Spring is officially here!
Seeds are ordered, seedlings are growing, and the farmers are starting to prepare their land to plant! The warming weather reminds us that Fresh Start Farmer’s produce will be in your FarmShare and at our market soon!
We appreciate you being part of this community. You make it possible for our work to support new American farmers, the local foods system, and increased access to healthy food in NH.
This week, we are excited to share about one of our Healthy Corners Program stores, La Bonne Semence. Wife and husband team, Esther Kandosi and Claude Adaya opened the store in 2020 with the goal of being the go-to place for all African products in NH.
They stock a large variety of products including vegetables, fish, meats, and pantry products that used to only be accessible from Canada, New York or Boston.
La Bonne joined the Healthy Corners Program 9 months ago to expand their produce options, particularly local produce sourced from the Fresh Start Farmers.
Ester and her customers were thrilled to connect with Fresh Start Farmers who were also Congolese natives and grow specialty crops like lenga lenga, sawa sawa, and garden egg that can be hard to find here.
They recently moved down the street from their old location to a larger space where they could grow their product selection. They are now located at 198 Wilson Street in Manchester.
This space is newly renovated with fresh paint, floors and shelving which features popular African foods as well as fabrics for sale.
As part of the Healthy Corners program, La Bonne has qualified for a new merchandising cooler, funded by the Manchester Health Department, to display more healthy products.
We hope you will check them out!
Future Healthy Corners Plans
This past week, we completed our reach outs to potential stores for Cohort 3 of the Healthy Corners program. We are hoping to onboard these new stores in the Spring and are excited to share more details as they become finalized.
Join our team!
We're Hiring!
Mobile Market Coordinator!
We are looking for a versatile, enthusiastic and community oriented individual to join our team as the Mobile Market Coordinator!
This is a full-time and seasonal position, spanning April through October. They will work closely with our Food Access Manager to operate the Mobile Market which brings fresh, local and affordable food closer to low-income neighborhoods in Manchester and Concord.
Updates
Sylvain, one of our Dunbarton Fresh Start Farmers, has begun planting in his greenhouse and is getting ready to harvest his first crop of lettuce! Sylvain is always itching to get back out to his farm as soon as the snow disappears. Very soon we will have Fresh Start Farmer’s produce ready for you to enjoy!
The farm team has been busy pruning blueberry bushes at the Boscawen Farm and it looks like they had a blast! Pruning blueberries in the spring is important to stimulate strong growth and berry production. We’re hoping for an excellent crop this summer to support lots of pick-your-own picking as well as wholesale.
This will be our 3rd year manage this berry patch and we’re excited to be handing over more of the management and revenue to Fresh Start Farmers.
Farmshare CSA
Highlights from this week's bounty
Apples, Cortland & McIntosh (Pine Hill Orchards) – Macoun & Pink Lady (Champlain Orchards)
Baby Chard & Baby Salanova Salad Mix, Heron Pond Farm
Pea Shoots & Spinach, Stout Oak Farm
Pinto Gold Potatoes, Brookford Farm
Featured Pantry Item
*NEW* Whole Milk Feta, Maplebrook Farm
Whole milk feta crafted in small batches by Maplewood Farm in North Bennington, VT. Made with 100% Vermont cow milk, this cheese has a smooth texture, bold flavor, and the classic and crave-able salty brine.
Add to your cheese boards, enjoy as a snack, crumble over salads or into a frittata. Click below to learn more about Maplebrook Farm and their cheeses!
Member Reminders!
- Merrimack Library pick-up time has moved to 2:30-4:30pm.
- Please return your boxes, insulated liners, and ice packs!
- For folks receiving home delivery, please leave a cooler outside for your delivery.
- For pick-up members, if you have a frozen item, that item will be in a cooler at your pick-up location in a separate bag. Look for the big yellow frozen sticker on your box and then check the cooler for the bag with your name on it.
When you refer a friend to our FarmShare and they sign-up for a subscription, you will both get a $25 store credit to be used that season!
How it works:
Any questions, contact us at [email protected].
Featured Recipes
Vegan Celeriac "Fish" & Chips
Make with celeriac & your favorite potatoes!
RecipeGreen Salad with Apples
Make with local greens, apples & cheese!
RecipeMarch Harvest
New Hampshire Harvest of the Month!
Activities, posters, recipe and more!
New Hampshire Farm to School has been working with students K-12 since 2003, connecting establishing farm-to-school connections throughout the Granite State.
The NH Harvest of the Month is a fantastic resource that promotes seasonal, healthy eating!
Thank you & we'll see you soon!
Questions?
Email us at [email protected] or give us a call at 603-606-2663 and we will get right back to you!