NOFA-NH E-Newsletter: July 2021

Dear Friend of NOFA-NH,

Substantial rain fell across the state last week — a relief to those of us experiencing drought. Climate change is not only impacting extreme weather events, but it’s worsening droughts, too. That makes organic agriculture more important than ever, not only as a source of healthy food, but as a solution to the climate crisis. We encourage you to explore this topic and many others at NOFA’s upcoming virtual Summer Conference, starting July 30th. Expand your knowledge of regenerative, ecologically-sound gardening, farming, and land care practices and help us spread the word about how organic agriculture is part of the solution to save the Earth. This year's conference will be especially exciting in that it will also highlight NOFA's 50-year history, and our collective hopes for the future. We hope to see you there!

NOFA-NH will be celebrating our 50th birthday this year as well with two events coming up this fall. Stay tuned for the dates and details. In the meantime, we invite you to share with us your stories and experiences with NOFA through the years. And please join NOFA-NH, NH Food Alliance, and other partners in celebrating NH Eats Local Month all through August.

Yours in Good Health & Healthy Food,

Team NOFA-NH

The CRAFT of Farming: Education and Networking

Ready to learn and network in person again? Join us in August and September for a series of 6 farm tours that are part of NOFA-NH's “The CRAFT of Farming” program! The series kicks off at Winter Street Farm in Claremont on August 7th and covers land access and no-till practices, in collaboration with Land For Good and Vital Communities.

Tour Schedule: Winter Street Farm (August 7), SHARA Vineyards (August 11), Winnipesaukee Woods Farm & Busy Lizzie’s Blooms (August 21), Mountain Heartbeet (August 28), Stonewall Farm (September 11), and North Family Farm (September 18).

Sliding scale pricing, $5-15. Free for farmers, farm workers, and NOFA-NH members.

Organic Gardening: Your Questions Answered

How's your garden growing? Join us for the next class in our Organic Gardening Series on Tuesday, August 10th from 6:00-8:00 p.m. and ask organic farmer Ron Christie any questions about your operation!

Learn More & Sign Up

Note: Recordings of all the previous classes are available for purchase on our website.

NOFA Summer Conference Starts July 30!

The NOFA Summer Conference is starting soon! Virtual workshops run July 30-August 6. This year you’ll have access to ALL workshops live and recorded, so you won’t have to choose between learning about soil remediation or blueberries — nutrient cycling, or chicken coop design. Attend every workshop at your own pace. New this year: Spanish language and Indigenous tracks as well as panels celebrating NOFA's 50th anniversary.

If you register today, you can still catch the July 15th pre-conference fireside chat with Christine Jones and Ray Archuletta who will discuss soil health in-depth. Registration is available via sliding scale.

Why Choose Local Organic?

Getting to know the farmers who bring food to your market, supporting practices that restore biodiversity and conserve natural ecosystems, and helping create a vibrant, fair and resilient economy are just a few reasons to shop locally and choose organic foods. NOFA-NH's Education & Outreach Committee recently developed an informational brochure and flyer with in-depth explanations for why you should choose local organic whenever possible.

NH Eats Local Month Is Next Month!

August is NH Eats Local Month, and we’re partnering with the NH Food Alliance, farms, restaurants, and other businesses around the state to celebrate our local food system. Highlights include: NH’s Big Bite event on August 1st, a “How Do You Eat Local” shout series, photo contests, and a toast to local to close out the month. Please join us in celebrating local food in the Granite State!

NH Soil Health Legislation Update

A bill pertaining to soil health and the state’s conservation plan was approved by the NH House and Senate Conference Committee on June 24th. HB199, introduced by Representative Bixby of District 17 (Strafford County), now awaits the Governor’s signature. The legislation explicitly expands the mandate of the state’s ten county Conservation Districts to encourage practices that contribute to biologically active, healthy soils and officially recognizes the capacity of such soils to increase drought resistance and climate resilience - a reality that folks in the global organic movement know quite well.

Soil Health In-Depth:

Pesticides are Killing the World's Soils (Opinion, Scientific American)
Northeast Healthy Soil Network 2021 Spring Discussion Series *NOFA-NH is grateful that Stonewall Farm’s Exec. Director and NOFA-NH Board member, Julie Davenson, is a key participant in this group’s work.

Carbon Markets & Smaller Farms

As companies seek to offset their emissions through the purchase of carbon credits, carbon markets could be seen as an incentive for farmers to adopt climate-friendly practices. However, there are many possible drawbacks to such programs. This article from The Guardian explores the issue from the perspective of small farms.

Food, Friendship and Understanding

July 30th is International Friendship Day, a day to acknowledge that friendship can “inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities.”

Food is a connector, and sharing a meal is just one way to help us understand one another. This Australian online video documentary series explores the extraordinary ability of food to connect people.

Watch

Record Breaking Heat Affects Farmers and Food System

Severe drought and record-breaking heat waves in the western United States are impacting our food system in numerous ways. Crops are scorched and stunted, and the extreme heat is even affecting the safety of roads used for transporting crops and livestock.

The health of farmers and workers is also threatened by the intense heat, as many states lack heat standards and other regulations that would safeguard workers. (Nor is there a federal heat standard.) Even in states where regulations do exist, workers must know their rights and feel comfortable bringing up their concerns with their employers.

Hannaford Investors Urge Company to Address Labor Issues in Supply Chain

In a letter published last month, a group of 71 investors – including investment firms, pension funds, and other shareholders representing over $121 billion in assets – called on Hannaford to address labor abuses in their dairy supply chain. The group encouraged the supermarket to follow Ben & Jerry’s lead and become a member of Migrant Justice’s Milk with Dignity program.

Connection Between Interest in Local Food and Profit for Farms?

Interest in local food dramatically increased during the pandemic, to the point where some farmers even had to turn customers away. But can these farmers expect the same trends to continue in the future? The New Hampshire Bulletin explores this topic and how both sales and interest in local food vary in different counties around the state.

Updates from the USDA

The USDA will be offering up to $20 million in additional organic cost share assistance, including producers transitioning to organic.

The Department will be conducting a review of the voluntary “Product of the USA” label to determine what it means to customers.

An Executive Order recently signed by President Biden aims to promote competition and fairness throughout the economy. Many of the directives target the agricultural sector.

building community food webs ken meter.jpg

Community Food Webs & Other Recommended Summer Reading

Ken Meter’s illuminating book on the economic and social benefits of relocalized “community food webs” was recently published. Meter was the keynote speaker for the 2019 NH Food Solutions Forum and an advocate for the $5 a week local purchase pledge.

For a list of other refreshing summer titles, recommended by Civil Eats, click here!

Grant Opportunities

USDA Meat and Poultry Inspection Readiness Grant. Deadline: August 2.

Northeast SARE's Research and Education Grant Program. Preproposal deadline: August 3. Full proposals due: October 26.

Membership Benefit: Subscription to The Natural Farmer

NOFA's quarterly paper, The Natural Farmer (TNF), covers news of the organic movement nationally and internationally and features stories about farmers, homesteaders, and gardeners, especially those from Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, and Vermont.

NOFA-NH members receive this publication for free throughout the year!

Learn More & Join!

Share Content with The Natural Farmer!

The Natural Farmer, mentioned in the previous article, is published quarterly as the season changes (3/21, 6/21, 9/20, 12/20). Each issue centers on a specific theme.

TNF welcomes contributions from writers, storytellers, scientists, growers, conservationists, food justice activists, eaters, visionaries, and the like! As long as the content relates to agriculture, food, or the land, TNF welcomes your submissions via Google Form. You can also email a pitch to tnf@nofa.org.

Round Up Your Change for NOFA-NH at the Co-op Food Stores in August

The Co-op Food Stores will be donating a portion of the proceeds from their Pennies for Change program to NOFA-NH in August! Customers will have the option to "round up" their total to the nearest dollar at the register and the difference will be donated to NOFA-NH and other community partners. These funds will help support the expansion of our programs into the Upper Valley.

Pennies for Change is running at The Co-op Food Stores in Hanover, Lebanon and Lyme, NH, and White River Junction, VT. Thank you to the Co-op Food Stores and shoppers for your contributions!

2020 Annual Report Highlights NOFA-NH's Accomplishments

We’re pleased to share our 2020 Annual Report, including highlights of what we accomplished in the last year as well as details about our programs, partnerships and advocacy work. Thank you to our members, donors, and grantors for your support!

Help Grow This Community: Join Our Membership Committee

NOFA-NH's Membership Committee is responsible for member recruitment and retainment. The Committee works together to establish annual and long-term membership goals and to develop annual and long-term plans and proposed budgets to reach these goals.

We invite passionate and enthusiastic volunteers to join the Membership 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. Please contact us for more information.

Welcome to the Board, Kate Dobrowski!

Kate Dobrowski joined NOFA-NH's Board of Directors at our June Board meeting. Kate is owner and co- grower with her son at Greenhill Farm NH. Greenhill Farm NH is a diversified off-grid Solar powered family farm in central NH producing a variety of Certified Organic fruit, vegetables, mushrooms, herbs, flowers, woodland, and value-added products grown in healthy soils with regenerative practices. Kate’s work and educational herstory is as diversified as the farm’s and most recently include a clinical herbalism and nutrition business.

Welcome New & Renewing Members

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

New Members:

Rachael Beikmohamadi

Renewing Members:

Rick Estes, Debra Huffman

Classifieds

Free Greenhouse Equipment (Intervale)

One 24-inch barn or greenhouse fan with 1/4 HP dual speed motor, and an older Dayton blower unit. Free for pick up in Intervale. Email awb.dundeenh@gmail.com for a photo and to arrange pickup.

5 Acre Farm For Sale By Auction (Central PA)

Click here for general info and video overview. Over the years we have made many improvements on this farm for direct marketing of grass-fed broilers, hens, turkeys, beef and hogs. Turn-key operation with good water, good fences, good buildings, commercial kitchen & walk-in freezer. No organically-prohibited substances have been used on the land for over 30 years. For details, please see https://overthemoonfarm.com or email Lyn Garling at lyn@overthemoonfarm.com.

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 info@nofanh.org.

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!

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