NOFA-NH provides 25,000 pounds of produce to low-income residents

CONCORD — The Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Hampshire (NOFA – NH) has announced that since 2017, the organization has provided low-income New Hampshire residents with more than 25,000 pounds of farm fresh food. The entire NH Gleans program has provided more than 165,000 pounds, and anticipates this year to be even more fruitful.

NH Gleans is a network of organizations increasing the availability of local produce distributed to food pantries, soup kitchens and schools throughout New Hampshire. Gleaners harvest food from farms and farmers markets that would otherwise go undistributed or unsold, and donate that food to community partners.

NH Gleans has operated with funds from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation with the cooperation of: NOFA-NH, Seacoast Eat Local, Community Kitchen in Keene, and the Merrimack, Belknap, and Hillsborough County Conservation Districts, and partnered with more than 85 social service partners to donate the bounty to people in need.

“Knowing how many families and individuals in New Hampshire experience food insecurity and do not have easy access to fresh fruits and vegetables makes it especially hard to see food waste in the field and/or post-harvest,” said Sarah Cox, Market Gardens manager at Tuckaway Farm, where NOFA-NH frequently gleans. “NH Gleans makes it much easier to get excess or non-marketable food directly to individuals and families that might otherwise not have access.”

NOFA-NH actively promotes regenerative, ecologically sound gardening, farming and land care practices for healthy communities. It helps people build local, sustainable healthy food systems. To learn more about the program, visit www.nofanh.org.