NOFA-NH's September Newsletter

NOFA-NH E-Newsletter: September 2021

Dear Friend of NOFA-NH,

We were grateful to gather at a handful of small, in-person events this summer and will be hosting one more CRAFT event this weekend at North Family Farm!

Unfortunately, due to ongoing concerns about the increasing rates of COVID-19 infection, especially among children, we made the difficult decision to postpone both of our 50th anniversary events to 2022. We extend a huge thank you to our hosts, sponsors, exhibitors, musicians, artists, Board of Directors, staff, volunteers, and those who pre-registered or planned to attend for your commitment to celebrating this milestone with us. We encourage our readers to follow and support those organizations! Learn more here.

Our 20th Annual Winter Conference will also be held virtually on February 6-12, 2022. Thank you to our community for providing feedback through a survey last month!

Pandemic aside, this has been a challenging season for many of us. From drought to heavy rains, pests, plant disease, blows to the northeast organic dairy industry, and more, we are continuing to witness and experience the effects of climate change and the importance of building a resilient food system. As a recent article published in the Concord Monitor outlines, organic farmers face new challenges as we celebrate 50 years of NOFA and look ahead to the next 50 years and beyond.

With your support, we can continue our mission to help people build local, sustainable, healthy food systems and actively promote regenerative, ecologically sound gardening, farming, and land care practices. Join NOFA-NH or renew your membership during our September Member Drive month, participate in our Share the Bounty Day fundraiser for our Farm Share Program on September 19th, or make a donation today.

Yours in Good Health & Healthy Food,

Team NOFA-NH

Table of Contents

Save the Date for NOFA-NH's Winter Conference!
Farm Tour: Sustainable, Certified Organic Maple Production
Closing Up Your Garden: Final Organic Gardening Series Workshop
Northeast Organic Dairies Face a New Threat
Support Our Farm Share Program During National Hunger Action Month!
Migrant Justice Relaunches Dignity Tour
Honorable Harvests
The September UN Food Systems Summit
A Clear Eyed Evaluation of a Failed Food System
Opportunities for Farmers
Recommended Listening
The Natural Farmer: Call for Stories
September Is Member Drive Month
Join Our Fundraising & Marketing Committee!
Meet Our Members: Introducing Sönke Dornblut and Juniper Cottage Bake Shop
Welcome New & Renewing Members
Classifieds, NOFA-NH's Winter Conference Book Store, Upcoming Events, Sponsors

Save the Date for NOFA-NH's Winter Conference!

Our 20th annual Winter Conference will be held February 6-12, 2022! This year's theme is Collaboration & Self Reliance: Building a Stronger NH Food System. Stay tuned for details.

Based on feedback from a community survey and the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 safety, we have decided to host a virtual event again this coming year. We’re looking forward to seeing you for an entire week of workshops and events!

Farm Tour: Sustainable, Certified Organic Maple Production

North Family Farm in Canterbury is one of the state's certified organic maple syrup producers, following the National Organic Program's rules for production and processing and also participating in the NH Seal of Quality program.

On September 18th, join farmers Jill and Tim for a tour of their farm and networking! Learn how they utilize a high efficiency wood fired gasification evaporator and a reverse osmosis process — all using firewood from their sustainably managed woodlot and renewable energy from wind power, solar energy, and biodiesel.

Learn More & Register

Closing Up Your Garden: Final Organic Gardening Series Workshop

Join us for the final workshop of our virtual Feeding the Family Organic Gardening Series on Tuesday, October 12th from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Get ready to close up your garden for winter and learn what organic farmer Ron Christie recommends.

Northeast Organic Dairies Face a New Threat

The prospects for regenerative, sustainable organic farming in the Northeast have been dealt a damaging blow by Danone, the multinational corporation that produces Horizon organic milk and Dannon yogurts.

In late August, Danone notified 89 organic farm families in our region that their milk contracts will be cancelled as of August 31st, 2022. These farms have almost no other options for selling their milk since there are so few bulk buyers and existing organic processing plants & transport systems are already at near capacity. NOFA-NH is actively involved in the coalitions forming to respond to this challenge.

Here’s more information and perspectives:

Support Our Farm Share Program During National Hunger Action Month!

September is National Hunger Action Month, and we're raising funds for NOFA-NH's 2022 Farm Share Program, which helps limited-income NH residents access certified organic CSA shares. You can help support this program in the following ways:

Share the Bounty Day: On Sunday, September 19th, dine in, take out, or shop with Sweet Beet Market + Café, Revival Kitchen & Bar (Sept. 18th), The Works Café, and Warner Public Market. Partner businesses will donate a portion of their sales or a predetermined amount to the Program.

Round It Up: Round up your change when you shop at the Monadnock Food Co-op throughout September. Proceeds will support our Farm Share Program.

Participate in a Flatbread Company Community Bake: Pizza With Purpose in Portsmouth on September 29th. A portion of each flatbread sold will be donated to the Farm Share Program during this fundraiser.

Make a donation directly to the Farm Share Program. Click here to donate!

Migrant Justice Relaunches Dignity Tour

Migrant Justice is a Vermont-based group advocating for food justice and human rights. The group famously campaigned for Ben & Jerry's to join the Milk With Dignity Program – supporting dignified wages, humane labor, and housing conditions for dairy workers – and is currently calling on Hannaford Supermarkets to sign on.

Their 2020 "Dignity Tour" was cut short due to the pandemic, and this October they're relaunching a series of presentations around the northeast to grow the campaign and build the pressure needed to bring Hannaford to the table. Stay tuned for details!

Honorable Harvests

Here’s something to read (or listen to) as you munch on buttery, local, sweet corn this month. From Emergence Magazine, Indigenous scientist and university professor Dr. Robin Kimmerer shares a beautiful, life-affirming vision of what agriculture can be. By thoughtfully contrasting humans’ relationship with corn in two fields in her home state of New York, Dr. Kimmerer draws out the patterns for good or ill that underlie and power so many of our current crises.

The September UN Food Systems Summit

This UN Food Systems Summit is taking place in New York on September 23rd. (You can register to live stream it here.) The first of its kind, this summit will be heavily influenced by corporate-led solutions as it is supported by the World Economic Forum.

Recommended reading:

A Clear Eyed Evaluation of a Failed Food System

Here’s an empowering analysis of what’s wrong with industrial agriculture and why we need to craft and support more sustainable ways of eating, growing, and relating with one another, and with all the beings of this beautiful, living planet.

The Family Farm Action Alliance, who published the analysis, also started a Big Ag Mythbusters blog series. Click here to read "Is Industrial Agriculture Really Climate-Smart and Environmentally Sound?"

Opportunities for Farmers

Organic Cost Share: Producers and handlers can apply for funds to assist with the cost of receiving or maintaining organic certification. Applications due November 1, 2021.

Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2: The USDA's Farm Service Agency is accepting new and modified applications through October 12, 2021.

Recommended Listening

Seeding Liberation on the Land: This enlivening conversation featuring Leah Penniman, Chris Smaje, and Vandana Shiva is about agriculture’s transformative role in restoring healthy relationships between people and between people and the planet.

Real Organic Podcast: Dave Chapman and Linley Dixon, Co-Directors of the Real Organic Project, interview scientists, activists, politicians, and authors engaged in protecting USDA organic food.

The Natural Farmer: Call for Stories

Calling all farmers, gardeners, story-tellers, scientists, conservationists, food justice activists, eaters, visionaries, and the like! The Natural Farmer is looking for content for the Winter 2021 issue.

The theme of this upcoming issue is Forestry, and submissions are due by November 1. Interviews, stories, technical articles, essays, recipes, photos, and more are welcome. If your writing is published in TNF, you will receive a free year subscription to the paper.

Submit Your Piece

Have questions, or want to pitch your idea first? Contact TNF’s editor, Elizabeth Gabriel, at [email protected].

September Is Member Drive Month

Our members support our mission to help people build local, sustainable, healthy food systems by actively promoting regenerative, ecologically sound gardening, farming and land care practices for healthy communities.

We're hosting a members-only raffle at the end of the month with prizes including a free copy of NOFA’s Intro to Organic Lawns and Yards book, 4 dozen eggs from Pete & Gerry's Organic Eggs (3 chances), and a $25 gift card to The Common Man. Join or renew today and help us grow the NOFA-NH Community!

Join Our Fundraising & Marketing Committee!

Our Fundraising & Marketing Committee develops financial resources and implements fundraising activities so that NOFA-NH can increase awareness of the organization and its mission to potential financial contributors including stakeholders, legislators, policy makers and the general public.

We invite passionate and enthusiastic volunteers to join the Fundraising & Marketing Committee or any of our seven other volunteer Board Committees. (Note: You do not have to be a Board Member to join.) Prospective members are welcome to attend a meeting. Contact us for more information!

Meet Our Members: Introducing Sönke Dornblut & Juniper Cottage Bake Shop

NOFA-NH's knowledgeable and passionate members make our organization great. That's why we offer our members with farms and farm-related businesses eligibility to be featured in the 'Meet Our Members' e-news column. Each month, we make our community a little closer by introducing you to someone new. Please contact us if you'd like to be featured!

Welcome New & Renewing Members

Thank you to our NOFA-NH Members who became new members or renewed their memberships in August 2021.

New Members:

Tabor Browder

Renewing Members:

Willa Coroka, Main Street Cheese, SHARA Vineyards, Geraldine Veroneau

Classifieds

Emery Farm Seeks Next Generation Farmers (Durham)

David Hills and Catherine McLaughlin Hills, the tenth generation on the farm, are seeking next generation farmers. Click here to read the full description on New England Farm Finder. Those interested should submit a cover letter and two-page business proposal to Jennifer Wilhelm at [email protected] by October 15, 2021.

For Sale: Greenhouse Bows, Purlins, Braces (Temple)

6 greenhouse bows with 3 purlins and 2 braces. 21’ wide, 11’ to peak, 4’ between bows. New in 2015 from Ledgewood Farm. $150/bow. 2021 price is $235/bow. Must take all six. I’ll disassemble, you pick up. Photos available. Temple, NH. Email [email protected].

NOFA-NH Members may post 1 free Classified per month on our Classifieds page and in this newsletter. Not yet members may post a Classified in the e-news and on our website for $45 per Classified per month. To inquire about this program and to share your Classified with our community, please contact [email protected].

Please Note: The views and opinions expressed in these classifieds are those of our members and sponsors, and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of NOFA-NH, its staff, or Board of Directors. We reserve the right to reject content deemed unsuitable or inappropriate for our readership and distribution.

NOFA-NH's Winter Conference Book Store

Hosted by Main Street Book Ends

MainStreet BookEnds of Warner is a family owned, independent bookstore serving NH since 1998. They share a strong commitment to community, local farmers, children, teachers, local artists and authors, and all who enjoy reading the printed word. MainStreet BookEnds is proud to once again be the bookseller for NOFA-NH’s Winter Conference.

Books by conference presenters and others are available through our Winter Conference Book List! When placing a book order, be sure to write "NOFA-NH" in the comments. As always, 20% of proceeds from book sales go back to support NOFA-NH throughout 2021!