Green Attractions and Farms

The New Hampshire Natural Heritage Bureau offers the "Visiting NH’s Biodiversity" series of interpretive trail guides and site descriptions. These guides offer detailed information on sites where you can go to walk around and view NH's special natural features, old forests, rare or unusual plants, exemplary natural communities and ecosystems, and remarkable wetlands. Visit http://www.dred.state.nh.us/divisions/forestandlands/bureaus/naturalheritage/guides.htm for more information.

The New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food keeps an updated list of Farmers' Markets throughout the state.  Click here to view the complete list.

The weekly Farmers' Market in Portsmouth opens Saturday, May 3, bringing Seacoast residents and visitors another season of shopping just a short, gas-saving walk or bike ride from downtown.  Every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the City Hall lot, fresh and local produce, flowers & garden plants, meats & cheeses, breads & pastries, fine crafts and more are available. Stock up on groceries, enjoy a live musical performance, and buy a gift for your mom - all in one stop!  Additional weekday markets in Dover, Durham, Exeter, Hampton and Kingston open the first week of June. The average American eats food that's traveled 1500 miles from field to plate. Who wants to be average? Shop local, and reduce your carbon footprint. For details and directions, visit www.seacoastgrowers.org.

The weekly Open Air Market in Waterville Valley's Town Square is open every Saturday in July and August.  Come pick up the freshest locally grown produce while enjoying the wonder of Waterville Valley.  For more information, call 603-236-8175 or visit www.waterville.com.

The Hillsborough Downtown Farmer's Market starts on July 19 and continues every Saturday through September 20th at Butler Park.  Enjoy fresh produce, baked goods, handmade crafts, and more while supporting Hillsborough locals!  Sponsored by Hillsborough Pride, 603-464-2953, www.hillsboroughpride.org.

The Great Bay Discovery Center in Stratham is the conservation-education headquarters for the Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. A universally accessible trail and boardwalk allow visitors to explore a variety of habitats including upland hardwood forests, freshwater wetlands, salt marsh and mudflats. Visitors can stand on the deck of a 19th century gundalow replica or wander through the native gardens surrounding the center.

There are also six National Wildlife Refuges in New Hampshire, with accessible trails and interpretive information to make family visits fun for everyone. Admission is free. They include the Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Newington (home to bald eagles), the John Hay refuge “The Fells” on Lake Sunapee, Lake Umbagog refuge in the Great North Woods, Wapack refuge on North Pack Monadnock Mountain, Silvio O. Conte refuge on the Connecticut River watershed protected by New Hampshire, Vermont and Massachusetts and the Karner Blue Butterfly National Wildlife Refuge (honoring the rare and elusive state butterfly that local schoolchildren have helped protect).

The Inn at East Hill Farm is operated by Agritourism pioneers Dave Adams and his family.  They've run the dairy farm  in Troy as a farm vacation resort since the early 1950's -- before anyone coined the term. "In doing so, we have preserved the rural landscape from development and a made a livelihood for a farm family," said Dave. The Inn can accommodate up to 150 family vacationers or conference attendees, year round. Guests can milk the cow and goat, collect eggs from the chickens, help make butter and feed the animals. Hayrides and sleighrides offered. www.east-hill-farm.com,  call 603-242-6495.

D Acres of New Hampshire in Dorchester is an organic farm and educational homestead located that operates a hostel for visitors who want to learn the skills of sustainable living and small-scale organic farming. Farm operations include forestry, gardening, administration, animal husbandry, kitchen, alternative construction, and woodworking. www.dacres.org, call 603-786-2366.

Cicely Farm in Concord is home to a herd of 25 llamas and alpacas and offers barn visits and llama hikes on their property. The barn is handicapped accessible. Barn visits are $10 ($5 children aged 5-16, accompanied younger children, free). They also provide "Llama 101" educational programs for school groups or adults/families who are thinking about becoming llama owners. Guided hikes on the property offer hands-on experience for family fun or more focused packing theory and etiquette. Contact 603-783-9982 or email cicely.farmer@comcast.net

In Hillsborough, the Stonewall Farm Bed & Breakfast* offers a green package.  Bring your bike, kayak, canoe or hiking shoes. We'll pack a picnic lunch for you. Finish off your day's adventure with an in-room massage.  Rates start at $115 per person per night.  Offer available until October 31st, 2008.  603-478-1947 or www.stonewallfarmbandb.com. *No relation to Stonewall Farm in Keene.

Stonewall Farm in Keene is a non-profit, member-supported educational facility and working dairy. The farm has special events welcoming local vendors such as Cheshire Gardens (www.cheshiregarden.com, call: 603-239-4173), a certified organic farm in Winchester selling preserves, mustards, vinegars, salsas and sauces and Orchard Hill Fruit and Vegetable Farm in East Alstead (call 603-835-7845), which sells produce and has an on-site artisanal bakery. Stonewall Farm is a member of the Community Supported Agriculture network in New Hampshire, "preserving the farming tradition in New Hampshire" through Local Harvest, the public nationwide directory of small farms, farmers markets, and other local food sources. Summer renters can subscribe to the weekly order of fresh, highest quality vegetables from local farms, June thru October. www.stonewallfarm.org

The Remick Museum and Farm in Tamworth sustains a rural lifestyle by showcasing its history. The Museum and its special events -- open to the public at no charge -- interpret 200 years of New Hampshire agricultural and domestic history and seasonal farming practices, from haying to ice harvesting. Visit www.remickmuseum.org.

Johnson's Highland View Farm, operated by Christy and Scott Johnson, is a 65-acre  in Windham.  the farm was established as a dairy farm in 1884, but is now a visitor attraction, offering vegetable crops, two greenhouses with ornamental plants, ice cream and vegetable stands and cows, llamas, goats, sheep, ducks and chickens to pet. www.farmnfools.com,  call 603-898-3831.

Spring Ledge Farm in New London is a family operation owned by John and Sue Clough for 30 years. The farm has earned "New Hampshire Farm of Distinction" honors from the Department of Agriculture for doing "an outstanding job of appealing to the non-farm public." The farm offers ornamental plants, fresh vegetables and strawberries in season. They grow bedding plants in thirteen greenhouses and fruits and vegetables on over twenty-five acres of land. www.springledgefarm.com, call 603-526-6253.