Bite-Size: Finding Local Meat, Seafood and Farm Products

This week, the realization that local food sources are more agile and reliable than many large grocery stores has led to an increase in popularity of farmstands and markets. Statewide fisherpeople, growers and delivery drivers are adapting their systems quickly to ensure fresh food makes its way to our kitchens week after week. A number of collaborative efforts have emerged to map the food resources available across the state.

UNH Extension Launches NH Farm Products Map and NH Food Access Maps 

To help visualize pickup points around the state, University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension (UNH Extension) has created both the NH Farm Products Map and the NH Food Access Map. With a web of local farms stands, food pantries, pop-up locations, curbside pickups and area drop-offs emerging, this map helps to guide us as food availability changes daily.

To find local staple food items like meat, eggs, milk, bread, fruits and vegetables within driving distance of your home start with the NH Farm Products Map. The map of New Hampshire is updated by farmers, and is flagged with dots pointing to food pickup locations. A pop-up box provides additional information about each farmstand or market.

Please send tips from the field. Bite-size writer Jess Saba is looking for food news from chefs, farms, and community organizers about restaurant and farmstand openings, closings, struggles and adaptations. Send images, ideas and creative community solutions to jessicalsaba@gmail.com

Jeremy DeLisle, the fruit and vegetable production field specialist at UNH Extension, says that at the moment, food producers across the state are collaborating behind the scenes to coordinate a response strategy, share costs, reduce food waste and ensure product availability.

Through video calls, online forums, phone calls and shared documents, they are coordinating with each other and their customers to adapt their business models to match the changing habits and needs of homecooks.

Cascade Brook Farm in Sutton is adapting with special pickup and delivery options that you can read about on their website.  And Emery Farm Market and Cafe in Durham has been expanding their farm store and sourcing most requested items — such as chicken broth, meat, cheese, yeast and pantry items. They just announced the first oyster harvest of the season — just be sure to preorder to reserve your shellfish and plan for next-day pickup.

It’s the time to pick your favorite farmer, butcher, fisherperson and spiritmaker and get to know them. Place your order online, and map your route. They will prepackage your order into a box for no-contact pickup.

Statewide Food Pantries See Increased Demand

The Food Access Map includes hours, calls for product and volunteers and current offerings for pickup.

The demand for assistance through food pantries is growing throughout the state as unemployment rates rise and families seek food security and assistance.

Food pantries rely on product, volunteer hours and cash donations to be able to serve those in need. The University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension (UNH Extension) has launched the The NH Food Access Map to help people find where free or low cost food is offered, where volunteers are needed and where donations are currently accepted.

The needs at each food pantry location vary daily. This map can help you find or donate perishable and nonperishable food and personal items such as toiletries, clothing, pet food, classroom supplies and preschool items. Use the map to learn about hours of operation, which locations are seeking volunteers and information about current calls for support.

Phone numbers are listed so call to confirm hours, make arrangements or ask specific questions.

The New Hampshire Community Seafood Map shows catch-of-the-week pickup locations from the coast to the Lakes Region

Through New Hampshire Community Seafood, fishermen provide shares for weekly dock-to-dish seafood. This cooperative of fishermen from Seabrook, Hampton, Rye Harbor and Portsmouth Harbors practice sustainable fishery management approaches while ensuring their fresh catch is always available for sale in-state.

Depending on how much seafood you’d like to include in your seasonal meal plans, opt for a 8-, 16- or 32-week share. All fish are offered as fillets. Local catch includes haddock, cod and pollock, as well as redfish, monkfish, hake, king whiting, a variety of flounders and dogfish (Cape) shark. Community Seafood also offers a Shellfish Share, biweekly with 16- and 32-week options. These include straight-off-the-boat lobsters, crabs, scallops, oysters and mussels. Sign up here.

This map shows pick up locations across the Southern half of the state, where New Hampshire Community Seafood deliver trucks unload weekly shares to local farm stores, retail or natural food stores.