A Locally Grown Cornucopia at the Winter Farmers’ Market

ROLLINSFORD—

On the Saturday before Thanksgiving, more than 50 farmers and food producers will be offering their own farm-grown products on November 19, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Seacoast Eat Local’s 5th annual Holiday Farmers’ Market indoors at the Wentworth Greenhouses in Rollinsford. Wentworth Greenhouses is located at 141 Rollins Road, a mile past Red’s Shoe Barn of Dover.
From cheese, milk, eggs, and butter to apple cider, pears, pie pumpkins, and apples, farmers and food producers will be offering a wide variety of foods for a completely delicious and local feast. There will be potatoes, carrots, winter squash, onions, beets, leeks, broccoli, parsnips, turnips, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts and salad greens.
Farms are taking pre-orders for turkeys (see www.seacoasteatlocal.org for details). A wide variety of beef, pork, poultry and will also be for sale. Dinner rolls, pre-baked pies from locally grown fruit, bread for stuffing, and honey and maple syrup.
Area food producers have pledged to a high standard of localism and will be offering ready-to-eat meals, soups and stews, sausages and more, utilizing local ingredients in their recipes.
Seacoast Eat Local has begun using an online resource to manage the Winter Farmers’ Markets, providing customers with exciting new ways to get to know participating farmers, what products will be for sale, and even where to find their market booths before arriving at the market. The full list of participating vendors, product search, and interactive market maps are online at www.seacoasteatlocal.org.
SNAP (foodstamps) can now be used at the winter farmers’ market. With support from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, Seacoast Eat Local will now be able to offer SNAP beneficiaries a way to purchase delicious local foods directly from farmers. SNAP customers will be able to swipe their EBT cards, and then use tokens to shop with approved vendors. With 15% of Americans now receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, alongside a crisis in health and obesity, it’s significant to be able to offer access to customers who seek healthful foods for their families.
The police association will be on hand accepting donations of food – including fresh foods – for their Holiday Food Basket program, which last year fed over 200 people and supplied a boost to area food pantries. Shoppers are encouraged to purchase fresh foods to donate; pantries are seeing a sharp increase in demand for their services and those in need are also eager to eat wholesome foods. Potatoes, carrots, onions, salad greens – any product available for sale at the market would make a welcome donation. Farmers generously donate hundreds of pounds of foods at each market and the combined efforts of shoppers and farmers creates a significant positive impact in our community.
Purchasing locally grown food directly from area growers helps ensure our farms stay in business - keeping open space and good food growing in the seacoast and keeping dollars and jobs in our community. Market Sponsors for the 2011-2012 Winter Season include Underwriting Sponsor Veris Wealth Partners, LLC, Wentworth Greenhouses, and Exeter Hospital.
For more information, including a complete schedule of area winter farmers’ markets, visit www.seacoasteatlocal.org.
Photo caption: RJ Joyce and Susan McGeough of White Gate Farm. (Courtesy photo)

Friends of Centennial Hall Receive Smuttynose Rockfest Marathon Grant

NORTH HAMPTON—

The small group of volunteers who manage, maintain and work to restore Centennial Hall have been awarded a grant from Newmarket-based LOCO Sports.
Centennial Hall was a recipient of $1,500 in funds raised through runner and walker participation in the recent Smuttynose Rockfest marathon and half marathon. The FOCH has directed the funds towards the building’s electrical efficiency upgrades.
“LOCO President, Mike St. Laurent recognized the effort that goes into restoring a building of this scale, and certainly understands the mission. LOCO supports the running community, and also gives back to the community they organize races in. Centennial Hall serves the community and the FOCH looks to the community to continue to support this uniquely valuable resource,” said FOCH President Marcy McCann.
Centennial Hall is owned and managed by the non-profit Friends of Centennial Hall, who work towards a complete restoration of the building as a community center for the arts. Tenants include the Seacoast Academy of Music, Mr. Guth’s Music Studio, Brush and Palette Art Studio, and North Hampton Bridge Club. Many community groups and organizations, including other non-profits utilize the Hall as a gathering place for meetings and events.
While hundreds of students and their families are in this historic building weekly, access is restricted to the main floor and basement until extensive second floor renovations are completed.
“We have a wonderfully cooperative and supportive group of tenants, alumni and former board members, Boy-Scout Troops and in our neighbor the United Church of Christ. These people are always on board with fundraising efforts, helping out with maintenance issues, working through over-lapping schedules and, when we need some extra special assistance. This is the only way we continue to be able to serve the community as a small, volunteer board,” McCann said.
LOCO Sports organizes successful fun runs and competitive races. Each year over 10,000 runners and walkers compete in Club LOCO races all across New England.
Grant awards, community financial support and gifts of in-kind services in trade, materials and goods are vital to sustaining the FOCH mission. Please visit www.centennialhall.org or call Marcy McCann at 964-2021.
Photo caption: Friends of Centennial Hall are able to continue restoration of the hall with the help of the Smuttynose Rockfest Marathon Grant. (Courtesy photo)

Lighting Up Dover One Tree at a Time

DOVER—
The 2nd annual Festival of Trees will take place on Friday, December 2 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Dover City Hall Auditorium. The focus of the event will be 25 elaborately decorated Christmas Trees on display that will all be up for auction. The event will also offer raffle prizes, local choral performances and a special visit from Santa Claus.
Each Christmas tree on display at the Festival will be sponsored by a local business or organization. Every sponsor decorates his or her tree prior to the event. Festival-goers will then have the opportunity to bid on any tree they want to take home through a silent auction format. At the end of the night, Don Briand, News Director of 97.5 WOKQ, will close down all of the auctions by asking for any final bids. Calling All Cargo will be on hand to deliver purchased trees to Dover residents for a fee.
“The creativity shown by the tree sponsors is really what makes this event special,” comments Festival of Trees organizer Paula Forbes. “You will see every type of tree decoration here, from simple to extravagant.”
The Festival of Trees will have live holiday carol performances by the Dover High/Middle School Chorus and the Parish of Assumption Music Ministry. Raffle items at the event will include Portland Sea Dogs tickets, tickets to Storyland, a guitar package from Ear Craft Music, local gift certificates and more. Food and drinks will be available for purchase.
Proceeds from the Festival of Trees go towards the City Lights Committee who annually illuminates the downtown trees during the holiday season. This year, the City Lights will be turned on prior to the start of the Dover Holiday Parade on Sunday, November 27.
“Having the trees illuminated at night gives the downtown a truly special and magical feel during the holiday season,” commented City Lights organizer Pam Simpson.
The City Lights Committee will again be selling their annual holiday ornament. This year, the ornament features a scene of the Dover Public Library. Ornaments are $8 and are available at the Chamber of Commerce, Dover Library, Nicole’s Hallmark, Harvey’s Bakery and at the Festival of Trees.
Those local businesses participating in the Festival of Trees include: Nicole’s Hallmark, The Noggin Factory, Artisan Electrical Contractors, Federal Savings Bank, Sweet Meadows, Dover Public Library, Children’s Museum of New Hampshire, K-9 Kaos, The Salon @ 903 Central, Ross Furniture, The Maids, Dover Main Street, RE/MAX Legacy, Tuxedos with Style, Century 21 Central Falls, Wade Landscaping, Third Street Style, Loyal Order of Moose, Hogan Flooring, Leone, McDonnell & Roberts, PA, Wyskiel, Boc, Tillinghast & Buldoc, PA.