HCCA, in collaboration with the Kennebec Sheriff's Office and with support from the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation, is seeking gleaning opportunities at area farms. All food harvested will be donated to hunger relief and other organizations serving those in need. This unique project provides a meaningful experience allowing approved inmates to do community service. Participating farms are eligible for tax deductions for their donation. 

To learn more about the project or to become a participating farm, contact Renee Page at rpage@mcd.org or 207.588.5020.

Jada Wensman

FoodCorps starts fresh at TC Hamlin and Lincoln Elementaries

In its sixth year of programming, FoodCorps at HCCA is turning the focus of service on two new schools: Teresa C. Hamlin Elementary in Randolph and Lincoln Elementary in Augusta. FoodCorps' mission is to connect kids to healthy food in schools through hands-on lessons in cooking and gardening, healthy school meals, and a schoolwide culture of health. FoodCorps Service Member Jada Wensman is thrilled to be supporting these new communities!

Learn more about FoodCorps at foodcorps.org

Follow HCCA on Facebook for FoodCorps updates and events throughout the year!

~ Contributed by Jada Wensman

Please help keep FoodCorps in our

schools by donating now.

Visit HCCA's FoodCorps GoFundMe page by clicking on the link below.

HCCA is grateful for all of the community and philanthropic support received over the years to keep FoodCorps going locally. This year the need is a bit more as longstanding revenue sources are no longer available and the cost obligation is increasing.

HCCA is asking for your support in keeping FoodCorps in the Capital Area going. Please make a donation today.

Click here to donate now

	Lily Joslin (R) leads hands-on cooking class

As part of HCCA's Reducing Food Waste and Increasing Access to Fresh, Local Foods project supported by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation, Lily Joslin delivered the Cooking Matters program at the Kennebec Valley YMCA. Participating families joined Lily in preparing a healthy meal featuring fresh, locally grown foods and then took home ingredients to prepare the meal on their own.

Stone Fruit Salsa & Veggie Quesadilla

Lily led a six-week nutrition education and cooking skills series at Spin Off Studio in Gardiner, a gallery and creative space serving adults with disabilities. For their final class, participants made a stone fruit salsa with veggie quesadilla from local/seasonal fruit for a lesson on healthy party food options. At a previous class, participants created a Whole Plate Meal after learning about a healthy diet based on the Harvard Healthy Eating Plate. Examples of the build your own Whole Plate Meal salads are pictured below using quinoa, fresh vegetables, herbs, beans, dried fruit, cheese, seeds and nuts, olive oil, and apple cider vinegar. Yum!

Participant Quotes:

"What I've learned is that I've gotten more comfortable making fresh food myself a little bit. It's something I'm trying to learn before I'm independent and living on my own. I feel like I can integrate more fresh vegetables into foods my family and I already eat at home." ~ Spin Off program participant

"I'm taking away that food prep can be fun. Learning to cut fresh vegetables was brand new to me, I feel like I can make more things from scratch on my own." ~ Spin Off program participant

~ Submitted by Lily Joslin

	USDA Undersecretary Kevin Concannon and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree celebrate Farmers' Market Week at Augusta's Mill Park Market

Farmers' markets across the state celebrated National Farmers' Market Week, including the Augusta Mill Park market, who welcomed two distinguished local foods champions, Maine's own Congresswoman Chellie Pingree and USDA Undersecretary Kevin Concannon. These two Mainers are advocates for hunger relief issues and small farms.  

Though Maine has the highest number of farms of any New England state, Maine also ranks the highest for number of food insecure residents, and has the highest obesity rates. In response, the Maine Farm Bureau has asked its members to contribute fresh produce to help combat hunger. Farm Bureau members have responded! Many of them have quietly contributed to their local food banks, but on Saturday, September 17, they will make a public show of support for ending hunger by loading fresh fruits and vegetables onto trucks and tractor-pulled trailers for food convoy from the Maine State House to the Augusta Food Bank. The parade begins at 10:00 and will travel along Sewall Street, ending at the Augusta Food Bank on Summer Street. 

"If there is one thing Maine farmers are, it's that they are giving, no matter the size of their operation or the practices they use. Even in a season of harsh drought conditions that may have affected their yields, our members are still willing to give back to their communities that need their help in gaining access to fresh, safe, nutritious produce," said Dr. Alicyn Smart, Executive Director of the non-profit, Maine Farm Bureau.

Anyone is invited to watch the parade. Bring along food donations that will be collected by University of Maine Cooperative Extension 4-H Youth Development members along the parade route. 

"This is a great example of a creative collaboration around a significant issue in our community, said Sarah Miller, Executive Director of the Augusta Food Bank, which provides groceries to eligible residents of Augusta and Manchester. "We saw a record number of people come through our doors in August and it is wonderful to be able to offer large quantities of fresh produce to families that might otherwise go without."

~ Contributed by Sarah Miller

	Carrot Harvest at Andrews Farm

MSAD #11 students will have the opportunity to eat fresh, local veggies at lunch this year thanks to a new partnership with Andrews Farm. Andrews Farm, located in Gardiner between the high school and the middle school, grows organic vegetables including carrots, kale, Swiss chard, and more that will be featured on the salad bar as well as in hot meals. MSAD #11 will celebrate Maine Harvest Lunch Day on September 22 by serving all local produce including Andrews Farm veggies, Bailey's Orchard apples, and shepherd's pie made with Kennebec Restorative Community Harvest potatoes and beef from Emery's Meats.

~ Contributed by Jada Wensman

• message from Congresswoman Chellie Pingree
• networking opportunities
• hands-on workshops to support the 3 Farm to School pillars of Local Food Procurement, School Gardens, and Agriculture Education
• tour of nearby Whiting Farm
• learning opportunities from local, state, and national Farm to School partners
• conversations about policies to support Farm to School implementation
• and more! 

For more information and to register, click HERE

Early bird registration $25 ends September 15; $30 registration after September 15.

Be a conference sponsor: 

Matching dollars for SNAP recipients

Farmers' markets shine during late summer and early fall when you can find a terrific selection of locally grown food. In Kennebec and Somerset Counties there are 6 farmers' markets that offer Maine Harvest Bucks to customers shopping with SNAP food supplement benefits. Maine Harvest Bucks help make the bounty available at farmers' markets more accessible to SNAP customers. For every $1 SNAP spent at a market, a customer will receive between $0.50 and $1 in Maine Harvest Bucks to buy fruits and vegetables. At each market there is a central booth where a customer can start shopping and ask questions about the program. Look for the Maine Harvest Bucks logo to get started. 

Learn more about Maine Harvest Bucks locations HERE.

Visit a market near you to enjoy all the flavors and fun of peak harvest season:

Augusta Mill Park Farmers' Market

1 Water Street

Tuesday 2:00-6:00PM

Fairfield Farmers' Market

Church of the Nazarene Parking Lot - 81 Main Street

Wednesday 2:00-4:00PM & Saturday 9:30AM-1:30PM

Gardiner Farmers' Market

Gardiner Common - 1 US Route 201

Wednesday 3:00-6:00PM

Madison Farmers' Market

Behind Main Street Park - 189 Main Street

Sunday 10:00AM-2:00PM

Skowhegan Farmers' Market

Gristmill Parking Lot - Corner of Court & High Streets

Saturday 10:00AM-1:00PM

Waterville Farmers' Market

Concourse off Appleton Street

Thursday 2:00-6:00PM

Visit maineharvestbucks.org to learn about all the sites throughout the state that offer these SNAP bonuses.

~ Submitted by Emilie Knight

The University of Maine Cooperative Extension Service, Maine Farm Bureau, MOFGA, and the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry are seeking feedback from Maine farmers and growers related to the shortage of rain in many parts of Maine. Please respond to the survey by Friday, September 16, 2016.

Reminder - All Maine School Campuses are Tobacco Free

As a new school year begins, remember - all Maine school campuses are tobacco free inside and out, all day, every day.