If you would like to learn more about foods that are grown and processed in the Northeast, there are several sources of information about the region's food and agriculture system.
Your local Cooperative Extension office is a good place to start. Extension staff can provide information about farmers' markets, roadside stands, and U-pick farms in your area. Some extension offices have publications and programs on gardening and composting as well as guidelines for home food preservation and may be involved in the Farmers' Market Nutrition Program. There is a Cooperative Extension office in every county; to reach the office in your county contact the main office in your state (listed below).
Direct Marketing
Direct marketing is the selling of produce by farmers directly to the people who eat the food. Farmers in the Northeast market directly to consumers in several ways:
- U-pick means you go to the farm and pick produce yourself.
- Roadside stands sell produce, usually at or near the farm.
- Farmers' markets are prevalent in the Northeast, even in major cities.
- Community-supported agriculture (CSA) is a new way of marketing in which consumers and farmers team up.
For information on U-pick, roadside stands, and farmers' markets in your area, contact your county extension office or your state's department of agriculture (listed below). For information on community-supported agriculture, contact the BioDynamic Farming Association (800-516-7797).
Preserving the Harvest
You may decide you'd like to can, freeze, or dry summer produce for use in the winter. These methods are practiced less frequently than in the past, but with a little time and guidance you can enjoy local strawberries in February. Several resources are available to help you get started. Your local Cooperative Extension office may offer helpful, low-cost publications. Many books are available on the subject-look for them in your library.
Growing Your Own Garden
One of the best ways to learn about what can be grown in the region is to plant your own garden. In addition to Cooperative Extension, many organizations and groups are devoted to educating the public about home gardening. If you don't have backyard space, your area may have a community garden that offers individual plots for a minimal fee.
Resources for Learning More about Nutrition,
Food, and Agriculture in Your State
Connecticut
Cooperative Extension System
University of Connecticut
1376 Storrs Road
Storrs, CT 06268-4036
203-486-4125
Department of Agriculture
State Office Building
165 Capitol Ave.
Hartford, CT 06106
203-566-3671
The Master Gardeners program of
Hartford Food System
509 Wethersfield Ave.
Harford, CT 06114
Ph: 203/296-9325
FAX: 203/296-8326
Contact: Mark Winne
email: hn2838@handsnet.org
Delaware
Cooperative Extension System
University of Delaware
Townsend Hall
Newark, DE 19717
302-831-2506
Department of Agriculture
2320 S. Dupont Highway
Dover, DE 19901
302-739-4811
District of Columbia
Cooperative Extension Service
University of the District of Columbia
901 Newton St. NE
Washington, DC 20017
202-576-6993
Maine
Cooperative Extension
University of Maine
5741 Libby Hall
Orono, ME 04469-5741
207-581-3188
Department of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Resources
State House Station 28
Augusta, ME 04333
207-287-3871
Maryland
Cooperative Extension Service
University of Maryland
2120 Symons Hall
College Park, MD 20742
301-405-2907
Department of Agriculture
50 Harry S. Truman Parkway
Annapolis, MD 21401
410-841-5700
Massachusetts
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University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA 01003
413-545-4800
Department of Food and Agriculture
100 Cambridge St.
Boston, MA 02202
617-727-3000
New Hampshire
UNH Cooperative Extension
59 College Road
Durham, NH 03824
603-862-1520
Department of Agriculture, Markets, and Food
P.O. Box 2042
Concord, NH 03302-2042
603-271-2505
New Jersey
Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Cook College
P.O. Box 231
New Brunswick, NJ 08903
908-932-9306
Department of Agriculture
CN 330
Trenton, NJ 08625
609-292-8853
Urban Ecology Program
Department of Nutritional Sciences
Thompson Hall, PO Box 231
New Brunswick, NJ 08903-1231
New York
Cooperative Extension
Roberts Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
607-255-2237
Department of Agriculture and Markets
55 Hanson Place
Brooklyn, NY 11217
718-722-2830
Pennsylvania
Cooperative Extension Service
Pennsylvania State University
217 Ag Administration Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-863-3438
Department of Agriculture
2301 Cameron St.
Harrisburg, PA 17110-9408
717-787-4737
Rhode Island
Cooperative Extension Service
University of Rhode Island
Woodward Hall
Kingston, RI 02881
401-792-2474
Department of Environmental Management
22 Hayes St.
Providence, RI 02908
401-277-2781
Vermont
Extension System
University of Vermont
601 Main St.
Burlington, VT 05401-3439
802-656-2990
Department of Agriculture, Food, and Markets
116 State St.
Montpelier, VT 05620-2901
802-828-2500
West Virginia
Cooperative Extension Service
West Virginia University
P.O. Box 6031
Morgantown, WV 26506-1900
304-293-5691
Department of Agriculture
Room 28 Main Unit State Capitol
Kanawha Blvd.
Charleston, WV 25305
304-558-2210
