Growing
trend: New farmers markets are springing up across the state, contributing
to the health of customers' diets and NH agriculture.
The vibrant farmers
markets springing up throughout the state aren't only providing fresh
vegetables and fruit to Granite Staters. Officials say the markets are
playing a key role in preserving New Hampshire's rural character by
providing income for farms that might otherwise fall prey to a bulldozer.
Katie and Stephen
Surowiec of Sanbornton, for example, regularly receive queries from
developers wanting to plant houses on the 130-acre farm that's been
in the family since 1917 and commands inspiring views of the White Mountains.
But the Surowiecs
plan to keep their land tilled as long as they can make a living off
it. And a good deal of that living has started coming through the Sanborntown
Farmers' Market, which opened three years ago.
The Surowiecs have
began growing lots of vegetables for the market in addition to their
produce lineup of apples, strawberries, blueberries and corn. Vegetable
sales have taken off to the point the Surowiecs are now doubling their
50-foot-long greenhouse to increase production.
"It's not
our biggest money maker, but it's an important one," Katie Surowiec
said.
Another major benefit
is that the exposure at the market has let many people discover the
Surowiec farm where they can go to pick their own apples, strawberries,
blueberries, and get Christmas trees.
Dick Uncles, supervisor
of markets for the state Department of Agriculture, said farmers in
New Hampshire depend up retail sales avenues like farmers markets and
roadside stands.
"There are
very few farms left in New Hampshire that are wholesaling significant
amounts of produce," he said.
Uncles said thriving
farmers markets in the state are spurring increasing numbers of Granite
Staters to tunr to farming.
"We get so
many calls from people who have bought land and want to know what to
do with it. If we didn't have farmers markets there really isn't much
opportunity," he said.
Organizers of farmers
markets also said they spend a great deal of time fielding calls from
would-be farmers.
Jack Potter, the
president of the newly formed New Hampshire Farmers' Markets Association,
said, "There is an incredible bumper crop of people who come to
me and say, 'I'd like to be a farmer in the market.' "
Organizers also
spend a good deal of time fielding calls from those seeking to start
new farmers markets.
Uncles said increasingly
community activists looking for ways to revive their main streets are
turning to farmers markets.
In fact, farmers
markets are popping up around the state so fast tha the Uncles says
the department's brochure listing them is typically obsolete by the
time it's printed.
"It seems
there's a new one every week. We can't keep up," he said.
The pace is so
fast, that the local farmers can't keep up with it.
Potter said, "There
is a shortage of farmers and growers for the markets. There are markets
that are hunting for vendors."
At the newly-formed
market in Enfield, for example, no one is selling eggs.
"I had to
stop at the supermarket," Potter said.
At last count,
there were 45 farmers markets across the state, according to Potter.
Last year there were 34.About a decade ago there were only about a dozen.
Stragham, Enfield and New Boston are amon those that opened a market
this year.
Federal coupons
help
Helping to fuel
the success of these mrakets is a federal food coupon program to benefit
low-income senior citizens and mothers with infants and children.
Uncles said New
Hampshire was one of the first states to work cooperatively with the
U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide people with coupon booklets
containing $20 worth of $2 coupons that only can be spent at a farmers
market.
The coupons have
made the difference between success and failure for a number of vendors.
Grower Tracey Bentley
of Newfields estimated that 75 percent of her sales at the farmers markets
in Exeter and Stratham come from the coupons.
At Manchester's
farmers market last Thursday, the orange-colored coupons flowed as freely
as greenbacks.
Vendor Greg Balog
of Heron Pond Farm in South Hampton estimated 50 percent of the 20 bushels
of corn he sells each Thursday afternoon in the Manchester market are
sold to buyers using coupons.
Aside from the
coupons, the only other form of government support to the markets comes
from the free space donated by communities and an occasional small federal
grant to help defray costs such as advertising and signs, said Bentley,
the spokesman for the Seacoast Growers Association.
There's also very
little governmental regulation of what's being sold and grown by the
vendors. Aside from those who go through the process of becoming certified
organic growers and those licensed to serve prepared food, most vendors
operate without any governmental oversight. The farmers market association
would like to change that a bit.
Potter said, "Eventually,
we'd like to hvae a program where a vendor can go through a program,
and become a certified vendor."
The program would
train the vendors in such things as food handling and weights and measures.
The association would also advise marketers about safe parking lots,
bathrooms, and advertising. Basics of how to start a market or start
vending business could be provided would-be farmers and organizers.
Wide range of
sellers
Yet, it's hard
to imagine uniformity among such a diverse group of vendors.
Many have second
jobs. Their makeup ranges from those like Bentley, who are fleeing the
corporate world, to those like Dr. Charlie Burke of Sanbornton, who
is a semi-retired physician looking for an enjoyable activity, to Don
Buck of Rye, who strives to make his entire living from the markets.
Nearly all reported
that their businesses have been shaped by the farmers market.
Buck, for example,
of Foss Farm in Rye, started selling vegetables 20 years ago. Then one
day by chance he decided to sell a dozen homemade spring rolls.
"We stuck
the spring rolls out there and it just took off like a rocket,"
he said.
Now Buck only sells
vegetable sushi meals and spring rolls. And that's led to supplying
local stores with the food, too.
"We make a
living at it," he said.
Burke, who brought
a 30-acre farm in Sanbornton called Weather Hill Farm three years ago,
started out selling the surplus from his private garden.
Now, he's bought
farming equipment and is growing large quantities for market. Last year,
Burke said he was selling out of his organic specialty greens in about
45 minutes. This year he increased production to include 10 pounds of
lettuce and greens, and 30 pounds of peas.
"We're just
having a great time," said Burke, who doesn't expect the venture
will fund his retirement.
Burke also sees
his labor of love as providing a positive influence in his community
and state. He welcomes the opportunity the market gives him to teach
people about how they, too, can grow foods organically.
And, as an active
member in the growers association, he believes he's helping to preserve
the special qualities about New Hampshire that drew him here from Massachusetts
three years ago.
This
story ran on page A1 of the New Hampshire Sunday News 8/10/2003.
©
Copyright 2003 Union
Leader Corporation.
