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NOFA-NH E-Newsletter: June 2022
Dear Friend of NOFA-NH, 

Summer is nearly here, bringing with it the beginnings of an abundant season of local, fresh, and delicious foods. While we have much to be grateful for in our organic farming community this time of year, we also acknowledge that the news has been heavy this past month. The recent mass shooting in Buffalo, NY took the lives of 10 people and left 3 individuals wounded at the hands of a white supremacist. No one should die while grocery shopping. The Buffalo Food Equity Network (BFEN) and their partners put out a media advisory calling for an end to white supremacy and anti-blackness, acknowledging the roles that both intentional and systemic racism, in addition to food insecurity and historic disinvestment in Black communities played in this horrific attack. To invest in Black-led organizations working to end food apartheid and violence in Buffalo, visit this list.

You can find a list of Black-owned businesses to support right in New Hampshire here. Continue to celebrate the Black community in the Granite State by joining The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire for a Juneteenth event.
 
June is National Dairy Month - please join us in celebrating and supporting the dynamic and vibrant local, organic dairies of the Granite State for the month of June and beyond. All month long, we are sharing our guide to “Keeping NH Dairy Heritage Beautiful, Delicious, & Strong” on our Instagram and Facebook pages.
 
June is also Pride Month! The Queer Farmer Network is highlighting LGBTQIA+ farmers across the country on their Instagram all month long. You can donate to the Queer Farmer Network, who is raising funds to cover the cost of travel and registration for QTBIPOC farmers to their Queer Farmer Convergence, here

With local strawberries popping up across farmers’ markets, food co-ops, and pick-your-own farms, the first tastes of the summer season are making their way to our plates. Now is a great time to review the 2022 EWG’s “Dirty Dozen” Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce — strawberries are at the top of the list! To avoid exposure to these pesky pesticides, buy organic whenever possible and ask your local farmers about their growing practices.

To visit local producers, you can check out local food guides from organizations like the Merrimack County Conservation District and Seacoast Harvest. Looking for organic produce? Visit our Organic Farm & Food Map to locate certified organic produce, dairy, meat, and more. For an even deeper dive into the gifts of the season, explore Indigenous NH’s Summer Harvest Calendar. 

NOFA-NH is gearing up to bring you lots of great programming this summer, including the first of our 2022 CRAFT Tours, 50th Anniversary Events, and the NOFA Summer Conference. We look forward to seeing you there! 

Until then, happy growing! 

Yours in Good Health & Healthy Food, 

Team NOFA-NH 
Table of Contents
  • Last Chance: Fill Out the Voice of Our Members Survey by 6/19  
  • CRAFT Tour at Stout Oak Farm 7/14 
  • Registration for 50th Anniversary Events is Open! 
  • Conversations with the Founders: Gary Hirshberg 
  • NOFA Summer Conference 
  • NH Juneteenth Celebrations 
  • Racial Equity in Farm to School  
  • Seacoast Eats Local Seeks Market Vendors 
  • National Farmers’ Market Poster Contest 
  • USDA Accepting Applications to Help Cover Costs of Organic, Transitioning Producers in NH  
  • More Positive Developments at the USDA  
  • NH Food Hub Network Signs Memorandum of Understanding 
  • National Dairy Month Highlight: The Milk with Dignity Program 
  • NESAWG Conference RFP Now Open 
  • Jumping Worms in NH: Identifying Invasives 
  • FSNE's Network Leadership Institute is Back! Apply by June 20 
  • New Entry Sustainable Farming Project Crop Production Course 
  • Unsustainable Global Food Chains, Organic Spotlight, & the Tragedy in Ukraine 
  • Farm & Food Toolkits 
  • GMOs - Myths, Facts, and Advocacy
  • June Recipe: Strawberry Shrub 
  • Funding Opportunities 
  • Food System Jobs 
  • Meet our Members: Joanne Cottam of Fowl Manor Farm 
  • Welcome New & Renewing Members
  • Classifieds, Upcoming Events, Sponsors & Advertisers
Last Chance: Fill Out the Voice of Our Members Survey by 6/19 
We’ve extended the deadline to fill out the Voice of Our Members Survey to Sunday, June 19th! There’s still time to share your thoughts on our programs, educational offerings, policy priorities, and more. The estimated time to complete the survey is about 5-7 minutes. 

Take the survey here. We appreciate your feedback today and always! 
CRAFT Tour at Stout Oak Farm 7/14
We are excited to announce our first Collaborative Regional Alliances for Farmer Training (CRAFT) tour of the 2022 season! CRAFT is a national program of small, independent regional alliances focused on peer-to-peer training for farmers, farm workers, interns and apprentices. 

Join NOFA-NH and farmer Kate Donald on July 14th for a tour of Stout Oak Farm and learn more about various strategies for recordkeeping and team development to improve long-term planning on your farm! Tours are free for farmers, farm workers and NOFA-NH members. Pricing for all other learners is based on a sliding scale, from $5-15. Pre-registration is required. 
 
Registration for 50th Anniversary Events is Open! 
Join us for a delicious, local, and organic centered farm to table dinner and fundraiser at Colby Hill Inn on Saturday, August 27th from 4:00 PM – 9:30 PM, and spend an afternoon with us at an outdoor, family friendly pizza party with live music and a farm tour on Saturday, October 1st from 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM at Brookford Farm.

Discover our 50th anniversary archive, find more details, and register for these events at www.nofanh.org/50thanniversary
Conversations with the Founders  
In the months leading up to our 50th Anniversary Celebration, we invite you to celebrate and reflect on 50 years of the Northeast Organic Farming Association through our "Conversations with the Founders" video series. For the month of June, we are featuring our interview with Gary Hirshberg, an early Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) volunteer, and early partner in the successful dairy company, Stonyfield. 
NOFA Summer Conference Registration is Open!
The 48th annual NOFA Summer Conference is scheduled to be in person at Hampshire College in Amherst, MA August 5-7. The conference theme is Decolonizing and Regrowing Food Systems – The Work of Our Time, and we hope you’ll join us to explore this and many other rich topics with your peers. 

Register here
NH Juneteenth Celebrations 
Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. From its Galveston, Texas origin in 1865, the observance of June 19th as the African American Emancipation Day has spread across the United States and beyond. In 2021, Juneteenth was made a federal holiday.  

This month across NH, Juneteenth celebrations will take place honoring Black culture, art, music, and food: 
  


Racial Equity in Farm to School 
The Farm to School Coalition of NC and CEFS Farm to School Initiative are hosting a FREE five-session training series on Racial Equity in Farm to School, starting June 21st and running to October 25th. This training is sure to be filled with important information, compelling discussions, and accessible action items. 


For questions, contact Kirsten Blackburn, [email protected]
Seacoast Eat Local Seeks Farmers’ Market Vendors 
Seacoast Eat Local is seeking farmers' market vendors for their 4 summer farmers' markets located in Durham, Dover, Exeter, and Portsmouth. Farmers interested in becoming a farmers’ market vendor or learning more, need only to complete the new vendor inquiry form on the Seacoast Eat Local website and they will be in touch once a submission is received. Any further questions about markets can be directed to their market manager at [email protected].  
National Farmers Market Poster Contest
The Farmers Market Coalition is teaming up with Farm Aid to bring back the National Farmers Market Poster Contest! After a couple year hiatus due to the pandemic, this annual contest celebrating the creativity and diversity of America’s farmers markets by showcasing market posters on a national level is returning. 

The 2022 National Farmers Market Poster Contest will be open from June 15th – July 15th. Winners will be announced during National Farmers Market Week, August 7th – 13th. 
USDA Accepting Applications to Help Cover Costs of Organic, Transitioning Producers in NH 
Agricultural producers and handlers who are certified organic, along with producers and handlers who are transitioning to organic production, can now apply for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Organic and Transitional Education Certification Program (OTECP) and Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP), which help producers and handlers cover the cost of organic certification, along with other related expenses. Applications for OTECP and OCCSP are both due October 31, 2022. 
More Positive Developments at the USDA
There were some encouraging announcements from the USDA in June relative to support for organic, independent regional food systems. These included an increase in funds for specialty crop (fruit and vegetable!) growers, local processing and distribution, plus improved access to fresh local foods for both food insecure people and Farm to School/Institutional purchasers.

Read these 3 summaries from advocacy organizations below:   

 


NH Food Hub Network Signs Memorandum of Understanding 
“On May 13, six New Hampshire based food hubs came together at the 2022 NH Food System Statewide Gathering to sign a Memorandum of Understanding they developed through a five month mediated process, formalizing the NH Food Hub Network that has been in progress for over two years. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is a document that lays out the expectations of a relationship between two or more parties. While not a legally-binding contract, a MOU creates a foundation of trust, cementing positive working relationships between each food hub, launching the network into a future of collaborative endeavors.” 

National Dairy Month Highlight: The Milk with Dignity Program
National Dairy Month is about more than supporting the dairies and animals that get the dairy products we know and love to our tables. Our ever-increasing demand for dairy has caused the industry to rely on unsustainable, large-scale industrialization that is unhealthy for people, animals, and planet.

Milk with Dignity is a worker-driven program bringing about a new day in the dairy industry. Migrant Justice calls on dairy companies to ensure respect for human rights in their supply chains by joining the Milk with Dignity program.

On International Workers’ Day, hundreds of organizers participated in 30 Milk with Dignity actions at Hannaford Supermarkets across the Northeast, calling on the grocery chain to take responsibility for the rights and well-being of the farmworkers behind its store-brand milk. More recently on June 12, over 100 farmworkers and allies turned out for an energetic and spirited picket at a Hannaford supermarket in Williston, VT.
 
Interested in getting involved? Learn how to take action – both by yourself and in a group – at your local Hannaford store to consistently show your solidarity with farmworkers' fight for Milk with Dignity! Check out this guide and start taking action today! 
 
NESAWG Conference RFP Now Open 
The Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (NESAWG) conference will take place November 3 - 5, 2022 in Providence, RI. Organizers seek session proposals that tackle systemic issues with engaging activities and presentations that prioritize the leadership and voices of those most impacted by the issue discussed. This year's theme will be Creating Food Systems Change Rooted in Love. Priority will be given to sessions presented by traditionally underrepresented groups (people under 25, people of color, immigrants, women, low and moderate income people, people with disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ people) which directly address some aspect of inequity in the food system. Submission deadline is July 1, 2022. Submit here
Jumping Worms in NH: Identifying Invasives
First reported in New Hampshire about five years ago, jumping worms have spread fast in the Granite State, although the most severe infestations remain further south. 

Still, plant sales in New Hampshire and Maine this year have been cancelled or adapted due to the infestation of these snake-like worms.
 
While most earthworms are beneficial to soil health, jumping worms (Amynthas spp.) are an invasive earthworm that has the potential to dramatically change soil structure, impact forest ecology, and reduce biodiversity.
  
This UNH Extension article can help you identify these invasive worms, the impact they could have on our native plants and animals, and steps to prevent their spread. If you suspect you have jumping worms on your land, you can report it to NHbugs.org
FSNE's Network Leadership Institute is Back! Apply by June 20
The FSNE Network Leadership Institute offers skill-building and network-building, connecting leaders with one another and the FSNE network and engaging them in the growing alignment around a shared vision and values for our New England food system. 
 
FSNE will again be selecting a diverse group of values-motivated food system leaders who demonstrate deep engagement with and commitment to the New England food system for an immersive, experiential program designed to maximize learning and growth, reflection and connection, and inspiration and renewal. 
 
New Entry Sustainable Farming Project Crop Production Course
This 8-week course covers essential topics related to sustainable crop production, enabling participants to grow food while caring for the soil at the farm or in the garden. Half-off Scholarships are available to people of color, veterans, and applicants with incomes below a certain threshold! The online course will run 7/14 - 9/1 on Thursdays from 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM. 

Unsustainable Global Food Chains, Organic in the Spotlight, and the Tragedy in Ukraine 
Here’s an article offering more evidence for the importance of building and participating in localized, organic food systems. 

Another article explores how the war in Ukraine has the potential to affect food security in the EU, imports of organic food and feed crops, and food and farming policy. 
Farm & Food Toolkits
Several wonderful advocacy organizations have recently released toolkits and handbooks, covering topics such as land access, policy and advocacy, and the 2023 Farm Bill. Visit them below! 



GMOs - Myths, Facts and Advocacy 
GM Watch, a British NGO that serves as a news service on genetic engineering, has just put out a 30 page booklet – GMO- Myths and Facts by Claire Robinson. The booklet summarizes the arguments and evidence against GMOs. You can also watch a video in which Robinson dives into this topic here.  

Want to keep new GMOs strictly regulated? You can sign a petition to do just that which Slow Food is circulating to the EU Commission here
Alfalfa
June Recipe: Strawberry Shrub
June means strawberries in NH! Make this simple, gut friendly shrub and shake it up in your cocktails, mocktails, or even drizzle it on vanilla ice cream for a National Dairy Month treat! 

Ingredients

1 pound strawberries, stems removed and halved 

½ cup raw, local honey 

½ cup raw apple cider vinegar 

Pinch salt 


Preparation

In a medium, nonreactive saucepot, add the strawberries. Mash with a potato masher or fork, and cook over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes.

Remove strawberries from heat and allow to cool.  

Once cooled, add in honey, vinegar, and salt. Cover and allow to sit overnight.
 
The next morning, blend the shrub using an immersion blender, blender, or food processor. Store in glass jars in the refrigerator with plastic tops (the acidity will destroy metal lids; alternatively, place a square of parchment over your jar before adding a metal lid). 

Add a few tablespoons of the shrub to your favorite cocktails, or sparkling water, and enjoy!  
Funding Opportunities
The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC) has a second round of our Dairy Marketing and Branding Services Grants now open. This grant program will provide funds for established value-added dairy processors and producer associations to access professional marketing and branding services to elevate value-added dairy businesses. 

North Country Farm and Food Mini-Grant, proposals due June 28 
Northern Community Investment Corporation (NCIC) requests proposals from farm and food producers located in Carroll, Coos, Grafton and Sullivan Counties who seek funding to make investments in the following areas: equipment for efficient food production and harvesting, food storage infrastructure, equipment for value-added food production, packaging and labeling, and supplies. 

Applications must focus on approaches that promote transformational changes in the U.S. food and agriculture system. NIFA seeks creative and visionary applications that take a systems approach for projects are expected to significantly improve the supply of affordable, safe, nutritious, and accessible agricultural products, while fostering economic development and rural prosperity in America. 

Funds are available for projects that mitigate the impact of agriculture on climate change and enhance the on-farm adaptations to projected climate conditions. Preference will be given to projects that can demonstrate strong potential in mitigation and adaptation. Contact your local conservation district for more information or visit their website to view the full Request for Proposals and Application.
  
Northeast SARE 2023 Preproposals, preproposals due August 2 
Research and Education, Research for Novel Approaches, and Professional Development Grant Programs Accepting Preproposals through 5 p.m. EST on August 2, 2022. A webinar exploring all three large grant programs will take place at noon on June 23, 2022.   
Food System Jobs
Meet Our Members:
Joanne Cottam of Fowl Manor Farm
NOFA-NH's knowledgeable and passionate members make our organization great. That's why we offer our members with farms and food-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 May 2022.

New Members:

Renewing Members:
Willow Hill Farm
Classifieds
Cedar Circle Farm & Education Center seeks Retail Manager (East Thetford, VT) 
Posted June 8, 2022: Cedar Circle Farm & Education Center is seeking a Retail Manager to oversee day-to-day farm store and café operations. In this forward-facing role, the Retail Manager plays a critical role in promoting the farm’s mission, produce, baked goods and café drinks, plants and flowers, bought-in products, CSA, and education programs. Read the full description and apply here: cedarcirclefarm.org/about/employment#retail-manager  
  
Unique Opportunity to Live in 1850 Two-Family Home (Epsom, NH) 
Posted June 3, 2022: Large home/property, with 3b/2b, original hardwood floors, on beautiful 13 acres. House very well insulated, efficient to operate. No smoking, no pets avail Aug. 15th. $2700/month includes trash removal and snow removal. Owners: David & Tracy Gagnon, call 603-978-8886 or email [email protected]
   
Windswept Farm Is Hiring (Andover, NH)  
Posted June 1, 2022: Would you like to work on a farm this season? Learn and bring your knowledge to growing a variety of vegetables and fruits to be delivered to farmers' market. Email [email protected] for more information and to apply.  
   
Grow Your Profits 
Posted June 1, 2022: Keeping honey bees as pollinators will increase your yield! White Mountain Apiary has everything you need to become a successful beekeeper. We offer online beekeeping classes, honey bees, queen bees, beekeeping equipment and support. Visit www.whitemountainapiary.com/store or call 603-444-6661 for more information.

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. 
Upcoming Events
June 21 —  Pollinator Palooza, (CCCD) 
August 5 - 7NOFA Summer Conference 
Thank You, Sponsors and Advertisers!
NOFA-NH
Office Hours: By appointment only
Phone: (603) 224-5022    Email: [email protected]
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