Thank you farmers & attendees for a
powerful Love Local event.
Challenges, Adaptations, Stewardship
& how we can help our local food system thrive.
This year has been a particularly challenging growing season for New England farmers and food producers, given the extreme weather events across the region and increasingly unpredictable weather patterns. From a late freeze to record rainfall and flooding, the already challenging task of growing food is becoming increasingly difficult for our farmers.
Donors to KFH make real change happen with programs that send dollars to our local and regional farmers while expanding food access for more neighbors, and generally increasing demand for and awareness of local farms and goods with events like Love Local.
The issues our farmers are facing are ongoing all of the time. KFH works each and every day to address these issues and our donors make it all possible.
Love Local video playlist
This Year’s Farmers & Makers
NOK Vino
Nicolas Kimberly started NOK Vino in 2022 to share his “love of plants and earth with others, learn and teach ecological farming, and contribute to a culture of openness and inclusion in winefarming.” Based in Concord, NH, Nico, teammate Ryan, and other helping hands are out in vineyards across New England nurturing biodiversity and harvesting the fruits to make wines of all kinds with as little intervention as possible to truly allow the fruits to speak for themselves. They’ve seen and felt the devastating impact of this year’s weather on the vineyards, and they’re committed to caring for local lands - and community connectedness - through the practices they choose in the process of crafting quality New Hampshire wines.
Deep Meadow Farm
Jon and his son lead a team of farmers on the Connecticut River Valley in Ascutney, Vermont. Deep Meadow has been feeding the Upper Valley region and markets all along the East Coast certified organic vegetables since 2011. This has been an unprecedented year for the farm with record flooding and crop loss. We’ll hear from the family on how the farm is holding up from this year’s damage, though the full scope of the loss is still being assessed, and dig into what they see as a way for all communities to help local farmers in these tough times.
Spring Ledge Farm
Spring Ledge Farm is a family operation based in New London, NH, started and grown by John and Sue Clough for 30 years and purchased by Greg Berger in 2005. Greg worked alongside the Clough’s for 20 years before purchasing the farm, and now lives on site with his family while managing operations. Spring Ledge is an absolute staple in the Kearsarge Community. Greg and his team grow a variety of fruits and vegetables as well as ornamental plants while participating in shared initiatives like FEED Kearsarge that help more neighbors grow food. They’ve experienced the challenges of this years growing season at their diverse operation, and have a unique outlook on the future of local food and farming.
Sweet Beet Farm
Kearsarge Food Hub’s own Sweet Beet Farm grows intensively on a very small plot of land in Bradford, New Ham —less than two acres—surrounded by 50 acres of forest. KFH Co-founder and Farm Manager Pierre Hahn works closely with Farm Education Coordinator Julie Loosigian to connect farm production and education. The goal of the farm is not only to produce nutrient dense foods for the community, but also inspire a love of and connection to nature for students of all ages, and passing on climate resilient practices to the next generation of farmers.