The Monadnock Food Co-op announces three grant recipients for the 2021 Monadnock Food Co-op Farm Fund: Lucky 13 Farm, Manning Hill Farm, and Partners’ Gardens. The Farm Fund proudly distributed $29,000 among these farms. Since starting in 2017, the Farm Fund has awarded over $87,000 in grants to 16 local farms.
The Monadnock Food Co-op Farm Fund, created in partnership with the Cheshire Country Conservation District, has a mission to support local farmers in increasing sustainable food production and wholesale sales to contribute to a thriving local farm economy. This grant supports several of the co-op’s goals, including contributing to a healthy, sustainable food system, supporting local farmers and producers, and building a strong, sustainable, and improving local economy. The Cheshire County Conservation District, fiscal agent and partner for the Farm Fund, supports farm viability in the region and promotes the responsible stewardship of natural and agricultural resources.
Lucky 13 Farm, a diversified farm in Winchester, NH, selling vegetables and eggs using organic methods, will build a wash and pack shed to build their capacity to sell to wholesale markets and meet on-site retail demands. This shed will ensure their crops maintain their high quality in a climate-controlled wash house while also providing adequate cold storage.
Manning Hill Farm, a diversified farm selling glass bottled milk and pastured eggs, beef, and pork in Winchester, NH, will purchase and install a walk-in freezer to store their inventory of cut meats. This increased storage capacity will allow them to increase production to meet their sales demand. It will increase the farm’s energy-efficiency practices, saving them operating dollars: manninghillfarm.com.
Partners’ Gardens, a small-scale diversified farm that sells produce grown using organic practices in Nelson, NH, will build a passive solar propagation house for seed starting. This infrastructure project will increase their capacity to get more crops in the ground and meet the market demand. It will also lower their dependence on fossil fuels and lower their heating bills: partnersgardens.com.
“Our Farm Fund is an essential way to invest in the future of local, sustainable farming in our region,” said Michael Faber, Monadnock Food Co-op General Manager. “Especially in these times, it helps ensure we have a healthy, local food system for our community now and into the future.”
Funds for this program are provided by donations from Monadnock Food Co-op and its shoppers. Additional funds come from the You Have Our Trust Fund.
Fundraising is already underway for the 2022 Monadnock Food Co-op Farm Fund grant cycle. During April, July, and December 2021, co-op shoppers can round up their change at the registers to donate to the fund. So far this year, shoppers have contributed over $19,000 to the Farm Fund.
For more information, please visit our Farm Fund Page. To make a tax-deductible donation to the fund, please contact Amanda Littleton at the Cheshire Country Conservation District at 603-756-2988 ext 4 or donate anytime online.
