Food Pantry 2023
Supporting the Franconia Food Pantry with about 60 families
Donations
Through August, from Harman’s customers: $545.00
Labor Day Weekend from Open Air Market Vendors: $71.00
Inventory Donations from Harman’s Cheese: $2,000.00
2023 Fund purchases
Fresh Vegetables
Pantry Requested Products: Canned Hash/Stews/Meats/Hearty Soups, BBQ sauce, Mayonnaise
Partnered with Littleton Office Supply to provide over $400 of School Supplies for Food Pantry families with Elementary, Middle School and High School students.
2023 New Hampshire Farmer
Encouragement Project
Starting July 21, We have dedicated all of our weekly sales of fresh NH-grown corn to go to a Farm that has faced challenges in this difficult year. In addition to those funds, we have a bowl out for customer donations and you have been very generous these past few weeks.
July 21 – Sept 8th: $1555.00 sent to 6 Farms
Harman’s Corn Sales of $780 with Customer Donations of $775.
Week #1: $200 ($120 Corn Sales & $80 donated)
sent to Edgewater Farm of Plainfield.
July Floods: A brook came out of its channel and wiped out 2 acres of corn and made gullies in the field. Also 30-40% of three acres of recently transplanted fall crops were also lost. Farm roads were washed out and they had to buy 2 truckloads of aggregate to fix their roads. For more information on this farm visit: https://www.edgewaterfarm.com/
Week #2: $215 ($120 Corn Sales & $95 donated)
Sent to Morrill Farm of Penacook
May Freeze: Besides being a prize Holstein dairy, they grow barley. 4 square feet of their barley is used in every pint of Morrillbrau, a lager offered at Littleton’s Schilling Beer Company. Unfortunately after planting in April, the barley froze in May. The entire barley crop was lost and could not be replanted. Not only is their barley used for beer but the barley straw was sold to Apple Hill Farm for their strawberry beds, so they lost two crops. For more information on this farm, visit: https://udderlyamazingdairy.com/farmers/morrill-farm/
Week #3: $220 ($120 Corn Sales & $100 donated)
sent to Pinewoods Yankee Farm of Lee
Too Much Rain: The Sawtelles have a diversified farm of grass-fed beef, feeder hay, compost and field-grown flowers. Unfortunately due to the rain this year, their hay crop is suffering. They have 100 acres that they haven’t even gotten a first cutting from yet and another 120 acres that they can’t get to the 2nd crop because it’s too wet to get into the field. Hay is important for their own beef cattle but also as a sale crop for them. For more info, Click Here.
Week #4: $225 ($120 Corn Sales & $105 donated)
sent to CJEJ Farm of Columbia (way up north)
Floods: The CJEJ Farm was established in 2000 by Chris & Joyce Brady and their sons, Earl & Jacob. They raise Beef Cattle, Feeder & Market Hogs, Laying Hens & Broiler Chickens, and Turkeys. To sustain their livestock, they grow their own feed: corn, oats, soybeans and barley. The multiple floods have left silt on their soybeans and corn crops. They lost about 1/3 of their soybeans and have 80 acres they cannot access yet. They are uncertain if those soybeans will survive. The silt in the fields is also hard on the farm equipment. As of mid-August, they still don’t know the total damage, yet, because the rain & floods keep coming. Visit their website for more information: https://www.cjejfarm.com/
Week #5 – August 17-23: $270 ($120 Sales & $150 donations) Giroux Farm of Colebrook, NH
Floods: The Giroux Farm raises beef cattle. Their hay fields were flooded with silt, ruining the hay crop and the fields. The dead grass and silt need to be removed and that is an expensive project. The sand in the silt increases the wear and tear on the equipment, which leads to additional expenses to repair the equipment.
Weeks #6-7, Aug 24-Sept 8: $425 ($180 Sales & $245 donations) Windy Ridge Orchard of North Haverhill, NH
May Freeze: Many New England orchards were hit by this freeze during the height of the blooms. Windy Ridge lost about 90% of their apple crop, but consider themselves lucky because many lost 100%. They do have enough apples to sell in their store but are unable to supply any of their substantial wholesale accounts. They also have enough apples to offer pick-your-own on a limited basis. Normally on Labor Day Weekend, they press and sell over 300 gallons of Apple Cider but this year that was not possible. But . . . midst this tough year, they thank their customers for their support that “will keep farming alive in New England!” For more information, visit their website: https://windyridgeorchard.com/
Weeks #8-9, Sept 9-21: $175 ($60 Sales & $115 donations) Collins Farm & Corn Maze of Bath, NH
Wet Weather: The Collins Farm grows produce for their farm stand and offers Adventure Trail and Corn Maze Experiences. Due to the rain and late May freeze they lost over 75% of their pumpkin & winter squash crop. They, also, have mowed the maze paths often because the rains made the grass grow. Their fuel cost is already double last year’s usage. For more information on the Collins’ Farm, visit their website: https://www.collinsfarmllc.com/ or their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/collinsfarmllc
July 21 – Sept 21: Total Dollars sent to New Hampshire Farms
Harman’s Corn Sales: $840
Customer Donations: $890
Total: $1730 t0 7 farms
2022 Food Pantry donations by customers: $1440.00
In-Kind or Financial donations by Harman’s Cheese: $3,100.00
Funds were used to purchase fresh Vegetables, Requested Canned Goods, School Supplies, and small Christmas Packages of stickers & candy for children.