Welcome to our monthly newsletter!

In this Newsletter:

A Letter from our new Board Chair, and meet our Board Members
It’s Maple Season! Discover our Region’s Sugarers
CGC Member Events and Updates
Local CSA Options!
CGC Member Corner

Meet our new Board Chair, Jonathan Hayden of Winter Street Farm!

Hi all,

I, Jonathan Hayden of Winter Street Farm, am excited to be the new Chair of the Claremont Growers Collective! With 15 years of sustainable agriculture and community-driven food systems experience I aim to strengthen our local food network, support our growers and producers, and increase awareness in our community of how many local products are available to them.

Under my guidance, I look forward to expanding our programs, building new partnerships, and deepening our roots in the Claremont community.

I encourage anyone to reach out to me with any questions, concerns, or just to chat. I look forward to the future of the Claremont Growers Collective.

With regards,

Jonathan Hayden

claremontgrowers@gmail.com

Meet all our board members on our site HERE!

It’s Maple Season!

Discover our regional sugarers

New Hampshire’s iconic maple syrup is a treasured item in the region

written by Katlyn Proctor

There’s no better known iconic breakfast duo than pancakes topped with a generous pour of maple syrup. It’s even better when that maple syrup is produced in the Northeast, where maple production exceeds that of the rest of the nation. From tapping trees to gathering sap in traditional metal buckets to boiling it down in quaint, rustic sugarhouses, maple syrup producers in the region have the science down to a T. For those looking for some of the good stuff, they don’t have to look far in Southwestern New Hampshire to find it.

CGC Member Events and Updates:

NH Maple Producers Maple Weekend: 3/21, 3/22

VT Maple Sugar Maker’s Association Maple Open House Weekend: 3/21-3/22

Maple Weekend at Mac’s Maple 3/21-3/22, will feature maple creamees!

Learn the Art of Apple Grafting at Grow A Pear Farm

Saturday, April 25, 2026

Charlestown, NH 9 AM–12 PM

This spring, our friends at Grow A Pear Farm are hosting a hands‑on workshop for anyone interested in growing and propagating their own fruit trees. On Saturday, April 25, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., participants will learn the time‑tested craft of apple grafting—an essential skill for preserving favorite varieties and creating resilient, productive orchards.

During the workshop, attendees will learn how to properly select and prepare scion wood and rootstock, practice common grafting techniques, and explore creative approaches to tree conversion—including grafting multiple varieties onto a single tree. The group will also plant a tree together in the Grow A Pear orchard, with instruction on proper planting methods and soil amendments for long‑term success. Each participant will go home with one apple tree of their choice from the farm’s nursery, with additional trees available for purchase.

To reserve a spot, contact the farm by phone, text, or email as soon as possible.

603‑558‑0069
growapearfarm@gmail.com

Meet the Lambs at Five Sisters Farm

Save the date! Five Sisters Farm in Plainfield NH is hosting our annual “Meet the Lambs” event on Saturday May 9 from 10-4 (rain date Sunday May 10). Free and fun for the whole family, with plentiful parking. Meet and cuddle spring Shetland lambs, learn about our fiber flock, visit the on-site yarn shop (natural Shetland farm yarn, roving, knitting kits and more). There will be refreshments available by donation, raffle baskets, and many friendly sheep waiting to meet you. Please leave dogs at home.

986 Route 12A, Plainfield NH

Questions contact Meg falconefivesistersfarm@gmail.com

Sneak peek at the lambs on Instagram @5sistersfarm

Nh5sistersfarm.com

Weekly pickup at Craft and Found Exchange in Grantham on Fridays from 2-6 pm. Customers can order at the-bagel-lady.com/buy-bagels before 8am on Fridays. This is ongoing indefinitely!

Also we’ll be at the Sunapee Farmer’s Market this season! Every Saturday – Rain or Shine

May 23rd through September 5th, 2026
9am – 12pm

Open Farm Day at Macglaflin Farm

We hope you and your family will join us!

This is a family friendly event with a hot dog lunch, fresh milk, Cabot cheese samples, ice cream from The Cruisin' Cow and face painting!

FREE admission, FREE food & FREE activities!

Have you signed up for your CSA yet? It’s not too late!

Local CSA farms include these CGC members:

Bardo Farm monthly meat shares!
Croydon, NH
Bascom Farm CSA sign up!
Charlestown, NH
Edgewater Farm CSA sign up!
Plainfield, NH
Eureka Organic Farm CSA sign ups!
Springfield, VT
Farm on the River CSA sign ups!
Pick up in Springfield, VT, Walpole, NH, or Keene, NH
Hemingway Farms CSA sign up info !
Charlestown, NH
Lady Grantham Apiary Flower Subscription!
Grantham, NH
Winter Street Farm CSA sign up!
Claremont, NH

CGC Member Corner

Opportunities for our members!

March Roundtable Registration https://www.nofanh.org/events/marchroundtable

Join us for Market Access in New Hampshire at the Organic Farmer Roundtable series with NOFA-NH! Join us Tuesday, March 17th at 6:30 PM to learn how New Hampshire schools, hospitals, and other institutions use local food—and explore how farmers and institutions can work together to expand access to local food across the state.

Spring Mentorship is Open!

You can sign up now and take advantage of a condensed spring mentorship. Mentorship pairing will happen in March or before. This is a condensed mentorship of 6 months, from March to September 30th, 2026.

Short-term or long-term Technical Assistance is available, with or without Mentorship. Free Technical Assistance is available to anyone for organic support, organic recordkeeping, organic production, and organic certification.

Are you already certified? You can sign up for mentorship! It doesn't end because you are certified! Are you adding a new scope of production, adding acreage?

Have questions? Contact Teresa at Teresa@nofanh.org.

Learn more and apply for mentorship here: https://www.nofanh.org/topp

Organic Support Hour - Weekly on Wednesdays at 1PM.

Curious about

Transitioning to organic,
Organic production or
Navigating the Organic System Plan (OSP)?

Join our free, open discussion and Q&A session during lunch! We'll help you explore your questions, understand how your organic practices align with the OSP, or delve into organic regulations. Everyone is welcome—bring your questions and join the conversation about organic practices.

Vendor Opportunity! Sign up HERE!