Twilight Farm Tours July 21 & August 18!

The Southeast Land Trust of NH Announces Twilight Tours at Conserved Farmlands

Monday, July 21 · 6-8 pm · Newmarket & Lee

Monday, August 18 · 5:30-7:30 pm · Brentwood

When you buy produce at the Farmer’s Market, do you wonder about the farmers and lands that grow it? Join us for a tour of local farms protected by conservation easements to learn first-hand about farming practices. What are their challenges? Why did they conserve their lands or what does the conservation easement mean to their operation?

Both tours are free and open to the public. You may attend one or both tours. Registration is required. Please call 603-778-6088 or email kmccormack@seltnh.org. Directions will be provided to registrants.

Held in partnership with Seacoast Eat Local and the Southeast Land Trust of NH. Hosted by New Roots Farm in Newmarket, Coppal House Farm in Lee, and Willow Pond Community Farm and Apple Annie in Brentwood.

Formed by the merger of the Rockingham and Seacoast Land Trusts in Fall 2006, the Southeast Land Trust of NH is a membership-based, private non-profit organization serving 39 communities of greater Rockingham County. Our mission is to conserve the significant land and natural resources of southeastern NH, including water, working farms and forests, wildlife habitat and natural areas, and community landscapes. Since 1980, we have conserved 5,700 acres through conservation easements and full-fee ownerships.

Bill McKibben to Speak on "Deep Economy," Sunday July 20th

Slow Food Seacoast joins Seacoast Local in welcoming author, educator, and environmental advocate Bill McKibben to South Church in Portsmouth, NH, on Sunday, July 20, at 4:00 PM.

Slow Food Seacoast will offer a potluck reception after McKibben's talk (volunteers and potluck dishes needed; please see note below!)

McKibben's appearance is part of the "Making the Connections" series, presented by Seacoast Local and RiverRun Bookstore as a catalyst for continuing education, community connections and sustainable change. South Church's Minds Alive! and Green Sanctuary programs will co-host the event, with support from Rye Energy Committee.


McKibben's latest book, "Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future," addresses what the author sees as the shortcomings of the growth economy and envisions a transition to a more local-scale enterprise.

Slow Food supporters will be interested in McKibben's views on local agriculture, one of the most powerful building blocks for community change, environmental health, and happier, more meaningful lives. He believes that many communities are ready to "form the foundations of a newer, more local economy...despite record affluence, Americans report ever-growing feelings of disconnection and loss of community, trends that can only be reversed if we manage to rebuild local institutions that draw people together. To wit, the farmer's market: energy-efficient local food, and the average shopper has ten times as many conversations as a supermarket shopper. No wonder they're the fastest-growing part of our food economy. Now we need to get going on other sectors too."

Please come, listen, talk, and make connections of your own with Seacoast people ready to unite in making change. Slow Food Seacoast, with its emphasis on bringing people together to enjoy local food and celebrate local agriculture, has something to contribute to the community table. Hope to see you there!

~ Food Volunteers Needed ~ Please Bring a Dish! ~

Once again, Slow Food Seacoast will offer a potluck reception for the event. We're seeking volunteers who can prepare 20-40 servings of appetizer-style finger food. Please plan to bring meatless foods that contain no mayo and need no refrigeration. Any offerings are welcome, from homemade snacks to freshly harvested veggies to store-bought chips and dip, cheese, or breads. Please email SlowFoodSeacoast@GMail.com to let us know you can contribute.

South Church has kindly agreed that cash donations from the potluck portion of the event will go to Slow Food Seacoast to fund projects such as the Edible Gardens Tour, school garden collaborations, and more, helping to move toward the goal of community food sustainability and a lively local food culture for all Seacoast residents.

Farm Picnic This Sunday!

Isn't it about time to take a break and enjoy the bounties of a Seacoast summer?

Come on down to the Down on the Farm Picnic Potluck on Sunday, July 13, from noon-3 PM. This year we are delighted to be hosted by Tuckaway Farm, a beautiful diversified small-scale farm in Lee. You'll be able to meet the farmer and enjoy the beautiful ponds, barns, chickens, hunting dogs, horses, and shady lanes of an old New Hampshire farm. Bring a blanket to spread on the grass, some picnicware, and a bunch of friends for a beautiful afternoon of relaxation in a historic farm setting - a landscape we hope to continue to protect and preserve here and across the Seacoast. The suggested donation of $3 per person will go to cover costs for the picnic, and any surplus will be returned to Slow Food Seacoast to fund projects and programs.

There'll be plenty to do for all ages. Games for kids, a door prize raffle, a Greens Tasting by Andy Gagnon of Andy's Greens, a Wild Edibles Walk by John Forti, Curator of Historic Landscapes at Strawbery Banke and co-leader of Slow Food Seacoast, a discussion of "Why Support Local Agriculture?" from Seacoast Local, and the introduction of the second annual and beautifully redesigned Seacoast Harvest, the Local Foods Resource Guide published under the auspices of Seacoast Eat Local with support from Slow Food. You'll be able to pick up your own printed version of the guide to keep handy all season long.

White Heron Tea has graciously offered to provide an assortment of delicious iced teas, too!

Please bring a potluck dish to share (something that can offer at least 10-12 portions); your outdoor gear such as sun-hat, bug repellent, and sunscreen; a picnic blanket; reusable picnicware (though we will have some paper goods available too); and a sense of summer fun and adventure. We look forward to seeing you there!

Directions to Tuckaway Farm:

From the West:
From the Lee traffic circle (intersection of Rtes 125 and 4), go East on Rte 4 towards Portsmouth/Durham. After 1.5 miles, take the Rte 155/Dover exit. Go left at the end of the ramp onto Rte 155. Take a LEFT onto Randall Road opposite DeMerritt Hill Farm. Drive past the Caretaker's Cottage and under the power lines to the farm.

From the East:
From Rte 4 West, take the exit for Rte 155/Durham. Turn right at the end of the ramp onto Main St, and go approx 1 mile to reach a stop sign. Turn right onto Rte 155. Take a LEFT onto Randall Road opposite DeMerritt Hill Farm. Drive past the Caretaker's Cottage and under the power lines to the farm.

Join Us & Many Friends in Welcoming Bill McKibben, Author of "Deep Economy," July 20

Seacoast Local's "Making the Connection" speaker series, co-sponsored by RiverRun Bookstore, returns on July 20 with author and activist Bill McKibben.

McKibben is the author of the first popular book on global climate change, "The End of Nature (1989), and his numerous essays, magazine articles and books explore the connections between people, place and planet. His topics range from global warming to local communities to genetic engineering to family. McKibben's latest book, "Deep Economy," addresses what the author sees as the shortcomings of the growth economy, and envisions a transition to a more local-scale enterprise. "Deep Economy" makes the compelling case for moving beyond growth as the paramount economic ideal and pursuing prosperity in a more local direction, with regions like ours producing more of our own food, generating more of our own energy, and creating more of our own culture and entertainment.

Seacoast Local presents this series monthly as a catalyst for continuing education, community connections and sustainable change. South Church's Minds Alive! and Green Sanctuary programs will co-host this event, with support from the Rye Energy Committee.

Slow Food Seacoast will offer an outdoor reception after McKibben's talk. We expect a large turnout, so please let us know if you'd like to volunteer, whether to help usher, set up, or bring your own locally produced potluck finger food! Our reception for Frances Moore Lappe's lecture was very happily received and a great example of sharing and building community. Please contact SlowFoodSeacoast@GMail.com if you're able to bring 1 simple finger-food appetizer of 20 or more pieces. Thank you, and see you at this exciting talk!

Edible Social Networking

Where is Slow Food Seacoast?

Oops....we've been out in the garden..WEEDING. Sorry for the brief hiatus...but there's plenty of news to share today.

Barrington Farm Day! Sunday, June 29, 2008, 10am-3pm.
On Sunday Barrington farms are opening their doors to the public so that we can learn all about how animals and vegetables are raised and grown. At Lasting Legacy Farm, there will be a sheep shearing demonstration at 11am, and lunch available from 11:30 until it runs out. Warren Farm will have strawberry desserts available and all the farms will have local food and/or fiber (for the knitters!) for sale. Visit http://www.seacoasteatlocal.org/barrington/index.html for maps and participating farm information!

2008 Seacoast Harvest is here!
Make sure you check out the new Seacoast Harvest website at www.seacoastharvest.org - you'll find a searchable database of locally grown food and where you can buy it directly from the growers! Also available is a seasonal harvest calendar, so you know when you can expect a food to be ready for harvest, information on agricultural terms, and a printable version of the guide. Look for Seacoast Harvest at area farmers' markets, in The Wire's Summer Guide, and at Yellow House Farm during Barrington Farm Tour Day!

The Atlantic Culinary Academy (ACA) is co-hosting a Sustainable Seafood Forum and Tasting on July 22nd at the academy’s Dover location in L’Esprit, along with the Shoals Marine Lab and New Hampshire Sea Grant Program. The forum's goal is to create professional and public awareness of and to utilize seafood products that are not necessarily targeted by local fishermen, in order to create sustainable supplies and relieve pressure from over-fished (and over-used) stocks.

The tasting forum will be provided by local restaurant chefs as well as faculty chef instructors from ACA. In addition to the tasting, food preparation demonstrations and education presentations will be made. It is on a Tuesday night, so the hours are a friendly 6 - 9 pm. All participating chefs will offer their recipes to the tasters as part of the event.

Tickets are $25 and can be reserved and purchased on the website. Hurry to reserve yours; admission is limited and this exciting event is sure to fill up fast. For more information contact Ken La Valley, NH Sea Grant at 603-862-4343.