Maple sugaring in New Hampshire

The HippoPress (March 26)

"Maple sugaring season has arrived once again in New Hampshire. And the state’s maple producers have their trees tapped and their evaporators fired up, ready to welcome visitors for this year’s Maple Weekend, Saturday, March 28, and Sunday, March 29.
For a complete list, plus more information on maple syrup, check out the New Hampshire Maple Producers Web site, www.nhmapleproducers.com."

Read more.

Eat your winter season in New England

The Boston Globe (Feb. 11)

"In the winter, however, even the most committed New Englander could be forgiven for falling off that wagon. People cite deeply felt reasons for becoming locavores, or those who choose to eat food grown and produced in the region where they live.
Not necessarily, say many who eat predominantly local food throughout the winter.

With a little planning, it's surprisingly easy to be a locavore in the winter. Even in New England."

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Boston food public market

Boston Globe (Feb. 21):

"The market would be opened in a vacant building that occupies a full city block near Haymarket, an area of old cobblestone alleys where city officials want to create an expansive year-round shopping district with dozens of local growers, bakers, seafood merchants, and other businesses."

"Local farms and agricultural businesses have long sought a daily market because of the expense and complication of traveling to Boston to participate in weekend farm stands. Massachusetts farms rely on local markets because of the lack of major agricultural distributors in the state to buy and sell their products.

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Eat your seasons- Massachusetts

Massachusetts crop availability guide (From MDAR and NRDC Eat Local (MA)):

Time of Year	Fresh Produce
June (early)	Beets, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Cucumber, Greens, Lettuce, Peas, Peppers, Radishes, Scallions, Spinach
June (late)	Beets, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Cucumber, Greens, Lettuce, Peas, Peppers, Radishes, Scallions, Spinach
July (early)	Beans, Beets, Blueberries, Cabbage, Carrots , Cauliflower, Cucumber, Greens, Lettuce, Onions , Peas, Peppers, Potatoes, Radishes, Scallions, Spinach, Strawberries , Summer squash
July (late)	Beans, Beets, Blueberries, Cabbage, Carrots , Cauliflower, Cucumber, Greens, Lettuce, Onions , Peas, Peppers, Potatoes, Radishes, Scallions, Spinach, Strawberries , Summer squash
August (early)	Apples, Beans, Beets, Blueberries, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cantaloupes, Carrots , Cauliflower, Celery, Corn , Cucumber, Eggplant, Lettuce, Onions , Peaches, Peas, Peppers, Potatoes, Radishes, Raspberries, Scallions, Spinach, Summer squash, Tomatoes, Turnips, Watermelon
August (late)	Apples, Beans, Beets, Blueberries, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cantaloupes, Carrots , Cauliflower, Celery, Corn , Cucumber, Eggplant, Lettuce, Onions , Peaches, Peas, Peppers, Potatoes, Radishes, Raspberries, Scallions, Spinach, Summer squash, Tomatoes, Turnips, Watermelon
September (early)	Apples, Beets, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots , Cauliflower, Celery, Corn , Cranberries, Eggplant, Lettuce, Onions , Peaches, Peas, Peppers, Potatoes, Pumpkin, Radishes, Raspberries, Scallions, Spinach, Summer squash, Tomatoes, Turnips, Watermelon, Winter Squash
September (late)	Apples, Beets, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots , Cauliflower, Celery, Corn , Cranberries, Eggplant, Lettuce, Onions , Peaches, Peas, Peppers, Potatoes, Pumpkin, Radishes, Raspberries, Scallions, Spinach, Summer squash, Tomatoes, Turnips, Watermelon, Winter Squash
October (early)	Apples, Cabbage, Cranberries, Lettuce, Onions , Potatoes, Pumpkin, Turnips, Winter Squash
October (late)	Apples, Cabbage, Cranberries, Lettuce, Onions , Potatoes, Pumpkin, Turnips, Winter Squash

RI food stamps

Forbes (March 23):

"The extra allocation, ranging from $2 to $24 a month, comes from the federal stimulus plan.
Enrollment in the state's food stamp program is up almost 20 percent since last year. Nearly 100,000 Rhode Islanders are now receiving the benefit."

Read more.

MA food services

Boston Herald (March 21):

"More than $300 million in federal money will be used to increase benefits for Massachusetts participants of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly know as Food Stamps. On average, households will receive about an 18 percent increase. Nearly 600,000 people in the state use the program to buy food."

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Boston legal sea foods saga

Boston Globe (March 20):

"Get ready, Green Line riders. The foul-mouthed fish are back. After months of negotiations, Legal Sea Foods said it has received approval from the MBTA for a new series in its "Fresh Fish" ad campaign.
The new insults include zingers such as: "Kiss my bass;" "If that's your girlfriend, I'd throw her back;" and "Darn, you smell like carp.""

Read more.

Maine community supported fisheries (CSF)

The Washington Post (January 14): "The idea behind the CSF goes back to the Libby brothers' sense, in Glen's words, that "30 years ago there was a lot more fish, and the gear was a lot less high-tech. So maybe we should take a step back and lighten things up." They were convinced that the only way to save the fishery was to fish more sustainably, which meant harvesting fewer fish but better-quality ones that would command a higher price from savvy consumers.

Those subscribers get access to the freshest seafood imaginable -- the only thing fresher would be catching it yourself -- at an affordable price. It's also (magic words) locally sourced, with a small carbon footprint. The fish doesn't travel to your kitchen from Hawaii or Chile or New Zealand, and it looks, smells and tastes all the better for it. And it's a good deal cheaper than what you can buy at seafood counters in supermarkets, where, even in Maine, fresh wild fish starts at about $7 a pound." Read more.

Sign-up for a weekly share of fishery harvested by the Midcoast Fishermen’s Cooperative of Port Clyde, Maine here.

When will MA get its own CSF?

The organic food vs. local but not organic debate

Waterfront (Feb-March ): "More Mainers along the coast are having these kinds of debates at supermarkets and natural food stores, as they are following a trend toward increased interest in healthier eating and ethical eating. Many health-food consumers used to focus solely on buying organic produce, but there has been a growing shift toward buying food from local sources. The shift toward local food has created a spirited debate over whether local or organic produce is better, if one had to choose between the two.
But if activities at the Belfast Co-op are any indication, local and organic food camps along Maine's coast are meshing into a new group of food consumers who want a connection to their food and are willing to cross label boundaries to get there.
Many consumers experience sticker-stock when confronted with the price tag for local produce. Local farmers can't grow, distribute, and sell in bulk like giant agribusiness companies, and they often face a disadvantage in pricing. Their plight is made more difficult by U.S. agricultural policies which encourages the overproduction of commodities like soy, corn and cotton through subsidies, said Bob St. Peter, executive director of the Sedgwick-based Food for Maine's Future." Read more.

Urban agriculture in MA

Boston Globe (November 9, 2008): "These seemingly humble gardens are part of a local success story with national significance. They've blossomed because of the nonprofit agency Nuestras Raices -- Our Roots -- which has received numerous honors for its model of using urban agriculture to spur economic development, enrich a community through cultural pride, and improve nutrition for youth and the community in general. The gardens are cooperatively maintained but are overseen by Nuestras Raices, which helps people get access to the lots. The gardeners use the food for their own households, share it with neighbors, or sell it at farmers' markets. The nonprofit also has a 30-acre farm site where it teaches people who were farmers in Puerto Rico or other countries how to be commercial farmers in Massachusetts.....And it works extensively with young people, teaching them about gardening and farming and running programs on topics ranging from computers to health to leadership....". Read more.