Food Lovers' Guide: Fresh Produce

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Buying local is a great way to eat fresh and support your community, but where should you shop? We've compiled suggestions of places you can go for everything from locally-raised meats to cheese made right here in New Hampshire. We start off with produce, but see the links below for more Food Lovers' Guides.

Vegetables are always better when fresh, so we'll help you go right to the source - local farms and markets.

Buying local is a great way to eat fresh and support your community, but where should you shop? We've compiled suggestions of places you can go for everything from locally-raised meats to cheese made right here in New Hampshire. We start off with produce, but see the links below for more Food Lovers' Guides.

More Local Food Guides

Our Food Lovers' Guide includes many more delicious topics:

Farmstead Raw Milk Cheese
Local Markets
Farm-raised Meats and Local Meat Markets
Venison
Bread and Pasta
Herbs
Asian Specialty Markets
Fish

Yes, please eat your vegetables.

There are more reasons than nutrition to visit businesses that sell fresh produce, - especially this time of year. Sure, it helps your energy and body to eat fresh fruit and vegetables, but it doesn't hurt your eyes either. No matter what the season, a ride through the farmlands of Hollis is a welcome respite. And Lull Farm, in Hollis, is the treasure at the end of the trail.

Set in a backdrop of hundreds of acres of rich, Merrimack Valley farmland, Lull is open year-round with its offering of amazing produce, including dozens of varieties of potatoes, apples, lettuce and fresh herbs right from the farm.

What they don't grow is augmented with a nice selection of produce, so you can one-stop shop.

There are bundles of frilly parsley and golden tansy hanging from the rafters and the exotic colors of kumquats, kiwi and cantaloupe, just to name a few. A few of the canned goods are produced in the kitchen, including salad dressings and applesauce.

The farmstand/store whose motto is "Eat Your View," also has stores of pour-your-own olive oil, organic meat, local dairy, a line of hemp products, fresh-baked goods - including Lull's iconic Hannah Jack braid bread and even first, second and third-cut hay. You can also grow your own produce and flowers when Lull's nursery is open. While shopping you can also sip fresh-brewed java from local roasters. There are even Lull Farm T-shirts with Thomas Hart Bentonesque block-prints of agrarian scenes.

Lull Farm also has a stand on Route 13 in Milford, open from April through January.

Lull Farm
65 Broad St., Hollis
(603) 465-7079
lullfarmllc.com

Food Fact: Winter Farmers Markets New Hampshire is a paradise for farmers markets during the growing season, but there are a number that stay open year-round. There are more than two dozen members of the New Hampshire Farmer's Market Association, which lists locations and times for farmers markets throughout the state. More listings are also available through the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture.

More Places to Find Produce

Littleton Food Co-op
Anyone can shop at this food co-op, not just the members.
The store is owned by the community and is focused on bringing local produce and goods.
43 Bethlehem Rd.
Littleton(603) 444-2800
littletoncoop.org

Holland Farm CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)
Members buy shares in the farm and pick up fresh and pesticide-free vegetables once a week. Also available are fresh flowers and raw, fresh goat milk.
There is also a farmstand that sells produce, flowers and day-range poultry to the public. Full shares and half shares available, and now is the time to buy!
269 Osgood Rd.
Milford
(603) 673-0667
hollandfarmcsa.com

Breakwind Farm
Sells four varieties of the cleverly named FARTOOTEMPTING Organic Baked Beans.
They also offer really cute "Follow me, I'm going to Breakwind" T-shirts.
1584 Maple St.
Hopkinton
(603) 496-5016
breakwindfarm.com

The Concord Cooperative Market
Sister natural grocery stores with large organic and local produce departments, natural food, health, body and household products and an in-store café.
24 South Main St.
Concord
(603) 225-6840
concordfoodcoop.com

The Co-op Food Stores
More than 250 local and regional farms and food producers supply the co-op throughout the year.
45 South Park St.
Hanover
(603) 643-2667
coopfoodstore.coop