NOFA-NH E-Newsletter: December 2020

NOFA-NH Winter Conference Addresses Health, Harmony, Resilience

NOFA-NH's 19th annual Winter Conference, “Cultivating Stewardship: Health, Harmony and Resilience” will be held virtually on Saturday and Sunday, February 13-14, 2021.

Workshops will address topics including healing the land, soil health, ecosystem balance, food justice, organic seeds, farmland access, social justice, and more.

Tickets: Register online before January 14th for $10 off regular ticket prices!

Spring Bulk Order Store Coming Soon

NOFA-NH's Bulk Order Program is a collective buying program for small and large-scale organic farmers and gardeners. Save on soil amendments, cover crop seed, animal nutrition products, farming and gardening supplies, and more! NOFA membership is not required. Non-members add 10% to their orders.

The Spring 2021 Bulk Order Store will be up and running online in just a few weeks. Stay tuned!

Free Film Screenings in January

Kiss the Ground Film sheds light on regenerative agriculture’s potential to balance our climate, replenish our vast water supplies, and feed the world. Join NOFA-NH, Seacoast Permaculture, and Stonewall Farm for a free screening and virtual panel discussion on January 13th from 6:30-8:45 p.m.

Shadow Falls North explores how New Hampshire can understand its participation in slavery, segregation, and the neglect of African-American history as two historic preservationists and activists seek to “recover the stories of people who have been rendered nearly invisible in the historical record.” The UNH Sustainability Institute and NH Food Alliance are hosting a screening of the the film on January 27th from 6:00-8:00 p.m., in partnership with NOFA-NH and other organizations from around the state.

2021 Organic Gardening Series

Planning is underway for our 2021 Organic Gardening Series program, an educational workshop series offering organic gardening tips to new and experienced gardeners who are seeking to feed themselves and their families. The 2021 program will be fully online and accessible from anywhere.

Thank you to our sponsors to date, the Merrimack County Savings Bank and New Hampshire Electric Co-Op Foundation!

You can watch our 2020 Gardening Series tutorials on YouTube at any time! Watch

Join NOFA-NH for a Winter Book Club!

This winter join other NOFA-NH members for an online 5-part book discussion of "Who Really Feeds the World?" by Vandana Shiva, every other Thursday from January 14 to March 11, 7:30-9:00 p.m. Come learn the facts about who is feeding the world and the reasons why industrial agriculture fails to do so. The series will be facilitated by long-time NOFA-NH members who are also involved in Seacoast Permaculture, organic growing and homesteading, education and social justice movements.

Registration: $5 NOFA-NH member/$10 non-member. Pre-registration required, limited spaces.

The State of Our Food System

Policy changes over the last four years, especially during and in response to the pandemic, will have long term impacts on the food system. This article from Civil Eats breaks it down. And while multinational corporations control nearly every step of food production, policy changes can prevent large corporate mergers, protect contract growers, and help build a stronger regional food system.

For an update on agricultural and food system issues here in New Hampshire, watch the recording of the recent 2020 NH Agricultural Policy Forum, organized by the Monadnock Farm and Community Coalition and NH Food Alliance.

Equity, Inclusion, and Farmers' Rights

The Justice for Black Farmers Act was introduced in Congress last month, in an effort to correct racial inequities in agricultural policies and institutions.

The National Farmers’ Union is hosting a Women’s Conference on January 17-18, 2021. In addition to preparing women for success in agriculture, it will also provide them with a network of female farmers and ranchers to connect with throughout the year.

The Organic Seed Alliance and National Center for Appropriate Technology are hosting a three-part listening session focused on seed. The upcoming session on December 16th will address excluded methods in organic production.

Opportunities for Farmers and Landowners

NOFA-OLC Organic Landscapers Search Site — Find organic landscapers in your area

CCCD Conservation Opportunity Fund — Small grants for wildlife habitat improvement projects in Cheshire County

Environmental Quality Incentives Program — Technical and financial assistance for landowners interested in protecting, conserving, or restoring the natural resources on their property

USDA Resources for Organic Operations — Resource page highlighting select few programs that may be beneficial for organic operations

Co-op Food Stores' Pennies for Change Supports NOFA-NH in December

The Co-op Food Stores will be donating a portion of the proceeds from their Pennies for Change program to NOFA-NH in December! Throughout the month, customers will have the option to "round up" their total to the nearest dollar at the register. The difference will be donated to NOFA-NH and other community partners.

This program 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!

Thank You for Helping Us Reach Our Membership Drive Goal!

Our Membership Drive wrapped up at the end of November and we've selected five winners of our members-only raffle. Thank you to everyone who joined NOFA-NH or renewed their membership last month to help us surpass our goal of 50 new and renewing members in November!

You can still join or renew at any time — $45 for a standard membership and $30 for a student/senior membership.

Welcome Back to the Board, Joan O'Connor!

Joan O'Connor rejoined NOFA-NH's Board of Directors last month. Joan previously served on the Board for 13 years. She has a long history of leading and supporting agriculture and farmers’ markets initiatives in New Hampshire and has enjoyed over 25 years as the owner of Joan’s Famous Composting Worms, selling at Farmers’ Markets and leading workshops.

Invitation to Join NOFA-NH's Board Committees

Passionate and enthusiastic volunteers are invited to join our Board Committees! You do not have to be a Board Member to join. Prospective committee members are welcome to join a meeting — contact us for more information.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: *New Committee, Time TBD
Education & Outreach: Please inquire about the next meeting
Finance: 4th Thursdays of the month, 4-5 pm
Governance: 3rd Tuesdays of the month, 10-11 am
Fundraising & Marketing: 3rd Thursdays of the month, 1-2:30 pm
Membership: 4th Thursdays of the month, 1:30-2:30 pm
Policy: 4th Wednesdays of the month, 8-9 am
Quality Assurance: 1st Thursdays of the month, 4:15 pm

Meet Our Members: Introducing Ron Laurence & Blueberry Bay Farm

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. Featured members are chosen by random lottery.

Welcome New & Renewing Members

Thank you to our NOFA-NH Members who became new members or renewed their memberships in November 2020.

New Members:

Cheri Domina, Aubrey Engle, Slopeside Farm, Victoria Parmele

Renewing Members:

Bill and Linda Abdu, Banner Greenhouses, Reagan Bissonnette, Cris Blackstone, Louis Mario Capozzoli, Captain Woodbury Guesthouse, Martha Clark, Susan Dyment, Clare Eckert, Lee Ford, Theo Groh, Margaret Hartz, Hop N Hen Farm, Vera Kelsey-Watts, Lynn Klein, Local Harvest CSA, Brent Mahana, Mooseview Farm, Mountain Heartbeet, Joan O'Connor, Carl Querfurth, Saltonstall Farm, Irena Skye, Margaret Witham, Daniel Wolf

Classifieds

Employment Opportunity: Gardener/Landscaper

Lorax & The Secret Gardener, an ecologically focused fine gardening company based in Epping and Barrington, is expanding their team in 2021. They are looking for a Gardener/Landscaper. The Gardener is responsible for fine gardening and plantscapes at client sites. They maintain the health and aesthetics of shrub, perennial, vegetable, and herb gardens. Tasks include: pruning, deadheading, dividing, weeding, mulching, composting, edging, raking, watering, planting, pruning and other gardening projects. To learn more about the company visit the company website, or the Facebook page. Applications are accepted through Indeed.

Seeking Farmers for Farmers' Market in Chichester

New Farmers Market being organized for Rte 4, Chichester. Email with your interest, description products to sell, preference for weekend or weekday and time. Trying not to compete with Saturday in Concord. Start in Spring ’21. Contact andruvolinsky@gmail.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.