2011-2012 SCHEDULE

Seacoast Eat Local will host 12 winter farmers’ markets from November 2011 – April 2012. Markets are hosted at Wentworth Greenhouses in Rollinsford and at Exeter High School in Exeter.  In addition to one stop shopping for delicious and local foods of every type and variety, we are please to announce that we are now able to accept SNAP/EBT (food stamps) at the winter markets. See listings and locations for 10am-2pm markets. (Continued below)

One Stop Shopping Days at Farmer's Market

2011
November 19 – Wentworth Greenhouses, Rollinsford
December 3 – Wentworth Greenhouses, Rollinsford
December 10 – Exeter High School
December 17 – Wentworth Greenhouses, Rollinsford

2012
January 14 – Exeter High School
January 28 – Wentworth Greenhouses, Rollinsford
February 11 – Exeter High School
February 25 – Wentworth Greenhouses, Rollinsford
March 10 – Wentworth Greenhouses, Rollinsford
March 24 – Wentworth Greenhouses, Rollinsford
April 14 – Exeter High School
April 28 – Exeter High School

For fall/winter choose 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.

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.

New Website Makes It Easy To Shop The Market

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/EBT Cards Now Accepted At The Market

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.

Rollinsford Benevolent Police Association to collect donations for Holiday Food Baskets

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.