Originally Published in ELF Magazine

August is New Hampshire Eat Local Month!  And this year, we’re proud to share that seventy businesses and organizations throughout the state are coming together to highlight this month-long celebration of local food and New Hampshire farmers and producers.  Monadnock Buy Local is thrilled to be part of this local economy-boosting event.

The “Eat Local” and the “Buy Local” movements are two peas in the same pod.  Both play a critical part in promoting the positive impacts of farms and other locally owned businesses on our community and local economy. In fact, farmers and local food producers tend to buy even more of the products and services they need from other locally owned businesses (compared to traditional independent retail business owners), resulting in an even higher amount of money recirculating in our local economy -- growing more community health and wealth.

So, what’s the best way to celebrate New Hampshire Eat Local Month?  Eat more locally grown food all month long!  Visit farms, farmers’ markets, farm stands and your favorite local grocers offering a bounty of New Hampshire grown products from apples to zucchinis (and all the fruits, veggies, dairy, meats, honey and maple in between). You can also enjoy all the special events and promotions happening throughout the state. Find lots more inspiration at nheatlocal.org.

Two Monadnock Buy Local members are really stepping up to celebrate NH Eat Local Month this year.  The Hannah Grimes Marketplace in Keene is offering 10% off all local meat in August and the Farmers’ Market of Keene removed the $10 cap for their Granite State Market Match program.  Farmers’ Market customers paying with EBT, or SNAP, can double all their dollars for the entire month of August.

Here’s our most updated list of local food and farm events happening in the Monadnock Region to celebrate New Hampshire Eat Local Month:

On August 13, enjoy the Farm & Family Fest hosted by the Cornucopia Project at Four Winds in Peterborough with live music, dancing, farm animals, games, raffles and local food at 2 – 6 p.m.  The cost is $12 per person and children under 5 are free.  Register at cornucopiaproject.org.

Thursday nights in August are Free Movie Nights at the Barn at the Walpole Valley Farms in Walpole.  Walpole Valley Farms will sell their grass-fed burgers and hot dogs, along with fresh popped popcorn and drinks.  Food and games start at 5 p.m. and the movie begins at 7 p.m.  Discover the movie of the night at walpolevalleyfarms.com/movie-nights-at-the-barn.

We’re so excited for NH Permaculture Day at the Orchard Hill Community in East Alstead on August 20, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  The day includes more than 30 hands-on workshops and demos, farm-to-table lunch and community art installation.  Come learn more about permaculture -- an approach that uses ecological principles to design and regenerate healthy, productive landscapes and communities.  Tickets are $35 per person: nhpermacultureday.org.

On August 21, an annual Farm to Table Dinner for the Monadnock Farm & Community Coalition happens at Mayfair Farm in Harrisville, 6 – 9 p.m.   The menu includes locally sourced, sustainably grown and ethically harvested cuisine -- that will be incredibly delicious, too! Blackjack Crossing will also perform.  Tickets are $75 per plate and are available at mfccoalition.org. 

The Small and Beginner Farmers of NH invite you to Phoenix Farm in Marlborough for a Local Food BBQ featuring pork, lamb and poultry on August 27.  The fun starts at 3 p.m.  Learn more at beginnerfarmers.org.

While we’re talking BBQs, Alyson's Orchard in Walpole will host its 4th Annual Amateur BBQ Pulled Pork Competition & Festival on August 28 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.  The event also includes apple picking, wagon rides, ice cream and more.  Admission is by donation: alysonsorchard.com/upcoming-events. 

To wrap up New Hampshire Eat Local month, be sure to attend the Acworth Locavore Festival behind the Acworth Village Store on August 28 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  The event will showcase local food and beverage producers and local farm-to-table restaurants in our region.  Stay tuned for more details at facebook.com/acworthvillagestore.

We’ll be sure to add more events as we discover them, so please visit our site often to stay up to date on all the happenings in our region: monadnocklocal.org/NHEatLocal. 

We hope to see you out and about (and eating local) during New Hampshire Eat Local Month.  Enjoy the harvest!

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