According to New Hampshire Made, the statewide organization whose mission is to promote New Hampshire-made products and services:
1. Going local supports the local economy and family farms.
2. You can enjoy foods that are in season, at their freshest and most nutritious.
3. Transporting food products over long distances is harder on the environment.
4. It brings you closer to the people who grow and produce your food.
5. It contributes to the preservation of open space and farmland in your region.

Karen Barker, 53, of Laconia is a retired occupational therapist who works at Laconia Village Bakery. Her REAL job, though, is running Sustainable Sustenance, “a community group of folks gathered around a common interest in eating local, organic and whole foods.”

Sustainable Sustenance isn’t a formal group, and there are no membership requirements or dues. Members meet once a month for a potluck. We interviewed Karen about the group recently.

Organic foods are grown according to certain production standards, which include prohibiting the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, genetically modified organisms or ionizing radiation. Livestock and animals that produce dairy and eggs are raised without the routine use of growth hormones and antibiotics.

Organic production is federally regulated in the United States, and converting land to organic status is a three-year process.

Visit the state's virtual farmers’ market: http://www.nhfarms.com

One of the easiest ways to eat local food is to visit a farmers’ market in season. And there’s often more than just fresh, local food there: Many offer live entertainment and homemade goodies. This link will take you to a list of farmer’s markets in New Hampshire: www.nhfma.org/market-locations.htm

In New Hampshire, there are some fishing spots to watch out for: According to DES (http://des.nh.gov/) fish from several water bodies in the state have been shown to have higher than average mercury concentrations.
For the water bodies below, DES says, “sensitive populations should not consume any fish,” and others should limit consumption to two meals a month:
• Ashuelot Pond in Washington
• Comerford and Moore reservoirs on the Connecticut River
• Crystal Lake in Gilmanton
• Dubes Pond in Hooksett
• Jackman Reservoir in Hillsboro