New Hampshire
From farm to… freezer? A new approach could help close N.H.’s local food gap. – The Boston Globe
“This process takes our product to a whole different level,” said Zydenbos. And, she said, it tastes delicious.
Vermont has the highest percentage of local food sales in the region (10.7 percent), followed by Maine (4.9 percent), with New Hampshire coming in third (4.6 percent), according to 2024 data from New England Feeding New England, a partnership of New England organizations advocating that the region produce 30 percent of the food it consumes by 2030. Massachusetts comes in fourth, with 3.6 percent of food spending on local items.
New Hampshire is second to last in New England when it comes to the value of vegetable sales ($23 million) and the value of agriculture ($209 million). Many farmers in the state struggle to turn a profit.
“Generally speaking, New Hampshire is a little bit behind,” said Shawn Menard, executive director of Seacoast Eat Local, a local food nonprofit, and board president at the Concord Food Co-op. Menard said other New England states have more robust infrastructure for food processing, purchasing, and distribution that supports local food production.
Since 2012, Zydenbos has operated Micro Mama’s, one of New Hampshire’s first fermented vegetable companies, sourcing local produce and transforming it into fermented vegetables sold at more than 50 locations around New England, including about 30 Whole Foods stores.
Now, Zydenbos wants to try something new, by making more processing equipment available for farmers and producers in New Hampshire and using it to introduce novel local food products. Among them: freeze-dried kimchi, a new take on a traditional Korean dish made with spicy fermented vegetables like napa cabbage and radishes.
With a $96,000 federal grant from the US Department of Agriculture in hand, she purchased new equipment, including an individual quick freezer and a freeze dryer. Food experts said the cost of the equipment is one barrier that’s prevented other small local businesses from offering similar products.
Jennifer Chadbourne, a clinical associate professor in agriculture, nutrition, and food systems at the University of New Hampshire, said freeze-dried kimchi is not widely available.
“It could be a really novel idea for the manufacturer,” she said.
Traditional kimchi and other fermented vegetables offer certain health benefits, like probiotics that can aid gut health, according to Chadbourne. She said freeze-drying can preserve the nutritional value of food since it doesn’t rely on a high heat during processing, but there’s not yet robust evidence on the nutritional profile of a new food like freeze-dried kimchi. She said flash freezing is another effective way to preserve the peak nutrients of a freshly harvested food.
For the consumer, these products are a convenient way to buy nutritious local produce outside the limited months of New England’s growing season.
“Especially here in New England, where we have such drastic seasons that impact how long we can grow food, any type of novel preservation technique is going to help us maximize our crops during the seasons where we can grow,” said Chadbourne.
The individual quick freezer Zydenbos acquired is different from a typical household freezer. It freezes produce in about 20 minutes as opposed to 48 hours, Zydenbos said. And rather than locking produce into one solid chunk, it freezes berries or broccoli as individual pieces, which makes it easier to use at home.
If freeze-dried kimchi seems a little out there, that’s a challenge Zydenbos has faced before. When she started her fermented food business in 2012, kimchi was still on the fringes of food culture in New England. Zydenbos said she had to work with state agencies as they learned how to regulate the food. Then she toured the state’s farmers markets educating consumers and evangelizing the benefits of fermented foods.
Even before that, there were her own doubts to overcome.
“When you first do it, you’re like, Oh, my god, this goes against everything that you’ve been taught,” she said. “You’re basically leaving vegetables out on the warm shelf to transform.”
“I’m going to kill somebody,” she remembers thinking while fermenting a batch for her own consumption after attending a kimchi-making workshop.
Zydenbos came to fermenting in search of healing. For years, she relied on copious quantities of probiotic supplements to ease digestive issues. When she started making kimchi, that became her new cure.
From there, a kimchi empire was born.
“In terms of somebody who really put it on the map in this region, I think Micro Mama’s is a huge player in that,” said Menard. He was the produce manager at the Concord Co-op when Zydenbos landed her account there. Menard said he hadn’t had kimchi before, but he was blown away by the flavor of her product, which was well received among the co-op’s customers.
By 2017, Zydenbos had built a facility in Weare on a property that had been in her family since the 1970s. The fermenting dens now contain 40,000 pounds of vegetables in production, all subject to strict federal and state safety regulations. She sourced stainless steel fermenting tanks from Italy and Germany to avoid using plastic containers.
When Whole Foods first came to New Hampshire, Zydenbos put her line of products forward – including kimchi, sauerkraut, and fermented carrots and beets, sourced from New Hampshire farms. The food safety work she had done with state agencies paid off, Zydenbos said, when she was able to show Whole Foods her quality control measures.
Now, with her new equipment, Zydenbos is planning to add freeze-dried kimchi to her lineup, as well as launch a spice line and food that will appeal to hikers, campers, and preppers.
“The possibilities are endless,” she said.
With the individual quick freezer, she can produce frozen carrots, beets, potatoes, and French-fry cut potatoes, which could be sold at local grocery stores or to New Hampshire restaurants.
Zydenbos views these efforts as a way to help farms access markets they haven’t been able to reach given a lack of processing equipment, licensing, or capital. She said the demand already exists.
Bruce Wooster of Picadilly Farm in Winchester, N.H., has been selling produce to Zydenbos for about five years. He said her new endeavor with flash frozen and freeze-dried produce could help growers extend their selling season.
“All the local farms have their crop coming all at once,” he said. “It can be tough to spread out those sales, but by freezing you can spread things out and not be like, ‘Hey, we’ve got to sell it this week before it spoils.’”
The Concord Food Co-op is one local grocery store that’s eager to include local frozen produce on its shelves.
“We have frozen vegetables that fly off the shelf,” said Josh Belanger, the store’s former general manager. “I think if we had them locally they’d do even better.”
Josh Marshall, assistant commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets, and Food, said the new equipment will help make more local food available.
“For a small producer to be able to buy directly from small, New Hampshire farmers, and do this, this seems relatively cutting edge,” Marshall said.
Amanda Gokee can be reached at amanda.gokee@globe.com. Follow her @amanda_gokee.
As the famous saying goes: “The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” And as all frequent travelers know: Things never go according to plan.
We thought our timing was perfect for an early summer family getaway to Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire’s Lakes Region. We had three kids in tow, ages 11, 8, and 6, who were unexpectedly out of school one week earlier than most other school districts in New England. What a coup! We’d have the Lakes Region practically to ourselves before the summer crowds and family vacationers arrived.
Located about two hours from Boston, just south of the White Mountains, this picturesque region is dotted with more than 270 bodies of water and surrounded by rolling hills and rural farmlands. Lake Winnipesaukee is its hub and centerpiece. From bustling Meredith on the west side of the lake to quaint Wolfeboro on the eastern edge, there are plenty of activities for a great family vacation around this sparkly blue, 72-square-acre lake, affectionately known as Lake Winni. We thought of picnics on the beach, nature walks, boat rides, maybe a visit to the giant Funspot arcade and a round of mini golf, and, of course, an uncrowded, unhurried visit to Weirs Beach and its lakefront boardwalk. We packed our swimsuits, swimming clogs, and hiking boots, and hit the road.
“Wow, there are a lot of motorcycles on the road,” the 11-year-old said from the backseat. “It’s so loud!” shouted the 6-year-old, as a large group of motorcyclists rumbled past us. Hmm. There were a lot of motorcyclists heading in the same direction that we were. Surprise! It was Laconia Motorcycle Week, the world’s oldest motorcycle rally, celebrating its 103rd anniversary. The eight-day event, centered around the Lakes Region, typically attracts up to 300,000 people. Well, this would change things.
The saving grace turned out to be our choice of lodging, The Steele Hill Resort in Sanbornton, a former dairy farm spread across 500 acres, overlooking Lake Winnisquam with distant views of Lake Winnipesaukee (summer starting room rates $220). Initially, we were a little wary of the location, a bit away from the center of Lake Winni action, about a 30-minute drive to Weirs Beach and the town of Meredith. But we were enticed by the resort’s ultra family-friendly amenities. First, were the accommodations, featuring modern two-bedroom suites, with full kitchens, separate living areas, in-room laundry facilities, and private balconies. Second, were the resort’s extensive facilities, including two outdoor pools with hot tubs and large poolside lounging areas, and two indoor pools including one 30,000-square-foot complex with a large pool and water slide, kiddie pools, and hot tubs. There were playgrounds, outdoor grills and picnic areas, a nine-hole golf course, a fishing pond, laser tag, sports courts, bike rentals, walking trails, and a slew of daily activities that included nature scavenger hunts, arts and crafts, ice cream socials, s’mores, and more. There were also a restaurant and lounge on-site. The fact that the resort was tucked away from the most popular centers turned out to be a lucky choice given that it was Bike Week. It became our welcome oasis during our three-night, four-day getaway.
The days worked into an easy cadence. We’d have breakfast in the suite, spend a couple hours at the pool, and head out for a daily excursion, returning in the afternoon for more pool time, games, and dinner. We deviated one day for breakfast at the quirky and old-fashioned Heritage Farm Pancake House in Winnisquam. It’s a rustic, working sugarhouse and petting farm with pancakes and their own wood-fired maple syrup, fresh eggs, bacon, and sausage served family-style from large platters.
Of course, we went to Weirs Beach early one morning. The Main Street, closed to cars during Bike Week, was clogged with hundreds of motorcycles, and lined with vendors selling T-shirts and biker gear. It made for great people watching, and interesting comments from the kids. Out of the mouths of babes: “There are a lot of people with a lot of tattoos!” “And a lot of old men with beards!” We grabbed fresh squeezed lemonades and walked to the beach, which was blissfully uncrowded.
Bike Week or not, Weirs Beach is known for its honky-tonk, party atmosphere, filled with souvenir shops and casual bars and restaurants. It has a scenic boardwalk with views of Lake Winnipesaukee and is the starting point for a one-hour train ride along Paugus Bay to Lakeport and back. This is also where you can board the historic M/S Mount Washington for a narrated cruise of Lake Winni. It’s a nice way to get on the lake, with lots of history and local lore thrown in.
There was mini-golf (Pirate’s Cove is the best option with courses in Winnisquam and Meredith), a hike up West Rattlesnake Mountain, an easy 1.7-mile or so out and back trek with great views from the top, and a visit to Funspot, holding the Guinness Book of Records title as the largest arcade in the world by number of games, more than 600 at last count. We all had a blast.
“Can we go to the pool?” the kids pleaded on our last day, as we were checking out. We did, and we also stopped for one last vacation activity, a visit to Squam Lakes Natural Science Center, which we thought might be a nice contrast to the arcade, mini-golf, and Weirs Beach activities. We took the self-guided tour along the Live Animal Exhibit Trail, an easy ¾-mile walk through meadows, forests, and marshlands, with hands-on exhibits about local flora and fauna, and views of rescued and rehabilitated black bears, bobcats, river otters, raptors, and more. And it was blissfully quiet and uncrowded.
Our timing wasn’t perfect, but sometimes you just gotta go with the flow and fall into a little luck (looking at you Steele Hill.)
“Look! More motorcycles!” the kids screamed from the back seat. Yep, they were all heading north while we traveled south, heading home. For more information, visit www.lakesregion.org.
Diane Bair and Pamela Wright can be reached at bairwright@gmail.com
Gold medalist Bode Miller of the United States celebrates after the Alpine Skiing Men’s Super Combined Slalom on day 10 of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics at Whistler Creekside on February 21, 2010 in Whistler, Canada. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
On Tuesday morning a ribbon-cutting ceremony and tours ushered in what will be a new recovery home in Rochester.
Dismas Home started operating out of Manchester, but they’ve expanded their services to Rochester, soon offering 28 beds between the two cities. Cheryll Andrews, executive director of Dismas Home of New Hampshire, said the goal is to one day put a home in every county in the state.
“Our founder, Julie McCarthy Brown wants a home in every county before she passes away,” Andrews said.
Dismas Home offers women who have been involved with the criminal justice system evidence-based substance use treatment programs and helps them establish independent living. Women who participate in Dismas Home can stay up to 15 months. The home is also staffed 24/7 and offers mental, behavioral, and physical health support.
Andrews said there’s already a waitlist to get in. The home gets referrals from court systems, county and state jails, and defense attorneys. They require people fill out an application, where they are vetted before becoming accepted into the program.
Andrews said Dismas Home differs from other treatment facilities that may work only with women with children by allowing women who don’t have children or aren’t with them to attend their program.
“We don’t serve women with children, we serve [women] who want them back,” Andrews said.
Andrews said about 67% of the women who enter the program complete it and 90% of those that do stay sober for the long term.
Alacia Linville graduated from Dismas Home’s program in Manchester. She was homeless when she went to jail in Belknap County in 2019. She said she had been to jail before for short periods of time but this time she was in for eight months for the sale of methamphetamine.
“After about my third month in, I started to think I need an aftercare plan,” Linville said. “I had gone to treatments numerous times and none of them had worked.”
Linville said a case manager referred her to Dismas Home in Manchester where she ended up staying over 15 months, starting in 2020.
She said she was hesitant at first. Manchester was the city she was using in, she hadn’t tried an aftercare program before and she thought it would end up being more of a transactional situation but she said she was surprised to find they gave her the help she needed.
“The support, that was different this time,” Linville said. “I was used to going into programs, getting the support, getting out – I was homeless again.”
Linville moved to Hampton after her time at Dismas Home and stayed at Magnolia House as she addressed other charges she had from Rockingham court. She said Dismas Home helped her navigate dealing with them.
She said it feels good to say she’s been sober. She said she has been since 2023 but found recovery in 2019. It was a year into her sobriety that she said she felt she knew she could continue to do it.
She now lives with her 2-year-old daughter Jocelyn and fiance in Newmarket.
“I look at my family today and I just can’t imagine, like ever moving backwards,” Linville said.
Dismas Home in Rochester is expected to start housing women in early August. The home still needs to be licensed, furnishings need to be placed and some construction is still undergoing.
-
News5 minutes agoAs Supreme Court expands Trump’s immigration power, experts warn of steeper U.S. population decline
-
Los Angeles, Ca2 hours agoAbout 20 detained after armed suspect call sparks LAPD response in Koreatown
-
Detroit, MI2 hours agoWith Jack Flaherty returning, AJ Hinch ponders Tigers’ starting rotation
-
San Francisco, CA2 hours agoServing up a slice of Palestine at Old Jerusalem in the Mission District
-
Dallas, TX2 hours agoAll-day restaurant and patio coming to Dallas’ Knox and more top stories
-
Miami, FL2 hours agoBugtopia takes center stage at Zoo Miami
-
Boston, MA2 hours agoWhat JJ Peterka Will Add to the Bruins’ Roster, ‘He’s Got an Elite Shot’ | Boston Bruins
-
Denver, CO2 hours agoThis Boulder farm dinner serves up midsummer Slavic vibes with James Beard-worthy fare
