From backyards, balconies, and community plots, the resurgence of the victory garden is taking place across the U.S.. Born out of necessity during times of war, Americans are turning to their gardens to feed their families on an increasingly limited grocery budget. We are well into Spring now and it seems winter weather is finally behind us (knock on wood!) and now is the perfect opportunity to take the leap into the world of gardening as we’ll have seedlings for sale at our upcoming summer farmers’ markets (Exeter Opening Day is Thursday, May 2nd, Portsmouth Opening Day is May 4th). This year ..read more

If you like going to pick your own berries, you may have visited, or heard of, Saltonstall Farm. And if you’ve had the pleasure of sampling their strawberries at our local farmers’ markets, you’ve probably met Kyle, one half of the dynamic duo behind Saltonstall Farm. You may know him as the man who asks young visitors: “Would you rather have candy or this strawberry?” More often than not, the kids side with the strawberries, and for good reason. Kyle and his wife Sophie are passionate about what they do, and it’s evident in the quality of their produce. Sophie, Kyle and their lovely dog Hazel ..read more

It’s a brewery, it’s a farm, it’s a restaurant .. it’s Throwback Brewery! Yep, you read that right. I had the pleasure of interviewing Annette Lee and Nicole Carrier, the co-founders and owners of Throwback Brewery. Here’s what they had to say about their business. “I’m Annette Lee.” “My name is Nicole Carrier.” “Who are we? We own Throwback Brewery. We are a sustainably minded brewery, restaurant, and farm.”  Annette and Nicole, co-owners of Throwback Brewery. “We blame Annette.” That was the response of Nicole, when asked to tell the story of how Throwback was started. “You can blame me ..read more

Chicken Cordon Blue-berry It’s July, which means it’s blueberry season! Is there anything that encapsulates the seacoast region of Maine and New Hampshire more than summertime blueberries? It’s kind of our thing. Now that there are farms a-plenty that have opened for blueberry PYO, there’s no shortage of blueberries in the area! There are so many ways to eat blueberries – pies, muffins, pancakes, salads, by the handful- but we want to highlight a bold, savory dish that is different than the ways we usually think of cooking with blueberries. Alas, chicken cordon blue-berry! A New England twist ..read more

Author: Emily Abrusci, UNH Sustainability Fellow Photo credit: Chris D’Amore  www.chrisdamore.com Hi! My name is Emily Abrusci and I am SEL’s UNH Sustainability Fellow* for the summer of 2023. You may have seen me around at the farmers’ markets. I’m a rising junior at the University of New Hampshire, studying Environmental Conservation and EcoGastronomy. In class, I learn a lot about the science behind sustainability but not as much about the community and cultural connections. That’s why I’m so happy to be working with Seacoast Eat Local, as they have such a large impact on the local com ..read more

Beyond Our Programs: Engaging in the Food System This season’s update from Shawn Menard, Seacoast Eat Local’s Executive Director, discusses the various external projects our staff are involved in. If you’re reading this I’m sure you’re familiar with at least one of our main programs: Farmers’ Markets, Seacoast Harvest, SNAP, and Education Programs. Each one of these is very public facing and takes up the vast majority of our staff’s time to plan, execute, and adapt throughout the year. What you probably don’t know is that our staff members are also involved in many external groups and projects ..read more

Caitlyn Winders, winner of the Seacoast Harvest cover photo contest, with her winning photo. The story behind the cover photo of Seacoast Harvest taken by Caitlyn Winders.  The newest Seacoast Harvest has now been released to the public, and hopefully you’ve been able to get your hands on a copy! As you may know, earlier this year we held a photo contest for the cover of Seacoast Harvest. We had over 100 submissions featuring homegrown produce, farmers’ market vendors, local seafood, and behind the scenes of producing local foods. Through much deliberation, Caitlyn’s photo featuring ..read more

Have you tried your green thumb out lately? It’s time to get your garden going! While some things are best direct-seeded (peas, beans etc), it is best to start most things as seedlings to give them a better chance to grow and prosper. And we know just the place to get your seedlings this year – at our upcoming summer farmers’ markets (Portsmouth Opening Day is Saturday, May 6th). Here are the vendors that will be selling seedlings at the next few markets. You can expect a shifting variety of seedlings as the weeks go on, the weather gets warmer, and the planting schedule changes.     ..read more

While it may not be August with its plethora of fresh, local produce to consume – juicy tomatoes, zucchini, sweet corn… – there is still an abundance of fresh veggies to get your hands on. Here’s some of the deliciousness that’s in season in the seacoast this month: Arugula, Chives, Parsnips, Collard Greens, Morels, Mushrooms, Nettles, Ramps, Rutabaga, Assorted Herbs Not sure what to cook with these ingredients? Here’s an idea! Sauteed mushroom and ramp risotto topped with crispy thyme and fresh scallions and arugula. Make sure to tag us if you try this recipe! (@seacoasteatlocal on Instagram ..read more

Join Us on the Journey This season’s update from Shawn Menard, Seacoast Eat Local’s Executive Director, discusses current initiatives to shape our work. This month is the one-year mark when we kicked off our inaugural season as market operators of the Durham, Dover, Exeter, and Portsmouth summer farmers’ markets. I discussed in a previous post the transition in market management if you need to brush up on the details. One thing that has become truly evident in this first year of operating the summer markets is that while each location has been successful in its own way, there is so much more t ..read more