August is NH Eats Local Month, a fantastic time to savor the bounty of our local food system and celebrate the people who make it all possible.
Here at KFH, August reminds us that at the root of our mission to reinvigorate our community within a restorative local food system is the food we grow, eat and share here on our local lands.
This time of abundance speaks to our vision of resilient and connected community where everyone is empowered to access healthy food, where local farmers are supported and the land is nourished, and where all people share a common sense of place.
We're bringing this vision to life by the grace of nature, the power of community, and all the creative and heartfelt efforts throughout local food system.
In reflection and celebration this August, let’s explore the origins, community, ways we create access to local food here at KFH.
Origins.
Sweet Beet Farm Stand, 2015.
In 2015, five eager young folks and one retired school teacher decided they wanted to help heal their community through food. Starting as Sweet Beet Farm Stand, Kearsarge Food Hub grew from a seed of an idea to a nonprofit now run by a team of over 20 employees and 11 board members.
Through our work over the past 8 years, we've realized that to get to the heart of systemic problems like a disconnected and dysfunctional industrialized food system, we must honor all the layered interconnections.
Each unique KFH program - from Sweet Beet Farm + Market + Café to education programs, food donations, and community building efforts - feeds the next to create not just systemic change in the local food system, but cultural change grounded in how neighbors trust and support each other, reclaiming and sharing the knowledge of how to grow and eat local, seasonal foods, and how we relate to our natural environment.
The interconnection of Kearsarge Food Hub’s programming in support of local food, farms, and community.
Community.
We believe that everybody has a place in the local food system and a right to access locally grown, caught, and produced foods. It’s this sense of belonging - and connection to place - that we strive to support with our services from Sweet Beet to community events to volunteerism.
Whether you grow food, use the FREEdge, shop in the market, volunteer, donate, learn with us on Sweet Beet Farm, attend community events, partner in shared initiatives, or otherwise - the growing community around the KFH mission is a source of deep appreciation…and empowerment.
It’s what we call the heart beet, fueling all the programs and operations that grow, move and share food throughout the community.
We’ve met some incredible people, forged deep connections, and have learned so much through every step of the journey.
Of course, this community is an ecosystem that includes not only all of us, but the lands, waterways, and non-human life all around us. Without the soil, forests, critters, sunshine, fresh water, and clean air of the New Hampshire landscape, none of the amazing food we enjoy in August (or any time of year) would be possible.
August crops growing on Sweet Beet Farm.
Access.
Here at KFH, creating access to local food for all neighbors is at the core of our work. We love when neighbors shop at Sweet Beet, but we also know this is not an option for many. That’s where a few key food security efforts come into play and are absolutely critical.
SNAP/EBT is accepted at Sweet Beet Market, with 50% off fresh fruits and veggies thanks to the granite state market match. We also have a standing 25% off Veterans Discount on all products all the time, and a 25% discount in the market + café for all employees.
Additionally, the KFH community supports a robust food donations program that donates over $62k annually through food pantry partners and an on-site Community FREEdge.
Kearsarge Food Hub’s food donations from 2018-2022.
This food donations program is unique in three ways:
The vast majority of what is donated is high quality, fresh produce, in high demand by food security partners
All the products we donate are purchased from our local community. This means there is direct and significant financial support going to our local farmers and producers.
Our food pantries partners are clients, not just recipients of leftovers and surplus. We only donate what they order from us week to week. This allows people more choice in the food products they consume, and minimizes waste. We work with six food pantries on a regular basis, including Abenaki Helping Abenaki Food Pantry, Bradford Food Pantry, Henniker Food Pantry, Hungry Owl at Keene State College, Kearsarge Lake Sunapee Food Pantry, and Warner Food Pantry
Shared initiatives like the Abenaki Seeds Project and FEED Kearsarge harness the power of collaboration in the community to strengthen food security through things like growing more home gardeners, supporting culturally appropriate food access for Native Americans, and rescuing produce from local farms through gleaning projects.
This is all made possible by our generous donors, shoppers at Sweet Beet, grant funding, and our food security Corporate Sponsors: Naughton & Son Recycling, Secondwind Water Inc., Spring Ledge Farm, and Bar Harbor Bank and Trust.
Stay tuned for Part 2 of our savoring and celebrations this NH Eats Local Month!