Food Access in Cheshire County
People in Cheshire County access food in both traditional and unique ways.
Grocery Stores/Supermarkets
As of 2008, Cheshire County carried 22 grocery stores (5). This is equivalent to 0.29 grocery stores per 1000 people. Supermarkets in the county include Hannaford Supermarket (Keene), Price Chopper (Keene), Shaw's (Keene, Walpole), Market Basket (Rindge, Swanzey), and Discount Food Warehouse (North Walpole). While some of these supermarkets sell minimal amounts of local food seasonally, most of the food products come from a distance.
At least 15 other, smaller grocery stores are located throughout the county. Many of these are locally-owned; some of them focus some of their product market on local foods.
Convenience Stores/Neighborhood Corner Stores
Based on USDA data (5), in 2008 there were 23 non-gas station convenience stores and 33 gas station convenience stores in Cheshire County. Some of these neighborhood stores provide minimal local or regional foods.
Village Markets
While village market and general stores are now rarities, some small towns throughout Cheshire County still count on them as food markets and social centers. Among those in Cheshire County are: Alstead Village Market, Coll's Farm Market & Deli, Dublin General Store, Gilsum Village Store, Harrisville General Store, Mill Village Country Store, Sullivan Country Store, Walpole Village Market, and Westmoreland Village Store (2). These stores are all locally-owned and often carry some local foods. The Gilsum Village Market hosts the village's Farmer's Market and carries some local produce seasonally. The Harrisville General Store turned its focus on carrying a variety of local foods and goods, even making some of their own value-added local foods, such as homemade chicken pot pie, jams, and jellies.
Cooperative Markets
Cheshire County is on its way to opening its first cooperatively, community-owned grocery stores. Monadnock Community Market in Keene and the Great River Co-op in Walpole are both planned to open in the near future and will focus on carrying local foods and food products.
Farmer's Markets
Cheshire County is home to 5 farmer's markets, in: Keene (Tuesdays & Saturdays), Rindge (Thursdays), Walpole (Fridays), Gilsum (Saturday), and Jaffrey (Saturday) (2).
Farm Stands & Pick-Your-Own (PYO) Farms
Recorded farm stands are found in (1) Alstead, (1) Dublin, (1) Jaffrey, (1) Fitzwilliam, (2) Keene, (1) Rindge, (1) Surry, and (1) Walpole. U-pick farms in Cheshire County include those in (2) Alstead, (3) Keene, (1) Rindge, (1) Troy, (2) Walpole, and (2) Westmoreland (3). Farm locations can be found in the Monadnock Table Local Farm Directory.
Restaurants
As of 2008, there were 65 fast-food restaurants and 41 full-service restaurants in Cheshire County (5). Of these 41, a handful use local and regional foods in their menus. To stay up-to-date on restaurants that support local food, check out Monadnock Menus blog. Cheshire County Conservation District puts on a yearly event called Monadnock Matchmaking Event, where local food producers meet with area buyers.
Community Meals
Hot meals are open to all community members through Keene Community Kitchen. Much of the food kitchen volunteers cook with is donated food from local farmers and gardeners. Also Home Healthcare, Hospice & Community Services runs a community dining program for seniors around Cheshire County. The Friendly Meals Dining Program serves daily, weekly, and monthly meals in (1) Hinsdale, (1) Jaffrey, (3) Keene, (1) Marlow, (1) Stoddard, (1) Troy, (1) North Walpole, and (1) Westmoreland (1). Friendly Bus services are available in Keene (and periodically in Hinsdale and Troy) to provide transportation to the Friendly Meals Dining locations.
Food Pantries
For those in need of food assistance, food pantries are available in communities around Cheshire County, including: (1) Alstead, (2) Jaffrey, (6) Keene, (1) Richmond, (1) West Swanzey, (1) Troy, (1) North Walpole, (1) Walpole, (1) Winchester (4). For more information about pantries and other services visit New Hampshire Servicelink Community Resource Directory.
Grocery Stores/Supermarkets
As of 2008, Cheshire County carried 22 grocery stores (5). This is equivalent to 0.29 grocery stores per 1000 people. Supermarkets in the county include Hannaford Supermarket (Keene), Price Chopper (Keene), Shaw's (Keene, Walpole), Market Basket (Rindge, Swanzey), and Discount Food Warehouse (North Walpole). While some of these supermarkets sell minimal amounts of local food seasonally, most of the food products come from a distance.
At least 15 other, smaller grocery stores are located throughout the county. Many of these are locally-owned; some of them focus some of their product market on local foods.
Convenience Stores/Neighborhood Corner Stores
Based on USDA data (5), in 2008 there were 23 non-gas station convenience stores and 33 gas station convenience stores in Cheshire County. Some of these neighborhood stores provide minimal local or regional foods.
Village Markets
While village market and general stores are now rarities, some small towns throughout Cheshire County still count on them as food markets and social centers. Among those in Cheshire County are: Alstead Village Market, Coll's Farm Market & Deli, Dublin General Store, Gilsum Village Store, Harrisville General Store, Mill Village Country Store, Sullivan Country Store, Walpole Village Market, and Westmoreland Village Store (2). These stores are all locally-owned and often carry some local foods. The Gilsum Village Market hosts the village's Farmer's Market and carries some local produce seasonally. The Harrisville General Store turned its focus on carrying a variety of local foods and goods, even making some of their own value-added local foods, such as homemade chicken pot pie, jams, and jellies.
Cooperative Markets
Cheshire County is on its way to opening its first cooperatively, community-owned grocery stores. Monadnock Community Market in Keene and the Great River Co-op in Walpole are both planned to open in the near future and will focus on carrying local foods and food products.
Farmer's Markets
Cheshire County is home to 5 farmer's markets, in: Keene (Tuesdays & Saturdays), Rindge (Thursdays), Walpole (Fridays), Gilsum (Saturday), and Jaffrey (Saturday) (2).
Farm Stands & Pick-Your-Own (PYO) Farms
Recorded farm stands are found in (1) Alstead, (1) Dublin, (1) Jaffrey, (1) Fitzwilliam, (2) Keene, (1) Rindge, (1) Surry, and (1) Walpole. U-pick farms in Cheshire County include those in (2) Alstead, (3) Keene, (1) Rindge, (1) Troy, (2) Walpole, and (2) Westmoreland (3). Farm locations can be found in the Monadnock Table Local Farm Directory.
Restaurants
As of 2008, there were 65 fast-food restaurants and 41 full-service restaurants in Cheshire County (5). Of these 41, a handful use local and regional foods in their menus. To stay up-to-date on restaurants that support local food, check out Monadnock Menus blog. Cheshire County Conservation District puts on a yearly event called Monadnock Matchmaking Event, where local food producers meet with area buyers.
Community Meals
Hot meals are open to all community members through Keene Community Kitchen. Much of the food kitchen volunteers cook with is donated food from local farmers and gardeners. Also Home Healthcare, Hospice & Community Services runs a community dining program for seniors around Cheshire County. The Friendly Meals Dining Program serves daily, weekly, and monthly meals in (1) Hinsdale, (1) Jaffrey, (3) Keene, (1) Marlow, (1) Stoddard, (1) Troy, (1) North Walpole, and (1) Westmoreland (1). Friendly Bus services are available in Keene (and periodically in Hinsdale and Troy) to provide transportation to the Friendly Meals Dining locations.
Food Pantries
For those in need of food assistance, food pantries are available in communities around Cheshire County, including: (1) Alstead, (2) Jaffrey, (6) Keene, (1) Richmond, (1) West Swanzey, (1) Troy, (1) North Walpole, (1) Walpole, (1) Winchester (4). For more information about pantries and other services visit New Hampshire Servicelink Community Resource Directory.
_Sources cited
1. Home Healthcare, Hospice & Community Services, Friendly Meals Senior Dining Program website at http://www.hcsservices.org/services/seniorMeals/.
2. Monadnock Table staff. (2011) Farmer's Markets. Monadnock Table, Issue 6, Fall 2011.
3. Monadnock Table staff. (2011) Farm Directory. Monadnock Table, Issue 6, Fall 2011.
4. New Hampshire Servicelink Community Resource Directory can be found on their website at http://www.referweb.net/nhsl/.
5. US Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. (n.d.) Your Food Environment Atlas. Website can be found at http://ers.usda.gov/foodatlas/.
1. Home Healthcare, Hospice & Community Services, Friendly Meals Senior Dining Program website at http://www.hcsservices.org/services/seniorMeals/.
2. Monadnock Table staff. (2011) Farmer's Markets. Monadnock Table, Issue 6, Fall 2011.
3. Monadnock Table staff. (2011) Farm Directory. Monadnock Table, Issue 6, Fall 2011.
4. New Hampshire Servicelink Community Resource Directory can be found on their website at http://www.referweb.net/nhsl/.
5. US Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. (n.d.) Your Food Environment Atlas. Website can be found at http://ers.usda.gov/foodatlas/.