the Univeristy of New Hampshire has an eco-gastronomy dual major that was started by Dan Winanas who attended the University of Gastronomic Sciences. UNH and UNISG have a close association and an exchange program so I thought UNH, being so close by would be a great place to look for jobs through their resources for their graduates. I came across a recently posted position for a local farm looking for someone to manage their farmers markets across the Seacoast. I sent off my resume, got a call later in the day and had a successful interview the following day. The job was mine if I wanted it. I toiled with the idea, not sure if i wanted to be in Portsmouth or New York as my big-city sister was the one who had convinced me to stay in America for the summer and I could have accepted a job as a part-time cheesemonger for Saxleby Cheese - have i mentioned that I LOVE CHEESE. Ann Saxelby worked on a farm one summer and learned all about cheese - local artisanal American cheeses that proved to her there was more to American cheese than mass-produced uniform orange squares. So she sells and promotes high-quality farmhouse cheeses - exactly what I wanted to do in Ireland. That was another difficult decision, but ultimately, the farmers market job was a way for me to learn about locally grown seasonal foods, Portsmouth is awesome in the summer (no heat-death-trapped subways), I would be helping support a local farm and assisting in promoting the communities to eat local and seasonal food, and it was impermanent which meant that I had no commitments to stay in America after the fall.
Applecrest Farm is apparently the largest apple orchard in New Hampshire and the oldest continuously operating orchard in America. It is also where John Irving worked and got his inspiration for the book, Cider House Rules (although the storyline is made up). It is a family run farm and a lot of people I have told that I work there all say that they grew up at Applecrest farm, going to pick strawberries in the summer and apples in the fall with their families. All the food we bring to each of the farmers markets - there are 7, 6 days a week - are picked that morning, as fresh as can be, dirt and bugs all included. The baked goods, including their famous cider donuts, are made fresh every morning. The smell in the morning of sweet cider and dusting sugar fills the loading area and the first couple donuts we serve are still warm. I have learned though, that eating two of their large, ridiculously addicting chocolate chip cookies will give me a serious sugar stomach ache. So far, I feel like I've learned a lot - how to identify different varieties, how to store them, how to handle the produce to make them last longer, the season's patterns, about integrated pest management, the business of organics, meeting other vendors from the area, and all about the politics of farmers markets. So, with that, I am going to write posts about what's in season and what I've learned about the various fruits and vegetables. Maybe I'll even throw in a recipe or two!
watch out for what else you bring home from the market with your produce!
Applecrest Farm is apparently the largest apple orchard in New Hampshire and the oldest continuously operating orchard in America. It is also where John Irving worked and got his inspiration for the book, Cider House Rules (although the storyline is made up). It is a family run farm and a lot of people I have told that I work there all say that they grew up at Applecrest farm, going to pick strawberries in the summer and apples in the fall with their families. All the food we bring to each of the farmers markets - there are 7, 6 days a week - are picked that morning, as fresh as can be, dirt and bugs all included. The baked goods, including their famous cider donuts, are made fresh every morning. The smell in the morning of sweet cider and dusting sugar fills the loading area and the first couple donuts we serve are still warm. I have learned though, that eating two of their large, ridiculously addicting chocolate chip cookies will give me a serious sugar stomach ache. So far, I feel like I've learned a lot - how to identify different varieties, how to store them, how to handle the produce to make them last longer, the season's patterns, about integrated pest management, the business of organics, meeting other vendors from the area, and all about the politics of farmers markets. So, with that, I am going to write posts about what's in season and what I've learned about the various fruits and vegetables. Maybe I'll even throw in a recipe or two!
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