“The arts are the lifeblood of our communities, raising morale, creating community cohesion, and providing comfort during dark times while also delivering a huge economic footprint,” said Nolen V. Bivens, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts. “And it is more important than ever that everyone take part to recognize the creative and cultural value of the arts and humanities in our communities.” This October, celebrate the arts during Shop Indie Art Month hosted by the American Independent Business Alliance. We’ll recognize all types of artists -- crafters, painters, musicians, actors, writers, and others -- and boast the positive impacts artists have on our community and local economy. Join us!
The arts mean business: In 2020, the art sector made up 4.2 percent of the US economy -- greater than construction, transportation, or agriculture industries -- and included 4.6 million workers. The arts also mean revenue for other local businesses, as each arts event attendee spends an additional $31.47 at neighboring stores, restaurants, and hotels.
Art boosts our well-being: A national opinion poll from the Americans for the Arts found that 69 percent of us believe the arts “lift me up beyond everyday experiences,” and 81 percent shared that the arts are a “positive experience in a troubled world.” Recognizing the healing power of art, about half of US hospitals offer arts programming.
Art brings us together: 72 percent of Americans believe “the arts unify our communities regardless of age, race, and ethnicity,” and 73 percent agree that the arts “helps me understand other cultures better.”
Art inspires creativity: One Journal of Business Research study found that displaying art in the workplace boosted employees’ creative thinking.
Learn more
Shop Indie Art: Look for opportunities to purchase art and creative works from Monadnock Region artists. Here’s one option coming up soon: The 49th Annual Cheshire Craftsmen Fair on October 1 and October 2 from 9 am – 3 pm at the Keene Recreation Center. Shop early for unique holiday gifts, including home decor, quilted items, jewelry, soaps, woven items, quilted crafts, pottery, fleece and felted crafts, framed photos, wooden toys, wooden crafts, candles, and more.
Attend an art event or take a tour: Here are two fantastic chances to meet local artists and see where they work. The Monadnock Art Tour and Fall Foliage Art Studio Tour both happen the weekend of October 8 – 10. Take a walk around downtown Keene’s public art murals painted in 2019 by The Walldogs, a group of over 200 sign and mural artists from around the world. If you prefer a guided tour, register with the Historical Society of Cheshire County (tickets are $10 per person).
Discover more events
Take a class: Get your creative juices flowing by signing up for a class or two. Mill Hollow Works in Keene will offer a Halloween Mask Making Party on October 30, 10 am – 2 pm or 2 pm – 4 pm. Sign up your kids of “Trick or Treating” age. Tickets are $15 per mask maker. Check out all the details. The Jaffrey Civic Center will host card-making, poetry, and pastel classes in October. See details at jaffreyciviccenter.com/classes.
Browse many more classes
Show your art: Join #ShowYourArt2022, an Instagram challenge hosted by Americans for the Arts. They want to “inspire your creative spirit and showcase the culture that makes our communities unique and vibrant. And whether you post once or all month long, you’ll be part of the movement showing the power and purpose of the arts and humanities across all parts of life.” Learn more.
Stay tuned for more Shop Indie Arts news, events, and inspiration
Shop Indie Art is part of a larger Shop Indie Local year-round movement. Together, we inspire our communities to take positive action and boost the ripple effects our neighborhoods, towns, and cities receive when we spend and invest more of our dollars at locally owned, independent businesses.
For the tenth year, let’s shine a light on local food, farms, and our Monadnock Region food system during New Hampshire Eats Local Month, a month-long celebration of our state’s harvest in August.
Our food system includes all the pieces needed to bring local food from the farm to our plates: the soil, farm workers, transportation networks, markets, and more -- everything needed to grow, harvest, and distribute these goods to us. These pieces come together to form our local food system. Please dig in and enjoy part one of this year’s bounty of updates!
Marty Castriotta of Village Roots Permaculture in Alstead recently launched a crowdfunding campaign to help him write a book called Emerging Patterns of Resilience. The book will explore some of the best examples of permaculture design in the Northeast, including farms and backyard gardens. Permaculture uses ecological principles -- inspiration from nature -- to design and regenerate healthy, productive landscapes and communities. Marty aims to inspire the next generation, the climate generation, to co-create a future of abundance.
Support Village Roots Today!
Exciting news for local food producers in our region! Monadnock Food Co-op purchased a food production facility on the other side of their parking lot. Ten years ago, the building housed a shared-use space called Neighbor Made to support local producers.
While Neighbor Made closed, a plant-based meal producer, MamaSezz, currently utilizes the space. MamaSezz plans to outgrow the space within the next three years.
What’s next for the space? The Co-op hopes to establish a place that supports its own growth while providing production space for local food producers. Have ideas or questions? Please contact General Manager Michael Faber at gm@monadnockfood.coop.
This August, round up your purchases at Monadnock Food Co-op and donate your change to Food Connects, a food hub based in Brattleboro, VT. Food Connects proudly serves New England farmers and food producers and recognizes that local shopping strengthens our local economy.
In 2021, Food Connects broke all previous records and returned over $1,240,000 in sales to its farmers and food producers, demonstrating its commitment to New England food systems. New Hampshire food producers generated about 38% of these sales. Food Connects also joined the New Hampshire Food Hub Network, made up of six food hubs working collaboratively to strengthen our state’s local food economy.
“We’re thrilled to formally partner with the NH Food Hub Network to strengthen our hub’s connection to others across the state,” said Alex McCullough, Food Hub Co-Director, “Regional partnerships like this provide Food Connects with the ability to connect New Hampshire producers to new markets to the west and south.”
Cornucopia Project works to plant the seeds for a lifetime of healthy eating. This year’s fresh new offering includes a traveling hydroponic tower for growing food in our region’s schools, libraries, and institutions. They piloted the hydroponic tower in an eighth-grade science classroom and it quickly engaged the students. Students helped establish the “baby” plants grown on Cornucopia Project’s educational farm in Peterborough and learned how to keep the plants nourished throughout the spring. Lettuce, spinach, pea, tomato, sage, basil, and Swiss chard (a favorite!) provided snacks every week, along with water chemistry and biology lessons. “We are seeing the impact of firsthand experience on our participants’ learning, joy, curiosity, and engagement with the local food system,” shared Jess Gerrior, Cornucopia Project Program Specialist. “We celebrate our local farmers, restaurants, gardeners, seed savers, and others who are making those lifelong connections.”
One thing for sure, food can only be grown locally if there is local land on which to grow it. That’s why the Monadnock Conservancy is working to protect some of the most beloved farms in our region. Using a tool called a conservation easement – a permanent agreement that prohibits development but permits forestry and farming – the Conservancy ensures local farms stay farms in perpetuity while remaining more affordable for future farmers. What’s more, when established, many farm conservation easements provide cash to farmers to expand their business, pay down debt, or plan to transfer the farm to the next generation. This summer, the Conservancy partnered with Kroka Expeditions to protect 15.5 acres of farmland in Alstead, where the wilderness school grows much of the food consumed by their students and livestock. The soil on the property is considered “prime” by the US Department of Agriculture, meaning it is among the country’s most fertile and productive farmland. Monadnock Conservancy will work this summer to conserve seven acres of prime land owned and farmed by Pete’s Stand, a third generation farmstand, along the Connecticut River in Walpole. Looking ahead, Picadilly Farm in Winchester will conserve the last 25 unprotected acres of their 71-acre property, a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm that feeds 1,000 households in New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts. “We are honored to partner with local farmers to ensure that their land remains available to farm forever and that their businesses thrive,” said Monadnock Conservancy Executive Director Ryan Owens. “The Monadnock Region’s farms are the cornerstones of our communities.”
Now, get out there and enjoy our farms! Attend the fourth annual Monadnock Farm Tour on Saturday, August 20, from 12 – 5 pm. Twelve vibrant Monadnock farms will open their barns, fields, hen houses, kitchens, and a pudding plant. The event highlights the impact farms have on our local economy, their role in preserving open space, and how they contribute to our quality of life. The tour costs $10 per car or $5 per person. This Monadnock Farm Tour is produced by the Monadnock Farm & Community Coalition and Monadnock Food Co-op.
Discover more!
Stay tuned for part two of this article in August, including local food and farm updates from Cheshire County Conservation District, The Community Kitchen’s Mobile Food Pantry, and more! Thank you to all the individuals, programs, policies, and initiatives that continue to build a more robust local and regional food system in our corner of the state and throughout New England. Together, we’re cultivating healthier citizens, communities, and economies.
We’re wrapping up NH Eats Local Month -- a month-long celebration of local food, farmers, producers, and our local food system. A strong local food system keeps communities vibrant, economies growing, and landscapes healthy. When you eat local food, the benefits ripple out through our community, helping small businesses thrive. Here’s part two of our article highlighting updates in our local food system.
The Local Crowd Monadnock and The Local Crowd Upper Valley launched a crowdfunding campaign to support Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Hampshire and Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont Farm Share Programs. These two programs support organic farmers while making high-quality local food more accessible to community members in need. Funds raised from this crowdfunding campaign will allow more children, families, seniors, and other low-income individuals to receive a season’s worth of farm-fresh, organic produce at a reduced cost. Learn more and support this campaign today.
Support This Campaign
The Monadnock Food Co-op conducted its inaugural Producer Survey this year in partnership with the Cheshire Country Conservation District. The survey collected baseline data from 110 locally owned businesses growing or making products in our region.
These businesses’ most significant challenges include hiring labor, generating a profit, and developing marketing options. In terms of opportunities, survey respondents shared that they’d like to see local food system builders support Eat Local/Shop Local education, boost grant programs, and invest in labor resources. Learn more about the survey at monadnockfood.coop/vendors.
In 2022, Cheshire Country Conservation District partnered with the Hannah Grimes Center for Entrepreneurship and National Center for Appropriate Technology to host a free business planning course for local food producers. Participating farmers learned how to enhance the competitiveness of their business, created a business plan, and received a $2,000 stipend. Stay tuned for another course this fall at cheshireconservation.org/businessplanning.
The Community Kitchen hosted its first Monadnock Mobile Food Pantry pop-up event at the Senior Living Center in Winchester this summer. In addition to pantry staples, the pantry offered locally grown produce from Picadilly Farm in Winchester. Southwestern Community Services provided information about food and heating assistance, and the Monadnock Humane Society offered pet food and information on animal care. Help bring more local food to the Mobile Food Pantry by contributing to the Monadnock Farm and Community Coalition Locals’ Local Fund at bit.ly/localsfund. This fund will support local farmers who sell fresh, local food at a negotiated price to the mobile pantry. Interested in future mobile pop-up events or volunteering? Please call Kate at 603-352-3200.
Monadnock Farm and Community Coalition will launch a new marketing campaign to help you more easily identify products made or grown in the Monadnock Region. The “Monadnock Grown” designation will inspire us to choose local and boost our local economy by purchasing Monadnock made and grown products at grocery outlets and farm stands. Stay tuned at mfcommunitycoalition.org.
Some thirty gardeners are growing produce on more than sixty plots at Monadnock View Community Garden (MVCG) in West Keene this season. MVCG also includes a pollinator garden and a communal raspberry patch. Subsidized plots are available for community members who may need assistance, courtesy of Antioch University’s Community Garden Connections. Gardeners donated seedlings and purchased plants to six dedicated 'Giving Garden' plots to grow vegetables for The Community Kitchen and Hundred Nights Shelter. Volunteer garden angels share in the watering, weeding, and harvesting. "Impacts from food insecurity, supply chain issues, and climate change mean providing healthy local food to those who need it is more important than ever," shared Rowland Russell, who co-coordinates the Giving Garden with Toni Spring-Baker. If you are interested in securing a plot at the garden next year, contact Kristy Morrison with the City of Keene at kmorrison@ci.keene.nh.us. Contact Rowland to learn more about becoming a garden angel at rrussell@antioch.edu. Thank you to all the individuals, programs, policies, and initiatives that continue to build more robust local and regional food systems in our corner of the state and throughout New England. Together, we’re cultivating healthier citizens, communities, and economies.
It's time to start planning for this year's Plaid Friday, Cider Monday, and Shop Indie Local efforts! We're kicking off our Shop Indie Local planning efforts with a crowdfunding campaign. The more funds we raise, the more we'll amplify our message.
Together, we will:
Show off your dedication to the local economy movement and support our Shop Indie Local efforts today! Shop Indie Local includes supporting Plaid Friday, Cider Monday, Small Business Saturday, and other promotions happening November 1 - December 31, 2022. With your support, we will continue to build traction -- inspiring more and more AND MORE community participation and media attention. Please consider supporting this year’s Plaid Friday, Cider Monday, and Shop Indie Local campaign at one (or more!) of the levels below.
Your logo will appear in our Cider Monday ad in the Monadnock Shopper News (~60,000 weekly readers).
Your logo will appear in our Plaid Friday ad in the Monadnock Shopper News (~60,000 weekly readers).
Your logo or product will appear prominently on our TLC Monadnock Mercantile for one week (you choose the week - first come, first served).
Your logo will appear in our Plaid Friday AND Cider Monday ad in the Monadnock Shopper News (~60,000 weekly readers) AND the Keene Sentinel (delivered to ~10,000 households).
Sponsor a Plaid Friday Photo Booth in your town or business.
Your business will be mentioned during one week of our Plaid Friday radio ads (2 sponsors highlighted in each ad).
Sponsor a Plaid Friday launch in your town or at your business. Your name and logo will appear on our Launch Event marketing materials and press release. We'll plan this launch together. All sponsorship pledges are due by October 31, 2022. Send us an email to pledge your sponsorship or click on the button below to purchase your sponsorship through our crowdfunding campaign. Please let me know if you have any questions and thank you for all you do to support our local economy each and every day.
Keene Mayor George Hansel proclaimed July as Independents Month at the July 7, 2022, City Council Meeting. "Keene's local independent businesses help preserve the uniqueness of the community and give us a sense of place," said Mayor Hansel. "As we celebrate Independents Month 2022, we acknowledge that the ability to choose the direction of Keene lies within each of us."
Independents Month, led locally by The Local Crowd Monadnock and nationally by American Independent Business Alliance, is a time to recognize locally owned businesses and how they make their community healthier and wealthier.
Learn More
This July, celebrate Independents Month with The Local Crowd (TLC) Monadnock. Independents Month is a time to think and act locally to shape our region’s future. One perfect way to celebrate is to take our Indie Challenge. Pledge to make all your purchases at locally owned businesses -- for one day, one week, or the entire month. You choose!
Sign on to the Indie Challenge today!
“I want to help create a robust local economy,” said Indie Challenge-taker Laura Carbonneau from Food Connects. “Business owners can't do it on their own -- they need community buy-in and investment!”
Here’s an extra incentive to take the Indie Challenge: One lucky participant will win our Independents Month Staycation Giveaway. Our Staycation Giveaway includes a two-night Stay at the Inn at Valley Farms in Walpole, a gift card to The Hungry Diner in Walpole, a gift certificate to the Farm Store at Walpole Valley Farms in Walpole, a gift certificate for two 5 x 7 photo prints from Peterborough Camera, Copies & More in Peterborough, two tubes of sunscreen from Badger in Gilsum, one yoga class from Aloha Keene, and two keychains from GeoGraphic Gems. WOW! Now, that’s some staycation inspiration.
Also, all Indie Challenge participants can enter to win the Upper Valley of NH/VT Staycation Giveaway. We’ll announce the winners in early August.
See all the details here
“I believe in buying local -- I did even before it was so popular!” shared Indie Challenge participant Sue Ells from Monadnock Food Co-op. “And I need a staycation!”
Independents Month is an ideal time to recognize our locally owned and independent businesses for the community values they embody and their spirit of entrepreneurship. Also, how they give back to our community with their time, talents, goods, and services, making us healthier and wealthier. Thank an independent business owner and their staff today!
“I love having local businesses nearby because it’s convenient. I can see what I’m buying and how the businesses contribute to our economic community,” said Paula F. of Stoddard. “And I can get the advice and guidance needed for my purchases. We all win!”
How do locally owned businesses keep us healthier and wealthier? It’s thanks to the local multiplier effect. When you spend your dollars at independent businesses, those businesses also spend more of their dollars locally, creating a ripple effect in our community that boosts job growth, charitable giving, and overall prosperity. The Monadnock Indie Impact Study found that our region’s local retailers return 62.4% of their revenue to our local economy, while chain stores return just 13.6%.
“Our community is the foundation for everything that is good in our world,” shared Michelle D. of Spofford.
Traveling during Independents Week? Enjoy what locally owned businesses have to offer wherever you are. Ask locals where their favorite independents are and look for networks at amiba.net/our-network.
Summer means vacation for many of us. However, taking a vacation doesn’t have to include traveling far to get away. Take a staycation this year! Stay close to home and experience all the Monadnock Region has to offer. You’ll save money at the gas pumps. Plus, any money you do spend will recirculate in our local economy, building more community health and wealth.
Here are just a few events to add to your staycation plans this June. Also, keep reading to the end of this article to find out how to enter our Staycation Giveaway!
Gilsum will ROCK the weekend of June 25 – 26 during the Gilsum Rock Swap & Mineral Show at the Gilsum Elementary School and Community Center. Browse tables, tables, and tables of gems, jewelry, and minerals for sale or swap. Grab a meal and pan for minerals. At 1 p.m. on Saturday, Paul Brandes, the “Indiana Jones of Geology,” will share a history of mining starting 60,000 years ago.
View the full schedule
Finally, check out our Independents Month Staycation Promotion coming this summer. Enter our giveaway by signing on to our Indie Month Challenge.
Take our pre-survey now and then a post-survey (coming in late July). Complete both surveys for your chance to win our Staycation package.
The winner of our Staycation Package will receive a two-Night Stay at the Inn at Valley Farms in Walpole, a gift card to The Hungry Diner in Walpole, a gift certificate to the Farm Store at Walpole Valley Farms in Walpole, a gift certificate for two 5 x 7 photo prints from Peterborough Camera, Copies & More in Peterborough, two tubes of sunscreen from Badger in Gilsum, one yoga class from Aloha Keene, and two keychains from GeoGraphic Gems. Best of all, you can enter to win an Upper Valley of NH/VT staycation package, too. We’ll announce winners in early August.
Take the Indie Challenge!
We hope summer means staycation for you this year. Happy local travels!
PAST EVENTS
Also on June 4, downtown Keene comes alive with food, too! The Keene Young Professionals Network will host the second annual Taste of Keene Food Festival at the top of Main Street from 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Central Square, the upper section of Main Street, and part of Roxbury Street will be closed to traffic, allowing for a fantastic pedestrian-only event.
Enjoy small bites from twenty-five local restaurants and food producers. Purchase your food tokens today and save. Watch cooking demos from local and regional chefs throughout the day.
As an added treat, The Colonial Theatre will host two live performances during the festival, the Real McCoy Show International Stunt Comedy in a Hard Hat.
Brent McCoy is the Real McCoy. “His acclaimed show features breathtaking stunts, natural charisma, and a lightning-fast wit. It’s a rocking circus and comedy experience, appropriate for all ages. This ain’t no imitation… it’s the Real McCoy,” shared The Colonial Theatre. “The show features audience participation, original comedy, diabolo, juggling (fire is optional), breakdancing, and his signature finale, ‘a boy on a board on a ball on a bench.’ Brent will meet members of the audience in The Colonial tent between performances. And it's customary to tip street performers!”
Don’t forget to visit the Taste of Keene’s local craft biergarten to sip on a selection of our region's best brews and spirits (21 and over). Please bring your ID. Beverage tokens available for sale at the event. Enjoy live music while you sip from three bands: The Evocatives, Modern Fools, and Mojohand.
BUT THAT'S NOT ALL! This just in from KeeneYPN: We're looking for ten brave souls who are looking to terrify their taste buds in a scorching hot wing eating contest at the Taste of Keene Food Festival. Contestants will be expected to eat four rounds of increasingly hot chicken wings, with short breaks between each round to let the heat...well...burn. If more than one person survives the wings, we will offer a devilish dessert as a tie-breaker. The winner will be the last one sweati--uh, standing. Each contestant will get a limited edition Taste of Keene Hot Wing t-shirt, flame sweatband, pint of Frisky Cow Gelato and pint of milk. The top three winners receive grand prizes. Please note that contestants will be required to sign a waiver prior to participating.
Enter by purchasing your ticket here ($30 entry fee). The The Few, the Brave, the SPICY!! contest will run from 3:30 to about 4:15.
Downtown storefronts will transform into art galleries during Keene ArtWalk on June 3 – 12. Stroll up and down Main Street to view the works of over sixty New Hampshire artists.
Learn More: Keene ArtWalk
On Saturday, June 4, the ArtWalk expands to Railroad Square with a day of performances and demonstrations, including ballroom dance, glass blowing, and more.
For a more nature-based staycation plan, join Monadnock Conservancy for a 20-mile mountain bike tour in Fitzwilliam on Saturday, June 18, from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Learn about plans to improve this section of the Cheshire Rail Trail, plus efforts to protect the Chamberlain Conservation Area and Sip Pond. Registration is required.
NH Gives, an initiative of the NH Center for Nonprofits, is the Granite State's largest day-of-giving - bringing together hundreds of nonprofits and tens of thousands of donors to raise as much money and awareness as possible for the causes they care about.
TLC Monadnock Participating Nonprofits
Is your favorite nonprofit participating?
NH Gives has raised more than $8 million dollars for more than 900 nonprofits since 2016.
By Luca Paris
We've tried some new things since I joined as CEO of the Greater Keene & Peterborough Chamber of Commerce (GKPC):
Thank you for all you’ve helped us achieve.
The GKPC continues to collaborate with the community, and our latest endeavor is sponsoring The Thing in the Spring, a four-day music festival happening this week right in downtown Keene at Brewbakers/Nova Arts! To multiply our impact and support events that benefit our businesses, residents, and increase tourism, we’re giving you an opportunity to help us meet our vision. Even a $5 donation supports our mission to ensure our businesses continue to grow and our region thrives for generations to come.
Support Our Campaign Today!
The Thing in the Spring has already been shared with more than 100,000 social media followers via the artists performing. It’s generating the exact buzz we hoped it would. Equally important, this festival is for all ages, so our high school students can come together to celebrate at a time when they’ve never needed it more.
I am grateful for all you’ve helped us achieve and the difference you’ve made in our local economy. Let’s keep the celebrations going and please donate today!
Twenty years ago, locally owned businesses in Tampa, Florida, came together to celebrate the very first Independents Week. Soon after, American Independent Business Alliance helped bring Independents Week to independent business alliances throughout the United States. Now, twenty years later, American Independent Business Alliance invites communities to come together to celebrate Independents Month!
Independents Month is a time to recognize our locally owned and independent businesses and the community values they embody:
Independents Month, part of AMIBA’s Shop Indie Local Initiative, is the perfect time to shine a light on the Local Multiplier Effect and the Monadnock Indie Impact Study. Together, we’ll inspire our communities to take positive action and boost the positive ripple effects our neighborhoods, towns, and cities receive when we spend more of our dollars at locally owned, independent businesses.
Independents Month is a time to reflect on your ability to think and act independently and embrace your part in shaping the future of your community. Shop Indie Local and boost the multiplier effect in your region. Also, take time to acknowledge the independent business owners you know.
Another way to celebrate Independents Month is to take the Indie Challenge. Pledge to make all of your purchases at locally owned businesses for one day, one week, or the entire month. Sign on to the Indie Challenge today!
Traveling during Independents Month? Enjoy what locally owned, and independent businesses have to offer wherever you’re visiting. Ask locals where their favorites are and look for independent business alliances in the areas you’re visiting.
Carla Jimenez, co-owner of Inkwood Books and co-founder of the Tampa Independent Business Alliance, created the first Independents Week in 2001. In 2005, AMIBA began promoting the campaign nationally, providing tools to help communities organize their own Independents Week celebrations.
This July, let’s celebrate our independence and our independents together.
The Monadnock Farm Share program makes farm shares more accessible to limited-income community members who otherwise would not be able to participate in a local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.
CSA programs are an opportunity for community members to enjoy farm-fresh produce while supporting local agriculture.
Community members pay 50% of the total farm share cost through the program. View program eligibility here.
This year's applications are due by May 30, 2022, and Cheshire County Conservation District will review applications on a rolling basis (first come, first served).
Community members choose from a listing of participating farms throughout the region.
Access this year's program information & eligibility, application, and participating farm list below:
2022 Application
2022 Participating Farm List
Program Information and Eligibility
What is a CSA?
Farmers face many costs in the operation of their farms. Community Supported Agriculture programs alleviate the financial burdens of farmers before the season begins. CSA customers provide an upfront payment to reserve a share of the season's harvest.
The cost of the CSA serves as a deposit for the season! This upfront cost allows farmers to purchase needed seeds, materials, or equipment for the upcoming season. At the same time, customers can reap this investment by taking home delicious produce once the farm season begins!
Many farms offer half share or full share CSA options. These options vary from farm to farm, but half shares are smaller to feed smaller households, while full shares can feed a larger household or households that eat a lot of vegetables.
Some farms offer on-farm pick-up days, while others provide delivery! Some farms pre-package their CSA shares for a quick pick up, while others allow customers to pick-your-own (PYO!). Pick-up days offer a unique experience to see where your food is grown and interact with other community members! While delivery offers a convenient way to bring fresh produce to your household!
By purchasing a CSA, you support local agriculture while also eating delicious, nutritious, and locally grown produce!
For additional information, questions, or assistance in completing your application, contact Benée Hershon at benee@cheshireconservation.org or 603-756-2988 x 3011.
The Local Crowd Monadnock - Mailing Address: 63 Emerald St. #114, Keene, NH 03431
