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Citizen science is an empowered community effort that encourages individuals worldwide to participate in collecting and analyzing scientific data related to the environment. More often than not, these efforts are collaborative efforts with local to international scientists. While citizen science has only increased in popularity in recent years, it has roots dating back to the 1800s. The first is a citizen-led bird migration monitoring program, founded by a member of the American Ornithologists’ Union, Wells Cooke. His initiative laid the groundwork for the North American Phenology Program.  Image Credit: Wikipedia. Photo of Wells Cooke As funding for environmental, sustainability, and conservation research becomes more and more limited, public involvement in citizen science is more crucial than ever before. Imperative research is able to be continued by government agencies and other organizations because of citizen science. The gathered data on biodiversity and environmental changes helps inform work on restoration and planned conservation practices, and ensures that it is able to progress.  Creating strong community-driven networks of volunteers and local scientists who are engaging, collaborating, and learning from different avenues of citizen science fosters a deeper understanding of local areas and international environmental science initiatives and issues. With the changing climate and the decrease in funding, engaging in citizen science is more important than ever in sustaining the stewardship of the natural world You may be wondering about different ways individuals can be engaged in citizen science. With the ever-evolving state of technology, the different formats of citizen science have become more diverse and accessible. Many programs rely on mobile apps, digital maps, and sensors that train volunteers in collecting accurate data. The digital platform also encourages more public engagement and transparency from scientists and the broader world. Examples include Cornell’s Merlin   and eBird , apps for individuals to track local birds based on sound and sight; iNaturalist   for biodiversity tracking; and Zooniverse  for tracking varied data from analyzing space data to tracking animal sightings. The number of digital platforms that exist only continues to increase. Whether you live on the seaside or in the mountains, anyone can find their niche.  Many programs also consist of community events and field work, such as the Audubon Society’s Great Christmas Bird Count , the North American Butterfly Count , and annual bioblitzes or conservation challenges that engage the community to collect as much data as possible in their region.  Image Credit: Wendy Ward & CCCD. Photo of Women in the Woods Birding Event A prime example of both a digital platform and community event is the use of the iNaturalist   app as a part of the the City Nature Challenge . As mentioned above, iNaturalist is used to collect biodiversity data by using the app to identify different species in your area. As stated by iNaturalist  “every observation can contribute to biodiversity science, from the rarest butterfly to the most common backyard weed. We share your findings with scientific data repositories like the Global Biodiversity Information Facility  to help scientists find and use your data. All you have to do is observe” . iNaturalist is available year-round! That being said, one weekend of the year, you can use iNaturalist to not only engage in local biodiversity but also participate in a shared enthusiasm for conservation on a global level! The City Nature Challenge (CNC) is an international competition that takes place April 24th-27th, 2026. On a state, national, and international scale, the challenge encourages every region to collect as much biodiversity data as possible. For a particular region, a local organization or government body often serves as the CNC facilitator. Typically, they hold local bioblitz events over that weekend and workshops on iNaturalist to encourage local members of the community to participate.  This year, the Monadnock Region is an official regional participant. This year, the Cheshire County Conservation District is partnering with the Harris Center for Conservation Education to promote the first-ever Monadnock Region City Nature Challenge! Over a period of four days, Monadnock Region residents are invited to use iNaturalist to observe as many different species as possible.  You can join iNaturalist enthusiasts Steven Lamonde and Nate Marchessault for the Monadnock Region’s first annual participation in the City Nature Challenge — a fun celebration of biodiversity that also contributes valuable observations to the iNaturalist database. We’ll celebrate this international BioBlitz event by hosting a biodiversity walk around the Harris Center grounds in search of amphibian eggs, spring wildflowers, birds, mosses, and any other signs of life Learn more and register here!  For more information on getting started using iNaturalist, check out this guide from the Harris Center, here .  Image Credit: Harris Center. Monadnock Region iNaturalist Page As technology evolves, our environment changes, and the reality of scientific research adapts, citizen science is not only a great way to engage in your local community and environment, but it also serves as a necessary investment in the shared future of every living species! Regardless of how you get involved, you are sharing in a diverse avenue of research to help sustain our planet for generations to come!

In part one of this series, we discussed the history of the conservation districts and zoomed in to specifically discuss the history of the Cheshire County Conservation District in connection with that history. As noted previously, this year is a big year for New Hampshire Conservation Districts; the vast majority are celebrating 80 years since their establishment in 1946! With such a robust history, districts across the country have developed their own unique identity within a well-developed national infrastructure. The infrastructure of conservation districts is deeply embedded and dependent on community engagement and work. Yet districts and their histories have become an accidental secret not meant to be kept across the country. Understanding the history, governance process, and infrastructure of districts as a whole is crucial to understanding how important community involvement is.  Please note this is part two of a two-part series. To best understand the full scope of information, check out part one of this series. Conservation District Infrastructure As previously discussed in part one of this blog series, the infrastructure of all conservation districts was determined by the Standard State Soil Conservation Districts Act in the 1930’s. The first conservation district was founded on August 4th, 1937, within the Brown Creek watershed in Anson County, North Carolina. This was where Hugh Hammond Bennett, the leader of the soil conservationist movement, was born in 1881. In 1945, all 48 states had created their own districts. However, while the Act laid out the basics for systems and infrastructure, each state determined differing processes based on district division, titling, and voting. Many people think conservation districts are non-profit organizations, apart of NRCS, or a part of the county government, while they are actually a local, non-regulatory unit of government. They are considered a legal subdivision of the state government that operates with a great deal of autonomy. They are guided by a board of supervisors local to the county or watershed they represent and are typically grant-funded, similar to a nonprofit. Districts are then staffed by the Board of supervisors dependent on the conservation needs. Staffing and grants are pursued by a board appointed District Manager.  Image Credit: NRCS USDA. The first soil conservation district unveiling in Brown Creek watershed of North Carolina. In every state, districts were divided up most commonly by county, but in some cases, a conservation district will cover an entire watershed. Depending on the state, its unique conservation needs, and the sentiment of the District Board, a conservation district may be called several different names, such as Land Conservation Departments, Natural Resource Conservation Districts, Natural Resources Districts, Resource Conservation Districts, Soil Conservation Districts, Soil & Water Conservation Districts, and Conservation Districts (NACD, nacdnet.org ). The process for voting in board members, the number of board members, and the layout of the board are different depending on the state. For example, the supervisory boards in the ten New Hampshire Conservation Districts, including CCCD, consist of land occupiers within the district. They are appointed by the State Conservation Committee as a part of the NH Department of Agriculture, Markets, and Food. The candidates for the Board of Supervisors are nominated by the district itself based on the candidates' interest, commitment, and engagement in the county's conservation needs (New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food, agriculture.nh.gov ). Other states, like Vermont or Massachusetts, require positions on the board to be voted in by residents within the district boundary. Some states deem eligible voters as those who own land at specified acreage, while others require voters to be land occupiers (i.e., not limited to those who own land). The supervisory board roles consist of multiple Board Supervisors, a Board Chair, a Vice-chair, and, depending on the district, a Treasurer and/or Secretary. Members of the Supervisory Board are subject to term limits. At the Cheshire County Conservation District, we also have Associate Board Members who attend board meetings, inform decision making, and are appointed by the Board of Supervisors. Associate Board Members are eligible to become Board Supervisors when a seat becomes available within the Supervisory Board and are nominated to the State Conservation Committee for confirmation (CCCD, cheshireconservation.org ). Board meetings are a great way for the community to be involved, as they are open to the public. Cheshire County Conservation District board meetings are on the 4th Thursday of every month from 9:00 am to 11:30 am at Hannah Grimes in Keene, New Hampshire.  Image Credit: CCCD. 2025 CCCD Board & Staff Group Photo State and National Conservation District Associations   You might be wondering who or what helped the districts create such a robust infrastructure and set of processes. In the 1940’s, it became apparent that there needed to be a state-led association that informed regional policy for district formation, addressed regional problems that existed among district boundaries, and provided a collective voice. This is the reason that districts within individual states share the same processes for board coordination and voting processes. The New Hampshire Association of Conservation Districts (NHACD) began in 1946 as a result of the formation of all ten New Hampshire Conservation Districts. The mission of NHACD is “to provide statewide coordination, representation, and leadership for Conservation Districts to conserve, protect, and promote responsible use of New Hampshire’s natural resources” (Quote from NHACD). Work at NHACD focuses on a wide range of activities, which include but are not limited to providing technical assistance and educational resources, supporting conservation initiatives, and engaging local communities and stakeholders (NHACD, nhacd.net ).    While state associations and the districts remained independent of one another, the shared mission was and has always been “to coordinate assistance from all available sources—public and private, local, state, and federal—to develop locally-driven solutions to natural resources concerns” (Quote from NACD). This meant that the districts not only needed support in development, but also a shared resource in federal advocacy. As a result, on July 25th, 1946, 18 representatives from 17 of the 48 states gathered at the Morrison Hotel in Chicago, Illinois. That meeting established the National Association of Soil Conservation District Governing Officials. This association exists as a non-profit (501c3). The first Executive Director was Ellen Cobb, an SCS (NRCS) employee in South Carolina. The first annual meeting (preceding the initial gathering) was held in February of 1947 in Chicago. At this meeting, representatives from 42 of the 48 states were in attendance. In 1970, it was decided at the Annual Meeting in San Diego to change the name of the association to the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD). To this day, NACD represents 3,000 districts within all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and seven U.S territories. Together, there has been continued development of locally led conservation through grassroots advocacy, education, capacity development, training, and outreach NACD, nacdnet.org ).  Image Credit: NACD. Organization Meeting, National Association of Soil Conservation Governing Officials in Chicago on July 25th, 1946. Local Working Groups and Community Voice  While infrastructure exists within districts and outside of districts within associations, the most consistent and perhaps most crucial function of it all is the community it serves. For that reason, when the Soil Conservation Service (SCS), now known as the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), was first established in 1935, along with it, Local Working Groups (LWG) were formed. As districts formed in 1945 and onwards, LWGs were typically chaired by the local conservation districts. Local Working Groups exist as a way for the community to share their voice on the prioritization of natural resource concerns by NRCS. LWGs have no enforcement authority, but they are crucial as the results from these groups are highly considered in the administration of programming. While once again, it is dependent on the state, Local Working Groups are typically held once a year and are administered by NRCS, the local conservation district, and other LWG members such as county representatives, individuals from agricultural and environmental nonprofits/agencies/organizations, and other state or local officials. The process and responsibility for a Local Working Group is based on the Locally Led Conservation Model as seen in the figure below (NRCS USDA, nrcs.usda.gov ). Image Credit: NRCS USDA. Locally Led Conservation Model. The Local Working Group meeting is open to the public, and serve as a open discussion among members. It is highly encouraged that community members attend these meetings to address the local working group and make their voices heard on resource concerns within their community. There will be a Local Working Group for Cheshire and Sullivan County on Monday, March 16th from 5:30pm-6:30pm. Keep an eye on the CCCD events page . If you want your voice to be heard, this is a great way to be involved in local conservation.  Image Credit: CCCD. 2024 Local Working Group Meeting Much like the environment itself, the history, development, and modern workings of conservation districts and local conservation initiatives are robust, complicated, and ever-evolving. At the core of it all is community and the required engagement to best support our agricultural and natural resources as the mechanism for our shared livelihood. At the Cheshire County Conservation District, we thank every one of you for your continued support and engagement that keeps local conservation alive and well.  We encourage you to attend an upcoming   event , subscribe to our   newsletter ,  and familiarize yourself with the many   programs  and   services   that we offer to build upon our 80 year legacy!

With the end of 2025, we would like to commemorate 80 years of hard work, dedication, and pride at the Cheshire County Conservation District. The conservation work in our region wouldn’t be possible without 80 years of longstanding support from our partners and community members. As 2026 begins, other Conservation Districts across New Hampshire celebrate their 80th year. We would like to take the opportunity to share a brief history of our founding to where we are now, as well as the history of Conservation Districts as a whole. This blog will be a two-part series. Early History in the 20th Century  The foundation of conservation districts was a result of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act in response to the devastation of the Dust Bowl throughout the 1930s and other natural disasters resulting from the effects of intense drought, clear-cutting, and biodiversity loss. He made the recommendation for every state to sign the Standard State Soil Conservation Districts Act, a step-by-step guide to create conservation districts in the country. The purpose of conservation districts was to serve as a governing entity over watershed districts that focused on local expertise to acquire federal technical assistance. Each district would be governed by a locally elected board of stakeholders (farmers, conservationists, landowners, etc.). This allowed those working directly with the land to maintain a voice in the conservation conversation. Hugh Hammond Bennett, the leader of the soil conservationist movement, said, “ One of the best, and certainly the most promising, of the devices yet invented by man for dealing democratically and effectively with maladjustment in land use, as well as for carrying forward positive programs of desirable conservation, and for maintaining the work, is the soil conservation district.”  (NACD 2025) Image Credit: ncpedia. Hugh Hammond Bennett By 1945, 48 states had passed acts enabling conservation districts. This included the Cheshire County Conservation District (CCCD), the first district to be created within the state of New Hampshire. Eighty years later, CCCD is still standing strong and continuing its mission of promoting the conservation and responsible use of our natural and agricultural resources for the people of Cheshire County by providing technical, financial, and educational assistance. From the beginning, the Cheshire Conservation District has held a partnership with the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS). NRCS was developed in 1935 as a permanent federal agency to “help people, help the land”. Until 1994, NRCS was known as the Soil Conservation Service (SCS). Between 1945 and 1962, SCS worked closely with the Cheshire County Conservation District, as its service area was within the same watershed, until expanding to more rural communities in 1962. In the beginning, much of the work completed outside of the board was performed by volunteers, so the scope of projects was limited. However, the Conservation District served as a direct voice of the local stakeholders, which allowed the SCS to work off of recommendations from the Conservation District to best support conservation through technical assistance and federal funding (Squire 2025).  Between 1945-1950 (Keene, NH, where the Best Western currently sits on Rt. 101). Charles T. Richardson of Marlborough, Cheshire County Conservation District supervisor, left, stands with Edward LaBounty of Keene, CCCD District Cooperator, right. Promoting the conservation and responsible use of our natural and agricultural resources has been a core mission of the district since 1945, and it does not come without its own learning opportunities and transitions. As science progressed, new agricultural techniques were developed that followed conservation agriculture as new needs arose. Farms prior to the mid-20th century were mainly subsistence farms in Cheshire County. These farms were small and used the resources necessary to grow enough crops for their families to survive. To do so, they greatly reshaped the landscape, clearing plots of land for pasture and crop cultivation. This was a major shift from Native American agricultural practices in the area that focused on rotating crops and producing within the confines of the natural landscape, conserving natural resources and the natural landscape. This led to an increase in drought and flooding. As a result, the conservation needs shifted. Following the Dust Bowl, Farmers began seeking resources to sustain their farms, as the 20th century saw greater crop production for the masses, more use of natural resources, and a greater need to sustain and conserve working lands. The Cheshire County farm families worked long hours on these farms to ensure a successful harvest, but with little attention to the degradation of agricultural resources. As agriculture has changed with the times, the Conservation District has always been the voice of the community, while also standing steadfast in educating on the ever-evolving world of conservation and its benefits. Cheshire County Crop fields from 1931-1942 There is not much written history of what exactly the Cheshire County Conservation District was doing in the mid-20th century. However, all Conservation Districts were built on the foundation of the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act, which gave principles to which the Conservation Districts served farmers and natural resources. Within that text, the priorities were listed as conducting surveys and research on soil erosion, carrying out preventive measures, cooperating or entering into agreements with government agencies to support farmers/ranchers, and acquiring or servicing land with high conservation needs. We can imagine that early on, a great deal of the work CCCD performed was research-based, and alongside farmers, as more preventative conservation techniques were developed in the region.  Through the increase of development and urbanization, farmers in Cheshire County in the late mid to late twentieth century began shifting careers, leaving massive amounts of land in Cheshire County barren. As a result, there was an increase in private buyouts and landholdings by wealthier families and individuals. For example, Louis Cabot, who was one of the wealthiest men in New Hampshire, owned over 100,000 acres of land. None of these properties were conserved or protected, putting them at risk of development. Conservationists in the area, including The Forest Society, SCS, and The Cheshire County Conservation District, played a conscious role in starting the process to place these lands within conservation easements in the 1970s. Through education and conservation efforts, private landowners began donating land for easements (Cheshire County Historical Society).  21st Century Program History Highlights In the early 21st century, the Cheshire County Conservation District took on new leadership with Amanda Littleton being hired as District Manager. New programs, workshops, and grant programs started to shape, and the district's engagement with the general community grew. With it grew partnerships with other organizations and new programs that expanded on the educational capacity of CCCD. Continuing with its purpose, the CCCD board has continued to support the district in its programming as a dedicated group of locally elected community members. Based on their recommendations and service, the district more intensively started focusing on expanding programming under soil, water, wildlife, and farm viability.  Image Credit: CCCD. Maplewood Garden Volunteer Event 2013 The Farm Equipment Rental program has been a consistent and valuable service to farmers and land stewards in the region and beyond. The program allows for expensive, efficient, and necessary equipment to be rented by local growers so they can save money in equipment acquisition, while also improving soil quality and management. Alongside the Equipment Rental Program, CCCD has hosted an annual Equipment Field Day, where members of the community and conservation stakeholders can learn about the equipment, its benefits, and how to use it.  Equipment Field Day 2017 The Source to Sea River Cleanup at Ashuelot Park in Keene, NH, is another longstanding program that CCCD has been able to facilitate through the Connecticut River Conservancy. Every year, groups of volunteers meet at the park entrance with trash bags and gloves, ready and willing to clean up trash outside and within the Ashuelot River. Thousands of pounds of trash have been removed, continuing the mission of water quality management.  Image Credit: CCCD. Source to Sea 2013 Since the early 2000s, CCCD has been able to acquire funding to facilitate several grant programs that help farmers, land stewards, organizations, and community members access funding for projects outside of the federal scope to help conserve natural resources, while also increasing farm efficiency and viability.  The Monadnock Co-op Farm Fund started in 2017. The Farm Fund's mission is to support local farmers in increasing sustainable food production for wholesale markets to contribute to a thriving local farm economy. Since it started, the fund has provided over $225,066 in grants to 28 local farms!  Image Credit: CCCD. Monadnock Farm Fund 2017 The Conservation Opportunity Fund was initiated in 2020. The purpose of this grant is to provide funding for owners or stewards of small tracts of land who are interested in improving the wildlife habitat on their property. This fund has helped community members and organizations install pollinator habitats, gardens, rain gardens,  and early successional shrubland habitats. The District has also been working to build rain gardens across Cheshire County as early as 2005.  Image Credit: CCCD. Rain Garden Installation 2005 CCCD continues it’s long history of partnerships by working alongside the 10 other New Hampshire Conservation Districts to create the Climate Grant. The mission of the NH Conservation Districts Climate Resilience Grant is to support and empower local farmers to build climate resilience throughout the Granite State. This grant started in 2022 and, since then, has distributed $1,052,000 to 135 on-farm projects across New Hampshire! Image Credit: CCCD. Dog Days Farm 2025  Throughout the last eight decades, the Cheshire County Conservation District has evolved with the needs of our land stewards and our lands. We will continue to grow with the Monadnock Region in our mission. We love our home, and we are committed to conserving its agricultural and natural resources to sustain our planet and our community for generations to come. We encourage you to attend an upcoming event , subscribe to our newsletter, and familiarize yourself with the many programs and services that we offer to build upon our 80 year legacy! We are excited to continue this important work, and thank you for your continued support which enables us to conserve this special region which we call home! Benée Hershon (District Manager), Ellinore Todd Long (Administrative Coo

As 2025 comes to an end, CCCD begins settling down into the shorter winter days and cozy nights. Just as the natural world does, we enter the winter months with the intentions of pausing and reflecting, so that we can move forward into all that 2026 has in store. With the approaching holidays, we celebrate all we have accomplished and reflect on all that has been. Every December, our team gathers to look back and plan for the year ahead, so we’d like to take the opportunity to reflect on the year behind! While we look forward to all that 2026 will bring, we also recognize how big a year 2025 has been for CCCD, with several big and exciting changes. Through it all, we continued our ongoing conservation efforts and programming. We celebrated 18 years of dedication from former District Manager, Amanda Littleton, as she transitioned into her new role as Executive Director at the Monadnock Conservancy. Throughout her tenure, she has provided outstanding leadership in natural resources conservation, local food system development and has supported our region’s working landscapes. Image Credit: CCCD. Amanda Littleton (center) with CCCD staff and board We celebrated the transition of Benée Hershon from her previous role as Community Engagement Director to the new District Manager! 2025 was a big year for Benée, as she learned and grew into her new role. She has continued the incredible work of the Conservation District, as well as started to make her mark as District Manager. In 2025, we continued our work as a team of three by hiring a new Community Engagement and Communications Coordinator, Nina Branwen, this summer! Ellinore Todd Long also celebrated her one year working as Administrative Coordinator at CCCD! In 2025, alongside partner organizations, we hosted 23   workshops and events ! Over 700  participants engaged in our educational programming! Workshops included turtle conservation, wildlife stewardship, soil health conservation, and CCCD's Annual Celebration! Image Credit: CCCD. Farm Tour at Dog Days Farm 2025 was a big year for turtles! In the spring, we announced the development of a regional turtle conservation initiative. Partners collaborating on the effort are the NH Association of Conservation Commissions (NHACC), the Harris Center for Conservation Education, the New Hampshire Fish & Game Department, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, the NH Department of Environmental Services, and Moosewood Ecological. Together, we were able to help plan and host three free educational workshops, focused on threats to statewide turtle habitat, a turtle wildlife rescue volunteer training, and a live native turtle demonstration. We look forward to continuing workshops in 2026, and sharing results from our ecological assessment of regional turtle populations and threats. This data will be utilized to inform infrastructure improvements and existing statewide research. Image Credit: CCCD. Shell-abration Turtle Workshop In 2025, CCCD continued our five grant programs. NH Conservation Districts Climate Resilience Grant In partnership with the other New Hampshire County Conservation Districts, we offer the Climate Resilience Grant. The purpose of this grant is to improve the resilience of NH farms in the face of extreme weather events and a changing climate. Since 2022, the NH Conservation Districts Climate Resilience Grant has distributed 135 grant awards for a total of $1,052,000 invested in New Hampshire Farms. Image Credit: CCCD. Five Sigma Farm Monadnock Food Co-op Farm Fund The Monadnock Food Co-op Farm Fund’s mission is to support local farmers in increasing sustainable food production and wholesale sales to contribute to a thriving local farm economy. Three grant awards totaling $32,000 were made in 2025.  Image Credit: CCCD. Monadnock Berries in front of their Farm Fund project Conservation Opportunity Fund Program CCCD offers a Conservation Opportunity Fund Grant program for landowners and stewards of small tracts of land in Cheshire County interested in improving the wildlife habitat on their property. In 2025, the CCCD awarded $12,000 across 7 projects. Image Credit: CCCD. Edgewood Pollinator Garden Before NH Farm Future Fund The NH Farm Future Fund provides funding for farm viability planning in concert with the conservation of important agricultural soils. This program leverages the singular opportunity of putting a conservation easement on existing farmland as a way to invest in the future viability of farm businesses in New Hampshire. 2025 was the sixth grant round, and a total of $60,000 was awarded to conserve 3 NH farms, for a total of 589 acres conserved!    Jeffrey P. Smith Farm Camp Scholarships  In 2025, 17 Cheshire County youth were awarded scholarships to attend summer farm camp through the Jeffrey P. Smith Farm Camp Scholarship Program.  CCCD successfully celebrated 80 years at our Annual Celebration. It was an honor to celebrate all that has been done over the last 80 years of conservation work in Cheshire County! The 2025 Annual Report  is now available for viewing. Image Credit: CCCD. CCCD 2025 Annual Celebration Thank you to all of you, our supporters, partners, and farmers! Happy Holidays and Happy New Year from CCCD!

Each year, the Cheshire County Conservation District honors an individual, business, or organization with the “Cooperator of the Year” award.  This is done to celebrate the efforts the recipient has undertaken to steward the natural resources on their land in cooperation with the Conservation District and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).  This year, we are happy to announce Manning Hill Farm of Winchester, NH, as our 2025 Cooperator of the Year. Sam and Sarah posing in front of their cows, Image credit: Sarah Costa Manning Hill Farm, a 126-acre farm, was first bought in 2005 by Sarah Costa and Sam Canonica. Sarah and Sam are first-generation farmers who raise grass-fed Dutch Belted dairy cows. The milk produced at Manning Hill Farm is sweet, gently pasteurized, and naturally homogenized. In addition to milk production, Manning Hill Farm also produces eggs, maple sap, grass-fed beef, pork, and hay. In 2015, Sarah and Sam purchased an additional farm to house and rotate their cows for grazing. Now, with 300 acres, Manning Hill Farm stands out as a diversified and sustainable dairy farm in the region. None of which would have been possible without the hard work and commitment that Sarah and Sam put into their farm every day. Cows grazing at Manning Hill Farm, Image credit: Sarah Costa Sam and Sarah both grew up on the north shore of Massachusetts, about 25 minutes north of Boston. Sarah grew up in the small town of Topsfield, Massachusetts, and Sam grew up in the small town of Boxford, Massachusetts. They met in junior high at the regional school that served three municipalities in the area, including their hometowns. Sarah worked on a horse farm and spent every opportunity she could outside, tending to and riding horses. Meanwhile, Sam grew up on a small homesteading farm with sheep, cows, and turkeys. He would often spend his time learning to hay fields and produce timber. Spending so much time around animals and nature inspired both of them independently. During their time together, however, it was discovered that they shared a common dream. Sarah states, “We both always wanted a farm, to have our own farm, that was a shared dream of ours.”  Tractor and beautiful sunrise, Image credit: Sarah Costa After high school, Sarah pursued her degree in Animal Sciences at UNH, while Sam worked on a dairy farm. As adults, Sarah and Sam both recognized the challenges of owning and maintaining a farm in their region. Due to increasing urbanization and rising property costs, they decided to move to a different area of New England. They were very close to settling on a farm up in Maine, but ultimately, the site of Manning Hill Farm is where they landed in 2005.  The farm was originally a horse boarding facility, and prior to that, in the 1950s, it had operated as a dairy farm. Before transitioning into farming full-time, both Sarah and Sam held other jobs while building their business. Sarah worked as a sales manager at Dover Saddlery, and Sam worked in custom haying and ran his own timber business, Canonica Logging. Upon moving to the Monadnock Region, it was immediately apparent that the community around them was supportive and loving. Sarah says, “I love the region itself, the Connecticut River, the natural mountains, and fields. As someone who has moved here, the community has been very supportive over the years.” Due to the support they received and the hard work they put into it, the couple began farming full-time in 2010.  Sarah and Sam in field, Image credit: Sarah Costa The day-to-day life on the farm adheres to a well-structured routine that ensures Sarah and Sam can produce and provide their products on schedule. All sales are direct market. This results in Sarah and Sam dedicating their week to daily milkings, bottling on Mondays and Thursdays, and deliveries on Tuesdays and Fridays. For bottling alone, it requires a meticulous process that starts at 5 am. Sarah starts her morning with milking and caring for the cows, while Sam begins the process of sanitizing the equipment and bottles, and gently pasteurizing the milk. Around noon, Sarah joins Sam in the bottling plant to start working the conveyor. Sarah describes the process by saying, “We bottle together because it takes two people. One person loads the bottles on the conveyor, and another person is down at the filler. All the milk we produce, we bottle in our milk plant and do it ourselves.” Sam then delivers the milk to multiple local sellers within New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts.  The work Sam and Sarah do to produce milk, let alone their other products, is truly a testament to their commitment and passion for farming. Baby cow nestled under cow, Image credit: Sarah Costa That same passion extends to their connection and stewardship of the land. For Sarah, when she began farming full-time in 2010, it was a defining moment, as she felt a genuine connection to the natural world. Since then, her connection, appreciation, and understanding of nature has continued to grow. For her, it is one of her favorite parts of being a farmer. Sarah states, “Farmers depend on nature in a way others may not realize. You rely on the climate, soil, and water, and when working with animals, it brings a whole new perspective on the circle of it all.” Sarah and Sam strive to become increasingly self-sufficient and live off the land. From that way of life, however,  they have also learned from the unpredictability that can bring. As Sarah says, “Every year is a new challenge and brings stuff out of your control, something new happens.” This year, drought has been at the forefront of that unpredictability, and as a result, they have already had to start feeding the cows their winter hay.  Sam milking cow and petting cat, Image credit: Sarah Costa Managing the intricacies and changes in nature in their work has further cemented their goals as farmers and stewards. Growing up on the seacoast and watching small farms disappear at an alarming rate, Sam and Sarah always held a deep appreciation for small New England Farms. Sarah states, “We were just two ordinary young adults with dreams of owning our own farm someday, and what it would be like. So our main goal is obviously to stay afloat and survive (i.e. keep the farm going), but I feel like our goals have always been to produce healthy, local food in the utmost sustainable way so that we are actually helping the earth, not hurting it.” By recognizing their needs and the needs of their land, Sarah and Sam have been able to identify their goals in farm viability, soil health, water quality, and energy efficiency.  Cows grazing in field in front of foggy mountain, Image credit: Sarah Costa Sam and Sarah decided to pursue grant contracts with NRCS and the Cheshire County Conservation District because of those same goals. In Sarah’s words, “We wanted to do it right. Grants make it possible to do projects that help the farm grow. We wanted guidance on how to make the property better and healthier to work for us.” No one had milked cows on the farm since the 1950’s. The land was neglected. As Sarah says, “We have spent a lot of time building on soil health and getting the land regenerated and in production. We produce and maintain healthy grass for high-quality milk.” Through NRCS, Manning Hill Farms has undertaken numerous projects to help the land regenerate and enhance work efficiency. This included invasive species removal, clover seeding, brush hogging, and the application of wood ash and manure to improve soil health, the installation of a well for enhanced water quality and farm viability, and 20,000 feet of high-tensile perimeter fencing, temporary fencing, and a complete above-ground watering system for rotational grazing. Additionally, the farm has installed a solar array to offset electricity usage.  Barn with Queen Anne's Lace, Image credit: Sarah Costa With the Cheshire County Conservation District, Sarah and Sam have been the recipients of the NH Conservation District's Climate Resilience Grant in both 2023 and 2025. In 2023, they were awarded to clear 10 acres of pasture and install perimeter, high tensile fencing to rotational graze inside it. This directly benefits not only the soil but also their cows. In 2025, Manning Hill Farm utilized the climate grant to modernize its milking system by installing a Fre-Heater and replacing its vacuum pump with a variable-speed vacuum pump, conserving energy usage and costs. In 2023, Manning Hill Farm was also the recipient of the Monadnock Food Co-op Farm Fund to upgrade to a new milking parlor, which will save time, increase farm efficiency, and increase milk production. Walking cows at Manning Hill Farm, Image credit: Sarah Costa All of these programs were pursued as a direct result of Sarah and Sam's passion for farming and the goals they set forth from the time they were two young farmers to now, over 15 years later. The dream they had when they were younger is now a reality, one they spend every day working to achieve. Even when it’s unpredictable, you can truly see the care, love, and commitment that goes into building that dream. Sarah shares her final biggest goal moving into the future: “making improvements that make it better for the land, better for the cows, better for us. Things are constantly changing, and we want to keep surviving, reduce our energy usage, improve our land, and improve our cows.”   Sarah with calf, Image credit: Sarah Costa

It’s an annual tradition for the Cheshire County Conservation District to honor a community member or organization as the “Educator of the Year”. This is done to celebrate the efforts the recipient has undertaken to steward a conservation ethic and awareness through their personal and professional work. This year, we are honored to announce Wendy Ward as our 2025 Educator of the Year. Ballou 2018. Image Credit: Wendy Ward Wendy Ward is a lifelong resident of Cheshire County who has dedicated her life to the local community and natural world through her work in conservation. On any given day, you can find Wendy sharing her passions for nature with those around her. While Wendy may not be an educator in the traditional sense, those who have had the pleasure of interacting with her know that she has an aptitude for sharing her knowledge with the community and a deep passion for connecting people to the natural world that surrounds them. She has achieved this through numerous workshops, one-on-one work with landowners, and volunteering for several organizations. Wendy is a lifelong learner and believes that the key to educating is being open to learn from those you're meant to be mentoring. She believes that education starts with connection and that there is always an opportunity to learn and listen.  2000. Image Credit: Wendy Ward Wendy was born and raised in Keene, New Hampshire. Her parents chose to settle in Keene right before she was born, as it was a compromise between their hometowns of Marlborough and Manchester. In Wendy’s own words, “I never found a reason to leave. It’s just so beautiful and wonderful here.” Growing up in the Monadnock region, she always felt a deep connection to nature. Now an avid bird watcher herself, she grew up birding and hiking with her Dad. As a child, she spent a great deal of time learning from her nature-loving father. That upbringing cemented her passions and career into her adult life. The more time she spent in the world, it was surprising to her the number of people who knew so little about the natural world around them, which further inspired her to bring people to nature.  CCCD Butterfly Workshop. Image Credit: Wendy Ward Wendy did not follow the typical path of pursuing college immediately after high school. Her career in conservation was something, as she says, “she just fell into it”. In her early adulthood, she worked as a seamstress with her mother and as a stay-at-home mom for her two young daughters. When her daughters started full-time school, she began searching for an opportunity that would utilize her knowledge and skills in ecology and birding.  Wendy & Ted Walski of NHF&G Open Barn Day. Image Credit: Wendy Ward She initially began volunteering with the New Hampshire Audubon Society, leading field trips that ranged from birding to wildflowers and butterflies. While Wendy eventually ended up doing fewer field trips due to working full-time and raising two young children, forty years later, she still leads field trips, educating participants on local birds and blooms. Around the same time, Wendy also helped her Dad volunteer as part of the USGS Bird Breeding Survey. This survey tracks breeding bird populations and provides key data for scientists, conservationists, and bird enthusiasts to point to in their own work. Wendy also pursued and completed an extensive Forest Land Steward course through The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, where she later volunteered at one of the local sanctuaries.  Wendy 1997 Whip Event. Image Credit: Wendy Ward The knowledge and passion she developed at these opportunities led her to the NRCS office, where she met with the District Manager and Conservationist. She began as a volunteer there and felt inspired by the work they were doing. She states, “I really liked what I saw there, what they were doing because I hadn’t been exposed to conservation practices being put on the ground.” Eventually, Wendy was able to start there as a part-time employee, and then they were able to hire her full-time as a Biological Science Technician. The wide array of programs NRCS Conservation Planners work with is not the same as when Wendy started. She would still go out and provide conservation planning and topographic surveys, but under different programming and guidelines. The work she did there early on was a defining experience for her in her life. She truly loved and lived by the NRCS motto, “helping people, help the land.” In her early career at NRCS, her work with landowners primarily focused on wildlife conservation. For most of her career, Wendy held the title of technician; however, her goal was to take on more responsibilities as a soil conservationist. In her early years there, she was introduced to the biological activity and vastness of soil science, from cover crops to water quality; there was so much to learn. However, she needed her Bachelor's Degree to do so. As a result, Wendy pursued her Bachelor's Degree at Granite State in Natural Resource Management. Over her thirty years at NRCS, Wendy pursued numerous educational opportunities and advanced in her position, eventually becoming the District Conservationist in 2020.  Walpole Office 1997. Image Credit: Wendy Ward In 2013, Wendy began working with the Monadnock Conservancy as part of the Lands Committee, a volunteer role she continues to undertake into her retirement. More recently, she has also gotten involved with the Monadnock Bird and Nature Club, leading birding field trips. Wendy also enjoys serving as a birding mentor at the Birding on the Farm workshops, organize d by the Windham County Natural Resources Conservation District and the Cheshire County Conservation District. It marries her love of birding with her passion for conservation work at the NRCS. Wendy says these workshops provide imperative education on the land practices farmers use on their farms to benefit wildlife. It even helps people understand the full picture of farming and the compromises they sometimes have to make to balance farming with the conservation of wildlife. It helps people understand the enthusiasm many farmers have and the role they play in ecology. These workshops are just one example of the extensive educational work Wendy has undertaken throughout her career and personal life.  Bird Walk Women In The Woods May 2023. Image Credit: Wendy Ward While the work of a conservation planner would not typically be considered the work of an educator, there is a significant overlap. The intent is to develop and implement conservation plans tailored to the needs of both the landowner and the land; however, to achieve this, a connection must be established between the landowner and the planner. Wendy states, “I learned quickly, early on, that you need to first listen and meet people where they are at with their property. When you first go out, people are usually anxious to show you what they are excited about or things that they’re upset about. A big approach is to first listen.” Wendy further elaborates that as the conversation continues, that’s when the educational piece starts. Her discussions with landowners often led to the integration of aspects of the ecosystem that they may not have been aware of. In her own words, “from the tiny to large, the world is fascinating, and there is so much to learn.” With so much to learn, Wendy often saw her work as planting a seed. Sometimes, implementing conservation practices relied on timing and the readiness of the landowner. Wendy expressed that while she could suggest a pollinator garden as a useful practice and expand on the benefits of its implementation on the land, it could be years before the landowner installed it themselves. The most beautiful thing is planting the seed of an idea and watching as the landowners bring it to life, with or without the help of NRCS.  Ehrhard & Wendy 2023. Image Credit: Wendy Ward Wendy is passionate about connecting people to nature. In her career and her work outside of it, Wendy developed an understanding of how overwhelming the complexities of nature can be. It is crucial for everyone to understand the impact their actions have on the planet. It is easy for all of us to make a decision that inadvertently harms the ecosystem. Whether it’s working with a landowner or running a workshop, starting with the little pieces of information that connect them to their landscape leads to more meaningful conversations and a deeper understanding of what surrounds them. Wendy says, “You don’t need to know the names of everything, but recognizing the connections between organisms, or even human actions to the environment, will help everything.” Wendy recalls an example of how connecting people to the little things in nature can change their entire perspective. When packing up her office upon retirement, she found a letter from twenty years ago, written by an NRCS client, that said, “I never realized all these birds out here. You have opened my eyes to the wonder of watching these birds and listening to them; the world isn’t the same now. It’s better.” Mascoma Wetland Study 1997. Wendy encourages everyone to engage with nature in small ways and, as she says, “there are so many more opportunities for people to go out into nature than twenty, thirty, or even forty years ago.” Wendy further explains, “There are many apps, such as Merlin, that allow people to explore and learn.” She also notes that attending the many events at the Cheshire Conservation District, the Harris Center, and Distant Hill Gardens provides additional ways for people to connect with nature in Cheshire County. More than ever, organizations are presenting opportunities for people to connect with nature and start exploring the ecosystems around them.  Pollinator Palooza 2024. Image Credit: Wendy Ward Throughout her thirty years of experience at NRCS, Wendy's biggest takeaway was the shared learning experience that exists among everyone, from field trips to workshops to one-on-one visits at a farm. As she states, “you learn from other people, as much as you think you are imparting your own wisdom, there is always something to learn from every encounter you go out to. While I might be going out with a plan to impart this information or that, you are always the recipient of someone else's knowledge, and you are always learning”. Furthermore, Wendy emphasizes that a great deal of learning can occur even among coworkers. At NRCS, Wendy learned a great deal from everyone, whether they were soil scientists, grazing specialists, or engineers. In her own words, “in this little corner of the world, I still have so much to learn.” Image Credit: Wendy Ward

Energy is the backbone of communities across New Hampshire, powering our homes, small businesses, and local farms every day. It’s so reliable we hardly notice it: the power lines we drive past on the way to work, the light that flicks on with a simple switch. But as we look to the future of our state’s energy usage, critical questions arise: What does a strong energy future look like for New Hampshire? How do we build a system that’s clean, resilient, and sustainable for generations to come? Local farm, Bascom Farm. Image Credit: Bascom Farms That’s where Clean Energy NH (CENH) steps in: helping communities shape an energy future that works for everyone.  Operating across the Granite State, CENH’s mission is focused on leading the charge for a sustainable energy future. Whether it be expanding renewable energy, energy efficiency, and beneficial electrification, the team advances the clean energy transition for all through policy advocacy, technical assistance, and coalition-building with municipalities, residents, and local stakeholders.  Providing free technical assistance for New Hampshire communities, the Energy Circuit Rider (ECR) program began in Coös County in 2019 with one circuit rider, and has since expanded across the state to include seven team members that cover agricultural producers, small businesses, and municipalities in the North Country, Monadnock, Seacoast, and Sullivan County regions. Circuit Riders travel across the state to provide no-cost technical assistance that help communities plan, finance, and implement energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. These projects range from solar arrays, to building upgrades, to electric vehicle chargers.  Bascom Farm Road. Image Credit: Bascom Farms In 2024, CENH received a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant to expand their no-cost circuit rider services specifically to assist farms and small businesses in accessing USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) funding. REAP provides grants covering up to 25% of eligible project costs for energy efficiency and renewable energy investments; such as solar, wind, geothermal, anaerobic digestors, weatherization, lighting, energy efficient equipment, and more.  The REAP program has made a significant impact for New Hampshire businesses from the beginning. In 2024, Clean Energy NH helped Bascom Farm in Charlestown, NH apply for a REAP grant to install a 6.25 kW dual axis solar tracker system that provides cheap and consistent energy production year round. They were awarded funds in early 2025 and broke ground on the project this summer. Their project will save them an estimated $1,500 on electricity every year, with their cost savings being reinvested into their farm operations. The result? Bascom can replace 94% of the energy they would have bought from their utility company with energy they produced themselves.  Solar Tracker System installed at Bascom Farms. Image Credit: Bascom Farms Projects like Bascom’s are being built on farms and small businesses across New Hampshire. With rising energy costs posing as a significant burden for many owners,  CENH is ready to help farms and small businesses invest in energy efficiency and renewable energy generation ​​technologies to provide resiliency, stability, and energy savings for years to come. As an approved REAP technical assistance provider, their team offers no-cost support in navigating program eligibility, writing applications, and ensuring projects get built after they have been awarded.  Bascom Farms, sheep and lambs. Image Credit: Bascom Farms Interested in energy-saving projects for your farm? Find out if you're eligible for REAP grant funding by attending our workshop that we are co-hosting with the Cheshire County Conservation District on November 5th, 2025 at 5pm at the Monadnock Co-op. We’ll follow up to discuss your options and next steps. The next deadline is December 31, 2025.

Hi! My name is Nina Halsted, and I am thrilled to take on my new role as Community Engagement and Communications Coordinator. In this blog, I hope to introduce myself and share my story. Photo of Nina Halsted holding a sunflower, Image Credit: Nina Halsted I have always felt a connection to the natural world. While I was born in Chicago, I moved to the mountains of Colorado when I was only two years old. I grew up surrounded by big rocks, moose, mountain lions, bears, and endless acres of the national forest. I grew up in Gilpin County, which ranged from an elevation of 7,000 feet to 12,000 feet and served as a home to a little over 5,000 residents. From a young age, I was very aware of the impact even a small community had on the ecosystem. As a young girl, I would spend hours outside, playing with my friends, learning from nature, and becoming an integral part of it. I saw the natural world as this magical space where nature and I co-existed. My best friend and I (blue shirt), hiking and exploring the National Forest, Image Credit: Curt Halsted Eventually, there came a time when I decided on a favorite pine tree in my backyard. I even named the tree Sally. I would spend hours by the tree, talking to it, climbing it, and building fairy houses at its base. Due to prolonged drought, Colorado faced a prolific pine beetle outbreak that decimated large portions of the National Forest. In turn, this led to significant and unprecedented forest fires. I remember being terrified Sally would succumb to a similar fate as other trees in the area. I needed to understand why it was happening and how I could help. I ended up speaking at local town halls and with conservationists in the area. I always came with a list of questions, ready to learn! My passion and love for conservation and ecology only grew from there on.  The view up the hill from my childhood home, Image Credit: Curt Halsted I pursued my degree in Ecosystem Science and Sustainability from Colorado State University, where I was first introduced to working lands and food systems. Due to unforeseen circumstances, I transferred to the University of Colorado Boulder after three years. I graduated with my degree in Environmental Studies in 2021. That same year, I moved to Albany, New York. I worked with a small nonprofit called the Eden's Rose Foundation. I had one title but wore many hats in the organization. Our primary focus was capacity building in food deserts. I was able to work with a small team of volunteers to run programming with an emphasis on providing, educating, and growing food in urban centers. The organization took unused plots within the urban neighborhood and transformed them into victory gardens, blueberry fields, nature spaces, and urban farms. I began to recognize firsthand the impact that ecological restoration had on more than just rural and natural spaces. It brought benefits not only to the local landscape but also to the local economy and the general community.  After I moved to Vermont, I worked full-time in education and part-time as a trainee for the Farm Force Program. Farm Force was a comprehensive effort by the White River Conservation District, the Virgin Islands Women in Agriculture Association, and the Bennington County Conservation District to train a workforce of 30 individuals in conservation planning, climate-smart agriculture , and farm advocacy. This opportunity was funded by the Working Lands Conservation Corps (AmeriCorps). It allowed me to visit farms, work directly with farmers, and learn the ins and outs of conservation planning in the field. During my term, I was able to connect with farmers in Vermont, New Hampshire, and the US Virgin Islands through educational tours and worker brigades where we helped local farms install projects. There was a heavy focus on tree planting for silvopasture and agroforestry projects. While my time on individual farms was momentary in comparison to the time and hard work farmers spend on their farms each day, I really grew to understand how vital farmers are in shaping our natural world and feeding the masses. Unfortunately, I was unable to fulfill the full-year term with Farm Force due to funding pulls from AmeriCorps. However, I learned more in the five months I spent with Farm Force than ever before, and I am grateful for the opportunities I had to engage and learn hands-on with local farmers and their communities. Ultimately, this program is what led me to this position at CCCD. The Farm Force team at our first in-person meeting, Image Credit: White River Conservation District I am so excited to embark on this new opportunity to aid in conservation efforts, connect with the Cheshire County community, and continue to build on my knowledge and experience with an incredible and passionate team.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) offers a variety of resources and programs to operate your farm and help you recover in the event of a natural disaster. FSA is also often the agency to create USDA records…if you are new to working with any USDA agency, you will likely speak to an FSA employee to establish your farm records. Here is a brief overview of some of the many programs that FSA has to offer: Helping Finance Your Farm: The FSA Loan Office helps provide access to capital, either directly from FSA or through a third-party, commercial lender. You may be interested in using the Farm Loan Assistance Tool  to determine which loan option works best for you. USDA FSA Staff Assist a Farmer at Field Office, Image Credit: USDA FSA Manage Risks: FSA offers many programs to help you recover from and prepare for disasters and market fluctuations, including: -The Noninsured Disaster Assistance Program (NAP)  offers financial support to producers of non-insurable crops to protect against natural disasters that result in lower yields, destroyed crops, or the inability to plant. This includes crops like veggies, fruits, hay, and even oysters. NAP offers different levels of coverage depending on your needs. -Price support for drops in prices or revenues, such as the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC)  programs and the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC)  program Disaster Assistance and Recovery: FSA is mainly a disaster assistance agency. We are here for you during flooding, drought, etc. You can use the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool  to learn about available disaster recovery programs. Here is mention of a few programs: -The Emergency Assistance for Livestock  (ELAP)  provides emergency assistance in the form of financial compensation to eligible producers of livestock, honeybees and farm-raised fish who experience losses due to an eligible adverse weather or other qualifying loss condition. - Emergency Conservation Program (ECP)  provides emergency funding and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers to rehabilitate farmland and conservation structures damaged by natural disasters. USDA FSA Staff Assist a Farmer On-Site, Image Credit: USDA FSA Reimbursement for Applicable Farm Expenses: FSA has a few programs created specifically to help compensate for the cost of some farm expenses: - The Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP)  provides organic producers and handlers with financial assistance to reduce the cost of organic certification. Once certified, organic producers and handlers are eligible to receive reimbursement for 75 percent of certification costs, up to a maximum of $750 per certification scope—crops, livestock, wild crops, handling, and State Organic Program fees! *Funding for this program is not currently available under this administration, subject to change - The Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops (FSCSC)  Program provides assistance to specialty crop operations that incurred eligible on-farm food safety program expenses in 2024 and 2025. Getting Started If you are just starting your journey into agriculture FSA has some specific resources that are available to you. Check out How to Start a Farm: Beginning Farmers and Ranchers , particularly the Plan Your Farm Operation section as it has additional resources like mentoring, trainings, and general business plan help. You can also reach out to the State Beginning Farmer and Rancher Coordinator ! USDA FSA Walpole Field Staff Michael Greene & Kelsi Lord, Image Credit: USDA FSA The easiest way to hear about USDA programs and apply for them as they come up is to create records with FSA and report your acreage yearly during Acreage Reporting . That way, if a disaster ever does occur, you are already established in the USDA system and FSA has a good idea of what you’ve planted and where. You can meet FSA staff in person at the Walpole Field Office to discuss if any of our programs would be a good fit for you and your farm. If you’d prefer, you can give us a call at 6037562970 x2. We encourage you to review USDA's getting started guide to see if any programs immediately pique your interest. You can view the guide online here , or give the office a call to request one be mailed to you. If you aren’t from Cheshire or Sullivan County, you can find your local service center here . If you need information or assistance in a language other than English, USDA offers translated materials and free interpretation services! Please do not hesitate to reach out to us and ask. We are here to help.

The Edgewood neighborhood is a residential development that hugs the eastern Keene-Swanzey border. Geographically, the area was originally pine barrens and  became home to New England’s first conifer nursery in 1906. The city aptly refers to our neighborhood as Edgewood because it is edged by woods. The Dillant-Hopkins Airport and the  Keene Water Treatment Plant are on the other side of those woods, a portion of which was donated to the city by the Edgewood Civic Association in the 1960s. Within these woods there is a rare Kettle Bog. You can find Lady Slippers and Downy Rattlesnake Plantains growing. Peregrine falcons have been known to roost in the tall white pines. Bears, coyotes, deer, foxes and possums wander the woods. It is a lively place. At the heart of our neighborhood lies an almost 2 acre commons. It is the remnant of a fairground opened by the Keene Driving Park Association in 1875. The fairground was an active place hosting horse races and early professional baseball games until 1913 when the Park Corporation laid out streets for a housing development. The first houses were built facing the commons. For many years following development, neighborhood children used the flat, grassy space as a natural playground but in recent years the area has been largely unused except for an occasional yard sale. It felt somewhat lifeless and unloved, an open space marked only by a flag pole flanked with invasive species with one proud oak tree at its center. In July of 2023 I noticed a decrease in the numbers of hoverflies, wasps, sphinx moths and other pollinating insects that normally buzz about the lavender bergamot, echinacea and oregano flowers in my backyard. I felt moved to do something even though I was not sure what that could be! I sent an email out on our neighborhood email chain. Jamie Doherty, Ann Shedd and Mark Meess responded and we met the following week.   The meeting was a fruitful one and we settled on the idea of creating a pollinator garden on the commons. This seemed eminently do-able. We just had to get the city to agree!   Jamie and I launched into the project enthusiastically, reaching out to the neighborhood via email to solicit any positive or negative feedback regarding our idea. We received a couple of positive responses and none that were negative so we attended a meeting with the Keene Conservation Commission in August of 2023. They loved our plan and recommended that we meet with Parks and Recreation. We came prepared with a proposal we hoped would appeal to them. The goals we presented were: Beautify an otherwise open and unused space Reduce the amount of mowing and maintenance required by the city Provide food and habitat for bees, butterflies and other local fauna Provide educational information to those that visit   In addition we emphasized the importance of community involvement and native plantings: To encourage community participation, neighbors would be invited to share their own native seeds and seedlings to fill the area. Depending on the amount of funding received and cost of site preparation, plants could also be purchased from Fassett Farm Nursery, or any other local nurseries that specialize in native plants. The goal would be to utilize a mixture of annuals, perennials, and biennials with varying bloom times that cover the course of the growing season. This would ensure that there would always be food available to pollinators and flowers for visitors to admire. By January 2024, the city agreed. In addition, Jamie applied for a Cheshire County Conservation District grant to boost our planting budget. We received the welcome news that we had received a grant in March. In June, the city brought in their machinery and prepared the site, removing sod and invasive plants around the flagpole. We began solarizing the area with cardboard and plant based compostable black plastic. Utilizing email, we kept the neighborhood informed and  encouraged involvement. Several people offered native plants from their yards. With each update, interest seemed to grow. We even heard that a realtor used the garden project as a selling point for a house in our neighborhood! Finally, in September 2024, a group of neighbors and friends gathered to plant the purchased, cultivated and donated native plants. A homeowner whose house faces the commons generously offered an outdoor water source. The plants have thrived and we have already seen some pollinator species partaking of the late blossoms. So exciting! We have planted more bare root plant stock and in November, anticipating the first snow, we spread some additional native seeds. An education sign was installed to inform passersby of the goals of the project. We hope this garden becomes a gathering place for pollinators, birds and humans alike as it begins to thrive. Future plans include petitioning the city to expand the garden and donate a bench. We invite you to visit and enjoy its progress with us!

Since 2020, the NH Farm Future Fund has distributed over $372,000 to protect over 1,813 acres of land throughout the Granite State. The mission of the NH Farm Future Fund is to provide funding for farm viability planning in concert with the conservation of important agricultural soils. This program leverages the singular opportunity of putting a conservation easement on farmland to also invest in the future viability of the farm business. The goal of this fund is to ensure that farmland is conserved, productive, and available for future generations.  Tuckaway Farm, Photo Credit: Foster's Daily Democrat, Tuckaway Farm Learn more about past awarded projects and the impact of this program through our interactive story map, here! Land trusts throughout New Hampshire that are working with farms to conserve their land are encouraged to apply by May 31st . The NH Farm Future Fund is an integrated approach to funding farm viability, farmland conservation, and farmland access. Funding is available to support activities in two broad categories: financial assistance to offset costs associated with farmland conservation projects, and technical assistance to support farm business viability and succession planning.  Picadilly Farm, Photo Credit: Picadilly Farm The New Hampshire Farm Future Fund brings together land trusts and farms to conserve farmland, while improving the viability of farm businesses. Ensuring that the farm business will be viable also ensures that the land will remain in agricultural use! This is critical to supporting local food systems, food security, and local economies. On this approach, Charlene Andersen of the NH Community Loan Fund shared, “The collaboration of partners, land trusts and landowners has been instrumental in the projects to date.  This model goes beyond just protecting the land, it is also protecting the future farmers as it provides more insight to long-term opportunities or challenges. The discussions between the partners, land trusts and landowners is the closest thing to a crystal ball as we can get. The support from funders has enabled the program to evolve, identify critical aspects and develop best practices. I see firsthand how the funders support has helped farmers develop confidence about decisions they are making during the easement process." Mink Meadow Farm, Photo Credit: Mink Meadow Farm Land trust applicants should be committed to bringing together experts in land conservation, succession planning, and farm viability to advance the farm’s business goals. Eligible Applicants must be nonprofit tax exempt 501(c)(3) organizations that have land conservation as their primary function and are actively working to conserve farmland in the state of New Hampshire. Prospective applicants must schedule their discovery meeting by contacting i nfo@cheshireconservation.org . Application materials are available at  www.cheshireconservation.org/nhfff The Farm Future Fund is a grant program that is privately funded and administered by the Cheshire County Conservation District on behalf of the New Hampshire Conservation Districts. Key partners in making this grant possible are the NH Community Loan Fund and Land for Good. Funding is provided by the You Have Our Trust Fund and the Madison Fund of the NH Charitable Foundation. For further information, to discuss project proposals, or donations to the grant program contact: Benée Hershon at 802-518-0993 or benee@cheshireconservation.org

Of the 356 species of turtles worldwide, approximately 61% are threatened or already extinct. The Southwestern Region of New Hampshire, specifically Cheshire County, is habitat to a wide range of turtle species, from stable populations to turtle populations at-risk, at-risk species include: Spotted, Blanding, and Wood turtles. Local turtle populations are at risk in our region due to loss of habitat from development, mortalities from road crossings, and climate related impacts on wetland habitats, nesting sites, and migratory corridors. While statewide research is being conducted to understand the impact on statewide turtle populations, there is a gap in data and initiatives to support turtle populations in the Monadnock Region. The Cheshire County Conservation District (CCCD) is pleased to announce the development of a regional turtle conservation initiative. Partners collaborating on the effort are the NH Association of Conservation Commissions (NHACC), the Harris Center for Conservation Education, the New Hampshire Fish & Game Department, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, the NH Department of Environmental Services, and Moosewood Ecological. This exciting initiative seeks to support research identified strategies for supporting turtle populations and by increasing turtle literacy throughout our region and beyond. Snapping Turtle, Image Credit: UNH Extension On this initiative, Barbara Richter, Executive Director of the NH Association of Conservation Commissions, shared, “The New Hampshire Association of Conservation Commissions (NHACC) is excited to participate in the Cheshire County Turtle Conservation Initiative to help identify turtle habitat and create a plan to protect and restore natural areas before it is too late.  As a partner in this Initiative, we look forward to working with The Harris Center for Conservation Education, CCCD, and NH Fish & Game to focus on habitat protection to ensure turtles will thrive in Cheshire County. Conservation commissions can play a key role in both volunteering for this effort as well as encouraging other town officials to participate. NHACC plans to educate and inform conservation commissions members about the need for turtle conservation and to encourage commission members to participate in established data gathering efforts including the roadkill monitoring NH Fish & Games Reptile and Amphibian Reporting Program (RAARP)”. The conservation initiative will focus on four parts: Offer a series of free educational workshops open to the public with the goal of raising awareness of the threats of local turtle populations and what municipalities, conservation partners, and community members can do to support conservation efforts. The initiative will also conduct a regional wetland-road crossing assessment through the consulting services of Moosewood Ecological. Complete a road mortality monitoring assessment in Cheshire County. Data collected through the assessments will be utilized to inform statewide and regional turtle conservation planning efforts, as well as supporting data collection and research efforts through the NH Fish & Game Department's Reptile and Amphibian Reporting Program (RAARP). Facilitate increase data reporting by Cheshire County residents through promotion of Reptile and Amphibian Reporting Program (RAARP), coordinated by the NH Fish and Game (NHF&G) Nongame & Endangered Wildlife Program.   Painted Turtle, Image Credit: UNH Extension   Education will be critical in supporting existing turtle populations in our region. On the importance of conserving turtles, Brett Amy Thelen, Science Director of the Harris Center for Conservation Education shared, "As long-lived species with low reproductive rates, turtles are particularly vulnerable to habitat loss, poaching, roadkill, and other threats. Losing even one wild adult turtle can have a negative impact on local turtle populations. Every turtle counts -- and we all have a role to play in ensuring their survival." The Cheshire County Conservation District (CCCD) is excited to have both staff and board members involved in this project! Amy Bodwell, Vice Chair of the CCCD Board of Directors shared, “Like all wildlife, turtles face threats, often from car collisions. But I saw an opportunity to help these amazing creatures by joining CCCD and their partners in their turtle initiative. I became even more engaged with these critters as every summer I watch the same snapping turtle leaving the pond, hiking up the hill, through the meadow, to her hopeful nesting sites. Sometimes she nests and the hatchings are incredible to watch bursting from the earth and taking the same journey back to the pond. I feel if I can help in any small way to protect turtles, I am excited to try”. The initiative will also conduct a regional road crossing assessment through the consulting services of Moosewood Ecological. Data collected through the assessment will be utilized to inform statewide and regional turtle conservation planning efforts, as well as supporting data collection and research efforts through the NH Fish & Game Department's Reptile and Amphibian Reporting Program (RAARP). Musk Turtle, Image Credit: NH Fish and Game, Kirk Lagory Josh Megyesy, Wildlife Biologist of the Wildlife Division – Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program at the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department (NHFG) stated, “Cheshire County is underrepresented in the NHFG at-risk turtle distribution maps. This initiative will help the Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program spread the word about the importance of reporting observations and help fill in the gaps. NHFG relies on public observations to inform locations to survey, areas to support land conservation, and the environmental review process. Reporting turtles on roadways is especially important as it helps us identify crossing hotspots where turtle roadkill is high so that funding can be directed to improve crossing areas and upgrade old, non-wildlife friendly culverts. Cheshire County has regional conservation priority areas for at-risk turtles identified through standardized biological monitoring, highlighting the need for conservation action, outreach, and volunteer effort. The NHFG has one turtle biologist to cover the entire state. This initiative will help fill in the gaps and get boots on the ground where it is critically needed”.   Educational workshops will be offered through 2026 and workshops kick-off this spring! Turtles of New Hampshire & How You Can Help When: Apr 29, 2025, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM Where: Online, Zoom Join NH Fish and Game wildlife biologist Josh Megyesy for an introduction to turtle conservation in the Granite State. We’ll explore the ecology of at-risk species, habitat use, threats, and conservation actions developed through long-term population monitoring. Josh will also discuss how to identify turtle habitat, the impact of road mortality on turtles, strategies to reduce roadkill, land protection efforts, and what landowners can do to help. Register here! Turtle Transport Volunteer Training When: May 13, 2025, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM Where: Online, Zoom From spring through fall, turtles must leave the safety of the water to search for mates, nest sites, and seasonal habitat; while on land, they face many dangers, including cars, pets, and mowers. Thankfully, turtles are also resilient and can recover from injuries with proper care. NH Turtle Rescue, whose mission is to rescue, rehabilitate, release, and preserve New Hampshire’s wild turtles — relies on a team of volunteer “turtle transporters” to get ill and injured turtles into their care as quickly as possible, and more helpers are always needed. This volunteer training will cover everything you need to know to join the turtle transport team, including how to safely handle wild turtles, what to keep in your turtle rescue kit, and how it all works. Don’t miss this chance to become a turtle hero! Register here! More information on upcoming events can be viewed here! This project was made possible by the NH State Conservation Committee Conservation Moose Plate Grant Program.

[Before landing in New England, my wife and I spent our entire lives in, and around, the military, so please forgive me if the following strolls ever-so-lightly into the land of military metaphors] I have lived in New England for almost 15 years and in Cheshire County for a dozen of those. Before that, my life was a merry-go-round of moving vans, unpacking one day, repacking the next.  The lifestyle of an ex-vagabond brings with it an illness you never quite shake, the road trip bug. And when the bug strikes, it is impossible to ignore. When you’ve been moving your whole life, it can be seriously difficult to sit still.  However, since I became a New Englander (I know I don’t meet the sixth-generation requirement, but you guys are stuck with me), these requisite road trips have grown bittersweet. The open road calls, but as soon as I-91 hits Connecticut or Route 9 hits the New York border, a not-so-small part of me wants to turn the car around and head back to the home that New England has become. But why?  A pastoral view in Cheshire County My Old Cheshire County Home At night, I rest my head in an old farmhouse. I stroll past my kids’ old schools to meet my family of friends for a beer downtown. And,   my wife and I pass weekends appointing our old house with local antiques and handmade crafts to suit. As wonderful as the life we’ve built is, I am not sure that it is the reason I feel at home when I am, well, home.  Most people don’t know this about me, but I have something of a superpower, though not necessarily an enviable one. I have the ability to see “developed” landscapes in their prior, untouched state. You could be forgiven for thinking this would be a peaceful power; however, when I am surrounded by “development,” my superpower responds like a visual air raid siren, signaling constant distress.  So I think really, that I am home when my superpower is at rest and my mind is at ease. I am home when I can walk along the Ashuelot north of Surry and not have to peer through a strip mall to see a forgotten sugarbush. I am home when I can stand atop Pitcher Mountain and pick out the small bits of civilization cuddled by nature instead of the other way around. In short, I am home when Mother Nature’s peace surrounds me.  However, that peace is not forever a certainty. The tranquility I feel on a stroll to Goose Pond can be taken away with the stroke of a pen (and a few weeks with a bulldozer). Home comes with a price, and that price is the vigilance of showing up, speaking out, and conserving as much of our home as possible.  Fall view at Goose Pond in Keene What does that vigilance look like? Vigilance can be... well, boring. In rooms across the county and around the world, meetings take place that are both vital and underattended. In these rooms, Mother Nature has no seat. Trees, streams, and wildlife are barred entry. So, those of us who understand must show up and speak out. As someone who is frequently the only conservationist in the room at decision-making time, we have to do better. We have to raise our voices.  I am not talking about screaming at the nearest construction site as you drive by (though that can be therapeutic). I am talking about showing up at   City Council   sessions if you live in Keene or  Town Meeting if you are in the rest of the county. I am talking about joining your town’s Zoning Board (talk about impactful!) or your region’s Water District Board (yeah, that’s a thing). I’m talking about staying abreast of what happens in   Concord , and if you don’t mind the drive, testifying at a   committee hearing   at the State House (it’s not as intimidating as it sounds, I promise). It is impossible to overstate the importance of being present and vocal whenever and wherever decisions are made.  State House in Concord In the face of development, conservation is crucial. Development is a machine; it chews up nature and spits out a mostly mundane collection of concrete boxes. But because development screams of dollars and cents and nature whispers of peace and harmony, their standoff is all too often a one-sided affair. Conservation is the defense of those whispers, not for ourselves but for their own sake and for all time. Think about that! With the right mix of attendance, money, and effort, a place can simply  be  “in perpetuity.” Can there be a better feeling?  Against the constant call of development, conservation is our line in the forest (Cheshire County sand being in short supply).  “Here we draw the line. Develop no further!”  Conserving the Cheshire County farms, fields, and forests that I, and we, call home isn’t  just  about showing up, however. Protecting all that makes Cheshire County so amazing requires the resources and toil of many. Thankfully, we are blessed with an abundance of individuals and organizations intent on holding the line that can always use your help: the  Monadnock Conservancy , the   Harris Center , and our towns’ Conservation Commissions, to name just a few. Another line holder of which I can claim an ever-so-small part is the Cheshire County Conservation District (CCCD). The CCCD brings money in from around the country to support the county’s farmers, foresters, and families. I came on board at the District a few years ago, having witnessed the power of its multi-layered mission.  Veterans participate in the Veteran Appreciation Month program at the Keene Farmers' Market in 2023 Personally, I have benefited from small-scale services such as money for Veterans at the Farmers’ Market and CSA assistance grants. At larger scales, I have seen the potential of CCCD benefits, such as farm equipment rentals and farming business planning help, to help Cheshire County’s farmers not just survive but thrive. Put simply, the Conservation District helps Cheshire County fight the fights that matter and has the expertise to connect those with questions and needs to those with answers and resources. Join us; we are always looking for help! 2024 Equipment Field Day at Ballam Farm Whether it is the Conservancies, Conservation Commissions, the CCCD, or any of a dozen other organizations, there is a constant need for defenders to step up. So as a vagabond who has finally stopped wandering, I ask you to please remain vigilant, and please, please, please do not take the beauty of our home for granted. Lines must be drawn, Mother Nature mustn’t be voiceless, and... meetings must be attended (how’s that for a motivational last line?).

The mission of the NH Conservation Districts Climate Resilience Grant is to support and empower local farmers to build climate resilience throughout the Granite State. This will be done through reducing the impact of agriculture on climate change (mitigation) through greenhouse gas emissions reduction and carbon sequestration, and to increasing the resiliency of New Hampshire Farms in a changing climate (adaptation), while meeting farm’s conservation goals and needs. Extreme weather events, frequent and prolonged droughts, and increased pest pressures are increasing challenges for NH farms. While neighboring states offered climate resilience funds to farms on the state level, no funding source of this kind was available to NH farmers. Seeing a need for a climate resilience grant program, the 10 NH Conservation Districts initiated the first of its kind grant program in the Granite State in 2022.   This grant though the NH County Conservation Districts seeks to support farmers in meeting those challenges. Since 2022, the grant has awarded $714,000 to farms across the Granite State, with 95 grant awards distributed! Farms in all 10 counties and 25% of NH municipalities have received support to date. How is climate change impacting farms in our state? The 2023 UNH NH Field Crop and Forage Loss Report  reported a total loss of $2,140,481 on farms statewide due to extreme weather events! Disaster relief is only made available by the USDA NRCS and FEMA disaster declaration zones More frequent extreme weather events are on the horizon : The state can expect a new normal with concerningly high temperatures and more extreme precipitation events and periods of drought ( 2021 New Hampshire Climate Assessment ). Why does supporting a strong farm future matter?! There are currently 417,187 acres of farmland in NH production, with a 13% decrease in farmland  over the last decade and a total loss of 56,878 acres! That amount of land is roughly equivalent in size to Manchester, Nashua, and Portsmouth, NH combined!  ( 2022 & 2012 USDA Census of Agriculture) While farms are private businesses and often operate on privately owned land, they provide a critical service to our state: growing nutrient dense food  and ensuring local food security ! Additionally, farmers are critical in conserving soil and habitat on working lands throughout our state! Soil conservation is essential for climate mitigation! With a decrease in farmland acreage due to development, farmers are essential in preserving the agricultural heritage of our state! Farmers are also critical to our local and regional economies and businesses and employers! NH agriculture generated a total of $67.8 million in tax revenue, including $19 million in local taxes, $11.5 million in state revenue, and $37.3 million in federal taxes ( Source: NH DAMF The Economic Impact of Agriculture in New Hampshire, 2019 ) What we've shared only scratches the surface of why supporting farms through this grant program is important! Farms do so much for the health of our communities, soil, and economies! What this program supports today is an investment in our collective future ! The 10 New Hampshire Conservation Districts are thrilled to share an exciting new interactive resource which highlights projects funded by the NH Conservation Districts Climate Resilience Grant! View the 10 New Hampshire Conservation Districts story map to learn more about awarded projects throughout the state, video case studies, and next steps for the future of this critical grant program. Learn more here or below! Funds are available for projects that mitigate the impact of agriculture on climate change and enhance the on-farm adaptations to projected climate conditions. Preference will be given to projects that can demonstrate strong potential in mitigation and adaptation. This year's applications have closed, but next year's applications will be announced in Fall 2025! As climate related challenges grow, additional financial support is needed for NH farmers! HB. 246 seeks to support the NH Conservation Districts Climate Resilience Grant Program! This legislation is currently in the house finance committee. Explore opportunities to shape a strong farm future for Granite State farmers, here! Learn more and track the progress of legislation to support Granite State farmers, here! This grant program is made possible through the generous contributions of private donors. If you would like to make a donation to support future funding of the program, please do so on Cheshire County Conservation District's website: www.cheshireconservation.org/donate   Donations to the fund may also be made by mail, checks can be made payable to "CCCD" and addressed to 11 Industrial Park Dr., Walpole, NH 03608. Please include “Climate” in the memo line. Contributions of any amount are greatly appreciated and make a difference!   Since 1945 and 1946, the ten NH Conservation Districts have promoted the conservation and responsible use of the Granite State's natural and agricultural resources. For more information about the programs offered in your county, contact your local conservation district .

With the holidays behind us, a new season is around the corner! CSA season! Now what on earth is a CSA? “CSA” is an acronym for “Community Supported Agriculture”, a model where consumers purchase shares of a farm’s harvest in advance of the growing season and become members of the farm. In exchange for this pre-season purchase, community members pick up a variety of produce during the growing season. CSA Vegetables at Hillside Springs Farm, A Participating Farm of the Monadnock Farm Share Program Purchasing your share earlier in the season, supports farmers during the winter season, and some farms may choose to utilize CSA funds to purchase seeds, tools, or necessary infrastructure for the growing season. Much like locally grown produce, CSA’s can be a diverse blend of varieties from farm to farm! Some CSA’s offer full-sized shares, others offer half-sized shares, other farms offer shares based on the weight of the produce! Different share sizes accommodate the size of your household. Summer CSA Share at Dog Days Farm, A Participating Farm of the Monadnock Farm Share Program Some farms pre-package their CSA’s for pick-up in boxes or bags, while other farm’s may have a list of CSA items of the week and allow their members to pick the individual produce similar to a market or grocery store setting. Farms typically have different pick-up days and times, and some farms even offer delivery or nearby pick-up options! The CSA model has existed for quite some time, with early roots of the model being credited to community farm initiatives in Japan, Chile, and across Europe as early as the 1970’s ( Source: Rodale Institute ). In the United States one of the earliest uses of the model was by Booker T. Whately, an agriculture professor and pioneer of sustainable agriculture following World War II. Whately outlined 10 commandments that he categorized as essential for successful and sustainable farming. Included in these commandments was a term he coined as “Clientele Membership Club”, in which members paid an upfront fee to pick their own produce all season long. The more modern CSA model that we see today was pioneered in the 1980’s by Indian Line CSA in South Egremont, MA and Temple-Wilton Community Farm in Wilton, NH ( Source: Food Print ). Participating in a local CSA program is a wonderful opportunity to support local farmers, enjoy seasonal produce, try new food, inspire your cooking, all while investing in our local economy! Greens Grow at Steppingstone Commons, A Participating Farm of the Monadnock Farm Share Program For seven years, the Cheshire County Conservation District (CCCD) has administered the Monadnock Farm Share Program. The Farm Share Program provides limited-income Monadnock Region residents with the opportunity to support their   local CSA farmer   and receive reliable high-quality produce on a regular basis all season long. CSA Share prices are discounted through an innovative cost-share model. Through the program, participating families and individuals receive a discounted weekly vegetable share at 50% of its value! Farmers raise funds to cover 15% of the program costs and 35% of program costs is provided by the The Center for Population Health at Cheshire Medical Center through the Healthy Monadnock Alliance. The customer is responsible to pay 50% of the total share cost. Community members choose from a listing of participating farms throughout the region! This program was developed for limited income residents of the Monadnock Region. This program is made available for households who without the program, would be unable to participate in a local Community Supported Agriculture program.  Snap Peas Grow at Foggy Hill Farm, A Participating Farm of the Monadnock Farm Share Program This program is available to Monadnock Region residents who live at or below 250% of the federal poverty income limit or have other reasons for needing assistance in participating in a farm share program. The program was initiated in 2019 when farmers noticed a need for accessibility in farm share programs in our region. On the program’s roots, CCCD District Manager Amanda Littleton shared, “A group of CSA farmers in the Monadnock Region approached the Conservation District on finding a way to make shares more affordable for limited income households. CCCD worked hand in hand with these farms to create the program and secure funding through Cheshire Medical Center. We think this is a fantastic collaboration to expand access to locally produced fruits and vegetables while supporting our region’s farms.” Tomatoes harvested at Sun Moon Farm, A Participating Farm of the Monadnock Farm Share Program The program is in line with several outcomes that are at the heart of the CCCD’s mission of supporting local farm viability, building community, and supporting local public health. On participation in the program, one participant shared, “Interacting with the farmers and my fellow farm share members when I go is so lively, fun and enriches my life immensely!” Produce harvested at Orange Door Farm, A Participating Farm of the Monadnock Farm Share Program Another participant shared, “The opportunity to participate in a farm share is such a great blessing. It introduces new foods to my kids that I may not have thought to purchase on my own and provides an affordable way to get fresh produce for my family”. Photo submitted by a Farm Share Program Participant of their CSA Pick Up One participant wrote, “A subsidized CSA makes fresh, locally grown produce more accessible to individuals or families who may not otherwise afford it. It has reduced the financial barrier of receiving fresh, and nutritious vegetables, making it more feasible to include them in our diet on a regular basis. This program has also given us the opportunity to support local farms and allowed us to have a shared experience with others who value local, and fresh food”. Another farm share participant family shared, “Access to fresh veggies that is affordable helps our children develop a taste for a variety of healthy foods while they are young, hopefully setting them up for a lifetime of diverse and healthy food habits!” CSA Vegetables at Hungry Bear Farm, A Participating Farm of the Monadnock Farm Share Program From connecting with fellow community members, to learning about new foods, to incorporating nutritious vegetables in their diet, program participants have found the Monadnock Farm Share Program an enjoyable and beneficial experience. On what the farm share program means to them, one program participant stated, “It means so much! Being in relationship with the land through food is a blessing. Having access to local produce, seeing where it's grown, feeling the nourishment with so much more complexity than what you can get at the store has been invaluable to my family. My daughter loves fresh vegetables and looked forward to getting them every week. Being able to meet farmer Gene and thank him for all his hard work helped us to practice practical gratitude for the abundance this program allowed”. Photo submitted by a Farm Share Program Participant of CSA Vegetables for Dinner Another program participant shared, “This program has been a lifesaver for my family. Without it we would not be able to afford local fresh vegetables. I typically grocery shop for my family once or twice a month. We have often run out of fresh produce long before I am able to go back to the store. This ensures that I know my family has healthy vegetables each week. It's one less thing I have to worry about and I'm so happy I came across this program. I've also enjoyed connecting with local farmers in my area and showing my young son where our food comes from”. The Cheshire County Conservation District (CCCD) is excited to announce the continuation of the Monadnock Farm Share Program for 2025. Seven Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) produce farms in the Monadnock Region have come together to ensure that farm fresh CSA vegetable shares are available and affordable for all interested community members in 2025. 2025 participating farms include: Dog Days Farm in Fitzwilliam, Foggy Hill Farm in Jaffrey, Hillside Springs Farm in Westmoreland, Hungry Bear Farm in Mason, Orange Door Farm in Wilton, Steppingstone Commons in Alstead, and Sun Moon Farm in Rindge. Learn more and apply here! Applications will be selected on a first come, first serve basis and funding is limited. The CCCD will accept applications until March 10th, or until available shares have been awarded. Discounted farm shares are also available for SNAP/EBT users through the Granite State Market Match Program. Interested in utilizing your SNAP/EBT dollars towards a farm share or local produce? Learn more about participating locations,  here!

As the days grow shorter and the nights colder, we at the Cheshire County Conservation District are lucky to feel the warmth and support of our outstanding community! Since 1945, the CCCD has worked to promote the conservation and responsible use of our natural and agricultural resources. While program focuses have shifted and evolved over these 79 years, our commitment to our community and conservation focused programs has continued to strengthen! 2024 was an exciting year for our organization’s programs and internal operations! Every December our team gathers to look and plan for the year ahead, so we’d like to take the opportunity to reflect on the year behind! This year our organization has grown to a team of three! By expanding our team, we have the opportunity to serve more community members in our region, expand district resources, and refine our programs to better support the conservation needs of our region! In 2024, we continued our ongoing conservation efforts and programming, along with introducing new programs and opportunities to our community! This year, we offered on-farm workshops focused on energy efficiency and renewable energy. In conjunction with these workshops, we also distributed 20  stipends totaling $40,000  to specialty crop producers throughout our region to support their on-farm energy efficiency and renewable energy goals! This initiative will support our farmers by lowering energy costs, reducing energy usage, and in-turn will strengthen local farm viability! Image Description: Maple Efficiency Tour at Stuart and John's Sugar House in Westmoreland, NH In 2024, we also worked with the Monadnock View Community Garden, located on the west side of Keene, NH, along with the NH Association of Conservation Districts (NHACD) and USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), to improve water supply infrastructure, create pollinator habitat, and improve access to needed equipment and supplies for gardeners to adopt practices to improve soil health, manage pests, and conserve water. In addition to supporting best practices for local gardeners, a portion of garden produce is donated to the Community Kitchen, providing fresh, locally grown produce to community members! This year, the CCCD partnered with the Windham Natural Resources Conservation District and other Conservation Districts and partners in the CT River Valley of NH and VT to identify best management practices (BMPs) for reducing nitrogen runoff in the CT River Watershed. The focus of this project has been the creation and implementation of a survey for farmers to identify practices they are most willing to adopt. This is a multi-year project that will lead to on the ground projects which will support regional local soil health and healthy rivers and streams! This year, we continued to bolster our farm equipment rental program by offering an additional on-farm equipment field day in the summer focused on field renovation and fall seeding to improve on-farm soil health. Image Description: Summer Equipment Field Day at Ballam Farm in Walpole, NH While conservation districts historically emerged to support local soil health, our district has grown to support numerous initiatives such as forest stewardship! In 2024, we offered an exciting multi-part workshop opportunity and partnered with Distant Hill Gardens, UNH Cooperative Extension, the Monadnock Conservancy, and the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service to make this series possible! This series of educational events focused on private forest management and conservation. We aimed to facilitate communication among forest owners, practitioners, and educators, to strengthen an ethic of forest stewardship in the region. Topics included:  ·  Snags and downed woody material: the wildlife benefits of dead trees ·  Small-scale forest products: extracting and processing trees for personal use  ·  Forest trails & roads: BMPs to protect water resources & prevent soil erosion ·  Restoring Fish Habitat - in-stream wood additions for habitat & water quality ·  Regenerating oak in stands where beech is present  ·  Forest Stewards Social   2024 Grant Highlights: Six  grant awards totaling $41,400 were made in 2024 through the   Monadnock Food Co-op Farm Fund . Four for emergency relief; two for infrastructure improvements and equipment to Five Sigma Farm and Picadilly Farm. Now in its eighth year, The Farm Fund has awarded $193,400 to 25 local farms!  In 2025, the Farm Fund will award up to $32,000 for area farms! We are currently accepting applications and offering an informational session for interested applicants! Learn More and Apply by February 1, 2025, here! Since 2022, the NH Conservation Districts Climate Resilience Grant   has distributed 95 grant awards for a total of $714,000 invested in New Hampshire farms. 2024 Cheshire County awardees include Abenaki Springs Farm, Britton Farm, Brookfield Farm, Five Sigma Farm, Foggy Hill Farm, Lucky 13 Farm, Partners’ Gardens, Stonewall Farm, and Windyhurst Farm!  In 2025, there will be over $300,000 available to NH Farms. We are currently accepting applications and offering an informational session for interested applicants! Learn More and Apply by February 1, 2025 , here! Image Description: The Britton Family smiles in front of their Climate Resilience Grant funded project We awarded $20,000  to NH Land Trusts through the NH Farm Future Fund . The mission of the NH Farm Future Fund is to provide funding for farm viability planning in concert with the conservation of important agricultural soils.  This program will leverage the singular opportunity of putting a conservation easement on farmland to also invest in the future viability of the farm business. The goal of this fund is to ensure that farmland is conserved, productive, and available for future generations. The 2025 grant round will be announced soon with an application deadline of May 2025, more details to come! 6 Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) produce farms in the region worked with CCCD to make the  Monadnock Farm Share   and  SNAP Farm Share accessible to 40+ local participants . These programs increase food access for community members who otherwise would not be able to participate in a local community supported agriculture program and support local farm viability!   We awarded  $11,113  to nine awardees for wildlife improvement projects through the   Conservation Opportunity Fund ! Awardees included: Eileen Casey, Edgewood Neighborhood, Gemmo Forest, Albie Mason and Phylicia Roberts, Jake Pipp, Eli Rivera, Laura Shim, James Sullivan, and Lynn Zimmerman . We are currently accepting applications and offering an informational session for interested applicants! Learn More and Apply by February 1, 2025 , here! Image Description: A Conservation Opportunity Fund Project in Bloom In 2024, 20  scholarships were distributed to local youth to attend summer farm camp through the  Jeffrey P. Smith Farm Camp Scholarship , connecting young people to agriculture, the natural world, and supporting local farm viability!   2024 Program Highlights:   CCCD held and organized 27  workshops and events and engaged a total of over 800 participants! We continued to offer farm rental equipment   to local farmers to encourage healthy soil practices in an economically accessible way! Along with our rental equipment program, we offered 3  technical workshops utilizing our available equipment! We celebrated pollinators at our 3rd Annual Pollinator Palooza in June! Spreading awareness of pollinator health and education to 100+  community members at Keene’s Ashuelot River Park, with over 14  local organizations participating! Image Description: Local Youth Paint Pots for Planting at the 2024 Pollinator Palooza We worked with seven community organizations to organize the 28th Annual  Source to Sea River Clean Up ! A two day volunteer event of cleaning the Ashuelot River and its tributaries in Keene and Swanzey! Thank you to this year's incredible volunteers! In total,  56 volunteers participated  with  2,450 lbs of trash removed!   We continued to offer Granite State Market Match   at local farm stores and farmers’ markets! This program allows SNAP/EBT users to double their dollar when purchasing locally grown produce! Our Veteran Appreciation Month   had the highest turnout on record! This year,  490 unique Veterans participated in the program, with $20,160 in vouchers distributed! We continued to partner with local organizations to offer our Birding on the Farm series! This annual series of quarterly workshops is designed to increase community understanding of the unique role farms play in providing wildlife habitat.  Community members are invited to improve their birding skills, learn more about farm management practices, and build their understanding of seasonal changes and the ecology of our region.  Farms visited in 2024 included: Five Sigma Farm and Hillside Springs Farm in Cheshire County NH as well as Scott Farm Orchard and Wild Carrot Farm in Windham County VT . We hope to see you at our upcoming Birding on the Farm workshop on Saturday, January 25th at 9:00AM at Lucky 13 Farm in Winchester, NH. Register Today! Image Description: Birding on the Farm at Five Sigma Farm in Sullivan, NH Monadnock Outdoors  is  a regional partnership of community leaders representing municipalities, schools, businesses, nonprofits, coalitions, faith, and civic groups. This group is facilitated by the CCCD. Our mission is to foster connections to nature and improve community well-being through education and the promotion of active living through physical activity, active transportation, and recreation in the outdoors. This October, we are  celebrating one year  of the  Monadnock Gear Library ! The Gear Library provides all Cheshire County residents the ability to borrow outdoor recreation gear at no-cost. Gear includes camping supplies, fishing equipment, watercrafts, nature exploration tools and more. The gear library is located at the Keene Public Library   We held a fantastic 79th Annual Celebration where we honored our 2024 award recipients: 2024 Educator of the Year: Laura White and 2024 Cooperator of the Year: Britton Farm . Read more about our awardees   here! We organized the Land & Community Track for the seventh year  in a row at the  Radically Rural Summit ! This year's sessions focused on  supporting the next generation of rural farmers  through land access initiatives, and on  working collaboratively over property boundaries  for conservation projects!  Over 70 attendees  from across the country and locally attended the sessions! Image Description: 2024 Radically Rural Working Across Fences Session   Read   more about what we have accomplished in our 2024 Annual Report,   here! We feel immensely fortunate to work with such an incredible community and to support the conservation and stewardship of the beautiful Monadnock region! We look forward to continuing our work in 2025 and celebrating 80 years of conservation in our community!