October is National Apple Month!

Thank you to the apple producers in Cheshire County and beyond, for all that you do to conserve and steward local soils, provide diverse apples to our community, and make our lives so crisp!

Learn more about resources available through the NH Fruit Growers Association here!

A great way to celebrate is by shopping local. View CCCD's Find a Farm Map below, or update your farm's information to be featured on the map!

Join us to celebrate 81 years of conservation! What to Expect:

• Enjoy live music by Milkhouse Heaters, local to Bellows Falls VT!
• Participate in our auction of locally donated items!
• Enjoy a catered dinner from CC&D's kitchen!
• Enjoy bartending services and libations from Deluxe Parties
• Celebrate our 2026 awardees: Cooperator of the Year - Monadnock Berries, Community Partner of the Year - Keene Public Library, and Educator of the Year - Carl Majewski!
• Connect with community, both old friends and new!
• Learn more about ways to support CCCD's conservation programs and help further our impact!

Ticket Options:

Individual tickets for the Annual Celebration are $38.00, which includes your meal, activities, and access to the auction. You can purchase your ticket online!

Reserved table tickets for the Annual Celebration are $284.00 (save $20 when you reserve your table!), which includes meals, activities, and access to the auction for 8 people! Tables seat 8 people and are a wonderful option for organizations or to invite friends and neighbors!

Please register by October 9, 2026.

Accessibility:

If ticket cost is a barrier to attending, please contact info@cheshireconservation.org

For more information or assistance in registration, contact ellinore@cheshireconservation.org

Thank you to our sponsors: Savings Bank of Walpole, C&S Wholesale Grocers, Farm Credit East, Walden Mutual, and Mascoma Bank.

We are excited to be hosting our silent auction again this year, with all proceeds supporting CCCD's conservation programs!

Donations are a great way to support local conservation, and provide exposure to your business or project!

Examples of Past Auction Items Include:

Locally made crafts

A gift card to a local restaurant

A farm experience (tours, CSA shares, etc.!)

Garden supplies

Hotel stays

Boat rides

and more!

If you or your organization are unsure of a good, service, or experience to donate, you can also contact CCCD to discuss providing support that will be put towards an auction item gift basket!

To donate an auction item or for more information, contact 

Ellinore Todd-Long: ellinore@cheshireconservation.org or 

603-904-3011

All donations to our auction are greatly appreciated and help further our impact!

Thank you for helping make this a fun and exciting event to further benefit conservation efforts in Cheshire County!

The Cheshire County Conservation District (CCCD) is proud to announce our 2026 Awardees! In the past, CCCD has annually given out two awards for Cooperator of the Year and Educator of the Year to community members or businesses that made significant and beneficial contributions to their community and the natural world. This year, we are proud to officially unveil our new Community Partner of the Year award to a partner we feel deserves recognition for their efforts not only in partner projects, but also in the overall service they brought to the Cheshire County community. 

This year, we are proud of our 2026 awardees not only for their hard work, but for their commitment to creating a more resilient community and a more sustainable world. The 2026 awardees are as follows: Oliver and Loise Levick of Monadnock Berries for the Cooperator of the Year Award, Carl Majewski of UNH Cooperative Extension for the Educator of the Year Award, and Marti Fiske and Amy Kraemer of the Keene Public Library for the Community Partner of the Year Award!

CCCD offers several sponsorship opportunities at different giving levels for our Pollinator Palooza, Annual Celebration, Soil Health Initiative, and Veteran Appreciation Month Programs.

Sponsorships are available to businesses, organizations, and individuals!

Sponsorships are a meaningful way to directly support these programs while promoting yourself, business, or organization!

2026 Annual Conservation Commission Potluck

Wednesday, October 7th

5:30PM-7:30PM

Monadnock Conservancy

Keene NH

Rotational Grazing for Horses Workshop

(CCCD is an event partner)

Thursday, October 8th

1:00PM-3:00PM

Wild Carrot Farm

Brattleboro VT

Rotational Grazing for Sheep Workshop

(CCCD is an event partner)

Thursday, October 15th

2:00PM-4:00PM

Vermont Shepherd LLC

Putney VT

CCCD's 81st Annual Celebration

Thursday, October 22nd

6:00PM-8:30PM

Walpole Town Hall

Walpole NH

Stay tuned for more events!

Stay up to date on CCCD's Event Page!

For questions or assistance in event registration:

info@cheshireconservation.org or (603) 904-3011

Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus)

The northern saw-whet owl is one of the smallest owl species native to North America. It was named in the 1800s for its vocalizations, which mimic the rasp of sharpening a saw on a whetting stone. A sound many were familiar with in the 1800s.

The owl's habitat is most commonly in coniferous forests near wetlands, especially during breeding season. They are secondary cavity nesters and rely on naturally occurring cavities or ones created by other animals. Some of the owls choose to be permanent residents, while others choose to migrate south in the winter.

Adult northern saw-whet owls are between 6.7 and 8.7 inches long. Females are larger than males, weighing 100 grams, while males weigh 75 grams.

Northern saw-whet owls lay between four and six eggs. The father owl does the hunting, while the female sits on the eggs. Once the offspring develop feathers, the father becomes the caregiver, while the mother leaves to mate with another male and produce another clutch.

Sources:

iNaturalist

Image Credit:

radrat, iNaturalist

Monadnock Outdoors is one of the six Healthy Monadnock Alliance workgroups proudly working to advance health and well-being throughout the Monadnock region.

Through collaboration with local organizations and community members, we aim to create a supportive environment that fosters a culture of well-being and outdoor recreation.

This is accomplished by actively promoting active living, active transportation, and a deeper connection to nature.

Join us for a Monadnock Outdoors virtual meeting! Monadnock Outdoors is always looking to engage new community partners and community members. We would love to see you at our next meeting!

• 2026 schedule: 4th Wednesday of the Month, 10:00-11:00AM

Contact benee@cheshireconservation.org to attend an upcoming meeting or to express interest in offering your expertise as a volunteer!

Great Falls Food Hub — Community Interest Survey (Bellows Falls

Food Works Group is a women-run advisory firm that supports progress across the food system. We are supporting a farm/food business hub project in Bellows Falls/Rockingham, and we would appreciate your help gathering more data on the NH side of that region. We developed a farm/food business survey to help us assess demand, utilization, facility design and services, pricing models, and other details for a multi-purpose food facility.

There is real interest in this community (region) for better cold storage, kitchen access, and local food infrastructure.

To move from interest to action, we need one more round of input. Whether you participated in the earlier survey or are hearing about this project for the first time, your response is welcome and valuable.

The previous survey helped us understand that demand exists. This survey is designed to quantify it. The questions are specific and most are multiple choice or ask for a single number. Your answers will feed directly into a financial feasibility model and facility design plan currently underway, and will help determine what gets built, for whom, and at what scale.

This survey exists because the project has advanced to a stage where we need real numbers from real people in order to make a credible case to funders and decision makers.

This will take less than 5 minutes. Thank you for staying engaged with this work. Anonymous responses are welcome, but contact info helps us follow up.

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Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) Technical Assistance

Get the support you need to grow organic with confidence. NOFA-NH offers Organic Technical Assistance to help you navigate the details of organic production and certification. Whether you're just getting started, transitioning, or already certified, we’re here to support your farm every step of the way. From recordkeeping and soil health to certification requirements and on-farm practices, our team can work with you one-on-one to find solutions that fit your operation. 

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Need a little organic support? We’ve got you

Join NOFA-NH’s free, weekly Organic Support Hour—a dedicated time each week to connect, ask questions, and get guidance on organic production and certification. Whether you're navigating paperwork, troubleshooting a challenge, or just looking to talk things

 through, this is a space for you. Bring your questions on soil health, inputs, recordkeeping, certification, or anything in between. No question is too small, and you don’t have to figure it out alone. 

Drop in, connect, and keep your farm moving forward—together.

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How You Can Help New Hampshire's Turtles

From late spring into summer, turtles are on the move — especially nesting females in search of the perfect spot to lay their eggs. Their journeys can take them away from the water, and often across busy roads. As long-lived species with delayed reproductive maturity, turtles are especially vulnerable to road impacts, and every turtle counts. Here are some ways you can lend a hand this turtle season:

• Slow down when driving near lakes, ponds, and wetlands.
• If it’s safe, help turtles cross the road — always in the direction they’re headed.
• Never pick turtles up by the tail, and never relocate them.
• If you find an injured turtle, call or text NH Turtle Rescue at (603) 417-4944.
•  To assist with wildlife research, report your turtle sightings to NH Fish & Game.
• Sign up to be a Turtle Transport Volunteer with NH Turtle Rescue.

To learn more, watch our recent Zoom workshops: Turtle Rescue 101: How You Can Help with Dallas Huggins and Drew Stevens from NH Turtle Rescue, and Turtles of New Hampshire with NH Fish & Game wildlife biologist Josh Megyesy.

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Agricultural Literacy Certification Course for Educators

The National Center for Agricultural Literacy has developed a fantastic online certification course that will enhance any teacher's understanding of agriculture across the US and worldwide. Self paced, with an anticipated twelve hours of working time, the $25 cost of enrollment for professional development is way cheap and you end up with a NCAL certification as a Ag Literacy Educator. 

 

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NOFA-NH's 2025 NH Organic Farm & Food Guide

After over a year in the making, NOFA-NH's 2025 NH Organic Farm & Food Guide is here! This 40 page magazine is a love letter to the 96 of the vibrant, resilient organic farms and food producers of the Granite State, brimming with useful information about the certified organic and transitioning to organic farms in every county, tasty recipes, helpful maps, interactive coloring pages, and more! We hope you love it as much as we do!

Interested in receiving some free copies of the guide for your farm store, library, farmers' market, local business or organization? Fill out this interest form and we will do our best to fulfill your request!

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Learn About & Apply to Become A Natural Resources Stewards

Keene NH

The Natural Resources Steward program offers a comprehensive training and volunteer support network for people who love the outdoors. If you want to learn about, explore and engage with the natural communities of New Hampshire, this program may be just what you're looking for.

It begins with an interactive hybrid course that brings people together to explore NH’s ecosystems. Discover the many ways that trees, plants, soil, fungi, water, wildlife, and even humans are interconnected. Learn how we can help restore and protect the natural world to which we belong.

With knowledge in hand, and ongoing support from a community of professionals, teachers, and classmates, Stewards develop and deliver projects and activities in their communities and across the state. Many people come to the Stewards program because they see a need within their community, or an opportunity to contribute to a natural place in NH that they love. Together, Natural Resources Stewards are part of a longstanding program – a community of people who care and make a difference to the natural world around them.

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2026 Community Technical Assistance

The Taking Action for Wildlife team offers direct technical assistance to communities interested in incorporating wildlife and habitat information into their land conservation, land-use planning, land stewardship, and outreach. This year we are accepting applications on a rolling basis, so communities can apply whenever they are ready!

Who Should Apply: Any New Hampshire community is welcome to apply. Applications are usually submitted by Conservation Commissions, but we also encourage applications from other municipal boards or committees seeking assistance related to wildlife and habitat protection. Applications should reflect interest from multiple members of the commission or board, with a strong interest in pursuing a tangible goal or project.  

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The Kestrels Young Birders Club: Bird Banding Demonstration

October 4th

8:00AM-10:00AM

Antrim NH

(location provided prior to the event)

Radically Rural

October 6th-8th

7:00PM-8:00PM

Colonial Theater (other locations)

Keene NH

Are you a tween or a teen with an interest in birds and birding? Join a growing movement of young adults who are learning to recognize birds and their calls while building community with other young birders as part of The Kestrels Young Birders Club! Kestrels programs are led by Harris Center bird conservation director Phil Brown and naturalist Susie Spikol, along with other guest experts. For students in grades 5 through 12.

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Radical means going to the roots. And roots, by their nature, do not act alone, they form relationships. As they grow, they turn away from what is toxic and toward what is nourishing.

This year’s summit invites participants to walk in both worlds: to reckon honestly with what is coming apart in the-world-as-it-is-now, while exploring the practices already stabilizing and readying rural communities for profound transformations: the-world-as-it-could-be.

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Mount Monadnock Hike

October 7th

9:00AM-3:00PM

Jaffrey NH

(location provided prior to the event)

Join former Monadnock State Park Manager Ben Haubrich, hiking enthusiast Trish Harper, and naturalist Susie Spikol for an all-day hike up Mount Monadnock. Our challenging, 5+ mile route with a 1500-foot vertical gain will take us up the White Dot Trail, then the Cascade Trail, and finally the Spellman Trail, which is the steepest section of trail on the mountain.

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How Acoustic Research is Shedding Light on New Hampshire’s Bats

October 8th

7:00PM-8:00PM

Online, Zoom

Discover how UNH researcher Megan Graham is exploring the use of passive acoustic monitoring to track changes in Granite State bat populations. Don’t miss this chance to learn more about New Hampshire’s bats — and how new tools are helping scientists like Megan understand these fascinating winged mammals.

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Autumn Forest Bathing at Distant Hill

October 9th

5:30PM-7:00PM

Distant Hill Gardens

Walpole NH

Join Josephine Russell from Aloha, a yoga and healthy living studio in Keene, NH, for a refreshing in-person experience surrounded by the colors of fall! Embrace the crisp air and vibrant leaves as we explore Distant Hill's peaceful trails together. It's the perfect chance to unwind, connect with nature, and boost your wellness.

Forest bathing is a mindful practice that encourages people to immerse themselves in natural environments, promoting physical and mental well-being. During this slow, intentional walk on the Distant Hill Nature Trail, participants will focus on nature's sights, sounds, and scents. This immersive experience fosters a deeper connection with the environment while enhancing relaxation and reducing stress.

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Kids Count for Wildlife: Red-backed Salamander Survey

October 9th

4:00PM-5:30PM

Harris Center for Conservation Education

Hancock NH

Calling all kids ages 6 through 18 who care about wildlife! Try your hand at field research, develop your naturalist skills, and do something to help the wild animals of our world with Harris Center naturalist Susie Spikol and ecologist Brett Amy Thelen. Together, we’ll search the Harris Center woods for red-backed salamanders and count how many we find as part of a long-term study of this common woodland species. Children under the age of 12 need to be accompanied by an interested family member. All others can attend without parental supervision.

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Wildlife Trail Camera Workshop

October 11th

10:00AM-12:00PM

Distant Hill Gardens

Walpole NH

Join us for a hands-on Wildlife Trail Camera Workshop where you'll learn how to capture amazing wildlife footage from your backyard!

Join us for a free hands-on Wildlife Trail Camera Workshop on Sunday, October 11, from 10:00 am to noon at Distant Hill Gardens in Walpole, NH.

Discover how trail cameras can open a window into the secret lives of wildlife with Jaime McGuigan, a trail camera specialist from the nonprofit Access Conservation. Jaime will share tips on choosing the right camera, ideal placement for capturing animals, and how to interpret the images and videos you collect.

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Explore Life on the Green River!

October 17th

10:00AM-3:00PM

Green River Meadows

741 River Rd

Guilford VT

Macroinvertebrate Sampling Sessions: 10:00am-11:00am, 11:00am-12:00pm, & 1:00pm-2:00pm 

Come Explore Life on the Green River at Green River Meadows. In partnership with Windham County Natural Resources Conservation District (WCNRCD), the Green River Watershed Alliance (GRWA), Vermont River Conservancy (VRC), and members from Trout Unlimited, Connecticut River Conservancy (CRC) will host an educational event with activities fit for all ages. 

Join CRC and partners on October 17th for one of the three macroinvertebrate sampling sessions to learn and interact with the variety of macroinvertebrates in the stream. Or stop by to spend time touring Green River Meadows and other educational stations that focus on riparian buffers, the connection between macroinvertebrates and fly fishing, and the restoration of the Green River Meadows site.

Bring water, snacks, and a chair to spend the day learning about and enjoying the beautiful Green River. River access is though uneven terrain off a 0.5-mile trail in the field, so be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes!

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Wildflower Seed Collection and Seed Ball Making Workshop & Apple & Wildflower Seed Ball Launching

See dates and times below

Distant Hills Nature Trail

Alstead NH

Wildflower Seed Collection and Seed Ball Making Workshop

October 19th

10:00AM-12:00PM

This self-guided experience invites you to discover the wildflowers and seeds along Distant Hill Nature Trail. Use the plant signs in the pollinator planting and the accompanying scavenger hunt sheet to identify plants and their seeds as you explore.

Then stop by the pavilion to make your own native wildflower seed balls—a fun and easy way to spread seeds and support pollinators. Take your seed balls home to plant, or donate them to Distant Hill for the Apple Seed Ball Launch on October 25.

Learn More

Apple & Wildflower Seed Ball Launching

October 25th

1:00PM-3:30PM

Make your own wildflower seed balls and then use our apple launcher to disperse seeds in the new pollinator planting on Lost Acre field.

Learn More

Invasive Plant Workshop

October 21st

2:00PM-4:00PM

Distant Hill Gardens

Walpole NH

Join us for this hands-on and informative Invasive Plant Workshop at Distant Hill Gardens. highlighting some of the species that are easier to identify in the fall.

As non-native plants, insects, and other organisms increasingly disrupt ecosystems across New England, understanding how to identify and manage invasive species is more important than ever—especially in the face of a changing climate.

Led by UNH Extension forester Dode Gladders (Sullivan and Cheshire County), this workshop will explore:

• What defines an invasive species
• Common invasive plants threatening New England
• How to recognize them in your own backyard
• The advantage of fall for identifying invasive plants that stay green long into the fall, of have very distinctive fall color.
• Practical strategies for controlling their spread

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Book Event: Oceanic Manta Adventure — Saving the Angels of the Sea with Sy Montgomery and Patrick Joyce

October 23rd

7:00PM-8:30PM

Harris Center for Conservation Education

Hancock NH

Join award-winning nature author Sy Montgomery and wildlife photographer Patrick Joyce for an evening with manta rays. Sy’s latest Scientists in the Field book for ages 8 to 10, Oceanic Manta Adventure follows a small group of biologists as they try to uncover the secrets of manta rays off the coast of Ecuador. Joyce’s underwater photographs bring to light the graceful beauty of these fascinating creatures.

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Nature on Tap: Skulls & Bones Art Night with Wildlife Artist Matt Patterson

October 28th

5:30PM-6:30PM

Post & Beam Brewing

Peterborough NH

Join award-winning wildlife artist Matt Patterson for a spine-chilling night of making art, Harris Center style. Spend time sipping on a cool beer at Post & Beam Brewing, observing skulls and bones from the Harris Center’s natural history collection, and drawing with Matt. Naturalist Susie Spikol will also be on hand to answer your questions about the Harris Center’s spooky collection. Paper and pencils will be provided, but feel free to bring any other art supplies you’d like to use. Drinks on you, stories on us!

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Converse Meadow Hike

November 1st

1:00PM-3:00PM

Converse Meadow

Rindge NH

Join outing leaders Brian Bishoff and Betsy Marshall for a 2-mile loop hike at Converse Meadow, where we’ll follow an old woods road through hemlock and hardwood groves along the edge of Converse Meadow and McGregor Pond. This hike has little elevation gain, and offers beautiful wetland views.

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Saw-whet Owl Banding Demonstration

November 4th

8:30PM-9:30PM

Hooper Institute

Hancock NH

(location provided prior to the event)

Small enough to sit in your hand, saw-whet owls migrate through New England by the thousands each fall, offering a unique opportunity for study. Join the Harris Center’s saw-whet banding team to learn what owl banding efforts are revealing about this pint-sized bird of prey, and to see a demonstration of the banding process. If any owls are successfully caught, we’ll have a chance to observe as they’re carefully weighed, measured, tagged, and released back to the wild. Please note that these are wild animals, so we cannot guarantee that owls will show up for this event.

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Hooper 100 Year Gala

November 7th

6:00PM-9:00PM

Distant Hill Gardens

Walpole NH

We hope you will join us to celebrate the centennial of the Hooper Institute on November 7th at the Walpole Town Hall. Celebrate the night with a catered dinner from Burdick's, silent auction, and program to honor and celebrate our past century of programs.

​Tickets are now on sale! Registration is required and tickets are limited. RSVP by Oct 23rd. 

Individual tickets are $100 or $750 for a table of 8. Tickets can be purchased using the link below!

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Aging Actively

According to the 2020 Census, 1 in 6 people in the United States are age 65 or older, accounting for 16.8% of the total American population. This age group’s share is projected to rise to 23% by 2050. The State of New Hampshire has the second-oldest population nationwide, with more than 1 in 4 residents (26.7%) aged 60 or older in 2025. 

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New Hampshire Environmental Literacy Plan is Ready for Implementation

New Hampshire has taken an important step forward in strengthening environmental education with the updated 2026 New Hampshire Environmental Literacy Plan. Convened by New Hampshire Environmental Educators, the plan outlines a shared vision to ensure that all residents have the knowledge, skills, and motivation to make informed decisions about the environment. 

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When Climate Meets Crowds: Land Managers and Outdoor Recreation Providers' Responses to Climate and Social Change in Parks and Protected Areas

In 2023, outdoor recreation participation reached a 15-year high, coinciding with the warmest year on record. This convergence creates complex challenges for land managers and outdoor recreation providers (providers). Despite widespread recognition of these challenges, there is a gap in research that examines the providers' perspectives and their preferred techniques for managing multiple stressors. Using complex adaptive systems and resilience theories as a guide, this study addresses that gap by exploring the perceptions of climate-related operational impacts, social impacts, and management preferences of providers across New Hampshire’s Parks and Protected Areas (NH PPAs).

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Guide to Using Wood Ash as an Agricultural Soil Amendment

Wood ash has a long history of use in New England. Our Yankee ancestors used wood ash to make lye for soaps, to clean glass, silver and pewter. Ash is also used as an agricultural soil amendment to add nutrients and raise the soil pH. Burning wood is still very popular in New England and sources are readily available. This document is focused primarily on the use of ash from residential woodstoves, but touches on the use of ash from larger commercial sources such as wood-burning biomass plants which produce heat or electricity.

"Wood ash contains significant amounts of potassium and calcium, while providing smaller amounts of phosphorous and magnesium."

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Regenerating Northern Oak Forests Using Prescribed Fire

UNH scientists are exploring the use of prescribed fire to regenerate Northern red oak forests, a crucial timber species in New England. Led by COLSA research scientist Matthew Vadeboncoeur, the study has so far found that stands thinned and burned have three times more oak seedlings than those only thinned.

This study aims to enhance oak regeneration and expand its range northward, offering new forest management strategies in the face of climate change. Learn how prescribed fire could shape the future of our forests!

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Conserving Your Land: Options for New Hampshire Landowners

New Online Publication Available!

The Conserving Your Land book is a guide for landowners, conservation commissions, citizens, and others interested in learning about land conservation options and techniques. Originally written in 2005 by the Forest Society's Center for Land Conservation Assistance, the guide was revised and updated in 2019, and reprinted with minor corrections in 2024, and is available via the link below.

If you would like to obtain a printed copy of Conserving Your Land, please contact your local land trust. All NH land trusts have been provided with a supply of copies. If you have any question about this publication please email Emma.Tutein@unh.edu.

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Gardening Resources:

Ask UNH Extension!

Ask Questions, Explore Opportunities, Get Ideas. Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Master Gardeners are ready and available to help with topics including gardening, lawns, pests, fruits and vegetables, food safety, and much more. For research-based information you can trust, Ask UNH Extension.

1-877-EXT-GROW (398-4769)



Yard & Garden Website

answers@unh.edu

@askUNHextension 

New Hampshire Envirothon:

Volunteer for Next Year!

Each year, volunteer advisors coach teams with assistance from local conservation districts, forestry associations and participating natural resource agencies and organizations. Students are tested on their knowledge in five topic areas: aquatics, forestry, soils, wildlife and current environmental issues. Through the program, students develop an understanding of effective teamwork, resource management and ecology. At the same time, they gain valuable exposure to a range of disciplines while exploring possible career paths. Winning teams from each participating state and province advance to the National Conservation Foundation Envirothon (NCFE) to compete for national recognition, scholarships and prizes. 

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Gardening & Food Justice Resources

Check out some of our favorite resources below for any help with your gardens. Want something a little more personalized or have a specific question for CGC staff? Please reach out to us via email at communitygardens@antioch.edu. We love to hear from you!

Food Justice Resources

· This foodtank article discusses the issue of food justice and proposes 7 ways that we can fight for food justice. https://foodtank.com/news/2021/02/ways-to-fight-for-food-justice/

The (R)Evolution of Indigenous Foods- Chef Sean Sherman, Oglala Lakota, Founder of The Sioux Chef, talks about his work in bringing indigenous knowledge about food back to the forefront in North America. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhkJ-tSLUKk

CGC also has online resources and videos on the following topics:

·     Soil Health

·      Garden Planning

·      Organic Pest Management

·      Organic Weed Prevention

·      Plant Diseases: Diagnosis and Prevention

Land Conservation and Flood Resilience

This new info brief explores the intersection between flooding, land conservation, and economics. It is informed by Dr. Zahorik's doctoral dissertation in the Natural Resources and Earth System's Science Program at UNH. Dr. Ashcraft served as Michal's advisor and Dr. Rogers served on his committee. They were motivated to develop an Extension info brief to translate new research into an accessible format for community decision makers looking to address flooding concerns. In some cases, land conservation can be a valuable tool that can support a community's economic goals and well-being.  

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What to Know About Beech Leaf Disease

Beech leaf disease (BLD) is caused by a microscopic worm-like nematode, Litylenchus crenatae ssp. Mcannii, and potentially its associated fungi or bacteria.



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A Cover Crop Selection Tool for Northeast US Farmers

The Northeast Cover Crops Council and Precision Sustainable Agriculture (PSA) 

The Northeast Cover Crops Council, in cooperation with Precision Sustainable Agriculture (PSA) host a Cover Crop Decision Support Tool that can help explore cover crop choices. The web-based app allows you to explore the function and characteristics of cover crop species suited to the Northeast and provides recommendations for cover crops based on user-defined inputs. 

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Support Local: Look for the Monadnock Grown Label

Monadnock Grown products are those grown within the 34 towns of the Monadnock Region. Products must be made from items grown in our region.

See list of participating farm stands and grocery outlets!

Want to see your event or resource in the newsletter?

Email Nina at nina@cheshireconservation.org a brief write up of your news or event!

Monadnock Outdoor Recreation Map



Winter wonders await! Where will the season take you?

The Monadnock Region resource map shows many of the fantastic recreational opportunities across our region, including parks, trail heads, boat ramps and more!

This initiative was made possible by Monadnock Outdoors, a regional partnership of community leaders working to promote active living and connections to nature. Monadnock Outdoors proudly advances active living in the Monadnock Region. This initiative is made possible by Cheshire Medical Center's Healthy Monadnock Alliance.

Seed and Tool Lending Library at the Keene Public Library:

A Free Gardening Resource for Cheshire County Community Members

The Monadnock Grows Together Seed, and Garden Tool Lending Libraries are available to all residents of Cheshire County with an active Keene Public Library Card or Cheshire County Special Borrowers Card in good standing. Garden Tools can now be reserved up to 6 months in advance - Click here to place a reservation.

Please allow staff 24 hours to process pending reservation requests and retrieve reserved Items. All borrowers must also complete and sign our Library of Things, Garden Tools and Outdoor Gear Library Terms of Use and Waiver of Liability.

Vegetable and Flower seeds are available on the seed racks located in the Putnam Atrium. Garden Tools can be reserved by calling the main desk at (603) 352-0157. 

This program is a result of a partnership between the Keene Public Library, Cheshire County Conservation District, Antioch University New England's Community Garden Connections (CGC), and the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT).

Monadnock Grows Together is funded by the Urban Agriculture Conservation Grant Initiative. The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) established the Urban Agriculture Conservation Grant Initiative in 2016 to help conservation districts and their partners provide much-needed technical assistance for agricultural conservation in developed or predominantly developing areas. Since July 2016, NACD and NRCS have awarded three rounds of grants totaling $4 million to 81 conservation district projects across 34 states.

In addition to seeds and garden tools, the library provides educational workshops and other resources about growing and saving seeds and organic gardening.

CCCD's Rental Program: Rent Your Equipment Needs Today!

The Cheshire County Conservation District provides low-cost farm equipment rentals each year in and around Cheshire County.

This is a valuable cost-saving service to local growers that supports the CCCD's mission of improving soil quality and management through the conservation and responsible use of natural and agricultural resources.

Available Farm Equipment in 2026:

• 7' Esch No-Till Drill
• 12' Esch No-Till Drill
• ZRX Roller Crimper Corn Planter (Available for Long Term Lease)
• Roller Crimper
• Forestry/Woodlot Management Equipment
• Stoltzfus BMS 5010 Spreader
• Pollinator Habitat Establishment Tools
• Wood Ash/Lime Spreader
• Aerway Aerator
• Soil Steamer
• No-Till Vegetable Transplanter
• BCS Tractor (New Spreader Attachment!)
• Subsoiler
• Penetrometer

If you would like to reserve a piece of farm equipment listed above, contact CCCD at 603-904-3011 or send an email to info@cheshireconservation.org

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