Agriculture Commissioner Lorraine Stuart Merrill

Would you ask Commissioner Merrill to describe how Swanzey has engaged a 5,900-pound team of oxen to help protect our town’s rural character?

Buck and Ike serve as Swanzey’s ambassadors of open space protection. These biggest of rural characters also have been helping to build community and promote awareness of our agricultural heritage.

The team makes public appearances –
-- grand marshals of the Monadnock Humane Society’s Walk for Animals,
-- hosts of their annual birthday party,
-- stars in Swanzey’s annual production of The Old Homestead (the third longest running outdoor theatrical production in the country),
-- a featured attraction at the Cheshire Fair,
-- and a highlight of the Old Home Day parade and MRHS Homecoming parade.

The team’s web site (www.buckandike.org) links to YouTube, where viewers can see 26 episodes of “The Adventures of Buck and Ike” – Buck and Ike’s short conversations on topics of concern to oxen, like police work, bungee jumping, going to the car wash. . .

Buck and Ike have issued a standing invitation to Commissioner Merrill to visit them and film an “adventure.” Thanks to her kind words, the oxen consider her a special friend.

thanks!
Victoria Reck Barlow
Chair, Swanzey Open Space Committee

Any future plans to work with UNH as it is a land-grant institution. NH is not the state with much federal grants, such as USDA. Will NH work with UNH to secure more USDA grants in order to help NH farmers?

JC of Newmarket

Down in the greater Manchester area, land along the Merrimack River is being eaten up by box stores, huge parking lots and subdivisions. This land is farm land. Please comment on any movements to reinvest in the land's original use.

In Colebrook, we have started a Farmer's Marketing Co-op Project under the consultation of Commissioner Merrill, Asst Commissioner Gail Mc William Jellie, and with our Fiscal Sponsor, North Country Resource, Conservation, and Development.

This summer we are starting with delivery of vegetables and fruits from 14 farmers to 3-4 restaurants. Our first delivery to the Balsam's was last Tuesday.

We are also talking about forming a meat co-operative, which will greatly benefit from the State's initiative to inspect local slaughter houses, as that would help us greatly.

There are several others talking about starting an agricultural community like Shelley is doing.

Thank you, Lorraine, for your gret help in these local initatives!

Thank you, Commissioner, for your support of the North Country Farm Fresh Co-op Project! We just made our first delivery of farm fresh vegetables to the Balsam's, 2 days ago!

There is a great amount of talk about starting a local meat producer co-op here, and we are anxiously awaiting the State's ability to do State meat inspections, as that would help our meat farmers get their quality products to the locals who are pressing for these services and local products.

We are also talking seriously about starting a community of farmers on one large farm, like Shelley has started in Peterborough. We would be very interested to talk with her about what she is doing!

And within a couple of years, we hope to restart the FFA here in Colebrook, so that the young people can benefit from returning to the land, in an age when they can really benefit frm the purity of our natural resources here in Northern NH.