise.

The following authors will present workshops: Paul Tukey (The Organic Lawn Care Manual and People, Places & Plants magazine), Ron Krupp (The Woodchuck’s Guide To Gardening), Linda Faillace (Mad Sheep: The True Story Behind the USDA’s War on a Family Farm) and Ross Conrad (Natural Beekeeping: Organic Approaches to Modern Apiculture)

The conference will feature an all day Market Fair (60+ vendors) from 9:00 am until 5:00 pm, plus a raffle. The Market Fair and raffle are open to the public.

More information at http://www.nofanh.org/calendar.html