Tag Archives: Young Farmers

New Hampshire Farm Bureau Celebrates 103rd Annual Meeting. Policy, Officers, and Awards Announced.

New Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation (NHFB) held its 103rd Annual Meeting on November 15th and 16th at the Hilton Garden Inn in Lebanon, NH. As part of the multi-day event hosted by Grafton County Farm Bureau, attendees toured local agricultural operations Tullando Dairy Farm in Orford and Poverty Lane Orchards in Lebanon. “It’s inspiring to see the diversity of agriculture around the state,” said NHFB President Denis Ward. “Our members enjoyed learning about the robotic milking machines at Tullando Farm and the hard cider operation at Poverty Lane Orchards.” Workshops, speakers, and competitions covering production techniques, advocacy, and the future of agriculture took place throughout the day in support of the theme “Reflection, Innovation, and Diversification.”

The culmination of NHFB’s grassroots policy development process occurs during the Meeting of the House of Delegates as part of each year’s Annual Meeting. Delegates, elected by their county Farm Bureau, met the morning of November 16th to adopt nearly forty new policies on issues such as dairy production, climate change, and UNH Cooperative Extension. Those policies, along with established NHFB positions, will guide NHFB’s work in the coming year. The House of Delegates is also tasked with electing a slate of officers each year. The elected slate of officers for 2020 is as follows: President – Denis Ward of Monroe, 1st Vice President – Joyce Brady of Columbia, 2nd Vice President – Tom McElroy of Newton, 2nd Vice President – Leandra Pritchard of Pembroke, and Treasurer – Howard Pearl of Loudon.

  • NHFB members visit Tullando Farm in Orford for a tour provided by Nate Tullar (right) during the 103rd NHFB Annual Meeting.

The Annual Meeting Banquet, held the evening of November 15th, recognized outstanding achievements and contributions to agriculture from NHFB members. The following is a list of awards given out that evening:

Scott Mason, 2019 NHFB President’s Award winner.

NHFB President’s Award

NHFB President Denis Ward recognized the 2019 NHFB President’s Award winner Scott Mason of North Stratford at the 103rd Annual Meeting of New Hampshire Farm Bureau. Scott has been actively involved at every level of Farm Bureau with a focus on policy and advocacy. Through serving on the state Policy Development Committee and testifying on agricultural issues at the New Hampshire State House, Scott has contributed to the success of numerous NHFB initiatives. Scott also represented the northeast this year as part of the American Farm Bureau Federation Federal Milk Marketing Order Work Group. The President’s award is handed out annually to acknowledge an individual for their outstanding service to New Hampshire Farm Bureau.

2019 NHFB Kenneth R. Marshall Memorial Award winner Dr. Christina Murdock, DVM (right) receives her award from NHFB Executive Director Diane Clary.

Kenneth R. Marshall
Memorial Award

The Kenneth R. Marshall Memorial Award was created in honor of long time Farm Bureau member and employee Ken Marshall to recognize current Farm Bureau members who exemplify not only dedication and service to the agricultural community, but those who do it with kindness, generosity, and selflessness. This year’s recipient is Dr. Christina Murdock, DVM of Dunbarton. Dr. Murdock operates a mobile large animal veterinary practice that serves farmers across the state. She has shown a dedication to NHFB through her work serving on the NHFB Young Farmer Committee, at the county level through her annual Merrimack County Farm Bureau Veterinary Clinic providing affordable animal vaccinations, and to her greater community through volunteering and mentorship of FFA and Alvirne High School students.

2019 NHFB Young Farmer Animal Husbandry Award winner Peter Glines is presented his award by Dr. Christina Murdock.

Young Farmer Animal Husbandry Award

Peter Glines of Sloping Acres Farm in Canterbury, NH is the recipient of this year’s NHFB Young Farmer Animal Husbandry Award. Peter operates the farm along with his brother. They milk 140 cows, producing a rolling herd average of 23,500 pounds, and raise an additional 110 head of replacement  calves/heifers. The farm also grows 110 acres of corn for silage along with 60 acres of corn for snaplage and 160 acres of hay crops that they use for their own feed.

The Animal Husbandry Award has been developed by the New Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmer program to promote sound animal husbandry and to recognize individuals who have implemented exceptional livestock welfare practices on their farm. Candidates for this award are nominated by their fellow Young Farmers and the judging is based on a set of criteria, including best management practices.

Also nominated this year was Erik Fredrickson of Top of the Hill Farm in Wolfeboro.

Young Farmer Discussion Meet

Caroline Crouch of Loudon, NH was named the winner of the 2019 NHFB Young Farmer Discussion Meet. Competitors in the Discussion Meet prepare thoughts and opinions on various subjects facing agriculture and cooperatively work towards a solution.

  • Caroline Crouch of Loudon (right) is presented with her award for winning the 2019 NHFB Young Farmer Discussion Meet by NHFB Young Farmer Committee Co-Chair Amelia Aznive.

The goal of the Discussion Meet is to develop leaders for effective problem solving through group discussion, similar to the organization’s grassroots policy development process. The competition provides an opportunity for Young Farmers to build basic discussion skills, give and receive criticism in a helpful manner, develop an understanding of important issues, explore and pool knowledge to reach consensus, and solve problems.

Caroline will go on to represent New Hampshire at the American Farm Bureau Discussion Meet competition in Austin, Texas this January.

Ammy Rice of Milford, Joe Garcia of Strafford and Olivia Pittman of Deerfield also participated in this year’s competition.

2019 NHFB Young Farmer Excellence in Agriculture Award winner Nicole Glines accepts her award from State Representative Barbara Comtois.

Young Farmer Excellence in Agriculture Award

The 2019 NHFB Young Farmer Excellence in Agriculture Award was given to Nicole Glines of Canterbury, NH. The award acknowledges the efforts of Young Farmers who do not derive the majority of their income from farming, but are actively contributing to agriculture and to their community.

Nicole grew up in Milton, NH and her first agricultural passion was in equestrian sports, where she competed and gave riding lessons. After being introduced to dairy cattle at the University of New Hampshire, she changed course and eventually completed a master’s degree in Dairy Nutrition. She went on to be the herd manager for the UNH Organic Dairy Farm and currently works as a dairy nutrition and forage consultant for Agri-King Nutrition. Nicole has also served as Vice-Chair of the New Hampshire Farm Bureau Young Farmer Committee.

Nicole will move on to compete with other Excellence in Agriculture Award winners from across the country at the American Farm Bureau Annual Convention in Austin, Texas.

A panel of judges consisting of State Representative and Barbara Comtois, NHFB President Denis Ward, and John Scarponi from American National Insurance selected Nicole from among four nominees. Also nominated for the award were Ammy Rice of Milford, Morgan Mewkill of Chichester, and Zachary Mason of North Stratford.

2019 NHFB Young Farmer Achievement Award winners Jay & Leandra Pritchard accept their award from Grafton County Farm Bureau President Kristen May and State Representative Howard Pearl.

Young Farmer
Achievement Award

 This year’s NHFB Young Farmer Achievement Award winners are Jay & Leandra Pritchard of Pritchard Farms in Pembroke, NH.

The NHFB Young Farmer Achievement Award competition recognizes young people between the ages of 18 to 35 who have excelled in their farming operation and have shown leadership abilities through Farm Bureau and in their community. The ideal candidate for the award is an individual or couple involved in production agriculture with the majority of their income subject to normal production risk.

Jay & Leandra Pritchard were nominated by Merrimack County Farm Bureau. They are first generation farmers who own and operate Pritchard Farms in Pembroke, NH. They raise dairy replacement heifers and own a beef herd and laying hens. They farm over 300 acres of corn and grassland. They love living the lifestyle of a family farm along with their two kids, Millie & Walt, and are very passionate about the agricultural industry. They are both active members on the Merrimack County Farm Bureau Board of Directors and have been active members of the Young Farmer Committee.

As part of the award, the Pritchards will receive the use of a new Kubota tractor for six months or 250 hours from Pinnacleview Equipment in Walpole. They will also move on to compete in the national Achievement Award competition at the American Farm Bureau Annual Convention in Austin, Texas this January.

State Representative Howard Pearl, Cheshire County Farm Bureau President Beth Hodge of Hinsdale, and Farm Service Agency State Director Jeff Holmes of Langdon conducted the judging for this award.

2019 NHFB Profile Award winner John Hodsdon of Meredith accepts his award from past NHFB President Jeff Holmes.

Profile Award

Each year, NHFB has the honor of presenting the Profile Award to recognize a New Hampshire person or persons for distinguished service to agriculture and rural life. Nominations for this award come from County Farm Bureau Board of Directors and are judged by a panel of past Profile Award winners.

This year’s Profile Award winner is John Hodsdon of Meredith, NH. John grew up on the farm in Meredith that his family has owned since 1804, today known as Picnic Rock Farm. John had many responsibilities as a youth and kept up with his farm chores, but he also showed promise as an excellent student, especially in mathematics. His education took him all over the world, eventually earning a PhD in Biochemistry from University of California Berkley.

From the time he returned from out west in the late 70s until 2005 John operated the family farm growing vegetables, small fruit and Christmas trees. The farm also sold local products and baked goods he made on the premises himself. In 2008 John’s nephew Ward Bird took over operation of the farm to be the 7th generation to continue the tradition.

John has been a NH Farm Bureau member since the 1980s and served at both the county and state level receiving the President’s Award in 2006. He served as Belknap County Farm Bureau’s voting delegate to the NHFB House of Delegates Meeting every year from 1988 – 2017 as well as serving as the Chairman of their Policy Development Committee for many of those years. At the state level, John was a member of the State Policy Development Committee for most of his years as a Farm Bureau member and most notably contributed to the issues of water quality standards, Current Use Law, and GMO legislation.

In addition to Farm Bureau, John has also been active in the Belknap County Conservation District. Following in his father’s footsteps (John’s father Marshall founded BCCD), he became a Supervisor of the BCCD in 1982 and served as Chairman for over 32 years. More recently he stepped back to serve as Associate Supervisor. John became the BCCD representative on the North Country Resource Conservation & Development Council in 1980, which he continues to be today. In 2016 John represented the Hodsdon family as the National Association of Conservation Districts recognized the family for their “decades of commitment to conservation.”

NHFB Young Farmers Receive $40,000 Grant from Hannaford Supermarkets

The New Hampshire Farm Bureau Young Farmers received a $40,000 dollar grant from Hannaford Supermarkets for their Harvest for All program. (left to right) Theo Mongeau, Young Farmer Committee Chair Amy Matarozzo, Leandra Pritchard, Young Farmer Coordinator Josh Marshall, Madison Hardy, and Tyler Hardy accept the check at a presentation held at Brookdale Fruit Farm in Hollis.

Concord, NH – Hannaford Supermarkets announced the donation of $40,000 dollars to the New Hampshire Farm Bureau (NHFB) Young Farmers Committee Harvest for All program on Monday, September 25th as well as donations to other groups and organizations in New England serving those at risk of going hungry. The donations, part of the Hannaford Helps initiative, were announced at Brookdale Fruit Farm in Hollis, where the NHFB Young Farmers were picking up farm fresh produce to deliver to the New Hampshire Food Bank.

Each year, as part of the Harvest for All program, the Young Farmers organize the collection and donation of healthful, nutritious, and locally raised produce and meat to food banks and soup kitchens across the state. In 2015 & 2016, the group transported over 13,000 pounds of food from NHFB member farms to the NH Food Bank and other local agencies. That dedication was noticed by Hannaford Supermarkets and their grant will help the project continue and expand.

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Pinnacleview Equipment Delivers for NHFB Young Farmer Achievement Award Winners

Mike Snide of Pinnacleview Equipment in Walpole (left) presents Tyler and Madison Hardy with a new Kubota M5-111 Tractor at Brookdale Fruit Farm in Hollis. The couple was awarded the use of the new Kubota tractor for 6 months or 250 hours for winning the 2016 New Hampshire Farm Bureau Young Farmer Achievement Award.

Hollis, NH – Tyler and Madison Hardy of Brookdale Fruit Farm in Hollis, NH, winners of the 2016 New Hampshire Farm Bureau (NHFB) Young Farmer Achievement Award, were pleased to accept their grand prize on Wednesday, April 26th. Each year, the Achievement Award winner(s) receive the use of a brand new Kubota Tractor courtesy of Kubota Tractor Corporation and Pinnacleview Equipment in Walpole, NH,  for 6 months or 250 hours. The couple was excited to watch as a new Kubota M5-111 narrow tractor rolled into the yard.

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Ryan Cox Wins Young Farmer Discussion Meet

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Ryan Cox (left) is presented a certificate and check for winning the 2016 New Hampshire Farm Bureau Young Farmer’s Discussion Meet by past Discussion Meet winner Alicia Pedemonti.

Concord, NH – The goal of the NHFB Young Farmer Discussion Meet is to develop leaders for effective problem solving through group discussion, similar to the organization’s grass-roots Policy Development process. The Discussion Meet gives an opportunity for Young Farmers to build basic discussion skills, give and receive criticism in a helpful manner, develop an understanding of important issues, explore and pool knowledge to reach consensus, and solve problems. The three contestants who participated in this year’s competition were Christina Murdock, DVM, of Dunbarton, Tyler Matteson of Contoocook, and the winner, Ryan Cox of Derry.

Ryan is a freshman at Plymouth State University, a past Vice-President of the Granite State Association of FFA, and a former Farm Bureau intern. Ryan will be moving on to compete this January at the American Farm Bureau Annual Convention in Phoenix, Arizona.

Matarozzos Win Animal Husbandry Award

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Amy (center) & Brian Matarozzo of LorrenJoyce Farm in Ctr. Barnstead are presented with the Young Farmer Animal Husbandry Award by Rep. Alexis Simpson.

Concord, NH – The Animal Husbandry Award has been developed by the New Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmer program to promote sound animal husbandry and to recognize individuals who have implemented exceptional livestock welfare practices on their farm. Candidates for this award are nominated by their fellow Young Farmers and the judging is based on a set of criteria, including best management practices. A panel of judges consisting of Representative Alexis Simpson of Exeter, Christina Murdock, DVM of Dunbarton, and UNH Professor Emeritus John Porter of Boscawen selected Amy & Brian Matarozzo of LorrenJoyce Farm in Center Barnstead as this year’s winners.

Amy & Brian currently raise Hereford beef cattle and milk registered jersey cows to sell raw milk and USDA certified beef direct to consumers. In addition to cows, they also have 180 laying hens for egg production. Amy and Brian have both been involved heavily with the Young Farmers Committee. Amy presently serves as the committee’s Chairperson.

Also nominated for this award were Jeff Moore of Windswept Maples Farm in Loudon and Adam Crete of Highway View Farm in Boscawen

Pedemonti Earns Young Farmer Excellence In Agriculture Award

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Alicia Pedemonti (right) receives the Young Farmer Excellence in Agriculture Award from USDA Farm Service Agency State Executive Director Bruce Cilley.

Concord, NH – To acknowledge the efforts of Young Farmers who do not derive the majority of their income from farming, but are actively contributing to agriculture and to their community, the American Farm Bureau Federation and the New Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation annually conducts the Excellence in Agriculture Award competition. The winner of the New Hampshire competition moves on to compete nationally in Phoenix, Arizona this January. A panel of judges consisting of Representative Bob Haefner, Chair of the House Environment and Agriculture Committee; Bruce Cilley, State Executive Director of the USDA Farm Service Agency; and Ruth Scruton, President of the NHFB Associated Women selected Alicia Pedemonti as the 2016 Winner.

Alicia graduated from the University of Vermont in 2011 with her Bachelors in Animal Science and after taking a year off, started working on a Master of Public Health from the University of New England which she completed in 2015. She now works as a Veterinary Technician for the NH Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food and has held that position for almost five years. Her primary responsibility is overseeing the tuberculosis and brucellosis surveillance program in cattle and goats. This means she gets to spend the bulk of her year going to cattle farms in NH. She also works part time as the Executive Director of the Northeast Pork Association. In May of 2016 Alicia was appointed to the National Pork Board by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.  

Also nominated for the award were Brian Matarozzo of Center Barnstead, Dalton Thayer of North Haverhill, and Erik Fredrickson of Wolfboro.  

Hardys Take Home Young Farmer Achievement Award

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Tyler (right) & Madison (center) Hardy are presented with the 2016 Young Farmer Achievement Award from past Achievement Award winner Don Ross.

Concord, NH – The Young Farmer Achievement Award competition is designed to recognize young people between the ages of 18 to 35 who have excelled in their farming operation and have shown leadership abilities through Farm Bureau and in their community. The ideal candidate for the Achievement Award is an individual or couple involved in production agriculture with the majority of their income subject to normal production risk. The winner receives the use of a new Kubota tractor for six months or 250 hours from Pinnacleview Equipment in Walpole and will move on to the national competition in Phoenix, Arizona this January. A panel of judges consisting of Representative Tara Sad of Walpole, Samantha Stoddard from Farm Credit East in Bedford, and Don Ross of Rossview Farm in Concord selected Tyler & Madison Hardy of Brookdale Fruit Farm in Hollis as this year’s winners.

Tyler Hardy is a 6th generation farmer at Brookdale Fruit Farm.  His family farms fruit and vegetables and has won national recognition for its stewardship and conservation practices.  He enjoys all aspects of the fruit and vegetable industry, but his true passion is tree fruit, including different training systems and pruning.

Tyler’s wife, Madison, also works at Brookdale Fruit Farm. They met while Tyler was delivering produce to Moulton Farm in Meredith, NH where Madison formerly worked.  Madison now manages the greenhouses and special vegetable operations at Brookdale. She worked at Moulton Farm for 12 years and has worked at Brookdale for 4 years. They also enjoy downhill skiing, their dog Pilot, golf, and snowmobiling.

Also nominated for the award were Glen Putnam of Piermont, Jeff Moore or Loudon, and Ray & Jenny Sprague of Plainfield.

Young Farmers’ Harvest for All Collects 7,855 Pounds From NH Farms for NH Food Banks

  • The NH Young Farmers are grateful to all the farms who participated in August's Harvest for All donation. Chip Hardy (far right) and the crew at Brookdale Fruit Farm poses here alongside their donation of 3 pallets of tomatoes!

Concord, NH – Over 7,800 pounds of fruits and vegetables were donated to the Friendly Kitchen in Concord and the NH Food Bank in Manchester thanks to volunteers from the New Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers Committee and the generosity of local farms. The Young Farmers, with some help from two Granite State FFA Officers, spent Monday August 15th travelling across the state visiting 11 farms to pick up produce donations for the Harvest for All program.

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Young Farmers Raise and Donate 295 Pounds of Beef to NH Food Pantries

  • Thanks to everyone at The Local Butcher in Barnstead, NH for donating the full cost of processing and packaging 295 pounds of ground beef to be donated to NH Food Pantries!

Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers Committee donated 295 pounds of ground beef to several food pantries and soup kitchens across the state on Monday, May 16th. As part of the Harvest For All Campaign, a partnership with American Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers and Ranchers Program and Feeding America, a nationwide network of food banks, the Young Farmers annually organize the collection and donation of fresh produce from New Hampshire Farms to help fight hunger. Last year they collected and donated over 5,000 pounds of fresh produce to soup kitchens and food pantries across the state. Expanding on their traditional efforts, the Young Farmers decided to raise a beef cow as part of this year’s Harvest For All Campaign.

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Young Farmer Discussion Meet Winner Advances

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Young Farmer Chair Amy Matarozzo (right) congratulates Alicia Pedemonti for winning the NH Young Farmers Discussion Meet. Alicia will go on to compete nationally at the American Farm Bureau Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida

CONCORD, NH – Alicia Pedemonti of Unity won the New Hampshire Farm Bureau Young Farmer Discussion Meet at New Hampshire Farm Bureau’s Annual Meeting on Friday, November 13th. The Discussion Meet is an event designed to simulate a committee or board meeting where cooperation and problem solving skills are most valuable. Alicia will move on to represent New Hampshire at the American Farm Bureau Discussion Meet at their Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida in January.

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Young Farmer Excellence in Agriculture Award Winner Announced

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Alden Dill received the Young Farmer Excellence in Agriculture Award at the New Hampshire Farm Bureau Annual Meeting on Friday, November 13th. Presenting the award was Cynthia Blandini who was on the panel of judges for the award.

CONCORD, NH – Alden Dill of Deerfield was presented the Excellence in Agriculture Award at New Hampshire Farm Bureau’s Annual Meeting on Friday, November 13th. The Excellence in Agriculture Award recognizes Young Farmers between the ages of 18 to 35 who do not derive the majority of their income from an agricultural operation, but who actively contribute and grow through their involvement in agriculture, their leadership ability and participation in Farm Bureau and other organizations.

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Young Farmer Achievement Award Presented At Annual Meeting

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John and Heather Fernald, along with their two children, are presented the Young Farmer Achievement Award by Dave Babson at the New Hampshire Farm Bureau Annual Meeting on Friday, November 13th.

CONCORD, NH – John T. and Heather Fernald, III of Nottingham were awarded the Young Farmer Achievement Award at New Hampshire Farm Bureau’s Annual Meeting on Friday, November 13th. The Young Farmer Achievement Award competition is designed to recognize young people between the ages of 18 to 35 who have excelled in their farming operation and have shown leadership abilities through Farm Bureau and in their community. Candidates for the Achievement Award must be involved in production agriculture with the majority of their income subject to normal production risk.

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Harvest For All Campaign Totals 5,000 Pounds of Produce Donated to NH Food Bank

  • Young Farmer member Theodore Mongeau unloads potatoes at the New Hampshire Food Bank on September 25th during the second round of produce collection for the Harvest For All campaign. NHFBF Young Farmers collected and donated 3,172 pounds of produce that day bringing their total donation to 5,000 pounds for the year.
Manchester, NH – With the completion of their second round of collections on September 25th, The New Hampshire Farm Bureau Young Farmers have now organized the collection and donation of over 5,000 pounds of fresh produce from New Hampshire farms to the New Hampshire Food Bank in Manchester and The Friendly Kitchen in Concord.

September’s collection alone brought in 3,172 pounds of fruits and vegetables to the New Hampshire Food Bank. Combined with a collection in August of just over 1,900 pounds, New Hampshire farms have, in the last two months, provided over 4,200 meals to hungry New Hampshire residents according to Nancy Mellitt, New Hampshire Food Bank’s Director of Development. This goes a long way towards supporting the one in nine individuals who are statistically food insecure in our state.

For both collections, New Hampshire Farm Bureau Young Farmer members and coordinators spent the day travelling to area farms picking up donations and transporting them to their destination. Young Farmer Co-chairs Amy Matarozzo and Valerie Drown and Young Farmer member Theodore Mongeau volunteered their time and transportation resources to make it all possible.

Ten farms contributed to this year’s donations by giving a wide range of produce including tomatoes, cabbage, apples, zucchini, peppers, corn, and winter squash. Autumn View Farm in Pittsfield, LaValley Farms in Hooksett, J+F Farms in Derry, Wilson Farms in Litchfield, Normanton Farm in Litchfield, Brookdale Fruit Farm in Hollis, Marshall Pumpkin Farm in Boscawen, Apple Hill Farm in Concord, Carter Hill Orchard in Concord, and Sunnycrest Farm in Londonderry all were glad to donate to such a worthy cause.

The New Hampshire Farm Bureau Young Farmers have been collecting donations in conjunction with the Harvest For All campaign, a partnership with the American Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers Program and Feeding America, a nationwide network of food banks, for over 5 years. They are currently raising a beef cow that will be donated for next year’s Harvest For All campaign.

To make donations towards the Harvest For All campaign visit www.nhfarmbureau.org and look for Harvest For All under the Young Farmer tab under Membership or contact Josh Marshall at editor@nhfarmbureau.org or call 224-1934.

New Hampshire Young Farmers Organize Donation of Over 1,900 Pounds of Fresh Produce

  • The first load of just over 1,900 pounds of fresh produce donated from six NH farms sits on pallets at the New Hampshire Food Bank in Manchester. Corn, cucumbers, green beans, tomatoes, green peppers, and cabbage are just some of the vegetables that will go to help feed the hungry in NH.

Through the Harvest For All campaign, a partnership with American Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers and Ranchers Program and Feeding America, a nationwide network of food banks, New Hampshire Farm Bureau Young Farmers organized and collected the donation of over 1,900 pounds of fresh produce from six New Hampshire farms on Monday, August 3rd. NHFBF Young Farmer Co-Chair Amy Gowell Drogue and Co-Coordinators Leandra Pritchard and Josh Marshall picked up fresh vegetables from Autumn View Farm in Pittsfield, Lavalley Farm in Hooksett, J & F Farm in Derry, Wilson Farm and Steve Normanton Farm in Litchfield, and Brookdale Fruit Farm in Hollis delivering the donations to the New Hampshire Food Bank in Manchester and the Friendly Kitchen in Concord.

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Coos County Hosts 2015 Young Farmer Summer Games

  • Coos County Farm Bureau President, Joyce Brady, explains the rules of the obstacle course to competitors at the 2015 NHFBF Young Farmer Summer Games.

North Stratford, NH. The New Hampshire Farm Bureau Young Farmers held their 2015 Summer Games on Saturday, July 11th. Competitors from around the state took some time off from their farms to spend a beautiful morning at The Mason’s Northwinds Dairy Farm in North Stratford, NH competing in a wide range of events.

Members of Coos County’s Young Farmers Committee took the reigns in organizing the Summer Games, planning the events which included calf roping, using a roping dummy; an obstacle course that involved each member of the team and required teammates to switch off wearing an oversized pair of overalls before attempting their leg of the course; and a water bucket relay, where teams raced to fill a water trough using a leaky bucket. “My favorite event was the dizzy bat,” said Leandra Pritchard, NHFB Young Farmer Co-Coordinator, “because I thought it was hilarious.” For that event, team members took turns spinning ten times around a baseball bat before attempting to run, disoriented, across the finish line.

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