This Saturday will be the first in a whole bunch of indoor winter markets this year hosted by
Seacoast Eat local. The market will be from 10-2 at the
Wentworth Greenhouses* in Rollinsford. Seacoast Eat Local started up just over two years ago with three markets, now they are up to eleven, all in bigger spaces. And there are farmers' markets sprouting up all over the place. It is exiting to see all the people who have been turning out for these events. They are always surprised at how much food there is! Plus fine music and fun activities for kids of all ages. We have been putting a lot of work into our winter crops. Potatoes, turnips, carrots, and this year...parsnips! The root cellar is stocked, and we aren't done yet - we're still pullin' carrots! We also plan on having greens until snow.
But that's just our contribution; there will be almost 50 vendors at this Saturday's market! That adds up to even more veggies, plus meats, dairy, and baked goodies. Oh, yes, and also locally caught fish and seafood. Farmer's and producers have been ramping up for these winter events, and working to meet consumers' demand for more fresh food all year round. As we have said before about our summer markets: "we're like the freaking grocery store!" It is so exiting to live in this area where so many things grow and thrive, even during the cold months. It's something to be immensely grateful for. Is our system perfect? No. We would love to have more growers and food producers. Also, we want to have more people come to the table, and know that it is harder than ever to afford high quality food, but believe that everyone should have access to it. Fortunately at our markets we will have some folks coming to donate produce to local food pantries. We are making great strides in making local FRESH food available, while keeping it sustainable both economically and environmentally. It's a tough balance, but...as we move forward-
let us give thanks, and
let's eat!
*Wentworth Greenhouses, 141 Rollins Rd, Rollinsford, NH
1 mile past Red's Shoe Barn on the Rollinsford/Dover border
for more information visit
Seacoast Eat Local's Winter Farmers' Market page
It used to be that winter was the time of year where we hunkered down with steaming mugs perusing seed catalogs and planning for the spring. It was a time to get part time jobs and generally rest our work-weary bones for next season. Then we started talking about "winter" markets. At the time it seemed a longshot: people barely came to our later markets in October, why would they want to come to a market in December? So we grew some extra winter squash, figuring that if it didn't sell, at least we'd have plenty of calories to keep us (not to mention friends and family) well fed in case of sudden apocalypse. That was two years ago. The overwhelming success of that first market and the ones that followed has shaped the way we approach farming. Come to find: we're not alone. We just attended the New England Vegetable and Fruit growers' conference. It was awesome to talk to growers out in Vermont and Maine and hear how to grow more food in the winter. It's really happening, and it's totally exciting! For us as well as many farmers, it's drastically changed what being a farmer entails during the cold months: from washing potatoes on the "warm" days to pulling carrots out of the snow, to pulling the van up the frozen barn ramp with the tractor to get ready for yet another market. Which, by the way is this Saturday in Rollinsford. The fun doesn't stop. Next year at this time we hope to be cutting greens out of our (soon to be constructed) unheated hoophouse. Suddenly we are becoming busy. Not that we mind. Shorter days mean there's still plenty of time to come inside and find that steaming mug. As I write this, I am glancing at a disheveled stack of seed catalogs awaiting my perusal. I think to myself, "next year will be better." Some things about farmers never change.
We are delighted at our newest piece of equipment: a barrel root washer! Just in time for cold weather, we've got it put together. It makes quick work of washing veggies like turnips, carrots, even potatoes. In the end it will save time, water, and (more importantly) our FINGERS while washing up prior to those cold winter markets. It's like magic: roots go in dirty and come out sparkly-clean and ready for cold-storage in the root cellar. Here is Bridget inspecting the first run of scarlet turnips in the washer (note dry, toasty-warm fingers!) 
