Celebrate Your Food Independence & Interdependence
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July
4th is ripe with opportunities to celebrate both our food independence and interdependence.
Food Independence: Celebrate our access to local food from farms, backyard gardens, CSAs, farmers' markets, and other local markets. Plan your 4th of July menu to include local food: pasture-raised chicken, grass-fed beef and pork, local cheese, and in-season fruits & veggies.
Food Interdependence: Celebrate the connections with our farmers, gardeners, and neighbors who share their abundance, along with the plants, soil, pollinators, ...and let's not forget the weather.
In this issue -
Learn More About Our Food System:
Also In This Issue:
Enjoy the harvest!
Jen Risley Hannah Grimes Center Program Coordinator Monadnock Localvores Steering Committee Member
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Monadnock Localvore Project: Yard to Garden Workshop Sunday, July 12, 2-4pm, Keene
Rob
& Sandy Hamm, garden enthusiasts, will offer a tour of their Keene
yard that includes raised garden beds, edible perennials, rainwater
catchment, compost, and more all in a 0.23 acre lot! Rob is a Master
Gardener, so bring your questions. Jen Risley, Program Coordinator at the Hannah Grimes Center, will also
share how she is slowly converting her yard to edible gardens using
permaculture principles. All will share tools and resources that have
helped them grow their own 'Yardens of Eating'.
This
workshop
is open to 10 participants, so please register early. Sliding scale
fee is $5-10. Click here to
register. Directions to the workshop will follow your registration. For
more information, email jen@hannahgrimes.com or call 603-352-5063.
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View the 2009 Monadnock Localvore Calendar. |
Rosaly's Garden and Farmstand
P.
O. Box 210, Peterborough, NH 03458-0210
603-924-3303 RosalyBass@aol.com By Jan Sevene
Local vegetables and fruits are fresh and nutritious. To
assure they are grown in a healthy and sustainable environment, we're often reminded:
"get to know the farmer." Rosaly Bass, master
gardener and owner of Rosaly's Garden and Farmstand, is one farmer you will
want to know. In business for over
thirty years, her 16-acre Rosaly's Garden is the oldest and second largest Certified
Organic Farm in New Hampshire. And because every vegetable, fruit, herb and
flower sold at the farmstand is grown right on the farm, each is guaranteed
organic.
"People just love the farmstand. It's convenient right
on Rte. 123. It's organic food. And, Rosaly puts her heart and soul into it,"
says Donna White," the farm's bookkeeper, herself a first-year gardener who uses
Bass's book on successful organic gardening as her guide.
Every day from mid-May to Columbus Day, 9:00 a.m. to
6:00 p.m., with numerous locally-made foods and crafts, Rosaly's Farmstand
offers mounds of tasty, farm-fresh, colorful and seasonal vegetables, fruits
and herbs, plus fresh flowers. These encompass 90% of the farm's produce. The
additional 10% continues to provide for the community, sold to local markets,
health food stores, restaurants and schools.
Scissors, baskets, or containers of water are provided for
Rosaly's Garden customers, to harvest the vegetables, herbs, berries or flowers
of their choice. The adventure of a scavenger
hunt delights children searching for small plaster animals hiding among the culinary
and medicinal herbs.
Get to know Rosaly Bass (see NOFA NH Organic Garden & Farm Tour). For
more information on the many ways to get farm-fresh food from Rosaly's Garden
and Farmstand, and learn about the informative book and video series on organic
gardening by Master Gardener Rosaly Bass, visit www.rosalysgarden.com.
Other farm-direct vegetables:
Keene Farmers' Market
Tuesdays and Saturdays
9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Gilbo Ave.
Keene, NH
Green Wagon Farm
Bill Jarrell
Upper Court St.
Keene, NH
603-355-3258
Fresh From the Farm FlyerJune: Eggplant
As a member of the nightshade family-along with tomatoes, bell peppers, and potatoes - eggplants add their own unique flavor and texture to the mix. While eggplants are a good source of fiber, potassium and B vitamins, they also pack a hefty antioxidant punch.
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Winnipesaukee Chocolates at Hannah Grimes Marketplace NH-Made Chocolate That Gives Back
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Water,
chocolate and love... these are what Sally Cornwell and Jonathan Walpole from Wolfeboro wanted to bring
together when they created Winnipesaukee Chocolates and it is why they
have chosen to donate 10% of their profits to work towards the
preservation of the lake and the area surrounding it. They also work
with local suppliers wherever possible, and sell through locally owned
and independently run stores, so you can know that each time you
purchase one of Winnipesaukee Chocolates, you are helping to support a
strong, vibrant and spirited community in the Lakes Region. Don't forget to look for new localvore shelf labels at the Hannah Grimes Marketplace to highlight products grown within 150 miles of Keene. Each label includes the farm and town where each product was grown or processed.
5% of all Marketplace food profits go to the Monadnock Localvore Project Education Initiatives.
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Local Needs & Offerings
Kefir Grains Wanted: Looking for a local source of kefir grains.
jen@hannahgrimes.com.
Stonewall Fall Camp Openings:
Summer
Camp is filling fast, but we still have some room for Peepers & Tadpoles! (Ages 4 and 5). Peepers and Tadpoles delight in getting to know the farm
animals, exploring the gardens and surrounding forests, and making new friends.
Structured activity and well-supervised free exploration are carefully balanced
to provide a fun and welcoming early experience on the farm. Campers must be
able to use a bathroom independently. $210/ child; $195/
child for members. Call Rebecca at
603-357-7278 to register.
NH Raw Milk Listing: Available at http://www.realmilk.com/where3.html#nh.
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Wicked Greens Soup From Katrina Hall, She's In the Kitchen Blog
This is one of those powerhouse soups - loaded with gorgeous greens and mint fresh from the garden. Sometimes I make it with English peas, but today I opted for some sweet potato instead.
I began by filling a bowl with all the freshest greens I had, which included a box of mixed salad greens with baby spinach, arugula, and radicchio; then some new scallions ( green onions), baby kale, and mint. Something like that, you have to breathe in a heady whiff of garden greens - oh, it is intoxicating! It cooked up in no time, and, served with crusty sourdough bread and melting mozzarella, was perfect for this rainy day.
To make: 3 cups water 3/4 cup diced, peeled sweet potato 4 trimmed scallions, sliced 2 cups torn kale, no stems 2 handfuls salad greens ( mostly spinach) 1 T. olive oil salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste 1/3 cup chopped mint 1 minced garlic clove a pinch of nutmeg
Simmer potato in the water until just tender. Add the greens, scallions, olive oil, garlic, and salt and pepper and simmer for ten minutes. Take off heat, add the nutmeg and mint, and blend, using an immersion blender, or a regular blender. Taste carefully, adding more pepper or salt as needed. Serve with warm, crusty bread and cheese.
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Celebrate Independents Week: Keene Buy Local Initiative July 1 - 7, Downtown Keene The Keene Downtown Group (KDG) joins other nationwide groups in declaring the week of July 1-7, 2009 Independents Week. KDG will celebrate our independence by kicking off the Keene Buy Local Initiative: 10% Shift during this week. If our community commits to shifting 10% of our spending to locally owned businesses, three times more money will stay in our local economy!
Keene Independents Week Events: July 1 - 5: Find Your Independents Scavenger Hunt. Everyone is invited to participate in an ongoing scavenger hunt at local downtown businesses. Pick up scavenger hunt materials at Hannah Grimes Marketplace, Life is Sweet, Ted's Shoes, Keene Fresh Salad, Monadnock Imaging, and Good Fortune starting on July 1st. Complete the scavenger hunt and return it to Life is Sweet Candy Store , 93 Main St. to be entered into a raffle drawing on Sunday, July 5th. Wednesday, July 1st, 12:00pm: Independents Week Kick-Off. Keene Mayor Dale Pregent will officially kick-off the Keene Buy Local Initiative at the Central Square Gazebo by proclaiming that Keene Independents Week has begun. Come show support for local businesses by wearing your LOCAL 03431 T-shirt. Thursday, July 2nd, 6 - 7pm: Film at Prime Roast. Watch a screening of the film documentary, LEGACY about multi-generational family businesses with local film producer, Jim Howard. More information at http://www.hannahgrimes.com/Projects/multi-generational-family-business-project. Friday, July 3rd, 5 - 7pm: Taste of Downtown Keene on Main St. Enjoy free samples from local restaurants and snack purveyors at participating downtown businesses. Saturday, July 4th 9am - 2pm: Plants We Eat. Come to the Farmers' Market of Keene to celebrate Food Independents Day with an abundance of local produce, crafts, and a special children's activity "Plant Parts We Eat" game from 9am-12pm.
What is the 10% Shift?
The 10% Shift website states that if the five million households of New England shifted 10% of their annual budget to local and independently owned businesses, New England would see extraordinary results. Expanded Job Creation - Create 48,000 new jobs created which would decrease the New England unemployment rate by 1.5%. Economic Growth - Generate over $5 billion of increased economic activity in New England. Find out more about the 10% Shift.
Stonewall Farm Plants We Eat Activity Saturday, July 4, 9am - Noon Farmers' Market of Keene
Children and their
caretakers can participate in these fun and educational activities. Play the
game "What Part Do You Eat?" and enjoy a reading of "How
Groundhog's Garden Grew". Future kids' activities at the Farmers Market: August 1st: Chickens;
September 5th: Bees; October 3rd: Apple time.
Farm to Table Twilight Meeting Tuesday, July 7, 6:30 - 8:30 pm Monadnock Berries, Troy
Whether you grow them, pick them, cook with them, or just enjoy eating them, blueberries are an ingredient of summer that all New Englanders savor. Join us for an evening tour to see the growing and harvesting techniques used at Monadnock Berries and learn more about ways for local restaurants to connect with local growers.
Becky Grube, Horticulture Specialist with UNH Cooperative Extension will be available to answer growers' questions and Gail McWilliam Jellie of the NH Dept of Agriculture will be available to discuss opportunities for restaurants and local growers to connect with the new NH Virtual Farmers Market, NH Farm to Restaurant Connection, and how both farmers and restaurant owners alike can get involved with the first annual NH Eat Local Month coming up in August 2009! There is no fee but registration is appreciated. Please call 603-352-4550 for more information or to let us know you are interested in attending.
NOFA NH Organic Garden & Farm Tour Thursday, July 9, 6pm Rosaly's Garden, Peterborough Rosaly's Garden has more than 120 varieties of organic vegetables for your
table, a full acre of flowers to brighten your day, pick-your-own strawberries, raspberries, blueberries,
flowers and herbs, and bedding plants for your garden.
Rosaly's is the second largest
Certified Organic Farm in New Hampshire and is the oldest
certified organic farm in the state.
is the oldest certified organic farm in NH, and one of the largest. More info at 603-224-5022, info@nofanh.org, http://www.rosalysgarden.com.
Fun on the Farm: National Ice Cream Day Sunday, July 19, 11am - 2pm Stonewall Farm, Keene
We'll be celebrating National Ice Cream Day with scooped ice cream from Connolly Brother's of Temple, NH, small animal tours, refreshments, hayrides and more, plus the Farm Stand will be open 10-7. Admission is free!
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Preparing the Harvest: Pickles
Tuesday, July 21, 6:00pm Herban Living Environmental Education Center, Temple
Make real, traditional pickles by lacto-fermenting, $5/person, RSVP preferred: 603-878-0459; http://www.herbanlivingbandb.com/SpecEvent.htm.
Stay Tuned: August is NH Eat Local Month |
July 4th: The Fourth on the Farm Saturday, July 4, 12 - 4pm New Hampshire Farm Museum, Milton
Join us for an old-fashioned Independence Day. Play croquet, enjoy strawberry shortcake, music, children's activities and more. $6 adult, $3 child, members free; 603-652-7840; http://www.farmmuseum.org.
Colonial Adventures on the Farm Day Camp Monday-Friday, July 6-10, 9am- 3pm New Hampshire Farm Museum, Milton
For children 7-11 years old. Kids explore farm life in colonial times during this week-long program. Cook over the open fire, care for our farm animals, churn butter, learn to weave, write with quill pens, play colonial games and much more. Each child will take on the role of a colonial farm child and have the opportunity to roleplay in period clothing. Registration required: $165/ $150 members; 603-652-7840; http://www.farmmuseum.org.
Cherry FestivalSunday, July 12, 9am - 2pmOutlook Farm, Westhampton, MA Featuring Outlook's black, red, and yellow super sweet CHERRIES. Home-made Cherry bakery items, Cherry Ice Cream, Tag sale, kid's crafts and activities, games, music, raffles, and a Summer BBQ. Details at www.outlookfarm.com.
Foraging for Wild Edibles Sunday, July 12, 2-5pm Belchertown, MA
Join expert forager Russ Cohen as we discover more than 2 dozen of the 150 species of Massachusetts' edible wild plants. This workshop aims to teach you how to enjoy nature while nibbling on the trail and is not meant for unsustainable commercial harvesting. NOFA Members: $14 Non-members: $17. For complete information and to register online visit http://www.nofamass.org or call Tom at 781-894-4358; seedpotato@yahoo.com.
Learn To Make Butter & More From Raw Milk Thursday, July 23, 1-4pm Hope Roots Farm, Westminster, VT
Learn how to make butter, cultured buttermilk, yogurt, cheese, & more from raw milk. Class hosted by Rural Vermont, and taught by Bianca Fernandez of Hope Roots Farm. All proceeds benefit Rural Vermont. To sign up or for more info, call Rural Vermont at (802) 223-7222 or email shelby@ruralvermont.org.
Local Foods Night Thursday, July 30, 7pm Gibson's Bookstore, Concord
August is Eat Local Foods Month in New Hampshire. To start it off right, we're convening a panel to discuss why the local foods option is healthy, affordable, good for the economy, and good for the environment. The panel will present great books (for beginners and committed locavores alike) to help and encourage you. So please join Ruth Smith, Outreach Coordinator for the Concord Cooperative Market; Larry Pletcher, owner of the Vegetable Ranch LLC and President of Local Harvest CSA; Elizabeth Obelenus, Program Coordinator for Northeast Organic Farming Association; and Ruth Owen, co-owner of Owen Farm in Hopkinton, for a spirited discussion. We'll have lots of books to show you, all of which will be 20% off during the event. Come prepared to listen, to teach, to debate. More info: 603-224-0562.
Tour de Farms Saturday, August 1 Boston Urban Farm Loop, MA
Part of the MassBike Spin Series, visit urban farms in Roxbury and Dorchester, community farms in the Blue Hills, Waltham, and Newton, and Boston's oldest commercial farm. You'll also get a chance to sample fresh, locally grown food, learn of the benefits of local agriculture, and how you can actively support these efforts.
Ride either the 15-mile, Boston Urban Farm Loop, or 40-mile, Community Farm Loop. Rain or Shine. Both rides will be led by experienced riders and there will be technical support in the case of flat tires - but please be sure to bring extra tubes and tools! There is a $10 registration fee.
NOFA Summer Conference Friday - Sunday, August 7-9 University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA Saturday keynoter, Will Allen will speak on Saturday, August 8th at 7:00 pm. Unfortunately, many still think of organic, healthy food as something that is an option only for the elite few who can afford to pay higher prices. Will believes that we can change that, and he has made it his life's work to show people how.Why you should Attend? 34 years of outstanding conferences. You don't want to miss the 35th. Here are some of the reasons why: Over 170 workshops on organic farming, gardening and land care, homesteading, sustainability, nutrition, spirituality, food politics, activism, and much, much more; http://www.nofasummerconference.org.
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Food Independence Day From Kitchen Gardeners International
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50 states. 50 governors. 50 first families celebrating July 4 with locally sourced food.
That's the vision of a grassroots group of individuals, passionate
about the healthful and economic benefits of local food, who recently
launched a petition asking the nation's 50 governors to help declare
their food independence next month by eating a locally sourced meal on
Independence Day.
Kitchen Gardeners International, with support from the Institute for
Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) Food and Society Fellows, has
launched Food Independence Day to educate and encourage consumers to source local and sustainable
ingredients for their holiday meals and to request that their governors
do the same.
For more information and to sign to the petition, individuals can visit http://foodindependenceday.org.
What is a Regional Food System?Building a more locally based, self-reliant food
economy goes beyond working farms and gardens. It includes the infrastructure that supports food production, processing, and distribution, while considering the economic,
environmental and social health of an area.
Developing a Vibrant and Sustainable Regional Food System Economic and social development · builds health and wealth through regional networks · increases capacity and connection for local residents · is based on local vision framed by diverse community members
Farm-based business growth and development · is sustainable with respect to profit and environment · connects history, place, and community · is based on collaboration, communication and commerce
Landscape · maximizes diversity of crops and livestock · utilizes perennial crops and polycultures · realizes improvements to soil, water and air quality · has riparian areas that provides wildlife and water quality benefits
The workforce · is healthy, respected, well-trained, and paid fairly · contributes to overall community
Local government · strengthens the regional food system by using economic development tools · facilitates the expansion of local markets for local agricultural products
Processing, retail, and other food-related industries · meet diverse value-added needs · are geographically accessible and supported by federal/state policies · provide assistance to connect food establishments with consumers, producers, and processors
Storage and distribution infrastructure · are readily available, efficient, economical, and geographically and culturally accessible · are flexible in handling diverse products and quantities · are ecologically sound and owned within the region
Education and research assistance · encourages, supports and assists regional food value chains and networks · disseminates needed information · is provided by state universities, community colleges, and NGOs The workforce · is healthy, respected, well-trained, and paid fairly · contributes to overall community
Rural and city quality of life · increases choices and opportunities · increases ownership, empowerment, and relationships throughout the food system · connects fresh, healthy, and local food to rural and urban citizens
Urban Farming's Incredible, Edible Wall An urban farming project in New York's Harlem grows food on rooftops and walls.
Watch this video.
Urban Farming's mission is to create an abundance of food for people in
need by planting gardens on unused land and space while increasing
diversity, educating youth, adults and seniors and providing an
environmentally sustainable system to uplift communities.
Happy Fourth of July & Enjoy the Harvest!
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Monadnock Localvore Project 2009 Sponsors
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